Linzgau Korn®

Linzgau, Baden-Württemberg, Germany

Linzgau is a hilly landscape in the south of Baden-Württemberg. It bourdes to the south at the Lake Constance, east on the river Schussen, west on the town of Überlingen and reaches north up to Pfullendorf.

Pilots of Linzgau are part of the cereal-market community Linzgau Korn®. This regional partner-projekt includes 14 farmers, one miller and three bakeries/confectioner. Farmers grow cereal according to the standard of Qualitätszeichen Baden-Württemberg (QZ BW) or the organic farms according to Bioland- or Demeter guideline. Additionally, Linzgau Korn® defined further criteria which need to be met. These include:

• Planting of flower strips
• At least 10% of the utilized area needs to be managed extensively

Because of the diverse, small structured landscape, the agricultural plots are rather small and limited by seminatural habitats such as ditches or hedges.

© Lake Constance Foundation

Crops

Pilots grow mainly cereal such as wheat, ray, spelt, naked oat or amelcorn, but also sunflowers and linseed. Most of the farmers who produce cereal for Linzgau Korn® manage also permanent cultures and/or keep lifestock.

Pilot Farms in Kraichau and Linzgau – Activities and Results

Cultivation area
Ca. 64 ha

Cultivation types
Conventionell and organic

Actions developed within the project

• Hotspot analysis
• Development of an action plan
• Visits of farms
• Development of a baseline report and biodiversity action plans
• Implementation of measures
• Exchange of experience
• Test of the biodiversity performance tool
• Monitoring

Proposal of Measures

Depending of the structure of the farm, conservation assets and the already established biodiversity performance of the farm measures are chosen together with the farmer which are tested and applied. Measures are divided into agricultural and structural measures and include:

• drill gaps
• reduced sowing densities
• fallows sown in with flower mixtures and flower strips
• catch crop kept over winter
• establishment and maintenance of hedges
• establishment and maintenance of stone- and deadwood piles
• nesting aids for wild bees
• nesting aids for birds and/or bats

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