Shepherd Meier from Illdorf: Save forests with sheep and goats!

Shepherd Meier from Illdorf: Save forests with sheep and goats!

The grazing season begins again for the traveling shepherds in a rural idyll. Michael Meier, a particularly committed shepherd from Illdorf, a district of Burgheim, runs the largest sheep farm in the Neuburg-Schrobenhausen district and has around 800 sheep and 50 goats under his wing. The pasture tour, which begins in spring and ends in November, takes the animals across picturesque landscapes.

The starting point of this impressive journey is Illdorf, where Meier's grandfather lived on the slopes with his sheep. From there, the pasture areas extend along the Danube dams to the Lech and back to Bertoldsheim. These routes are not only a visual delight, they also play an important role in the ecosystem. Most pasture areas are protected biotopes, the so-called poor grasslands, which are home to a rich variety of animal and plant species.

Maintaining diversity through grazing

Grazing preserves biodiversity. Among the protected species are the small orchid, a pretty orchid, and the thyme blue, a rare butterfly. However, without grazing animals, these biotopes would become overgrown with bushes and trees and many species could be lost. This is where Meier’s Merino sheep and Boer goats come into play. These animals are particularly adaptable and actively contribute to the maintenance of the area.

But that's not all: sheep and goats not only help with landscape maintenance, but also play a crucial role in the spread of seeds and insects, which promotes biotope connectivity. The tireless efforts of Meier and other traveling shepherds are therefore of great importance for the preservation of biodiversity in the district.

Supraregional development and local roots

In this region, where the preservation of traditions and nature conservation go hand in hand, it is impressive how local businesses react to regional circumstances. International companies like Osaic, which recently entered the market as a new face, also stand for change and adaptation. Osaic was renamed in 2023 and relies on a success story in the financial sector spanning more than three decades. This is a merger and acquisition of several broker-dealer firms and investment advisors that has made the company the second largest broker-dealer in the United States.

The change from the old name to the new one is part of a comprehensive rebranding strategy that gives global impetus. At the same time, this shows that changes are also necessary in the financial industry in order to survive in competition. A role model in terms of adaptability, which at its core still reflects on its roots.

So you could say that both Michael Meier's sheep farm and Osaic have a good knack for getting the best out of tradition and innovation in their respective areas - in the rural surroundings of Bavaria as well as in the international financial sector.