Support from 18 local nature conservation projects

Improving the habitat of the seriously endangered midwife toad in North-western Switzerland, promoting biodiversity in the residential area in Möhlin or publishing a teaching resource on the subject of environmental education in Bex/VD. These are only three examples of a total of 22 projects that have been submitted since the «Salzgut» wildlife fund was launched in December 2019.

«There is a great variety of ideas», as Andreas Bernasconi, head of the «Salzgut» office, is pleased to report. «The approved projects promote biodiversity in our local flora and fauna and therefore make a valuable contribution to biodiversity». The focus is on local projects in the municipalities where Swiss Saltworks extracts local salt. At present, these are Pratteln and Muttenz in the canton of Basel-Landschaft, Rheinfelden and Möhlin in the canton of Aargau and Bex in the canton of Vaud. Beyond these, the wildlife fund also supports projects in the other regions of North-western Switzerland and the area around Bex. For an overview of the approved projects, go to www.salzgut.ch.

Quickly and simply
18 projects that meet the support criteria of the «Salzgut» wildlife fund were approved by the assessing Council of Experts at the beginning of April. It is made up of eight subject specialists and two representatives of Swiss Saltworks.

“In the assessment of the projects submitted, factors of particular importance to us were, alongside the quality of the projects, their practicability, the chances of success and a good cost/benefit ratio,” says Dr Benedikt Schmidt, biologist and Chairman of the Council of Experts. “In addition, we wanted to deal with the applications quickly and simply. I am happy that the implementation of the projects can start just four months after the wildlife fund was launched”.

The approved projects are to start this year. Some of them will also be completed by the end of 2020. The total funding available this year is just under CHF 400,000. Sponsors of the supported projects are a number of local nature conservation and bird protection associations, as well as residential and civil communities.

“Salzgut” is financed by Swiss Saltworks, which pays 1 Swiss franc to the fund for every tonne of salt extracted.

Thanks to the local population
The “Salzgut” wildlife fund was formed in 2019 on the initiative of Swiss Saltworks in close collaboration with various nature conservation and environmental protection associations and representatives from municipalities and cantons. It supports nature and landscape conservation projects where Swiss Saltworks extracts salt. The position behind the initiative is that salt should be extracted with consideration for the local population. Swiss Saltworks and its owners, the 26 cantons and the Principality of Liechtenstein, want to show appreciation for the patience and generosity of the people around the salt fields and say “thank you” with the wildlife fund. “By this means, we want to express our appreciation of the nature and people around the salt fields more strongly,” explains Dr Urs Ch. Hofmeier, Managing Director of Swiss Saltworks.

More projects can be submitted as from now online via www.salzgut.ch or by e-mail to info@salzgut.ch. The next submission deadline is 10 September 2020.

18 supported projects in six different action areas

Nature and landscape conservation

• The Maisprach Orchards – improving the habitat for various bird species
• The highly structured Frick Valley – upgrading and maintaining nature conservation areas by BirdLife Aargau
• Trinational BirdLife-Little Owl programme in North-western Switzerland – supporting species and habitats
• Development of the meadow gagea in the cantons of Basel-Landschaft and Basel-City
• Stepping-stones for Long-eared Bats & Co – preserving and developing valuable habitats in the Jurapark Aargau
• Biodiverse Landskronberg – upgrading and maintaining a highly structured cultivated landscape
• Biodiversity in the Melderfeld – encouraging biodiversity in an intensively used area of arable land

Waters

• The Mühlenmatt pond chain – upgrading the environment and encouraging amphibians in the Birspark landscape
• Weiheranlage Räbe (Rabe pond system), Pratteln – upgrading the habitat for the midwife toad and other amphibians
• Alt Ägerte pond, Magden – upgrading the habitat for the midwife toad and other amphibians
• Upgrading Röti/Zalgarten, Maisprach – creating and upgrading network axes for the midwife toad and other amphibians
• Oisberg amphibians – upgrading the habitat for the yellow-bellied toad and midwife toad
• Stritacher & Röti ponds, Pratteln – upgrading the habitat for the midwife toad and other amphibians

Cultivated land

• Rothenfluh ivy trees – maintaining trees of unusual habit and those characteristic of the landscape
• Hochwald biodiverse extensive meadows – upgrading the environment by planting native wild herbaceous plants

Residential areas

• Natural Möhlin – encouraging biodiversity by planting bee- and butterfly- friendly plants

Woodland

• Great Capricorn beetle and stag beetle – replacement biotopes to maintain and encourage species native to ancient oak forests

Environmental education

• Le Bélier écolo – annual publication with information about sustainable development in the municipality of Bex

 

Media contact

Schweizer Salinen:
Carl A.C. Habich, Head of development brine production
T +41 61 825 51 51, carlo.habich@saline.ch

Nicole Riethmüller, Head of HR and Communication
T +41 61 825 51 03, nicole.riethmueller@saline.ch

Pan Bern AG
Andreas Bernasconi, Head of the Salzgut office
T 031 381 89 45, andreas.bernasconi@salzgut.ch

Schweizer Salinen AG, Schweizerhalle, Rheinstrasse 52, Post office box, CH-4133 Pratteln 1
T +41 61 825 51 51, F +41 61 825 51 10, info@saline.ch, www.salz.ch, www.taufix.ch