Hedge care for the future

Donning hiking boots, gardening gloves, and sun screen for protection, the Lucerne Festival Team once again set out for Pfeffikon in Canton Lucerne at the end of June 2024 on an important mission: hedgerow maintenance. In November 2023, Festival staff had partnered with BirdLife Lucerne to plant various types of shrubs such as buckthorn, cornelian cherry, privet, wild rose, and common viburnum in the fields of “Gaia's Farm” – around 1,000 shrubs in total – so it was now time to devote a day to maintenance to ensure that the 400-metre-long hedgerow, which is now growing, continues to flourish magnificently.

In perfectly beautiful summer weather, the Team set to work with BirdLife Lucerne. Armed with gardening tools, they made sure that the young shrubs had enough space and light to grow. This is because it is essential to remove grass from around the shrubs to prevent young bushes from becoming overgrown and unable to grow into a mature hedgerow.

For Danièle Gross, the Festival’s Commercial Director, the situation is clear: “Planting by itself is not enough. It is just as important to maintain the hedgerow. Continuity is crucial – only through regular maintenance can the hedgerow grow into a diverse and species-rich habitat.”

The commitment to projects involving biodiversity and nature is an integral part of the comprehensive sustainability strategy through which the Festival systematically and proactively pursues ecological, social, and economic sustainability. Lucerne Festival also advocates the idea that, in addition to strategic and operational measures, personal commitment is needed to support and protect nature. We are therefore particularly pleased that, thanks to the ongoing care and commitment of Lucerne Festival and BirdLife Lucerne, the hedgerow on “Gaia's Farm” can continue to grow and will soon provide a valuable habitat for numerous insects and birds.