Volunteers plant trees near Amberg: 5,500 new climate heroes!

Volunteers plant trees near Amberg: 5,500 new climate heroes!

In a remarkable initiative to reforest and protect drinking water resources, a total of 17 volunteers planted deciduous trees and built a wildlife protection fence in the spring protection area near Urspring from November 2nd to 8th, 2025. Amberg municipal utilities are supporting this project with a generous 7,000 euros. The aim of the measure: The transformation of the area into a climate-stable mixed forest that ensures long-term water quality. Martin Seits from the Amberg Forestry Office emphasizes how important this greenery is for clean drinking water.

The Bergwaldprojekt e.V., which has been organizing volunteer work in forests, moors and open landscapes for over 35 years, launched the campaign. This year, more than 5,000 volunteers took part in 190 project weeks at over 100 locations in Germany. The volunteers travel from different parts of Germany and Belgium and bring with them an age range between 21 and 69 years.

Diverse tree species and education

A total of 5,500 trees, including oaks, serviceberries, chestnuts, winter limes and silver firs, are to be planted. These selected species are not only important for biodiversity, but also for the climate. Tree varieties include the large family diversity that distinguishes trees from other plants. According to Wikipedia, a tree is a woody plant equipped with roots, a trunk and a crown. They play an essential role as carbon sinks and contribute significantly to improving air quality. Today there are approximately 73,200 tree species worldwide, with many of them exhibiting wide variation in morphology and lifestyle.

During the project, emphasis is also placed on educational work. To this end, the volunteers are informed about environmental and sustainability issues, which underlines the deep impact of the initiative. The food during the mission is vegetarian and based on regional and seasonal products, prepared by a cook from the mountain forest project.

Commitment to the environment

The cooperation between the city of Amberg, the mountain forest project and the Amberg municipal utilities is an excellent example of the local community's commitment to the environment. Maximilian Deget from Stadtwerke emphasizes how essential forest conversion is for protecting drinking water resources.

The spring protection forest initiative is not only an opportunity for volunteers to actively support the environment, but also an expression of the responsibility that we must bear for our natural resources. By planting trees and building a wildlife fence, participants are making an important contribution to a sustainable future. While some are active with shovels and spades, others are called upon to hold a workshop on November 12, 2025 to discuss how learning environments in the environmental and sustainability areas can be improved. Initiatives like those of the BNE-Online-Akademie emphasize that education and practical commitment must go hand in hand in order to meet the challenges of our time.