City and country, hand in hand, together for climate protection in Mainfranken – local news from the city and district of Schweinfurt

Regional centers and urban areas such as Würzburg or Schweinfurt form, according to Dr. Hans-Peter Ebert from the Center for Applied Energy Research eV “Heat islands” that are significantly warmer and drier than small towns or even villages. Many buildings on a small area lead to overheating. Not only people suffer under these conditions, but also city trees, as Dr. Susanne Böll from the State Institute for Viticulture and Horticulture.

In the research project “Urban Green 2021 – Stress-Tolerant Climatic Trees”, she investigates which tree species in Main Franconia are best suited for changing climatic conditions and advises municipalities on planting. “Many tree species are bee-friendly and have positive effects on the urban climate,” explained Dr. Susanne Böll in her keynote speech. However, and the experts agree, increasing temperatures also have a negative impact on the forests in rural areas.

Little water and dry earth in the Steigerwald

Stephan Thierfelder from the Office for Food, Agriculture and Forests in Schweinfurt impressively demonstrated how the Steigerwald is already suffering from the climatic conditions. Too little precipitation and, as a result, dry soils lead to increased fungus and pest infestation on native tree species. Forestry and science must close ranks in order to further research the storage capacity of soils, among other things. He appealed to the participants to take personal responsibility: “The Germans love their forest and yet it is in danger!”

A natural sponge for the ecosystem

Terra preta – black earth – is already being used in some municipalities in Main Franconia. The specialty of this earth: It is made from coal and biomass and has many properties that can be helpful for current challenges, such as high water storage capacity. By supplementing the conventional soil, additional irrigation can be reduced and the waters can be protected. In an interview with moderator Eberhard Schellenberger, Gunter Häckner, managing director of Terra magica GmbH, spoke about the advantages of the black earth. Professor Jörg Drewes illustrated the latest results from the research project “Industrial water – extraction and possible uses using the example of the Schweinfurt dry plate” by the Bad Kissingen water management office, the government of Lower Franconia and the Technical University of Munich.

Fridays For Future – strong movement despite Corona

Even without demos, Fridays For Future Würzburg, represented by Johannes Kirchhoff, succeeds in mobilizing young climate protectors and making them heard. So you are in dialogue with the political decision-makers. Today’s sustainability symposium of the Region Mainfranken GmbH is encouraging and shows that many people in the region are committed to climate protection and that concrete measures are jointly implemented.

On the picture: The Steigerwald Center Oberschwarzach Photo: Katrin Heyer

The Region Mainfranken GmbH – Background

As the location agency of the seven Main Franconian districts, the two independent cities of Würzburg and Schweinfurt and the chambers of commerce, Region Mainfranken GmbH bundles regional forces in politics, science and business to position Main Franconia in the national and international location competition. Target-oriented location marketing makes Mainfranken visible to potential specialists, investors and interested parties.

In addition to the two independent cities of Würzburg and Schweinfurt, the shareholders of Region Mainfranken GmbH are the districts of Bad Kissingen, Haßberge, Kitzingen, Main-Spessart, Rhön-Grabfeld, Schweinfurt and Würzburg as well as the IHK Würzburg-Schweinfurt and the Chamber of Crafts for Lower Franconia.