Biodiversity Conference in Höchst: Fighting against invasive species!

Biodiversity Conference in Höchst: Fighting against invasive species!

The Odenwaldkreis opens its doors in mid-October for the biodiversity conference, which is entirely dedicated to the challenges posed by invasive species. The event will take place on Saturday, October 11th at the Bürgerhaus Höchst, Montmelianer Platz 4, from 10:30 a.m. Under the motto “Invasive Species”, both the definition of these species and the threats to native plants and animals are discussed. It also discusses how to deal with these unwanted intruders. The Odenwaldkreis and Pirelli Germany have teamed up to organize this important conference, at which the three winning projects of the Biodiversity Prize will also be awarded, with a total of 2,500 euros at stake. You can apply for the prize until September 21st. Information about this can be found on the Odenwaldkreis website www.odenwaldkreis.de/biodiversitaetspreis.

The importance of the topic is shown by the fact that there are over 37,000 species of plants, animals and microbes in Germany, of which more than 3,500 are considered invasive. Many of these species, such as the raccoon, which was classified as an invasive species by the EU in 2016, pose a serious threat to native flora and fauna. These invasive species compete for light, nutrients and habitat, which in turn leads to increased species extinction. Diseases can also be transmitted by invasive species, making the challenge even more complex, reported rheinmainverlag.de.

Specialist lectures and discussions

The conference offers a varied program with specialist lectures from experts in the field. This is how Yvonne Lücke talks about “The New Wild Ones – Curse or Blessing?” refer. Dr. Markus Sonnberger will deal specifically with neophytes in the Odenwald district, while Moritz Krellmann will examine the problem surrounding raccoons. Rainer Hennings will discuss the conflicts between invasive crayfish and native species. The event concludes with discussion rounds in which the exchange between participants and experts is promoted. These formats enable all interested citizens to learn more about the problem of invasive species and to actively participate in the discourse.

A look at the numbers illustrates the urgency of the issue. According to the Federal Agency for Nature Conservation, 107 alien species in Germany are classified as invasive, and a further 114 are considered potentially invasive. The Union list contains 88 invasive species for which special precautions must be taken in the EU in order to protect biological diversity. Prevention is seen as the most cost-effective measure to get these threats under control wwf.de explained.

Invitation to participate

The biodiversity conference in the Odenwaldkreis is a valuable opportunity to have a say and help shape things. Climate protection manager Lea Bruder is available for further information and can be reached by phone at 06062 70-1356 or by email at l.bruder@odenwaldkreis.de. Anyone interested should register early and take advantage of the opportunity to become active in an issue that affects everyone and can only be mastered together.