Children plant the first trees in the Huber-Natur-Park at Berching

"For HUBER sustainability is not just a phrase but the standard and aim of their efforts", said mayor Ludwig Eisenreich when he watched the first trees being planted in the new Huber-Natur-Park. About 100 children from the local secondary schools, their teachers and several guests of honour came together to plant the first fruit and broadleaf trees.

The official tree planting took place on 2nd May in the new park which the Huber Technology Foundation would like to provide for the public. Among the guests who came to the 5.6 ha piece of land by invitation of Dr.-Ing. e.h. Hans Huber's were Albert Löhner, head of the district authority, Ludwig Eisenreich, mayor of Berching, and Prof. Dr. Dr.-Ing. Drs.h.c. Peter Wilderer. The new park then received a blessing from the Habsberg perish priest Dr. Andreas Thiermeyer. State Minister Dr. Ludwig Spänle took over the patronage for the project.

In their speeches the guests of honour explained to the children in easily understandable words the meaning of sustainability and the importance of the Huber-Natur-Park. With a lot of commitment and great attention to detail the pupils of the Berching secondary schools had prepared a ceremonial program. They sang songs, presented dances and poems and handed over a wooden panel with some self-written rhymes on the Huber-Natur-Park which will find its place in the new park as a "foundation stone".

Under the supervision of a professional gardener the children planted ten wild apple trees, the "Tree of the Year 2013", ten other fruit trees, and 30 broadleaf trees. In the course of time the park will grow and finally have an orchard meadow with up to 300 trees and a deciduous wood with up to 8,000 trees. To make sure they can find "their own" tree still after many years, the pupils hung numbered self-made clay hearts on the half-standard trees.

Both the pupils and teachers are enthusiastic about the park. They are full of ideas for more projects, such as building insect hotels as nesting aids, and are already excited to plant more trees. They already love the place and stayed there after the tree planting ceremony to play around with balls they had brought with them.