Medis has joined the universal and strategically oriented project, supported by the primary vision of how in the scope of taking care of environment also help endangered nature. As the first company in Slovenia we install bird nesting houses on the roof of our newly-built warehouse and in the direct environment, in the near vicinity they have already taken care of planting bushes and trees. The thought-out plan, based on the collaboration of various experts, is already showing visible results and encouragements for similar solutions.
30th Anniversary and the Idea of a Living Garden
The ecologically designed plan which presents the optimum synergy with the environment interestingly coincided with the recent 30th anniversary of the Medis company when they have been actively thinking how in their care of the environment actually contribute to optimum and sustainable solutions. As said by Tone Strnad, the founder of the Medis company, together with colleagues he has been planning a green isolated roof the size of 3,000 m² for growing moss and low grass already during the construction of the new warehouse, to give back at least a little of what they have taken from the nature. Due to the additional weight on the building there were no realistic solutions to also plant trees and bigger bushes on the roof, therefore they searched for the solution elsewhere:
We are aware that with every construction we interfere with the environment, but we strive for cohabiting with the nature also in the urban environment. With our architect, colleague Mojca Fišer, we thought about putting natural lawns and trees next to our buildings, and asked for the plan of a living garden the architect Davorin Gazvoda, PhD. It will not be dominated by mown grass which is dead for most of the animals, but a meadow is planned for the living garden which will attract insects, birds and certain smaller animals. The trees will be local, if possible such that bear fruits which birds like.
How to Attract as Many Birds as Possible
Local bird species which live in the environment have, according to Tone Strnad, confirmed their presence several times and he had a chance to observe for a longer time a pair of goldfinches which was flying around hornbeams in front of his widow. The pleasant scene spontaneously inspired him to upgrade the beginning idea about planting greenery – how to attract even more goldfinches and other birds into the vicinity. He contacted conservation ornithologist Tilen Bastle from the DOPPS-Birdlife Slovenia and thus in collaboration with architects the creation of the whole strategy for planting greenery and for the living garden started. Tilen Basle emphasizes the importance of planning of buildings with a deliberate thought about energy renovation, but also the importance of taking biotic diversity in urban environment into account.
Often ignored is the fact that urban environments are biotically diverse, even more, certain groups of organisms have completely adapted to such environments after having changed their previous natural habitat. Biotic diversity in city environment thus means for more and more people their everyday contact with “nature” which is especially important for young people when developing values of importance of environment protection and cohabitation.
Last autumn Medis under the scope of the Zarja 2 Employment Centre, which employs disabled workers, planted the vegetation, and already this year they will be able to observe the growth of trees and bushes.
Local Trees and a Colourful Lot of Birds
The strategy of planting greenery encompassed ten deciduous trees (Japanese maple, hornbeam, beech, manna ash, Japanese flowering crabapple, rowan, sorb tree, two apple trees and a linden tree), approximately 190 bushes, 2,560 groundcovers and perineal plants, and 1,600 m2 of grass. The idea of attracting different birds was a secondary one because originally they did not plan on interfering with the presence of the birds, but then they have decided precisely for that.
Idea of Fruitful Collaboration
The thought-out solution in taking care of the environment includes also an important point of view of active and healthy collaboration, as in Medis the scope of this project bring birds closer to the employees. For this purpose two or three additional feeders were installed because, as Tone Strnad believes, this will mean direct contact with nature, and occasional bird watching has a calming effect on a person as well as encourages their interest and care for the birds. At the same time Strnad adds that the project of planting greenery will be finished in approximately ten years when the trees and bushes will grow to their final height, and emphasizes that the green isolation roof is already getting green in earnest. During this time the natural balance on this micro space will also establish.
