Orchard meadows are important habitats. They are part of the landscape. The city helps to preserve these important biotopes.
There are many orchards in Bad Homburg. These are in Kirdorfer Feld, Ober-Erlenbach, Platzenberg and Pilgerrain. Agriculture became more intensive. The town grew on the outskirts. There were subsidized clearing campaigns. This was a threat to many orchards in Bad Homburg until the 1970s. The orchards that have survived are now often old and overgrown. They need a lot of care and new trees.
Since the 1980s, people have reused many orchards. They have also planted new orchards. Maintaining orchards takes a lot of time. It also costs a lot of money. The city only has a small amount of land. The owners have to look after the orchards. The orchards are important for recreation. Associations and communities help a lot. They work voluntarily. Without them, Bad Homburg's cultural landscape cannot be preserved.
The town of Bad Homburg v.d.Höhe gives money. The money is for orchards. Orchard meadows are important. They are typical of the landscape. The town wants to maintain the orchards. The city wants to plant new orchards. The city wants to preserve the orchards.
The Bad Homburg Apple Day takes place every year. There is a lot of information and experiences about the apple and the orchards. The first Apple Day was in October 2005 in the Kirdorfer Feld. The town had an initiative. All the groups, farmers and private individuals took part. They protected the orchards. They cared for the orchards more. The initiatives and associations did more. New initiatives were added.
The town of Bad Homburg v.d.Höhe has been helping the Hegegemeinschaft Ober-Erlenbach with money since 1991. This was decided by the town councillors. The Hegegemeinschaft looks after the orchards in Ober-Erlenbach. The Ober-Erlenbach bird protection group, the local farmers' association, the fishing club, the Naturlandstiftung foundation and the hunting cooperative belong to the conservation association. The Hegegemeinschaft protects nature in the waters, fields and forests of Ober-Erlenbach. The people harvest the fruit. They process the fruit in the wine press at Oberhof in Ober-Erlenbach.
In 2006, landowners and tenants of orchard meadows in Kirdorf joined forces. They founded an association. The association is called Interessengemeinschaft Kirdorfer Feld. The association wants to preserve the old cultural landscape of Kirdorf. The association has been receiving money since 2006. The members mow the plots of land. They remove bushes. They prune trees. They plant new trees. The association has bought a new wine press. The town of Bad Homburg v.d.Höhe has given money. Wine was pressed in Kirdorf for the first time in a long time. Every year in the fall there is a wine press festival in Kirdorf.
There is also cooperation on the Platzenberg. The orchards are to be preserved. Several private individuals are helping. They receive support from the town. The Platzenberg Landscape Conservation Association also helps.
The town of Bad Homburg v.d.Höhe has given money. Members of the Ober-Erlenbach bird and nature conservation group have repaired an apple press. The apple press is now working again. It is located at Domäne Oberhof, Burgholzhäuser Straße 2, in Ober-Erlenbach. It has been used there for apple harvesting since 1998. The apple harvest begins in September. The apple press is then in operation for a few weeks. Citizens of Bad Homburg can press their fruit. You can take the cider with you.
The town of Bad Homburg v.d.Höhe offers pruning courses. Sometimes the town gives money for the courses. The dates are published in newspapers and on the Internet.
The city awards sponsorships for urban areas. This is possible where possible.
The city prepares plans and reports. They protect and develop the orchard areas in Bad Homburg. There are concepts for the Kirdorfer Feld, the Platzenberg and the Pilgerrain. Some concepts are still in progress.
The orchard in Kirdorfer Feld is in good condition again.
The town of Bad Homburg v.d.Höhe has made orange ribbons. The ribbons are intended to help against fruit theft. The ribbons have sayings on them. The idea comes from the environmental department of the city of Frankfurt and the designer Lara Alexandra Glück. She made similar ribbons in 2009. The ribbons were successful. The ribbons are intended to inform people. Fences are not allowed. The city gives the ribbons free of charge to caretakers and tenants of orchards. The ribbons should only be on the trees during harvest time. They show that the meadow or tree is being cared for.
