Cooperation with NABU

CEWE's extensive premises are also to be used to do something good for plants and insects. In local cooperation with NABU, CEWE has already created an animal and insect-friendly environment at three locations. In Mönchengladbach, roses and trees have been planted, creating an oasis for employees during their breaks. Nesting boxes for songbirds and nesting facilities for swifts, as well as hedgehog domes, bumblebee castles and bird feeders, were installed at the Eschbach and Oldenburg sites to make the company premises more ecological. An insect hotel was also built to provide nesting space for wild bees, bumblebees and wasps. A wildflower meadow was also sown to provide insects, and bees in particular, with a year-round source of food.

In 2024, CEWE supported NABU in a major nature conservation project involving the purchase of 47 hectares of land in the Stockshof-Belower Wiesen and Dammer Moor nature reserves. These areas are of great importance for the regional biotope network. With the help of the Brandenburg State Office for Environmental Protection (LfU), the land was acquired in order to ensure the preservation and restoration of the unique fen landscape through measures such as the damming of ditches and nature-friendly grassland use (no reseeding of grass, late mowing dates, limited use of fertiliser). The aim is to improve the landscape water balance and protect the flora and fauna in these valuable habitats in the long term. | Photo: Dorothea Renken

Zichow Forest project (2023)

The Zichower Wald - Weinberg nature reserve is located north-east of the Uckermark municipality of Zichow, halfway between the towns of Prenzlau and Schwedt/Oder in northern Brandenburg. The moor and forest areas there have shrunk considerably, which is why the Zichow Forest has become an important nature reserve. Rare native deciduous trees and ground vegetation rich in species and flowers are typical of the area. The forest also provides a habitat for animals such as the crane, tawny owl and tree frog. The NABU Foundation leaves the forest to develop naturally. By dispensing with all maintenance and utilisation, the ‘primeval forests of tomorrow’ can develop undisturbed.

Hutelandschaft Altranft-Sonnenburg (2021)

CEWE is currently supporting NABU's ‘Hutelandschaft Altraft-Sonnenburg’ nature reserve project. This is a 571-hectare nature reserve near Bad Freienwalde in Brandenburg. In 2021, NABU was able to acquire a 38-hectare area in the nature reserve with the support of CEWE. This area is to be upgraded through nature conservation work. To this end, previously conventionally utilised fields will be converted into a pesticide-free field of wild herbs, providing a valuable habitat for insects and skylarks. In winter 2021, the planting of native hedges such as cornelian cherry and hawthorn is also planned. These will provide a rich supply of nectar and pollen for bees, bumblebees, butterflies, hoverflies and many other insects.

Neuhardenberg forest project (2020)

In 2020, CEWE provided financial support for the acquisition of a forest area near Neuhardenberg in Brandenburg. An important goal of the conservation area is the development of near-natural deciduous and mixed forests. Thanks to the many trees with hollows, cracks and rough trunk surfaces, these forests offer perfect protection for bird species such as the middle spotted woodpecker and the black woodpecker. However, as the forests may continue to be used for forestry, many trees are being felled. To prevent this, NABU has acquired a 24,514 square metre area of forest here with the support of CEWE. The wet swamp forest there was immediately taken out of forestry use and can develop undisturbed into a primeval forest-like natural oasis for plants and animals.

Krahner Busch (2019)

The Krahner Busch nature reserve is located to the south of Brandenburg. It is a 166-hectare woodland area that normally lies on damp ground. However, many areas have been drained by drainage ditches. The aim of the project is to preserve the wet woodland and fenland soils, which can be achieved by providing an adequate water supply. NABU had previously acquired scattered areas in the Krahner Busch, but with the help of CEWE, it was able to purchase crucial parcels of land and merge the areas into two large areas. In this way, the forest can not only be upgraded in terms of nature conservation, but also protected from any forestry utilisation. This is important, as the Krahner Busch provides a valuable habitat for a wide variety of mammals, bird species and plants.

Acquisition of a hillside forest on the Saale near Obernitz (2018)

In this project, CEWE was able to support NABU in the purchase of a 32,241 square metre area of hillside forest with a striking rocky outcrop. An oak dry forest grows there on a rock-rich steep slope, providing an important habitat for many rare plant and animal species. An endangered bat species, endangered beetle species, eagle owls, lizards and dormice - numerous species worthy of protection find shelter and food there. The dry forest areas, which cover two thirds of the area, are therefore being preserved and protected as permanently untouched natural forests. Woods are to be removed in places to preserve the sunlit areas of the Gositzfelsen, as this protects the rare species of rock steppe.