Warstein: PEFC Forest Capital of the years 2020 and 2021
Warstein is the PEFC Forest Capital of 2020 and 2021. The four letters in this title stand for the "Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification Schemes", which translates as "Program for the Endorsement of Forest Certification Schemes". This is a globally active, independent organization that is dedicated to sustainable forest management and awards corresponding quality seals. Warstein was awarded the title of PEFC Forest Capital for 2020, but as the coronavirus pandemic made many of the associated activities impossible, it has now been extended. Jeroen Tepas, Head of Town Marketing, explains what the title means for Warstein and what is planned for this year.
What does it mean to be a PEFC capital?
Firstly, being PEFC Forest Capital 2020 and 2021 means recognition for our forestry operations, which have been PEFC-certified as sustainable in economic, ecological and social terms since 2002. Secondly, it is an excellent opportunity to present the town of Warstein to the public as the second largest municipal forest owner in NRW and as a town with almost 9,000 hectares of forest area.
How did Warstein achieve this title?
The town of Warstein impressed the jury in particular with its ongoing educational and public relations work - including a video it produced itself - to explain the challenges of climate change for the region's forests to the population. The city also attaches great importance to the use of PEFC-certified products and favors the use of wood from sustainable forest management in its tenders - for example in municipal timber construction. In addition, the city presented a detailed concept on how the forest capital title is to be used in its public image throughout 2020. This included a large number of measures designed to highlight the importance of sustainable, climate-resilient and future-oriented forest management both locally and regionally.
Warstein goes into extra time with the 2021 title - what opportunities and possibilities does this offer?
Due to the Corona crisis, some planned activities could not be realized in 2020. We hope to be able to implement these events and measures in 2021. Furthermore, this additional year gives us the opportunity to link the title of PEFC Forest Capital even more closely with the town of Warstein.
What activities are planned for this year?
At the end of April, we will celebrate Arbor Day with a photo campaign in collaboration with the Soest Anzeiger newspaper. In August, there will be an adventure day in the Bilsteintal with a PEFC Forest Capital Olympics. In September, the Sauerland Tour will pass through Warstein-Hirschberg, and we will be providing information about the Forest Capital with an information stand on the Hirschberg Wall. In October, the PEFC Forest Capital team will take part in the Strong Viking obstacle run. Also in October, there will be a tree planting campaign with citizens of the town of Warstein. We want to set up four PEFC Forest Capital photo points by December. And throughout 2021, various reforestation projects will be run by the Warstein Community Foundation.
What is your personal favorite campaign or what are you particularly looking forward to?
My favorite campaign was the Bürgerwald campaign in March 2020, where we planted more than 1,150 trees together with over 600 citizens. In 2021, I'm particularly looking forward to the photo points that will soon be set up at four locations in the town of Warstein. These photo points will serve as a framework for tracking the town's reforestation programs over the long term.
Has the title extension led to new ideas or changes to the tasks?
The forest and the topic of climate protection have become even more visible in the town of Warstein as a result of the extended title of "PEFC Forest Capital". The importance of this has been sustainably supported in politics, but above all among the town's citizens - so we have made the best of the unfortunate occasion for the extension, namely the Corona crisis.
What lasting effect will the title and the associated tasks have for Warstein?
Our forest region is currently experiencing an extremely difficult situation due to storms, drought and bark beetles. We therefore need to draw attention to the importance of forests for climate protection and our quality of life. In the town of Warstein, we have been practicing near-natural forest management since the early 1990s. This means that we have continuously developed mixed forest areas so that the proportion of deciduous trees is already significant today. In times of climate change, however, it is important to expand the genetic resources beyond the natural occurrences. In particular, trees that can survive longer periods of heat and drought are lacking in the forests. This is why we are planning to include trees with a high degree of resilience, such as silver fir, which does not occur naturally in the Sauerland, in our reforestation concept. The forest in the town of Warstein is also an important tourism factor thanks to its many attractions and 400 kilometers of marked hiking trails as well as 80 kilometers of cycle paths.
What can partners in the Sauerland learn from the town of Warstein at the end of this year?
The title of PEFC Forest Capital - if you take the title seriously - creates a very special dynamic that opens many new doors and can initiate new forest-related projects. It mobilizes forces that would otherwise be difficult or impossible to reach.
All the dates of Warstein's activities as PEFC Forest Capital can be found here.