It is the reward for extraordinary efforts to protect the stork. In fact, white storks live in their nests on many house roofs and high trees in Altreu. In 1948, Max Bloesch founded the Altreu Stork Settlement and established the reintroduction of the white stork in Switzerland. In the 1960s, the first successes began to appear. Since 1995, storks are no longer kept in captivity. The preservation and improvement of the habitat for the white stork has been the focus of stork protection ever since.
The Infozentrum Witi provides information about the life of the storks and about the cantonal agricultural and protection zone Witi with interactive special exhibitions and an exciting permanent exhibition. The guided tours through the Infozentrum Witi offer first-hand stories and information. Small explorers also get their money's worth. A visit to Altreu is particularly worthwhile between April and August, when more than 40 pairs of storks raise their young. The offspring can be observed hatching, being fed by their parents or making their first attempts at flying.
Guided tours
Guided tours are offered on the topics of storks, special exhibitions, beavers and the "Witi" habitat.
Duration 1 hour, costs CHF 100.00. Duration 1.5 hours, costs CHF 150.00.
Registration via www.infowiti.ch
How to get there
By foot: The information center can be reached on foot from Solothurn in about 2.5 hours.
Train or bus: Take the train or bus to Selzach station. Short walk of 30 minutes. From Bettlach 40 minutes walk.
By boat: Altreu can be reached by boat from Solothurn or Biel. Timetable: www.bielersee.ch
Car: Altreu can be reached from Solothurn in about 20 minutes. There is only a limited number of parking spaces available.
Bicycle: The National SwitzerlandMobility Routes No. 5 and No. 8 pass by Altreu.
Ferry: From Leuzigen with the Aare ferry www.aare-faehre.ch
Catering
Restaurant Zum Grüene Aff
Restaurant Fischerstube Altreu
Restaurant Sagi, Selzach
Wirtshaus zur Grabachern, Selzach
Group offers
Combined excursion with the Öufi boat and a guided tour of the Witi information center.By canoe on SwitzerlandMobility Route No. 1.Canoes can be rented from Globepaddler.
Educational offers for schools
Solve the mystery of the missing storks at www.storchenforscher.ch
Borrowable researcher boxes for schools:
- Stork Researcher Box: The box contains information for the teacher and work assignments for the students, in addition to research materials and instruments such as binoculars, magnifying glasses, etc. The offer is based on the educational offer of Storchenforscher.ch.
- Pond researcher box: The box contains material for researching the small animals in the pond of the information center, a dossier for the teacher to prepare the lesson and instructions for the students.
More information and reservations.
Good to know
- Discover the Witi observation tower "Kraftort am Wald" on the banks of the Aare in Selzach.
- Current events: Experience the Open Nature Center Day and the Festival of Nature.
- During a half-hour free guided tour in the information center "Witi" visitors learn more about the habitat of the stork.
