40 years - 40 natural reserves – Ditgesbaach
The Ditgesbaach area is a small valley south of Ettelbrück, where it joins the valley of the Alzette.
It is one of the largest standard orchards in Luxembourg with more than 1000 trees on an area of about 12 ha.
The flower-rich meadows under the fruit trees are used extensively. On a former terrace of a gypsum quarry, small-scale calcareous grasslands are reminiscent of a Mediterranean landscape. Spring areas, a stream, a pond, copses and hedges are further biotopes that underline the special character of this place. This mosaic of habitats provides a great diversity of insects, which in turn are the basic food for numerous bird species (over 50 registered species). The structurally rich landscape is also an excellent hunting ground for bats.
The local association of natur&ëmwelt, have long been aware of the value of the Ditgesbaach and have been campaigning for its conservation and enhancement for many years.
On three different plots, the foundation was able to restore an old orchard (1 ha) by planting about 60 trees, to maintain and restore an orchard (1.6 ha) with old apple trees (80 years old, mainly of the Ramborn variety) and to convert a meadow (2.6 ha) back into an orchard.
Old fruit trees with wide crowns and cavities in the trunk and branches are very important for birds, bats and small mammals that can nest or roost there..
A didactic path, with a story about the biodiversity in the orchards, is told along the more or less three km long path. Amélie the bee (A. Bei), who lives in the orchard, plays an important role. Each panel of the trail deals with a specific topic that involves the bee. In addition to bees, the topics covered are hedgerows as habitat, flower-rich meadows, limestone lawns, fruit varieties, orchard animals, willows, the pond and its inhabitants, orchard work, and fruit trees through the seasons.
Text: Fondation Hëllef fir d’Natur
COPYRIGHT: Nordliicht.lu
