Blooming Austria
We are taking action in four key areas:
1. vineyard greening
What does vineyard greening mean?
The active sowing of plants between the rows of vines is called vineyard greening. Various plants with thick roots such as wild carrot or oil radish, which bring air into the soil and loosen it, clovers, peas or beans, which bring nitrogen from the air into the soil, flowering plants, which attract insects and bees, etc. are cultivated in the vineyard. The result:
- Food for the living organisms in the soil, which play a very important role in supplying the vines with nutrients.
- Protection against erosion, i.e. the soil being washed away by heavy rain
- Increases biodiversity and creates additional habitats for animals and plants
- Lowers the soil temperature and reduces water evaporation
- Builds up natural humus and stores CO₂
2. Plant 1,000 trees and shrubs
Trees and shrubs provide additional habitat for birds and insects in the vineyards. Only native varieties from regional tree propagation are planted.
3. Install 500 nesting boxes and rock piles in the vineyards
The number of meadow and field birds has halved in the last 25 years. WINZER KREMS wants to counteract this and increase the number of birds in the vineyards by installing nesting boxes. The installation of stone piles at the edge of the vineyards is intended to create additional habitat for reptiles such as the green lizard.
4. extensive slope management
The wine-growing landscape in the Krems valley and in the neighbouring wine-growing regions has a diverse structure and is characterised by a large number of embankments. These embankments are to be upgraded as habitats for animals and plants by
- embankments are only mowed after the plants have flowered and set seed
- embankments are not mowed down completely, but bushes and shrubs are allowed to grow there.
- Workshops on the subject of embankment maintenance will be organised for interested parties.
This project is being carried out in cooperation with and supported by the “Blooming Austria” foundation.
