The project aims to leverage the unused potential of roadsides as biotope corridors and for biogas production. This effort seeks to enhance the contribution of green spaces to climate protection while alleviating the pressure to convert agriculturally used land, thereby addressing related conflicts of interest. A widespread implementation of this solution is expected to facilitate structured nationwide monitoring of the spread of invasive species in Germany.

The context and societal significance lie in reducing environmental impact and supporting climate and biodiversity protection goals. For instance, in Bavaria alone, approximately 90 million euros are annually allocated to agricultural enterprises for the VNP areas under the Open Land Conservation Program. This program prioritises the creation and maintenance of ecologically valuable permanent grasslands, which currently cover about 230,000 hectares in Germany.

In contrast, the German road network offers around 51,000 hectares of roadside verges that are underutilised from an environmental and climate protection perspective. The project envisions transforming these roadside verges into ecologically valuable grasslands, which, despite being mandated in some federal states, is seldom realised due to workload constraints. The National Bioeconomy Strategy and the complementary National Biomass Strategy advocate for climate protection through sustainable biomass production and usage, such as utilising roadside cuttings for energy.

The project's scientific and technical goal is to develop an autonomous robot to efficiently and ecologically manage and monitor roadside areas. This robot will feature a height-adjustable mower for insect-friendly cuts, a side mower for trimming around obstacles, and a seeding unit for distributing climate-resilient native species. It will employ AI-based image recognition to identify areas heavily infested with invasive species for targeted mowing and contribute to a positive propagation effect by establishing biotope corridors.

The project supports the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) initiative "Naturally. Digital. Sustainable." and the "Research for Sustainable Development" (FONA) strategy, focusing on protecting habitats and biodiversity while efficiently utilising resources. Additionally, providing geolocated images for scientific research enhances environmental management data, particularly when commercialising the solution.

Project Partners:

• Paltech GmbH
• Hochschule für angewandte Wissenschaften Kempten
• L3S Research Center at the Leibniz Universität Hannover

Grants and Sponsors:

Bundesministerium für Bildung und Forschung (BMBF)

Related Publications:

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