VDI-EE 4350 Blatt 1:2025-06

This expert recommendation applies to mowers used for mowing vegetation-covered areas along paved roads. It does not apply to mowers used for agricultural grassland and other forage crops. Therefore, this expert recommendation is primarily aimed at institutions responsible for the maintenance of roadside areas, such as road and highway maintenance departments, road construction authorities, municipal gardening departments, and ministries. Against the backdrop of biodiversity decline, climate change, and the resulting increasing demands from nature and species conservation and national strategies, roadside greenery is currently gaining particular importance. Since the extensive area is not subject to production-oriented use, it can serve as a habitat for plants and animals, at least along roads with less traffic, and as a corridor, connect populations in impoverished landscapes, thus enabling their genetic exchange. The potential of roadside greenery for these functions is considerable, given its area of approximately 1.9% of Germany's total area. However, to promote the ecological functions of roadside greenery and contribute to biodiversity conservation, ecologically oriented maintenance is necessary. Several companies already offer mowing equipment that is advertised as "biodiversity-friendly" due to various properties. However, there is very little research on how effective these properties are, whether fewer animals are killed as a result, and whether roadside greenery benefits as a habitat compared to mowing with conventional mowing equipment. This expert recommendation is intended to provide municipalities, public works departments, and private service providers with guidance for purchasing biodiversity-friendly mowing technology.