Orchards
The Saargau landscape is characterized by numerous orchards, open fields and small villages. The orchard meadow, locally also called Bungert, is a traditional form of fruit growing. In the orchards there are tall fruit trees, mostly of different ages and different types and varieties, mostly apple, pear, plum, cherry or medlar trees. The orchards have been arranged around the villages since ancient times; so they still offer protection from wind and weather today. In 1950 there were more than eight productive fruit trees for every Gisinger resident. The multiple use is characteristic of the orchards: the trees are used for fruit production ("overuse‘ "); Since the trees are loosely positioned, the areas also served as grassland (“underuse”), either as a hay meadow for haymaking or directly as pasture for cattle. Orchards are ecologically valuable habitats; more than 2000 animal species can be at home here or find their food there. Insects such as beetles, wasps, bumblebees and bees make up the largest share. The variety of arachnids and millipedes is also great. The honey bee plays the key role in pollinating the fruit trees. By overwintering as a complete bee colony with more than 10,000 individual bees, they are able to provide most of the pollination service. Source: Text information board