- Cologne night ban on mowing robots: No model for North Rhine-Westphalia
Cologne is set to introduce a nighttime ban on lawn mowing robots to protect hedgehogs, according to city officials. However, the state government is not in favor of this approach and instead appeals to the "reason of people" to exercise caution in their gardening practices.
The background, first reported by the "Cologne City-Anzeiger": The Cologne city administration plans to issue an ordinance based on the Federal Nature Conservation Act to introduce a "nighttime driving ban" for lawn mowing robots to protect hedgehogs. According to the document, the ban times will be aligned with sunset and sunrise times, including 30 minutes before and after twilight.
The reason given by the administration is that hedgehogs, as a particularly protected species with declining populations, warrant protective measures. The city emphasized that "automated lawn mowers" could cause "severe to fatal cut injuries" to hedgehogs.
The responsible Ministry of Agriculture and Consumer Protection sees no need to adopt the Cologne model statewide. The ministry and the state animal welfare officers already "regularly raise awareness about the careful and proper use of lawn mowing robots and the creation of hedgehog-friendly and wildlife-appropriate gardens."
To protect twilight- and night-active hedgehogs in your own garden, "the lawn mower should ideally mow around midday," the ministry advises. Additionally, "when using lawn trimmers during the day, one should also be mindful of hedgehogs, which often sleep near hedges and shrubs."
The state government is opposed to the city's proposed ban on nighttime lawn mowing robots, instead urging citizens to exercise caution in their gardening practices. According to the Ministry of Agriculture and Consumer Protection, the state government already promotes the careful and proper use of lawn mowing robots and the creation of hedgehog-friendly gardens.
