In the Elztal the number of roads is increasing. In Gutach it is now necessary to remove a nest from the roof of the church because it damages the roof structure.
The Catholic Church of St. Michael in Gutach has removed a stork’s nest from the roof of the church. There are currently four nests on the roof of the church. A press release states that the nest on the fireplace in the vestry in particular has already caused damage to the roof structure. “We recently had a strong influx of water into the sacristy, which damaged the ceiling structure to such an extent that a complete renovation of the sacristy is inevitable,” writes the parishioner. This goes hand in hand with a five figure renewal sum, which must be provided by the parish.
After consultation with the Freiburg regional council, the German Union for the Protection of Nature (Nabu) and the local chimney sweep, it was absolutely necessary to remove this stork’s nest for structural and fire protection reasons. The other stork nests are not affected by this measure and will remain with the storks for rearing the young storks. “The impression should not be created that the shrubbery has to be kicked off the roof of the church, but it is also a matter of avoiding imminent dangers to life and limb due to insufficient exhaust gases and static overload of the chimney” , keep on. The nest must be dismantled by January 31st.
Wolfgang Hoffmann is the Nabu stork expert for northern Breisgau and southern Ortenau, classic breeding areas of the region. “One cannot speak of a population in the Elztal yet,” says Hoffmann. Rather, it is a few breeding pairs that are now spreading to even higher regions in the course of global warming. The stork population as a whole is doing well, Hoffmann says, and is still growing. “This affects the usual regions, as well as regions that are now being resettled.”
