"If we want to tackle the problem stringently, we need a practicable and complete overview of the development in our steep slopes in the district. To do this, we also need to use modern technology," says District Administrator Dietmar Allgaier. The Ludwigsburg District Office is one of the partners in the model project developed and managed by the High Performance Computing Center at the University of Stuttgart (HLRS). "We will experience a dramatic change in the landscape if we don't act now," continued the District Administrator.
Presentation by boat provides special perspectives
The "Digital Twin" was presented to the mayors of the municipalities along the Neckar loops from Marbach to Hessigheim on the "Delphin" push boat of the Waterways and Shipping Office (WSA). "The aim is to provide a special impression of the transformation of the cherished landscape, some of which is already well advanced and some of which is imminent, from a completely different perspective than usual," explains Claus-Peter Hutter, President of the NatureLife-International Foundation and project initiator of the "Neckar Terraces Digital Twin".
Professor Resch: Decision-making basis for landscape management
"The 'digital twin' is intended to use various simulations to visualize potential landscape changes under different projections in order to gain an increasingly urgent basis for assessment and decision-making for sustainable landscape management," explained Professor Dr. Michael Resch, Director of HLRS, during the presentation of the first simulation examples.
The virtual impressions from the simulations are just as sobering as the real view of the vineyards from the ship. The problem has long been known in Benningen. There, the initiative "Wengerter auf Probe" (winegrowers on trial) is taking countermeasures. From Pleidelsheim in the direction of Mundelsheim, the deterioration of the vineyards below Kleiningersheim is clearly visible. The Mühlbächer on the opposite side of the Neckar is still almost completely planted with Trollinger. However, cultivation is precarious. It works well as long as weekend and after-work winegrowers still do the work themselves, almost as a hobby. It is no longer profitable for full-time farms. "The business would have to receive grape money of just under 19,000 euros per hectare from the cooperative in order to pay a worker the minimum wage of 12.50 euros for 1,500 hours," calculates Fabian Alber, winemaker and cellar master at exNicrum Weinmanufaktur in Hessigheim. In reality, the payout is only a fraction of that. The Mundelsheim Käsberg probably has the most favorable future prospects. It is considered one of the most important cultural and historical natural monuments on the Neckar. "It was here that the potential for replanting with high-quality grape varieties was first recognized and decisive action was taken," explains exNicrum co-owner Dr. Herbert Müller, who cultivates one hectare of Mediterranean varieties with Alber am Käsberg and is a project partner of the "Digital Twin Neckarterrassen" initiative.
Acute need for action requires concrete measures
The Herzog von Württemberg winery and some winegrowers from the Käsbergkeller belonging to Lauffener Weingärtner have also switched to such varieties. However, at the end of the Käsberg on the border with Hessigheim, it is abruptly noticeable that almost twenty plots of land on the so-called Mühlberg have not been cultivated since last autumn. "There is an acute need for action here," says Hessigheim mayor Pilz with conviction. He is working with the municipal council on a funding guideline. "It is clear to me that the district and local authorities need to come up with concrete measures," summarizes Allgaier. "This includes financial incentives as well as prioritizing the preservation of the landscape on the basis of complete transparency, which computer simulations can best create."
Funding measures should provide support
District Administrator Allgaier has long been increasingly committed to concrete measures to preserve the historically evolved landscape of steep slopes. He builds on the results of the Steile Weine (Steep Wines) project, which was carried out with state funding and employees of the district administration office. As a result, winegrowers are recommended to replant their vineyards with southern European and fungus-resistant grape varieties instead of Trollinger. In addition, ways of marketing by the cooperatives and private wineries are shown. The cooperatives, their members and private winegrowers are now called upon to implement the recommendations. However, as winegrowers incur considerable costs for the replanting of their vineyards and suffer from loss of income in the planting year and the following year, they need support through funding measures. EU funding is available for this, and there are already some very good approaches to funding in municipalities such as Mundelsheim and Hessigheim.
