A publicly-owned premise will become an untouched biotope to support bees and strengthen the local biodiversity after overwhelming participation in a green charity run.
More than 150 amateur runners of all age groups took part in the sports event which took place on 12th September in Traismauer, a town situated in the province of Lower Austria in northeastern Austria.
The run was organised as part of the third edition of the popular Footprint Festival which focuses on upcycling, energy efficiency and climate protection awareness.
Organisers said that 61 children and 99 adults participated in the Run 4 Bees and Run 4 Trees competitions.
Since the athletes covered an overall 1,509 laps on the inner-city course, the town council will invest 1,509 Euros (GBP 1,320) in additional trees.
Furthermore, a 61-square-metre estate in possession of the town will be converted into an untouched meadow to ensure the continuation of bees’ pollinating activity.
Johannes Schiesser, who heads the District Hunters Association, said: “I welcome the decision to plant new trees. For us as hunters, protecting biodiversity is a key tasks.”
Vice Mayor and Environment Councillor Thomas Woisetschlaeger told local newspaper NÖN: “The strong interest in our events underlines people’s increasing determination to protect the environment.”
Traismauer has around 6,400 inhabitants. The town is located 22 kilometres (14 miles) north of Sankt Poelten, the capital of Lower Austria.
Figures provided by the Austrian Agriculture Ministry show that most bee colonies are situated in the province of Upper Austria.
Lower Austria comes second in this regard, followed by the southeastern region of Styria.
One colony consists of 20,000 to 50,000 bees.
Austrian beekeepers produced around 4,100 tonnes of honey in the 2020/2021 business year, according to the Federal Ministry for Agriculture.
