Together with its partner ARGE Streuobst, Blühendes Österreich finances and enables people and organizations working on the topic of streuobst as well as at the interface of agriculture and food production to implement projects. Blühendes Österreich finances projects and supports the restoration, improvement and maintenance of orchard areas.
Extensive orchard meadows are on Austria's Red List of endangered biotope types and are among the most species-rich habitats in Central Europe. Wanted in "Blühendes Österreich #streuobst": Outstanding projects in the orchard sector that contribute to increasing quality in the production of domestic food as well as to increasing biodiversity!
Top-class jury
The heart of the initiative is a top-class and cross-sector jury. The renowned members come from the fields of nature conservation, business, top management and politics, as well as non-profit organizations, trade and agriculture. They are all fully committed and volunteer. "It is clear to me that without our old orchards we would lose a valuable part of the cultural landscape. This was the motivation for me to support #streuobst. Because we women farmers carry the embers of the traditions within us. We help develop the traditions," says federal farmer and National Council member Irene Neumann-Hartberger, who is a member of the jury. Hans Hartl, chairman of ARGE Streuobst and also a member of the jury, backs this up: "Orchard meadows are acutely endangered. Before 1960, there were about 35 million large-crowned fruit trees in the Austrian landscape. Today, there are only less than 4 million trees left and the decline continues. I am therefore extremely pleased that we are raising awareness for meadow orchards with #streuobst. There is no more beautiful bouquet of flowers than a blooming scattered fruit tree."
In this context, the economy is also challenged, says Wolfgang Anzengruber, CEOs FOR FUTURE: "The loss of biodiversity is one of the central challenges, along with the climate crisis. The importance of intact ecosystems must be increasingly recognized by business and society. For this very reason, it is important to me that outstanding projects, such as those in the orchard sector, become better known and more visible." This is also a concern for BILLA, explains BILLA CEO Robert Nagele: "BILLA is committed to sustainable food production and healthy food. With #streuobst, our Blühendes Österreich foundation enables farmers to implement innovative projects in the field of orchards and thus makes a significant contribution to preserving valuable fruit varieties in Austria."
Food & Variety
Orchard stands are composed of various large-crowned fruit trees. Essential is a high fruit species and fruit variety diversity as well as different age classes in the stand. The distribution of fruit species and varieties is regionally typical. Orchard trees are found, among other things, as fruit trees on grassland (scattered orchards), in gardens, on arable land, in vineyards, as rows of trees and avenues, as house and yard trees, and as individual trees in the landscape. One who is inspired by her work in and with the scattered fruit is the Upper Austrian must producer, Mosttraun4tler and jury member Karin Maleninsky: "I love to bring the taste of the scattered fruit meadows into the bottle or glass in an innovative and flavor-explosive way. My focus is on the pear, one of the most landscape-shaping cultural assets of our region. The scattered fruit - my love and my passion."
Identity-forming cultural landscapes
Orchard cultures are not only identity-forming and landscape-shaping, as they are representative of centuries-old traditionally cultivated cultural landscapes, but they also make an important contribution to climate and resource protection - after all, orchard cultivation has a very low CO2 footprint due to extensive cultivation and local-regional processing. This sustainability is underlined by Hildegard Aichberger, board member of oekostrom AG and Blühendes Österreich, as well as a member of the jury: "The worsening biodiversity crisis makes sustainable action a duty. With #streuobst, we want to give people the chance to get involved in nature conservation and biodiversity."
Hotspots of biodiversity
Extensively used orchard areas are hotspots of biodiversity. Thousands of plants and animal species live in these interlocking grassland and tree habitats. This great value is emphasized by Gábor Wichmann, managing director of BirdLife Austria, board member of Blühendes Österreich and member of the jury: "In times of biodiversity crisis, the preservation of the unique, structurally rich ecosystems 'Streuobst' is essential. Old fruit trees serve as habitats for the highly endangered scops owl, for example. If these are lost, the owl species, which is only 20 centimeters tall, will also become extinct - and with it many other animal species that depend on the biotope."
In Austria, orchard cultivation secures the basis for the preservation of 4,000 fruit varieties and the production of high-quality food and luxury foods, as well as for the gastronomy and wine tavern industry. "The nature-friendly cultivation of meadow orchards and their great importance for biodiversity is the best proof that a coexistence of man and nature is possible and necessary, which is why I am pleased to be able to support this project," Julia Balasch, youth delegate of the Biodiversity COP 2022 and jury member underlines her commitment.
100.000 Euro für Streuobst und Naturschutz! Jetzt einreichen: Blühendes Österreich #streuobst von 12. Juni bis 13. September 2023.
Queries & contact
Dr. Judith Terlizzi, Head of Communications of Blühendes Österreich.
Tel. +43 676 711 74 50
j.terlizzi@bluehendesoesterreich.at
