A tour through the historic centre of Grevenmacher in the footsteps of „Blannen Theis“? Or would you prefer a sophisticated stroll through the spa gardens in Bad Mondorf? In the end, I decide to lace up my hiking boots and set off for the Haff Réimech wetlands. The autumnal foliage makes me want to take a detour into nature.
Important equipment: my smartphone. Not only to take pictures of myself in the golden light against an atmospheric backdrop, but above all to listen to the explanations of the nature and bird experts from the Biodiversum nature conservation centre. They accompany me on my discovery tour around the quarry ponds. Not in person, however, but in audio stories that I can call up conveniently via an app. Lauschtour, a company specialising in audio guides, has produced seven guided tours in the Miselerland region on behalf of Visit Mosel. LEADER co-financed the project. What is particularly charming is that not only professional narrators have their say, but also people from the region. The contributions sound like live radio reports.
On this Thursday morning, a peaceful silence hangs over the many stretches of water, with only a group of anglers chatting quietly on one of the private jetties. The best conditions to track down the main feathered inhabitants: the rare bird species that find unique living conditions here. I have my headphones with me. But does it actually make sense to isolate yourself acoustically in the middle of nature, especially as it's also about recognising bird calls?
Smartphone as a discreet companion
The app is not intended as a continuous acoustic programme. At various listening points, I learn a lot about biodiversity and hear exciting anecdotes. I can simply hold my smartphone to my ear. It remains quiet between the individual stations, and I can take a leisurely stroll to the next point. If you have switched on the GPS, the next explanation starts automatically as soon as you reach the relevant location.
The tour starts in front of the Biodiversum nature conservation centre, where a detour into contemporary architecture awaits. The building by Luxembourg architect François Valentiny, who was born in Remerschen, is reminiscent of the upturned hull of a boat or a longhouse from Celtic times. Both fit perfectly into the natural context. And although the sun illuminates everything brightly, the building blends harmoniously into the landscape with its natural wooden façade. The glazed gable reflects the pond. Also interesting: the building's heating system utilises the heat stored in the water. Stainless steel pipes at the bottom of the pond are connected to a heat pump. Although the app now sends me to the right into the undergrowth, I take a look inside the nature conservation centre. It really does feel a bit like being in the belly of a ship, and I make a note of the exhibition for one of my next trips to the Moselle.
From open-cast mine to natural paradise
But now, out into nature! The app sends me along a gravel path where I learn more about the geology of the place. The Moselle has been washing gravel and sand from the Vosges mountains into the region for millions of years. Over the course of human history, the sediments have become a sought-after and now scarce building material. When extraction in the Moselle was no longer possible due to canalisation, the industry had to switch to other areas. This is how the dredging ponds came into being. As wildly romantic as the landscape appears, it is man-made. This makes it all the more astonishing how quickly nature is reclaiming such spaces and even attracting endangered species.
The trail continues over wooden walkways into the reeds. A habitat that is becoming increasingly rare: Eighty per cent of the wetlands have disappeared in the past 40 years. An alarming figure.
While native species fight for every habitat, so-called invasive species feel right at home here, including the red-cheeked tortoise, which originates from North and Central America. They were illegally released by their previous owners and have reproduced vigorously in the wild. They harm other species because they eat fish spawn, newts and frogs.
Resting place for migratory birds
I continue to follow the footbridge in the hope of spotting the bittern. If anyone gets too close, it freezes like a pole and visually melts into the reeds. A perfect camouflage manoeuvre that saves energy - vital in cold months.
Haff Réimech is also known as a resting place for migratory birds. They can take a breather on the small islands in the centre of the pond during their strenuous journey.
The kingfisher can be found here all year round. It is considered a lucky charm, but I am unlucky and no „blue arrow“ shoots past me, as the speaker of the tour app describes it promisingly.
In the next sequence, a biologist enthusiastically tells me how happy he is every time he is bitten by a mosquito. Which I can't understand at all, as I'm one of those people whose blood the little vampires particularly like. However, the biologist sees his blood donation as a contribution to species conservation: birds eat insects, and in order for the female mosquitoes to lay eggs, they need the proteins and iron contained in the blood.
Natural flood protection
The alder forest, where shallow puddles provide ideal breeding grounds, is therefore a mosquito paradise. Despite my new-found understanding of the bloodsuckers, I am glad that their season is already over. I could imagine that in summer, some of the visitors here might lash out wildly to ward off their attack.
As an amateur gardener, I know that most plants don't like to stand with their roots in water. Here in the alder marsh it's different: the trees specialise in flooded areas. In times of climate change, these types of wetlands are particularly valuable because their water storage capacity is very high. They prevent the basements of houses in villages from flooding during heavy rainfall or flooding.
Conclusion: The LEADER-financed listening tour through the „Haff Réimech“ is on the one hand a guided safari in local climes, and on the other hand it sensitises people to biodiversity, which is also vital for human survival, with its entertaining audio contributions. Even those who don't have the patience to spend hours lying in wait to spot rare bird species will leave the quarry ponds with a new understanding of the perfect, albeit fragile, ecological balance of the wetlands.
Text and photos: Martine Hemmer (the English translation is AI generated, orginal text in German)
