Text: Lenka Ďurišová
It was a real challenge to organize tree planting this autumn. At the time when we wanted to start looking for volunteers from our own ranks, the floods came and also a big sickness. Because of this, it was decided that every hand was needed more than ever in the production to meet the expectations of our clients.
On the other hand, the situation in Beskydy after the floods was not easy either. The water destroyed a large percentage of forest roads and bridges, and it was not at all clear whether the representatives of CSOP Salamander would be able to find a suitable and also easily accessible place for planting.
In the end, however, everything turned out well and, as the title of the article says, Beskydy was happy for us this autumn. We planted a total of 2,150 fir seedlings in two plantings. But you may be asking yourself “Who planted these trees and where?”
Where there’s a will, there’s a way
We ended up choosing slightly later dates than usual for the planting, but this made the slope of Mount Ropice, which needed restocking, accessible again. So the location would be there, but who would plant?
As the saying goes, “where there’s a will there’s a way” (or in our terms, more like a forest) and a large number of traders and customer service staff set out to plant. The Třinec Library also offered its help, sending several volunteers from its team to the planting.
On Friday, November 2, the weather was good and the work went well in the pleasant 16°C weather. As a result, 850 fir trees were planted, which will enrich the area of the reserve. What does this term actually mean? Simply put – this place will be left to nature’s will for decades to come. No one will be cutting down or removing fallen trees here to make the forest as close as possible to its original state hundreds of years ago.
We also had a helping hand from the students of Agro-Business and Ecology from Albrecht High School, who turned this activity into a day of field practice. Almost forty students and teachers did not shy away from the freezing November weather and hard work, and together they planted a total of 1,300 new trees.
Apart from the hard work, the students were also treated to a traditional serving of delicious goulash and a lecture by Tomáš Myslikovjan, a representative of the Beskydy Protected Landscape Area, on the history of the area and local measures to retain water in the landscape.
It’s worth it
This autumn has been a challenging one for all of us, but despite this we have managed to join forces again for a good cause. Thanks to the CSOP Salamander organization for another year of great cooperation and to the Třinec Library, Albrecht High School and our Finidraks for their help. Thanks to you, the world is a little greener again at the end of this year.
What do the participants themselves have to say about the event?
After arriving in Řeka, we were first welcomed by a member of the Beskydy Protected Landscape Area administration, who guided those present around the Ropice Nature Reserve.
Then everyone climbed up the hillside. Even though the weather was not favourable, after the previous warm and sunny days it was drizzling, we still managed to plant 1,300 white fir seedlings.
Not only the joy of useful work, but also of being in the beautiful nature was great. The goulash was delicious and there was a lot of fun.
Mgr. Martin Maryniok,
teacher at the ASŠ
The internship was very interesting and informative from an ecological and agricultural point of view. Despite the unpleasant cold weather, we learned historical information about the valley of NR Ropice and walked a small section of this area. We were able to go on this internship thanks to FINIDR and the Salamander organization, for which we thank them very much.
Viktoria Pezdova,
3rd year student of Agribusiness at ASŠ
Planting trees was very interesting and practical for us at the same time. Both in terms of agriculture and ecology. We are glad that we could try what it is like to plant trees, even in bad weather. We all did it.
Thanks to the FINIDR printery and the Salamander organization for providing snacks, drinks and a warm goulash at the end. Everything came in handy.
Simona Majerová,
3rd year student of Ecology at ASŠ
Big thanks to the whole FINIDR crew for taking us librarians along. It was my first time at the tree planting and certainly not my last. It’s something I would wish to experience for anyone who wants to change the rhythm of their daily work duties for a while and do something different.
It was all very therapeutic, just the talk in the introduction by Martin from the Salamander organization about the forest and the life of trees, about the history of forests here in the Beskydy Mountains. Even harder than planting the fir tree was finding the right place for it in the forest, but I will believe I chose well.
If you haven’t been, I definitely recommend it and I look forward to seeing you in the forest again.
Marika Zarembská,
Library Třinec
