Loss of biodiversity and insect mortality – these are the buzzwords of the day. A large-scale project at the alexandrinum grammar school in cooperation with the state association for the protection of birds (LBV), the ecological-botanical garden of the university of bayreuth (obg) and the city of coburg shows that committed children and young people are also prepared to tackle these environmental problems. Mayor norbert tessmer was briefly convinced of the successful start of this project. Together with alexander ulmer from the LBV, two biology teachers from the alexandrinum, andrea ehrle and andreas reuter, explored the possibilities of converting a total of about 100 square meters of lawns into flower beds at the beginning of march. "The gymnasium alexandrinum has rough ground that offers excellent conditions to establish patches of flower as a food base for many species of insects. Such an action will be supported by the LBV – we will cover the costs for the seeds", said ulmer after the tour of the school grounds.
Ehrle is the leader of the school garden group, reuter will lead a P-seminar on the topic of sustainability in the coming school year, the medium-term goal of which is to establish an environmental group at the alexandrinum. "The ground preparation was greatly supported by the coburg city land office", andrea ehrle is pleased, and andreas reuter adds: "in one morning, the employees had turfed about 100 square meters of lawn." a total of four plots were prepared: three for the sowing of various native wildflower mixtures and one slope plot for the planting of perennials as bee pasture. The alexandrinum also receives support from the obg, which provided the school with the required number of seedlings of the cup plant (silphium perfoliatum) free of charge. One afternoon in april, the fifth and sixth graders from the school garden group met with the three school representatives, who immediately agreed to support the project. "This fits in perfectly with our project day on the topic of sustainability planned for the summer!", said school spokeswoman fritzi herrmann enthusiastically. Supported by the teachers and the janitor jurgen voigt, the schoolchildren first cleared the lawns with rakes and hoes, then distributed the seeds and finally pressed them into place with a lawn roller. C. Nowak