Eleven o'clock on a cold Saturday morning in Idar-Oberstein: there is a lot going on at Oberer Neuweg on the Struth. Helpers from Idar-Oberstein town council and the OIE are gradually arriving at the forest path there. Equipped with weatherproof clothing, sturdy shoes and spades in hand, over 40 people have one goal: to reforest the Idar-Oberstein municipal forest. Mayor Frank Frühauf, Mayor Friedrich Marx and the two OIE board members Thomas Johann and Andreas Berg are also taking part.
A year ago, the city and OIE, together with forest district manager Martin Döscher, pursued the idea of planting little trees in the Idar-Oberstein city forest. It has now been implemented in the OIE's anniversary year with the support of forestry office manager Peter Prölß and Döscher's successor Christian Sanders. The team had equipped ten areas in the forest with gates for the day of action. The costs were covered by the city of Idar-Oberstein. The OIE paid for the purchase of 400 seedlings for the campaign. Internally, the city and OIE then called on their employees to take part in the "Plant a tree with us" day of action. Whether young or old, everyone pitched in diligently.
First, the three foresters present provided information about the current forest situation and what is needed to preserve the trees and all their functions for the future. After all, the city of Idar-Oberstein is one of the largest forest owners in Rhineland-Palatinate with around 1,700 hectares of woodland. "If you love your home, you stand up for it! These are not just empty phrases for us, it is part of our self-image that we also make practical progress and are committed to the future of us all," said OIE CEO Thomas Johann. Extreme heat, severe frost and pests are increasingly affecting the forests. Action is needed here: "If we want to continue to enjoy green towns and villages in the future, we need to take action today. Reforesting areas is an important contribution to protecting our forests," added the Lord Mayor. Friedrich Marx emphasized the good cooperation with the OIE, which was once again demonstrated in this joint project: "The joint planting campaign is a beautiful symbol of our reliable partnership.
After a refreshment of "Wurscht und Weck", everyone involved was able to go home satisfied with their work. The new trees should now grow and flourish in their places for many years to come. "The campaign will not remain a one-off. We have decided to extend it to the entire region from next year. We also want to organize public planting days where anyone who wants to and has time can take part," said OIE Board Member Andreas Berg.
Germany has a forest cover of around 32 percent or 11.4 million hectares. Forests have experienced difficult times in recent years: weather conditions, forest fires and pests such as the bark beetle have taken their toll. Almost all the main tree species are now showing signs of damage. Around 300,000 hectares of forest need to be replanted in order to restore nature and biodiversity. But that's not all. Forests are not only important carbon sinks, but also habitats for animal and plant species. The soil also benefits: This is because the forest serves as an excellent moisture reservoir.