Dear supporters,
We are addressing this petition to all of you to gain urgent support in the fight for the protection of the Brixen floodplain forest and its unique biodiversity, especially the endangered bird species. The floodplain forest provides an important habitat for numerous bird species, both migratory and breeding. During population surveys, a total of 64 bird species could be counted in the riparian forest, of which 29 species could prove their breeding in the area. The Progress Group is planning to build a new high-tech plant in the immediate vicinity of its headquarters in the industrial zone. This project will unfortunately lead to considerable encroachment on the floodplain forest and reduce the remaining area.
The Brixen floodplain forest is a jewel of biodiversity and one of the last of its kind in the Eisack Valley. With only 0.6% of South Tyrol's forest area consisting of riparian forests, they are extremely rare habitats. The importance of the Brixen floodplain forest as a priority habitat to be protected is recognised by the EU Habitats Directive and South Tyrol's Nature Conservation Act.
This unique forest landscape is home to an abundance of animal and plant species. Particularly worrying is the loss of some bird species that are on the Red List of endangered species in South Tyrol. The spotted flycatcher, the wryneck, the grey woodpecker, the nightingale, the wood warbler and the hoopoe are threatened or highly endangered. Of particular importance is the Lesser Spotted Woodpecker, which is very rare in South Tyrol and of which there are less than 10 individuals of this bird species in the region. The 1994 Red List classifies the hoopoe and the lesser spotted woodpecker as critically endangered.
Another ornithological feature is the grey heron breeding colony on the spruce trees in the floodplain forest. The trees that serve as breeding sites for the grey heron were preserved despite other silvicultural measures, and the grey herons breed annually in the floodplain forest. This breeding colony is unique and must be protected, as the Grey Heron is not currently on the Red List of endangered species in South Tyrol, but it deserves special attention due to its rarity and importance for the ecosystem.
We call on those responsible to make their decisions in harmony with the protection of nature and the preservation of our precious habitats. Together we can preserve the Brixen floodplain forest and its unique flora and fauna for future generations!
Thank you for your support!