The Elzwiesen meadows near Europa-Park are one of the last large areas with meadow watering. Water traps have been installed in the almost 740-hectare nature and landscape conservation area. Using threads and cranks, a wooden construction can be lowered into a body of water, the water accumulates, overflows, and transforms the meadows into a lake landscape. Many birds then find such an abundance of food that they literally refuel. Without Europa-Park, however, this natural spectacle would hardly be visible. A few years ago, there was such a great need for renovation of the traps that even the continued existence of the Elzwiesen was in jeopardy. Already in 2009, Roland Mack agreed to support the renovation financially.

The Elzwiesen meadows also contribute significantly to the region’s secure water supply. When they are flooded, the huge amount of around 2.5 million cubic metres of water seeps into the groundwater - for a total of 7.5 million cubic metres when the meadows are flooded three times a year. “That is twice as much as the consumption in our area,” explains Pascal Weber, mayor of Ringsheim.