A Protective Forest as a Symbol of Responsibility and Tangible Environmental Stewardship
An intergenerational and transnational project with lasting value
What began during the 2019/2020 school year as a creative writing and art initiative has today become a living symbol of tangible environmental protection and collective commitment: the new protective forest at Burger Hof in Braies, a place where not only trees grow, but also awareness, responsibility, and care. Today, the forest is also a place of silence created by young people.
The “1,000 Trees” project was launched under the direction of Hermann Rogger, Christine Mutschlechner and Reginalda Tschurtschenthaler, in close cooperation with the Monguelfo Forest Inspectorate, with the aim of raising children’s and young people’s awareness of the ecological importance of trees and protective forests. At the centre was the idea of contributing concretely to environmental and climate protection through artistic and creative activities: writing and painting.
During the first phase of the project (2020–2021), around 1,800 children and young people from 141 schools and kindergartens in South Tyrol, Austria, Germany and Poland took part. For every artistic contribution submitted, a poem, a story, a drawing a tree or shrub was planted in the protective forest behind the Burger Hof in Braies. This area was in urgent need of intervention due to the damage caused by the Vaia storm and a bark beetle infestation. Thanks to the support of the Monguelfo Forest Inspectorate, it was possible to create this new forest.
The second phase: a “Place of Silence” with symbolic value and profound meaning
In the 2023/2024 school year, the project continued with a specific focus. Forty-three pupils from primary, middle and high schools in the Pusteria Valley school district jointly created, at the Burger Hof, a “Place of Silence”, a deliberate extension of the protective forest that places not only nature, but also fundamental human values at its centre.
Eight climate-resilient trees of different species were planted, symbolising diversity and sustainability. Next to each one, a “bench of values” was placed. Under each seat, small booklets contain poetic texts and reflections on themes such as attentiveness, respect, responsibility, trust, empathy, gratitude, humility and peace. The students also drafted a manifesto for the protective forest and produced leaflets describing the trees, combining knowledge, ecological understanding and personal reflection.
A place that invites pausing, relaxation and contemplation with eyes turned towards nature, silence, and what unites us all.
A forest with a future requires care
“Planting trees and then leaving them to themselves is an overly simplistic response to a complex problem. To give young trees a future, years of dedicated care are needed.”
This is now the task of the project participants and, in the future, of the children and young people of the coming generations. Caring for the protective forest is therefore part of a long-term commitment: protecting nature means assuming responsibility, continuously and collectively.
A living place of learning for nature and humanity
Today, the protective forest and the “Place of Silence” constitute a very special location at the Burger Hof: a living learning environment, a symbol of hope and engagement, a place of encounter with nature and with oneself. The ideas of environmental economist Georg Winter and his philosophy of “biocracy” continue to resonate within the project, particularly in the manifestos and texts written by high-school students. They can be read on the information board at the clearing and in a brochure.
The enthusiasm of the children, the cooperation that transcends age and nationality, and the visible, growing forest inspire confidence. This project demonstrates that education and environmental responsibility can indeed go hand in hand.