News:
Project of the Month August

We are closing two more conservation gaps in our migratory bird sanctuary in Sicily with new land purchases!

Unlike in Germany, farmers, landowners and homeowners in Sicily have been looking to the sky in vain since May 2023 - water is becoming an increasingly scarce commodity. It is, therefore, not surprising that speculators are increasingly rubbing their hands with glee and buying up agricultural land to use it to build illegal wells and make high black market profits from water sales. Whether the water sold "in cash" is sterile and suitable for drinking is not questioned by residents of the many illegally built houses along the southeast coast of the Mediterranean.

For our Pantano Cuba and Pantano Longarini lagoons, it has so far paid off that we have already decommissioned eight illegal wells on the shoreland we have purchased over the last 11 years and that we only irrigate the more than 1,100 newly planted olive, almond and carob trees once a week and then only at night using a water-saving drip system.

The current situation: the Pantano Cuba lagoon and the renaturised canals of the Pantano Longarini lagoon still carry a little water despite the acute lack of rain and persistent sweltering heat! This has so far spared ducks, flamingos, terns, wetland birds and songbirds and their hundreds of successfully reared young the exhausting and, this year, futile search elsewhere for wetlands that still have water.

We are proud and happy that we have once again been able to purchase two plots of land that are enormously important for our bird protection goals against all - sometimes unpleasant - property purchase competitors and thus close further conservation gaps:

1. With a land purchase agreement dated 23 May 2024, we acquired a 2.4 ha (24.000 m²) riparian slope property directly adjacent to our extensive reed wetlands bordering the canal.

Thousands of Barn Swallows regularly roost at night in the water-washed, protective reeds during bird migration. With this latest land purchase, we can finally show the red card to the local bird hunters and poachers who are still up to mischief. We paid the purchase price of 58,000 euros, which was due immediately upon the conclusion of the purchase contract, from our iron project reserve!

2. On 8 April 2024, we were able to sign the purchase contract for a 1.5 ha (15.000 m²) shoreline property on the eastern shore of the Pantano Cuba lagoon and, as agreed, had to make an immediate down payment of 5,000. The remaining purchase price of 27,600 euros must be paid by the beginning of September.

This plot of land is an insect and berry-rich, scrub-covered migratory bird resting and feeding site. Its purchase guarantees the survival of up to 30 migratory bird species, such as the Common Nightingale, European Stonechat, Whinchat, Meadow Pipit, Corn Bunting, Northern Wheatear and even the shy Spotted Flycatcher. On the left, It borders a 3-hectare plot of land completely covered with greenhouses, where tomatoes are grown intensively using massive amounts of pesticides and artificial fertilisers. Our efforts to purchase this plot of land as well continue!

With our two recent land purchases, our Pantani property has expanded to a remarkable 440 hectares. Please help us with your project donation to pay the remaining purchase price of 27,600 euros for the 1.5-hectare hillside property. Every donation—whether 30, 50 euros, or any other amount—will assist us in this endeavour!

With every additional hectare owned by the foundation, this ecologically valuable, unique habitat for many endangered wildlife and plant species on one of Europe's most important migratory bird routes is expanding. Thank you for supporting our endeavour to establish and maintain this natural paradise!