Together for the forest: 5,500 trees planted in the Harz Mountains!

Together for the forest: 5,500 trees planted in the Harz Mountains!

On October 25, 2025, an important planting campaign took place in Braunlage, Goslar district in the beautiful Harz region. On the occasion of the 35th anniversary of the mountain forest project, around 130 volunteers came together to actively support the region's forests. They planted an estimated 5,500 native trees, including oaks, winter linden trees and hornbeams, which not only enrich the landscape but also help stabilize the ecosystems.

Environment Minister Christian Meyer (Greens) praised the activities of the committed citizens and referred to the heavy losses that have been recorded in spruce trees in recent years due to storms, drought and pests such as the bark beetle. According to forestry department head Stefan Fenner, the loss in his area is an impressive 7,700 hectares of spruce forest. Such figures illustrate the urgent need for action for reforestation projects.

Sustainable reforestation strategies

The mountain forest project in Lower Saxony has set itself the goal of planting a total of 800,000 trees over the last 35 years. This is done not only through individual planting campaigns, but also through the renaturation of 25 kilometers of streams and the rewetting of ten hectares of moors. These measures are crucial to promote biodiversity and make forests more resilient so they can better withstand the challenges of climate change.

Involving communities in projects such as the mountain forest project and other initiatives is central to forest protection. Forester Alexander Nebhuth, for example, has also used innovative methods when reforesting clearcuts in order to achieve a higher proportion of needles and at the same time promote deciduous populations. He relies on a mix of modern and traditional forestry methods.

Global challenges

But forests are not only under pressure in Germany. Worldwide, the forest area is shrinking by around 10 million hectares every year - that's an area larger than Iceland. The main causes of deforestation include conversion to agricultural land and illegal mining activities. The effects are dramatic: habitats are lost, carbon is released and soils degrade.

A holistic approach is needed to overcome these challenges, including the promotion of mixed forests and natural management. Initiatives such as the mountain forest project show that it is possible to promote environmental protection through joint efforts and at the same time strengthen social cohesion.

In Braunlage, not only are plants being planted, but an adventure playground is also being integrated into the forest, which will certainly delight the younger generation and strengthen their connection to nature. These projects are financed through federal and state grants to ensure biodiversity and the health of forests.

As you can see, reforestation projects are an important component in the fight against the climate and biodiversity crisis. And when they are locally rooted, they have the potential to not only stabilize the ecosystem, but also strengthen the community - a good skill that is needed more than ever these days.