26.06.2006

The Duties of the White Stork Information Centre at Vetschau and what it can accomplish

The White Stork Information Centre of Lower Lusatia in Vetschau is a facility of of the Nature Protection Federation of Germany. The NABU Regional Association Calau is the supporting organization. It is an information centre as the name already indicates, and is not a care or breeding facility. Environmental education with information about the pattern of life, and the preservation of necessary measures of protection are its central points of activity. Above and beyond these, we acquaint people with measures of protection at our building, yard and in the garden. At these our exhibits, our public works, and the Internet presentation are targeted. The continuous opening of the facility allows children and school groups as well as traveling tour groups and individual visitors to the Spree Forest to inform themselves thoroughly. Of course, they can have a peek into the stork nest via the video camera. With respect to the stork nest, neither the Nature Protection Law nor the License to Film allow direct intervention into the activities at the eyrie. All is limited to the undisturbed observation. Any injured stork from outside of any eyrie, however, may be brought in for treatment and care. This year's help action for Meto and the adoption of Hugo were absolute borderline cases where the rescue of stork chicks, which would otherwise have been condemned to certain death, took precedence. The Stork Centre, as a NABU facility, is by its nature the starting point for all other problems of nature protection. This reaches from young and injured animals which are brought in, to request for nest help and literature information.

Here the White Stork Attendants receive guidelines for their work, here nest helps are made available, and much more. The conclusions drawn from the observations of our stork couple are regularly published and presented at stork conferences. Mr. Boehmer, as member of the NABU Federal Work Group "White Storks" and "Death by Electricity" permits the conclusions to flow directly into the work of these conferences.

To fill the personnel positions at the Stork Centre has been extraordinarily precarious. All NABU members are volunteers. The departure of several active ones left the position of general manager vacant. Mr. Boehmer, in addition to his duties as NABU Project Leader of the Internet presentation, took on the managerial duties of the association. He applies for ABM-procedures, instructs the centre workers, writes the press releases among other things. Because he holds several other positions as the Green Party President at the county council or as member of the Lignite Committee of Brandenburg, the possibilities to do more at the Stork Centre have been exhausted.

Winfried Boehmer
NABU-Project Leader

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