Dietmar Allgaier paid tribute to the initiative of Claus-Peter Hutter, President of NatureLife-International, who developed and brought forward the project, as well as the supporters and sponsors of the first major renaturation along the 367-kilometre-long Neckar. Among those attending the small open-air ceremony were Allgaier's predecessor Dr. Rainer Haas, who was the patron of the project at the time, Benningen's mayor Klaus Warthon and, representing the sponsors, the Chairman of the Board of Kreissparkasse Ludwigsburg, Dr. Heinz-Werner Schulte, Ludwigsburg entrepreneur Max Maier, as well as helpers and partners from the very beginning.
Using impressive photos and live in nature, where a quarter of a century ago there was only a species-poor grassland, Hutter was able to show what nature is capable of if given the space to do so. In this context, Hutter called for more courage to be shown for nature, especially along the Neckar and its tributaries in the middle of the economic and conurbation area, and for the necessary space to be made available for it. Habitats close to nature are also an important ecological location factor in the densely built-up economic and settlement area of the Neckar. "People long for nature, which is reflected not least in the high frequency of cycling and hiking trails," said Hutter.
"In contrast to sparsely populated areas, our options in the district of Ludwigsburg are limited when it comes to renaturation, but after the positive experiences with the Neckarparadies, the Zugwiesen near Ludwigsburg-Poppenweiler - where the Kreissparkassen-Stiftung has also been involved - and the water buffalo area in the Bottwartalaue, we should examine where further wetland biotopes can be created or optimized," said District Administrator Dietmar Allgaier. He emphasized the extremely positive interaction between people from different areas of society. "The Neckar Paradise shows that we can only be strong together when it comes to protecting the natural foundations of life," said the District Administrator.
Claus-Peter Hutter, who had seized the opportunity a quarter of a century ago, pointed out the astonishingly short planning and construction period of just over two years and lamented the fact that planning and approval procedures are far too long today, especially for nature conservation. It had been possible to create an example of how nature along the river, with its diverse uses as a settlement, economic, scientific and cultural axis, can be given back living nature piece by piece. Kingfishers, moorhens, night herons and other bird species and many fish species soon settled here. "It was clear from the outset that the wheel of history could not be turned back, but that it could be moved forward responsibly." District Administrator Allgaier emphasized that "more than ever, we should see our valleys not just as recreational backdrops, but as natural habitats and air conditioning systems in the landscape, which are becoming increasingly important in times of increasingly hot summers". The district will therefore also focus on the valleys as part of its comprehensive climate protection initiative.
