Old forge building has been rededicated as a ´species protection forge´
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The former forge building on our Ewald 5 site has been given a new lease of life. We have rededicated the 100-year-old building, which had recently stood unused, with local partners both inside and out, specifically for the purpose of species protection for various animal groups.
The 268 m2 building in the center of the area already showed the first signs of colonization by bats, birds and amphibians. The building was preserved for the so-called cultural successors and other – also protected – species, which find less and less suitable quarters. In order to develop the potential, maintenance and extensive installation work over several months was necessary. Taking into account various species conservation practice guidelines as well as advice from the species conservation expert Alfons Pennekamp from the Arbeitsgemeinschaft Fledermausschutz im Kreis Recklinghausen, a variety of measures were implemented:
– Installation of nesting boxes for various bird species (generalists and specialists) in the outdoor area,
– Installation of a barn owl nesting box indoors,
– Installation of bat flat boxes (summer roosts) and hollow bricks (so-called bat bricks) for bats indoors and outdoors,
– Installation of wild bee nesting aids in the form of special ‘clay nesting stones’.
– Creation of suitable roosting structures in the narrow basement of the building (winter roost),
– Placement of sandy substrate on the floor as well as accumulation of stones in places as winter quarters for amphibians, reptiles, mammals or even bats,
– Cladding of the windows with wooden planks similar to inverted boarding as potential crevice hiding places for bats (summer roosts),
– Consideration of existing crevice habitats in the repair of other sections – preservation or new creation of these during the course of the work,
– Preservation, repair and new creation of entry possibilities in the area of the facade and the roof or passages on the ground.
– repair of the building safety, especially the roof structure,
– Elimination of dangerous places with risk of injury for animals and people,
– Closing of the building, so that the entry of third parties is no longer possible.
Due to the numerous devices, the species protection forge offers potential quarters for songbirds, such as the house martin, the redstart and many others; gliders, such as the swift; owls, such as the barn owl; birds of prey, such as the kestrel, as well as the species groups of bats, amphibians, reptiles, insects and mammals. Shelter and protection are now provided. In the next few years, our maintenance measures will also develop the surrounding area in such a way that the potential inhabitants will also find suitable feeding habitats.
In addition, ecological monitoring will be established on Ewald 5, which will also examine the developments and successes of the measures at the forge, which will then be reviewed, adjusted and expanded.
We look forward to reporting to you on the successes of our species protection measures!
