Squirrel Forest Campaign in Bruchsal

Shortage of acorns and beechnuts for seeding in Bruchsal, too.

“…at the moment we’ve also got a shortage of acorns for seeding in our region…. The forester, a really dedicated man, who regards sowing seeds as the best option, has suggested an alternative this year. He’s offered to dig up some very young oak wildlings (roots intact) in a plantation, so that we and the schoolchildren can plant them on a chosen, sheltered site. How do you feel about this idea? Well, I think planting is still better than doing nothing. Don’t you agree?”

That is what Dagmar Kropp from Bruchsal, secondary modern school teacher and fellow Utopia member, wrote in her letter to us. And we could only agree with her. Previously to that she had gone to great lengths to find out everything about a seeding project and had scoured the woods with ‘her’ forester to check out all the oak trees for acorns. But nothing! Just like in many areas of Germany this year.

Tired, but proud! Grade seven pupils plant woods

Dagmar Kropp gave us her own wonderful report on the project with class 7a, which is why we would like to print some of what she wrote. You can read the whole of the report in her weblog at www.utopia.de or at Utopia group ‘Aktion Eichhörnchen’.

“A great big thank you to everyone who kept their fingers crossed. The weather couldn’t have been better. When we set off from the Konrad-Adenauer-Schule it was still horribly cold, as we could tell by the frozen windows of the parked cars. Eight girls and ten boys took part. To start with shoulders hunched, heads covered with fleece hoods, some kids with warm scarves wrapped over their mouths; the really cool ones, however, wearing only thin tracksuits, baseball caps and shiny white sneakers.

Our destination was situated right next to a lake in a disused quarry. I have rarely seen schoolchildren so impressed and fascinated by natural landscape. When we arrived at the lake shortly before nine o’clock there was (according to the kids) a ‘steaming’ layer of fog hovering over the surface, slowly lifting here and there. The sun began to peer over the surrounding hills and it bathed a flock of ducks, perfectly aligned in their peaceful flight, in magical morning light. Amazing how many of the youngsters stood still, completely captivated by the sight. Wow!

Mr Michael Durst, forester by trade, as is Thomas, forestry student, and a boy from a special needs school, who is doing work experience at the moment, gave us a warm welcome. After a short briefing about this particular site and our own project, followed by a practical demonstration by Mr Durst on how to plant a tree, we learned about grub hoes and trowels and how to use them. The schoolchildren put on their gardening gloves, which I had managed to get a garden centre to donate, rolled up their sleeves and got to work. In nine groups of twos (mostly one girl and one boy) they spread out over the really extensive planting site and worked with burning enthusiasm in what was by now brilliant sunshine.

We actually succeeded in moving 200 knee-high wildlings, some beech, but mainly oak, to their final destination. We hope they will form new roots in the spring and produce new growth.

Finally one last oak wildling was planted and next to it stood our sign which read “We are doing something for the climate.” We took some photos for later, said thank you and started off on the long walk back to school where lunch was waiting for us, as is always the case at our all-day school. We were all very proud, but rather tired and not quite as talkative as before! But our shoes – they told a story!”

- Class 7a, Konrad-Adenauer-Schule -

We congratulate Dagmar Kropp on her very special project. She really managed to get her class 7 highly motivated and in spite of all the problems organized a wonderful project!