Appeal of the Monument Association to the nature conservation authorities: Blue stars on the Finkenberg highly endangered!

In diesen Tagen ist er wieder das beliebte Ziel der Wanderer auf dem Ennert: der himmelblaue Blütenteppich der Scilla bifolia, also des Zweiblättrigen Blausterns oder auch Sternhyazynthe genannt. Diese Partie wird allgemein als „das nördlichste Vorkommen im Rheintal“ bezeichnet. Tatsächlich aber sollte es im Zusammenhang mit einem Blaustern-Vorkommen auf dem Finkenberg gesehen werden. Dieses findet sich in den niedrigen Hügelpartien oberhalb des Feierplatzes, dem „Napoleonplatz“, also am höchsten Punkt der Finkenbergstraße gegenüber dem dortigen Parkplatz

As is well known, bluebuds are formally protected by the Federal Species Protection Ordinance; according to this, they may not be picked, for example. This small sub-Mediterranean bulbous plant loves fresh, nutrient-rich and humus-rich soils - which it does not necessarily find here, on the stony remnants of the original Finkenberg massif, at least not since the stone quarrying (1850-1930). It is surprising that the bluestem has survived here. All the more reason why it should be guarded and protected in this extreme place.

In fact, however, this Finkenberg occurrence has been in sharp retreat for several years. Although some parts were erroneously levelled with gravel, the main reason for the decline is the extensive, intensive overgrowth of ivy. As early as 2003, when the Ennert landscape plan was being prepared, which also affected the Finkenberg, the Bonn-Rechtsrheinisch Monument and History Society, which is also concerned with the preservation of the traditional cultural landscape, demanded that the ivy sections there be radically removed. Since then, it has repeatedly reminded people that a rescue operation is urgently needed here. (Removing the ivy does not require much effort and can also be done easily from the road).

In view of the current freshness of the blossoms, the Monument and History Society is appealing to the responsible municipal offices and not least to the Bonn-Rhein-Erft Biological Station to finally take care of this endangered plant species on the Finkenberg! After all, this is also the most northerly occurrence of bluestem in the Rhine Valley!