A biologist has underlined that there is “still a lot of work to do” five years after a groundbreaking referendum sent shockwaves across Bavaria.
More than 1.7 million residents of the southern German state signed the petition for better protection of the environment in 2019.
The biodiversity referendum, commonly known as the “Save the Bees” initiative, is the most successful petition in the history of Bavaria.
Now the head of an environmental organisation reflected on its achievements.
Norbert Schäffer, who heads the Bavarian Union For The Protection of Birds and the Environment (LBV), said: “This referendum really stirred people up.”
Speaking to the Sonntagsblatt newspaper, the activist acknowledged the positive impact of laws such as a bill which shall lead to the planting of a million fruit trees.
Such a measure would be highly beneficial to pollinators such as the hundreds of bee species that exist in Bavaria.
However, Schäffer also warned: “We still got a lot of work to do when it comes to other aspects regarding the environment.”
Pressurised by the overwhelming support for the referendum initiated by the ÖDP, a fringe eco party, the conservative Bavarian government passed a comprehensive bylaw regarding the protection of the environment.
It features concepts for the conservation of forests and marshlands as well as pesticide application restrictions.
Schäffer said: “At the LBV, we do not just fight for the preservation of rare species and natural reserves. The ecosystems as found in our gardens, parks and public places are also of great importance to us.”
He concluded: “We try to emphasise the wonders of nature so that more people fight for a healthy environment.”
