Kranj unveils its first “insect hotel”

Made entirely out of reusable materials it aims to protect the biodiversity of insects in the Slovenian city

Earlier last week, Komunala Kranj, the Vincenc Draksler Foundation and the Municipality of Kranj unveiled their latest joint project – namely Kranj’s very own “insect hotel”. The goal of the cooperation between the three entities is to protect the environment in the Slovenian city and to promote sustainability and the reuse of materials, thereby contributing to the overall preservation of the environment.

Fulfilling two main goals

The “insect hotel”, unveiled last week, was created by employees of the Vincenc Draksler Foundation. It is located right before the administrative building of Komunala Kranj, just between the company’s parking lot and Mirka Vadnova Street.

The venue is a brand-new type of ecosystem made entirely insect-friendly. It houses numerous plant species that are of special interest to the local insect wildlife, including roses, American straw, geraniums, ornamental grasses, verbena, lonicera, sage, flaxseed, and others.

The goal of the project is two-fold. On the one hand, it aims to create a safe environment for local wildlife that ensures accessibility to the nutrients necessary to sustain a stable population. Simultaneously, it drives forward another message – namely of the benefits of sustainability.

The “insect hotel” was created through entirely reusable materials, keeping in line with the Municipality of Kranj’s overall objectives of increasing the prevalence and adherence to the principles of sustainability. By making use of already discarded items for the creation of the new venue, citizens are presented with an obvious example of how old things can be used to create something new and functional, in an environmentally friendly manner.

The Deputy Mayor of the Municipality of Kranj, Janez Černe, briefly summarized the efforts for the development of untapped potential, where, in line with the Sustainable Urban Strategy, they are looking for challenges and opportunities to promote economic growth and improving the quality of life in Kranj. The municipality is adamant in encouraging opportunities for environmental improvements as well as the efforts of companies in transforming their goals into sustainable strategies.