Ecological Viticulture

Award on 10 February 2016

UN Decade Award for the common project "Ecological Viticulture" of ECOVIN, Lake Constance Foundation and Global Nature Fund in the framework of the UN Decade Biodiversity, handed over at the Biofach in Nuremberg.

^{© Global Nature Fund}

Award on 20 January 2016

The Biodiversity Checks for Ecological Viticulture, developped by ECOVIN, Lake Constance Foundation and Global Nature Fund, are awarded the Prize for Sustainability 2016 Rheinhessen.

^{© Stefan Sämmer / Rheinhessenwein e.V.}

Since the spring of 2012, the German Association of Ecological Viticulture (ECOVIN) has analyzed the impact of viticulture on biodiversity. Viticulture is unique in agriculture as normally only a single product is marketed. Vintners control their product from the cultivation to the marketing to the end consumer and have an encompassing influence on its sustainability. The biologists and agronomists of the GNF used a modified Biodiversity Check to look at not only the ecology of the fields but also the winery, purchasing, packaging and logistics. Initial results show that ECOVIN businesses work hard to minimize the negative impacts of their economic activities. For packaging and logistics, concepts were developed to minimize unavoidable adverse effects. In addition to the checks, education is offered to the vintners who want to continually improve themselves.

Background

The Federal Association Ecological Viticulture ECOVIN was founded 1985 and has established itself as the biggest association of ecologically cultivating vintners since then. In Eleven growing areas approximately 1400 hectares of areas under vines are sustaibably cultivated by ECOVIN-members. The members are identifying themselves through respect for nature and biodiversity, their goal is to keep and promote the ecological balance in the vineyards. Early on it was recognised that ecological viticulture alone does not promote biodiversity automatically.

Goals

As small and medium sized Enterprises (SME) in ecological viticulture vintners shall be sensitized for biodiversity. With selected ECOVIN-vintners, concrete analyses about dependencies and impacts of wineries on biodiversity through biodiversity checks should be conducted. In cooperation with vintners, measures for the integration of biodiversity protection during commercial activities are developed and implemented. The results are included in the new ECOVIN-Guideline for ecological viticulture, during workshops expieriences are passed on. Therefore the transferability on other enterprises is guaranteed. .

Supporters

The project "Nature Protection and Biodiversity Conservation as a Task for CSR in small and medium sized businesses, Germany: Ecological Viticulture" is supported within the framework of the program "CSR - Social Responsibility in SMEs", supported by the German Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs and the European Social Fund.

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Nature Protection and Biodiversity Conservation as a Task for CSR in small and medium sized businesses, Germany: Ecological Viticulture

March 2012 – December 2014

Lake Constance Foundation, ECOVIN - Bundesverband Ökologischer Weinbau e.V.

German Federal Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs (BMAS) during the Program "CSR - Social Responsibility in SMEs" and European Social Fund for Germany (ESF)