“We don’t just want to teach environmental protection—we want to put it into practice,” says Ulrike Bobek, who is responsible for Environmental Management at Zittau/Görlitz University of Applied Sciences, with visible satisfaction. Sophia Keil, Vice President for Education and International Affairs at HSZG, nods in agreement: “As a university of applied sciences, we take a hands-on approach and make a very concrete contribution to the region!”

On November 23, the two joined University Chancellor Karin Hollstein, Zittau Mayor Thomas Zenker, the head of the Zittau Forestry Department Angela Bültemeier, and about 20 students in a reforestation effort in the Zittau City Forest near Eichgraben. The group was guided by forestry department staff, who also selected the ideal location and tree species and provided the necessary equipment. The university is covering the cost of the trees, with a budget of €3 per tree.

The plan was to plant as many trees as there were students who began their studies at Zittau/Görlitz University of Applied Sciences in October. And so, with the help of pruning shears, physical strength, and a lot of enthusiasm, 526 English oak saplings were planted. “It’s just great to be doing something,” student Franciszek aptly sums up.

It’s precisely this enthusiasm that’s needed, because the planting campaign is just the beginning: “Afterward, the real work begins, ” smiles Ulrike Bobek, referring not only to students’ daily lives in the lecture hall. The new trees need support to grow into a good stand of forest over the next five years. An initial maintenance effort is planned for next spring. The Zittau Forestry Office will assist with this as well. Ulrike Bobek admits: “We’re relying on the students’ support for this, though. There will be tasks such as clearing around the trees, repairing damage caused by browsing, erecting protective fences, and even some spot replanting.”

Zittau/Görlitz University of Applied Sciences is optimistic that many volunteers will sign up and is even thinking on a larger scale. In 2023, a tree-planting campaign is also planned for the Görlitz area.