Vienna water ensures biodiversity with nesting boxes | City vienna

On hot days like today, Viennese water is an important thirst quencher. But the popular water can do much more than just refresh the body. On the way from the source areas to Vienna, 16 drinking water power plants also generate clean electricity. In addition, photovoltaic systems on water tanks supply Viennese households with solar power.

Vienna Water uses other areas to preserve biodiversity. In cooperation with the City of Vienna – Environmental Protection, Vienna Water creates nesting places for birds. Numerous nesting boxes for songbirds such as sparrows, starlings and various species of tits were installed along the two high spring pipelines in Lower Austria and Styria and in the vicinity of water tanks in Vienna. The around 60 nesting boxes are well received. The employees report on the first birds that have hatched.

“Projects such as hanging nesting boxes make a valuable contribution to biodiversity and also create awareness of species protection,” emphasizes Climate City Councilor Jürgen Czernohorszky.

The initiative is part of a broad project supported by the Vienna species and habitat protection program “Network Nature”. This program aims, among other things, to secure the habitat of bird species and bats, some of whose populations have declined dramatically.

There are fewer and fewer natural nesting places for many bird species. This loss makes it increasingly difficult for them to survive in urban areas. Renovations to buildings often lead to the disappearance of niches that previously provided safe breeding places. The house sparrow, also affectionately known as the “sparrow”, is particularly suffering from the loss of its traditional breeding grounds in building niches and under roofs. The installation of artificial nesting aids offers a vital alternative and ensures the continued existence of these birds. This bird species is declining in numbers in many parts of Europe. Such measures are not only vital for sparrows, but also for other bird species and bats, which also urgently depend on such nesting opportunities.

Press photos for this release will be available shortly www.wien.gv.at/pressebilder available. (Ending)