"Stefanie and Norbert Bartel's farm in eastern Germany is a stone's throw from the Oder River and right across from the Polish town of Porzecze on the opposite riverbank. The Oder's lush, fertile banks attract tourists, who cycle along the broad pathways and enjoy the rich birdlife. For the Bartels, whose farm doubles as a bed and breakfast, connecting people with nature is a personal mission."
"In the summer of 2022, the river suffered its greatest ecological disaster in decades: a mass fish die-off triggered by upstream pollution. At the time, the Bartels and fisher people, locals and activists on both sides of the border rolled up their sleeves and shoveled about 360 tons of dead fish and other creatures out of the water. Scientists later traced the disaster to a toxic bloom of golden algae that thrives in the mining sector's warm, saline discharge."
Stefanie and Norbert Bartel run a farm and bed-and-breakfast on the Oder River opposite Porzecze, offering nature access to tourists. The farm serves as a hub for local environmentalists focused on preserving the river's fertile banks and birdlife. Canalization and climate change cause sudden floods and sharp low water periods, threatening agriculture, shipping and wildlife. In summer 2022 a mass fish die-off occurred; locals removed about 360 tons of dead fish. Scientists linked the die-off to a toxic golden-algae bloom fed by warm, saline mining discharge and worsened by low water and high temperatures. The disaster spurred cross-border cooperation and alliances.
Read at www.dw.com
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