Schallstadt / Baden-Württemberg – Volksbank Freiburg Wald

Southeast of Freiburg, in the Mooswald forest in the municipality of Schallstadt, lies a section of forest that has been severely damaged by ash dieback.

We would like to thank Volksbank Freiburg for making this major project possible over the course of three years with a donation totaling 2,400 trees! Information and photos from the individual reforestation days can be found below.

17.12.2025

Our final project of 2025 took place on December 17 in collaboration with Volksbank Freiburg. Over the course of three years, the area in the Schallstadter Mooswald will be transformed into a sustainable mixed forest of mainly English oaks, with 800 trees planted each year. Thanks to the active support of trainees, dual-track students, training supervisors, works council chairs, and the Volksbank’s sustainability officers, we were able to carry out a wonderful end-of-season project with a total of 20 volunteers. On this mild December afternoon, with the sun peeking out from time to time, we encountered muddy ground but, above all, had a lot of fun and enjoyed a great atmosphere. We rounded out the day together in a forest cabin with a hearty and warming goulash. Many thanks for the active support of everyone involved, as well as the generous support of Volksbank Freiburg.
Many thanks also to Bernd Kiechle from the Schallstadt Municipal Council for his appreciative and encouraging words in his project address.
We received technical guidance on this project from forester Lorenz Pfeuffer. Thank you very much for your spontaneous willingness to help and your support throughout the project.
The online newspaper RegioTrends reported on this successful day.

Here’s the great video from Volksbank Freiburg!

wohin mit der riesigen Wurzel? — What should I do with this huge root?

da sind diese Exemplare schon einfacher zu setzen — These ones are actually easier to plant

Wetter und Stimmung passen — The weather and the mood are just right

der Boden scheint nicht steinig zu sein — The ground doesn’t seem to be rocky.

eine grosse Wurzel braucht ein grosses Loch — A big root needs a big hole

gleich spritzt es — It’s about to splash

Stärkung in der Forsthütte — Refreshments at the forest cabin

13.12.2025

On a foggy Saturday, December 13, we set out with 33 volunteers to begin planting the new forest in the Schallstadter Mooswald. We are planting a mixed forest of English oak, small-leaved linden, hornbeam, and fluttering elm. In addition to numerous volunteers—most of whom found us through our volunteer list—we had not only a very young, energetic group but also a diverse mix of at least 13 nationalities on site, thanks to the active support of the UWC Robert Bosch College in Freiburg. Despite the fog and an incredibly muddy forest floor, the mood remained upbeat throughout. The volunteers gave their all on the wet—and therefore truly difficult—ground and energetically planted the first 300 saplings. The young trees in the landscape conservation area were protected with biodegradable growth sleeves. After the project, everyone was able to refuel with a warming curry stew in a forest hut and chat about the day’s events. A heartfelt “Danke” and “Thank you!” for this strong and energetic weekend effort!
Many thanks to forester Fabian Wangler for his extensive support.

Auch dieser Setzling sitz fest — This seedling is firmly planted, too

Das Loch ist für die Wurzel ist tief genug — Girl Power

Jeder Schlag ein Treffer — Every shot is a hit

mit ganz viel Spaß — …and with lots of fun

Geschafft - jetzt ist putzen angesagt — All done—now it’s time to clean up

08.08.2025

Here, we plan to gradually replant the cleared areas that have resulted from this. With a large proportion of English oaks, along with some European elms, small-leaved linden trees, and hornbeams, we aim to create a healthy, sustainable mixed forest here.