Every spring, more than 1,500 volunteers set out in the municipalities of the Upper Black Forest to rid the forests and meadows of the region of rubbish in the “Waldputzete”. On Monday in Lenzkirch, for example, more than 80 students from the Franz-Josef-Faller-School picked up rubbish that had been left lying around. An interim conclusion of this year’s clean-up campaigns was drawn by the supporters of the “Waldputzete”, the Southern Black Forest Nature Park, the State Forestry Administration of BW and the Hochschwarzwald Tourismus GmbH.
When the snow melts in the Upper Black Forest, not only blossoms and fresh green appear, but here and there also legacies from visitors to the forest – especially since people were increasingly drawn into nature during the Corona pandemic. Therefore, every spring more than 1,500 volunteers set out in the communities of the holiday region – including school classes, local groups of the Black Forest Association and many other associations and citizens – to free the forests from the garbage that has accumulated over the year. This “forest cleaning” is coordinated and supported by the communities, and local restaurants often provide food for the helpers.
In Lenzkirch, an interim conclusion of the “Waldputzete” 2022 was drawn today, Monday. The occasion was the cleaning campaign at the Franz Josef Faller School. Together with their teachers, more than 80 students collected waste along the way, in meadows and in the forests. Divided into several groups, the young helpers worked around the climatic health resort.
“The Waldputzete fits perfectly with our profile as a prospective nature park school,” said Daniela Priebe, head of the Franz-Josef-Faller School. “The children are connected to the region and contribute to the preservation of our beautiful landscape in the Upper Black Forest. They are amazed at what is thrown away and how long these things last in nature.” As a reward for their efforts, all students received vouchers from the Regio-Verkehrsverbund Freiburg, one of the sponsors of the Waldputzete, for one day free use of public transport Local transport in the region – as a contribution to a joint school trip.
Under the motto “Herzenssache Natur”, the Southern Black Forest Nature Park, the Landesforstverwaltung BW and the Hochschwarzwald Tourismus GmbH as well as other companies from the region have been supporting the “Waldputzete” since 2018 to raise awareness of intact nature, volunteer work and the sense of community in the Upper Black Forest to further promote. “One of the goals of the ‘Herzenssache Natur’ campaign of the Association of German Nature Parks is the appreciation of voluntary work and the strengthening of civic commitment,” says Roland Schöttle, Managing Director of the Southern Black Forest Nature Park.
Competition and family party for all participants:
All participants in the “Waldputzete” are provided with gloves for their work and, if necessary, pliers, buckets and safety vests. At the end of this year’s campaigns, a family forest cleaning festival will take place on Sunday, May 15, 2022 on the premises of the Baden State Brewery Rothaus in Grafenhausen. In addition to brewery tours and hands-on activities for children, the neighboring Hüsli local history museum offers free entry and the Black Forest House of the Senses in Grafenhausen offers reduced tickets.
In addition, more than 150 prizes, which were provided by numerous sponsors from the region, will be raffled among all helpers at this year’s “Waldputzete” competition.
The aim is to get more helpers – both guests and locals are welcome, everyone can take part. All you need is weatherproof clothing, possibly some food and usually three to five hours.
A total of around 1,500 helpers are again expected at the Waldputzete 2022. The start was on March 29th, and by May 7th there will be clean-up campaigns in Grafenhausen, Ühlingen-Birkendorf, Löffingen, Titisee-Neustadt, Lenzkirch, Hinterzarten, Feldberg, St. Märgen, Häusern, Todtmoos, Schluchsee, Breitnau and St. Blasien . Additional dates may follow at short notice. The starting times and meeting points for the activities that have already been fixed, as well as all other information, are available at www.hochschwarzwald.de/waldputzete.
(Press release: Hochschwarzwald Tourismus GmbH, April 11, 2022)
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