Around 50 volunteers collected and properly disposed of waste in the Brandholz and Lettengrube forest areas in Bietigheim-Bissingen. Packaging, bottles and carelessly discarded garbage made it clear: garbage and plastic do not belong in the forest.
Why collecting litter is so important
Since the first nationwide forest clean-up day in 2022, 5,792 volunteers across Germany have collected over 71.5 tons of waste. A large proportion of this: plastic packaging. But this impressive figure is just the tip of the garbage mountain. Similar to an iceberg, a considerable amount of waste remains hidden - under leaves, in the ground or already decomposed into tiny particles.
Plastic does not simply disappear. It decomposes over years and decades through chemical and biological processes, which can release harmful substances. Microplastic particles are formed, which are absorbed by soil organisms and distributed throughout the ecosystem. Invisible does not mean ineffective - once in the forest, waste often remains a permanent part of the system. This is an enormous challenge for the sensitive forest ecosystem.
Such campaigns often raise the question of why waste ends up in the forest in the first place, sometimes in the most remote corners. "As well as bicycles, car tires and building rubble, everything is there. The waste is often quickly no longer visible and therefore quickly disappears from our consciousness," emphasizes event organizer Simon Spittel from the Forestry Department. "CleanUp Day is therefore only a small but important element in raising awareness of this often hidden problem. After all, awareness protects the forest better in the long term than any prohibition sign."
Joint commitment with a clear demand
ForestCleanUp Day was launched by the Rottenburg University of Applied Forest Sciences, the Baden-Württemberg State Forest Association and the Cleanup Network.
The focus is on the demand for a "Forest Plastic Reduction Strategy" - a clear commitment to less plastic production and consistent waste avoidance. Because only if less plastic is produced and carelessly disposed of can the forest remain healthy in the long term.
The Forestry Department would like to thank everyone involved for their active commitment in Bietigheim-Bissingen. Anyone who wants to get involved in keeping our forests clean can register their own collection campaigns via the ForestCleanUp-Day website at www.theforestcleanup.de.
