The HSZG plants one tree per first-year student in the fall as a promise for sustainable studies right from the start.
"We are planting as many trees as the number of new students coming to our university in fall 2022." Ulrike Bobek is responsible for environmental management at the HSZG. She is sure that this promise will arouse the interest of many prospective students.
"Theaim is not just to appeal to young people who are already interested in the topic of sustainability as a result of their choice of natural and environmental sciences," she explains. It is the broad masses, because of course there are also enough technology enthusiasts such as prospective engineers or humanities graduates who want to stand up for their planet with such campaigns.
The HSZG's tree-planting campaign makes the new students' commitment to nature tangible and gives a foretaste of how sustainable studying at the HSZG is.
"My colleague Annekathrin Kluttig and I approached Angela Bültemeier, Head of Forestry at the City of Zittau," explains the environmental manager. After several discussions, they came up with the idea of planting trees with new students in a designated area of forest in the Zittau Mountains next fall. "The forestry company selects the location and determines the area. The employees take care of the selection of varieties and procurement."
From mid-October to mid-November, a group of 30 to 40 new students will carry out the planting on behalf of all newly enrolled students on a precisely defined day of action. "They will be guided by the forestry staff, who will also provide equipment and tools."
Students will be able to register separately for the campaign. They will receive a certificate for the highest tree sponsorship and the certainty that they have permanently reduced their owncarbon footprint by starting their student life.
"Then the real work begins," smiles Ulrike Bobek, not only with a view to everyday student life in the lecture hall. Because the new trees also need support as part of an annual maintenance campaign in order to grow into a good piece of forest in the best possible way over the next five years.
The first maintenance campaign is planned for next spring. The Zittau forestry company is also helping with this. "However, we are dependent on the support of the students. There will be tasks such as pruning the trees, removing damage caused by feeding, erecting protective fences or even replanting a few trees." Interested students can also register for this at the appropriate time.
The campaign will then be offered for the Görlitz area in 2023."Unfortunately, we don't currently have a forestry company like the one in Zittau, but we're working on it," promises Ulrike Bobek. There will definitely be a tree planting or similar campaign.
