40 years - 40 natural reserves – Kalbermillen
Nearly 90 hectares of forests, pastures and hay meadows surround one of our most beautiful properties: the Mill of Kalborn, acquired in 1997.
The Mill of Kalborn is almost 300 years old and has been converted into a nature conservation facility. Since 2007, the historic buildings have been gradually renovated - with the support of European projects (LIFE) and national partners (L’Œuvre Nationale de Secours Grande-Duchesse Charlotte, MDDI).
The renovated mill is now home of the Water Experience Centre (WEZ), the freshwater mussel breeding facility and a Natura 2000 exhibition room. The Water Experience Centre (WEZ) is an environmental education centre for students and universities, as well as private groups, which opened in 2016.
The freshwater rearing facility ensures the breeding of two endangered species: the freshwater pearl mussel (Margaritifera margaritifera) and the thick shelled river mussel (Unio crassus).
The freshwater pearl mussel is a species that is very demanding regarding the water quality and very sensitive to high amounts of fine sediments in the stream. In pearl mussel rivers, the water temperature should also remain low during the summer and the water should be poor in nutrients. Its complex life cycle, ecological requirements and long-life span makes it an umbrella species : by protecting this species, we protect an entire ecosystem.
It lives half buried in the river bed, filtering up to 50 litres of water per day!
Text: Fondation Hëllef fir d’Natur
COPYRIGHT: Nordliicht.lu
