New Miscanthus plantation in Bad Münstereifel supports nature-based flood protection
A new 1.8-hectare Miscanthus plantation was established near Kalkar, a district of Bad Münstereifel, as part of the EU Horizon project Land4Climate. The site, located on farmland cultivated by local farmer Volker Scheidtweiler at the edge of the village towards Antweiler, has repeatedly been affected by heavy rainfall runoff flowing into the settlement below. By planting Miscanthus on this flood- and heavy rainfall-prone hillside, the project aims to reduce water runoff and soil erosion through a nature-based approach to climate adaptation.
The plantation was made possible through cooperation with the municipal forestry department of the City of Bad Münstereifel, which connected the project partners with the participating farmer. During a site visit on Thursday, May 21, Mayor Sebastian Glatzel emphasized the importance of such local measures: “As we can see here, protection against the impacts of heavy rainfall does not only depend on large-scale infrastructure projects. Even small-scale measures can have a significant effect.” He also highlighted the natural integration of the Miscanthus plantation into the surrounding landscape and thanked farmer Volker Scheidtweiler for considering the protection of local residents in the management of his land. In total, nearly six hectares of Miscanthus are being planted this year within the district of Euskirchen under the Land4Climate initiative. The new cultivation areas demonstrate how nature-based solutions can complement conventional flood protection while simultaneously supporting climate resilience, biodiversity, and sustainable regional land use.
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