Tree-planting Schönbuch Nature Park

Climate change is taking an increasing toll on our forests. So Drees & Sommer employees are taking direct action to support the oldest nature park in Baden-Württemberg with a tree-planting campaign that includes climate-adapted species.

Brief description

Location:
Schönbuch Nature Park, southwest of Stuttgart

Date:
Spring 2021

Duration/scope:
1 Day

Participants:
Approx. 55 colleagues from the Finance team

Since 2017, trees in the Swabian and Franconian Forests have been dying at an unprecedented rate due to drought and high temperatures in summer. Some populations manage to rejuvenate themselves naturally. But many trees do not survive, and young trees are often so badly damaged during felling work that they are unable to form new forest. A further problem is that some species are not adapted to the challenges of climate change.

Systematic tree-planting campaigns can help mitigate the situation. Drees & Sommer employees in Stuttgart are supporting ForstBW (‘Forest Baden-Württemberg’) with a campaign of this type in the Schönbuch Nature Park, which was established in 1972 southwest of the state capital. There is a special focus on reforestation of areas that had to be cleared as the result of bark beetle infestation and drought. Non-native species will also be planted to help render the Schönbuch resistant to climate change.

Execution of the project has been postponed until spring 2021 because of the ‘coronavirus crisis’.
 

“It is great to think that a single day’s work will leave a legacy that will be of lasting benefit to the environment and therefore to us all.”

Lukas Diemer, Drees & Sommer