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| Founded | 2007 (18 years ago) (2007) |
|---|---|
| Type | NGO |
| Focus | |
| Location | |
Official language | German |
| Volunteers | 3400(to October 2016) |
| Award(s) | Theodor Heuss medal |
| Website | wikiwoods |
WikiWoods is a group of volunteers who plant trees with the joint aims of preventing climate change and inspiring people to be environmentally aware. Founded in 2007,[1] around 3,400 volunteers have planted 163,100 trees to October 2016.[2] The group is based around awiki, which enables people to register their own tree planting events, to find like-minded friends in their region, and to network with foresters and other tree experts. As of 2016[update], events have taken place inBerlin,Brandenburg,Göttingen, andMecklenburg-Vorpommern in Germany as well as inHîrbovăț inMoldova. It is hoped that the idea will spread, with further volunteers getting involved in organising tree planting events using the WikiWoods software as a coordinating platform.
WikiWoods plants according to a set of sustainability guidelines that were specially developed for the group. The events that have been carried out so far includeafforestation, the conversion of monoculture coniferous forests into mixed woodland, the planting of hedges and forest edges, as well as the planting, harvesting, and pruning offruit trees.
In order to ensure the future protection of the trees that are planted, WikiWoods works with environmental partners who provide the land and take responsibility for their ongoing care. Partner organizations includeWWF,BUND,NABU National Heritage Foundation (NABU-Stiftung Nationales Naturerbe), and theLower Oder Valley National Park.
WikiWoods is supported bysponsor organization Active Commons e.V., which provides funds for planting projects and the operation of the Internet platform.[3] WikiWoods is a member of theClimate-Alliance Germany.[4]
In 2009, WikiWoods started a new area of activity, namely the planting of fruit trees.[5] In May 2009, the mayor of the Berlin district ofKreuzberg,Franz Schulz, and member of the German ParliamentHans-Christian Ströbele (Green Party) helped WikiWoods plant 10 fruit trees atYaam am Ostbahnhof, Berlin.
2010 saw WikiWoods campaigning against the controversialcarbon capture and storage (CCS) pilot projects planned forBeeskow,Neutrebbin, andLetschin. The 'Trees instead of CO2 store' (Baüme statt CO2-Lager) campaign was attended by politicians includingDagmar Enkelmann (Die Linke) andHans-Georg von der Marwitz (CDU/CSU).[6]
In 2011, several WikiWoods projects were undertaken through the Youth in Action program, funded by theEuropean Union.
WikiWoods reacted to the devastating sandstorm of 9 April 2011 in the German federal state ofMecklenburg-West Pomerania by planting wind protection hedges.[7] These newly planted hedges should help to alleviate soil erosion in the future.
WikiWoods has been awarded several prizes. In 2008, it won the 'Environmental Award People and Nature' (Umweltpreis Mensch und Natur) from broadcasterZDF and theGerman Federal Environmental Foundation (BDU).[8] The organization competed under the section 'Ideas and Innovation'. On 9 April 2011, WikiWoods received the Theodor Heuss medal from theTheodor Heuss Foundation (Theodor Heuss Stiftung).[9]: 116 This prize is awarded for exemplary democratic disposition and the focus in 2011 was the environment.