A Telekom logo and the slogan #greenmagenta made up of millions of flowers and herbs attracted many people and insects to our Magenta Blossom field. The intensive planting of flowers was beneficial for the soil and biodiversity.
In May, Deutsche Telekom took on the role of nature sponsor for a field in Euskirchen near Bonn. With the help of GPS and data transfer via our mobile network, the startup GEOXIP ensured the precise sowing of the lettering. © Deutsche Telekom
The field covers an area of over 40 hectares, which is equivalent to approximately 56 soccer fields. After the first showers of rain, we were soon able to distinguish between the so-called flowering islands and the sugar beets. The T and the #greenmagenta lettering were clearly visible. The T alone had a length of 105 x 263 meters. © Deutsche Telekom
Sugar beets are primarily grown for the production of sugar. During their growth, the plants absorb CO2 and convert it into oxygen. The wildflowers in the flowering strip also absorb CO2 during their growth. Their stems and leaves are plowed back into the field after harvest, improving the soil for the next year's planting. The plants in the flowering strip have bound approximately 26 tonnes of CO2, which remains in the soil even after harvest. For comparison: this is equivalent to about 130 trips in a midsize car from Bonn to Munich. © Deutsche Telekom
Around 22 million wildflowers and herbs grew amidst more than three million sugar beets. This coexistence of agriculture and new habitat promoted biodiversity and soil quality. The intensive flower planting allowed the soil to regenerate better. © Deutsche Telekom
Magenta Blossom was planned as a research project to gain new insights into biodiversity conservation. We worked closely with the Nürtingen-Geislingen University of Economics and Environment for this purpose. Marius Kuhlmann analyzed the results from one of the eight cameras. However, the evaluation is still ongoing. Initial findings include a remarkably high number of ladybugs. Ladybugs are beneficial to agriculture as they consume pests like aphids and spider mites. © Deutsche Telekom
A specially created educational trail allowed interested visitors to learn about biodiversity and modern agriculture. Various routes led through the field, ranging from approximately 1.5 to 3.6 kilometers in length. To make the excursion perfect, benches invited people to linger and provided space for a picnic in the middle of nature. © Deutsche Telekom
Deutsche Telekom offered a total of six guided walks for journalists and private individuals on two Sundays in August. The tours led through the already tall flowers. Experts spoke about agriculture, biodiversity, the different plant species, and the university and Telekom project. © Deutsche Telekom
More than 50 different native flowers and wild herbs grew in the field. The lettering "Magenta" consisted, among others, of field peas, cornflowers, and red clover. The special seed mixture brought back a diversity that we had almost lost. This included plants that are on the red list and thus endangered. © Deutsche Telekom
The face behind Magenta Blossom is Christian Hammerschmidt. He is the project leader for Green Magenta and the project is a matter of the heart for him: "By promoting ideas like this, we raise awareness for biodiversity and species protection. At the same time, we show how modern communication technology can positively support work in this important field." © Deutsche Telekom
On our field, we have established our own beehives with a total of around half a million bees in interconnected beehives. The result: 160 kilograms of our own Magenta honey. That's equivalent to around 500 jars.
The Telekom now has 19 colonies of bees living in intelligent, digital beehives. They are equipped with sensors that continuously record temperature and weight changes. This allows us to obtain detailed information about the development of the bees and their honey production.
© Deutsche Telekom
