For over two decades, the Lohmen Hegering (hunting district*), a part of the greater Güstrow District Hunting Association in Mainz, Germany, has been making a significant impact on the local environment by organizing an annual Environment Day (Der Umwelttag) for 20 years. This initiative is designed to connect primary school students with nature through hands-on activities, fostering a deep appreciation and understanding of the natural world from a young age.
Der Umwelttag
Each year, students from the local primary school participate in various environmental activities, including the now traditional garbage collection, hanging of nest boxes, and planting of fruit trees. In recent years, the Lohmen Hegering has expanded its efforts, launching a more extensive plantation campaign. Over the past two years, this campaign has resulted in the planting of hedges and bush islands, comprising a total of over 430 shrubs. These efforts have not only enhanced the species diversity in the areas where these plants have taken root but have also provided a valuable educational experience for the young participants, deepening their connection to and understanding of nature.
3rd Place at the Bundesjägertag 2024
In recognition of its longstanding commitment to environmental conservation and education, the Hegering #Lohmen was awarded third place in the German Hunting Association’s (DJV) special prize “Hunters Plant Diversity” at this year’s Bundesjägertag 2024. The award was highly competitive, with hundreds of applications from across the country, highlighting the significance of this achievement.
Policy Relevance
The efforts of the Lohmen Hegering align closely with several key objectives of the European Union’s environmental policies. The EU has been increasingly focused on promoting biodiversity, especially through initiatives like the EU Biodiversity Strategy for 2030, which aims to put Europe’s biodiversity on the path to recovery by 2030. The strategy includes ambitious goals for habitat restoration, reforestation, and the enhancement of natural spaces, all of which resonate with the Lohmen Hegering’s activities.
Moreover, the EU has emphasized the importance of environmental education and community involvement in achieving its sustainability goals. By engaging local students in meaningful conservation work, the Hegering #Lohmen not only contributes to local biodiversity but also fosters a generation of environmentally conscious citizens who are likely to support and advance EU environmental objectives in the future.
For more information on the Lohmen Hegering’s activities and their impact, visit www.kjv-guestrow.de.
* A hunting district is a subdivision of the hunting associations at the local level and is thus the smallest organizational unit of hunters, especially hunting leaseholders, after the German Hunting Association , the state hunting associations and the district hunting associations . Membership in the local hunting district is tied to membership in the state hunting association and is therefore voluntary for the hunters.
Tasks include game counts, coordination of hunting plans, joint conservation measures, and agreements on game succession. [ 1 ]
A hunting district should not be confused with a hunting community , whose aim is not to organize all hunters, but rather to organize gamekeepers to coordinate hunting measures. However, hunting communities are often colloquially referred to as hunting districts or, for example, red deer districts.
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