HGON Kelkheim

HGON e.V. in Kelkheim is a local nature conservation organisation whose members have worked to protect wildlife and habitats in the area for more than 30 years. Its volunteer activities combine practical conservation, research, and public engagement. Members help safeguard and maintain habitats, conduct wildlife surveys, and care for five local nature reserves, whose establishment they helped advance. They also manage their own traditional orchard areas and ponds in the Schmiehbachtal, guide visitors in protected areas, and promote woodland conservation.

Research and species protection are central to the group’s work. Its members monitor bats and threatened bird populations, and have undertaken research on the little owl and lesser spotted woodpecker in collaboration with the University of Frankfurt. Conservation projects support owls, bats, dippers, woodpeckers, orchids, and specialised butterfly species through measures such as nesting support, habitat care, surveys, advice, and public information. HGON Kelkheim also offers nature walks and activities, sharing knowledge of local landscapes and wildlife.