Corporate volunteering: Team IR.on plants meadow orchards in Siegerland to promote biodiversity

Friday, October 27th was planting day! Under the professional supervision of orchard educator Britta Hinkers, the IR.on team planted 20 fruit trees to create orchard meadows in Burbach (Siegerland), thus contributing to more biodiversity.

Cologne, 2nd of November 2023 – After IR.on successfully carried out a reforestation project last year to reforest a wooded area in the Siegerland region in a way that is appropriate to the site, this year the team is making a contribution to more biodiversity. Therefore, last Friday the IR.on team planted 20 fruit trees in Burbach (Siegerland) to establish orchard meadows. Our team was accompanied by the orchard educator Britta Hinkers from the Biological Station Siegen-Wittgenstein

Orchard meadows are an important component of a species-rich cultural landscape and are among the most species-rich biotopes in Central Europe. They serve as habitats for more than 5,000 animal and plant species such as bumblebees, mice, birds, and beetles. Since a dramatic decline in meadow orchards has been measured since the 1960s, IR.on wants to help preserve this valuable habitat.
 

Last Friday, the time had come. Despite the rainy weather, the IR.on team planted the about 2.50 m high young trees and provided them with browsing protection, to protect the trees from deer and red deer. In addition to contributing to biodiversity, we were able to use the day as a team building activity and grow stronger as a team. At the end of the day, we were all proud of the results. We are excited to see when we can tackle the first fruit harvest.

The realisation of the project was made possible by the generous support from our network. Together with the Stiftung Unternehmen Wald, we have been collecting donations over the past few weeks to finance the project. We would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who donated and thus took on a sponsorship for a piece of meadow orchard.

But planting is not the end of the story - the work continues, because the trees need to be cared for in order to grow. Therefore, the fundraising campaign will continue until Christmas. We would be very happy if you continue to support the project with a small donation. Click here to get to the donation platform.

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