To see this in action, you can visit Haff Réimech with its ponds and wetlands. 313 hectares are providing a home for many species of birds. Of the 330 species identified in Luxembourg, 270 are found on Haff Réimech!
Historically, the site was used to collect sand. The holes this created slowly filled with groundwater and reed started growing, which in time attracted interesting flora and fauna. The area was declared a national protection zone in 1988. With climate change, some migratory birds are passing through earlier or later, and breeding seasons have shifted slightly, too, says Patric Lorge from Natur an Ëmwelt.
Preserving these biotopes is extremely important, both for biodiversity and because they provide an overflow for flooding, says Nick Heiter from the biological station. Having ponds and wetland areas throughout the country is important, as this will offer birds and other animals alternatives, should one of the sites dry out. This is why the SIAS, a syndicate of municipalities covering the south east of the country, is working with farmers to install ponds on agricultural lands.
