Tall grasses, colorful wildflowers, and the buzzing of insects: So-called “wild meadows” are springing up in more and more places throughout Wiesbaden. What may seem unusual at first glance is part of a deliberate maintenance strategy by the Parks and Recreation Department. 

Marco Lange, head of the Green Space Maintenance Division at the Parks and Recreation Department, will present the new “Wild Meadows” project on July 30 during a roughly 90-minute walking tour. The meeting point is at 4:00 p.m. in the park across from the building at Gustav-Stresemann-Ring 15.

Those interested will learn how traditional lawns can be transformed into valuable habitats for wild bees, butterflies, and other animal species. Why mowing less frequently does not mean neglect, but can instead be an important contribution to the ecological enhancement of urban areas, and how natural meadows help cool the city in the summer. 

The tour begins at the green spaces on Gustav-Stresemann-Ring and continues along Wettiner Straße to Brunhildenstraße. Another stop is the Sandarium in the Kulturpark/Schlachthof recreational area, where a specially designed sandy area provides protected nesting sites for insects. The return route passes by the naturally designed perennial garden near Mainzer Straße and ends at the starting point. 

The event is free of charge. It is part of the Umweltladen’s current advisory focus, “A City Full of Life.” The accompanying exhibition can be viewed at the Umweltladen through Monday, August 3.