Forest conservation volunteers: individuals committed to preserving nature through agroforestry efforts in mountain regions
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Helpful Hands in the Heart of Nature
Around 20 volunteers from different parts of Germany are lending a helping hand at the Black Forest Nature Park this week. Their mission? Making farmlands more resilient!
Even though it's pouring down, the dedicated volunteers at Lorenz.Farm in Achern are undeterred. Equipped with rain gear, they're divided into four groups across the entire farm. One group hangs birdhouses in the orchard to encourage a bug-munching bird brigade, while another sets up perches for bird-of-prey patrol to keep the mouse population in check. Other volunteers tidy up under the trees, freeing them from grass to boost their nutrient intake, and the final group is restoring a biotope.
Friendly Farms Welcome Helpers
Farmer Johannes Lorenz is grateful for the helping hands. Having preplanned the projects, he often finds it challenging to make time during his busy day-to-day tasks. With 250 chickens and apples on his small farm as a side gig, he's no stranger to multitasking.
Born and raised on the farm, Johannes took over in 2021, marking the first time volunteers have visited. "I was contacted by the nature park and asked if I'd like a few volunteers to work here," he explains. "It wasn't much to think about."
This year marks the Bergwaldprojekt's first foray into farm assistance. Typically, the project focuses on forests or moors, but this is a pilot project that's going swimmingly so far, according to Christopher Thiel, the project leader.
"We've been considering whether we can venture into the agroforestry sector," Thiel explains. "Agroforestry is an excellent alternative to conventional agriculture, and we usually don't work on farms. This trial run has been a success, and the feedback is amazing."
The Bergwaldprojekt: A Week for Nature
Participation in the Bergwaldprojekt comes free of cost, with accommodations and meals provided. A typical week runs from Monday to Friday, with half a day set aside for an excursion. This year's project in the Black Forest covers three farms, with the Lorenz.Farm hosting volunteers for one and a half days. Prior knowledge of agriculture isn't required.
Jule Petzold, a media designer from Würzburg, is one of the participants with a smile on her face despite the rain after hanging a wooden birdhouse. "This is a nice change from office work," she says. "By the end of the day, you're exhausted but happy."
Agroforestry: A Farming Revolution
The Bergwaldprojekt and the Black Forest Nature Park are partners interested in the benefits of agroforestry in response to climate change. Agroforestry systems create new habitats, store carbon, reduce erosion, and maintain ecosystem services like pollination and nutrient cycling. Moreover, they can help farmers cope with weather challenges.
Johannes Lorenz finds the presence of volunteers beneficial not only for work but also for fostering a bond between farmers and society. It helps draw attention to important issues, like the use of glyphosate, and the pressure on agriculture to become more sustainable and environmentally-friendly.
As the rain clears by coffee break, volunteers prepare for their excursion, leaving the farm fresher and more alive thanks to their dedicated work.
- The Bergwaldprojekt is considering expanding its focus from forests to farms, venturing into the agroforestry sector, which boasts solutions to face climate change through creating new habitats, storing carbon, reducing erosion, and promoting sustainable, health-and-wellness-conscious farming practices.
- In their dedication to environmental-science-based projects, the Bergwaldprojekt and the Black Forest Nature Park have partnered to promote lifestyle choices that prioritize the well-being of the environment, working together to encourage the adoption of agroforestry methods on farms across Germany.
