2023 - The first expedition

Day 1

On April 22, 2023, in the early morning hours, the first expedition team set out after a joint breakfast on the Kaiserslautern campus. Together with Prof. Dr. Arnd Poetzsch-Hefffter (President of the RPTU in Kaiserslautern), the first 20 kilometers were covered at a brisk pace with the prospect of a good meal. Finally, at the House of Sustainability, Simone Kiefer (deputy director of the HdN) cooked together on a campfire and fortified themselves for the last 10 kilometers. In addition, the ecological footprints of different foods were compared and sustainable nutrition was discussed. Freshly rested, the last stage of the day was started in the company of Hans-Peter Ehrhart (Head of the Research Institute for Forest Ecology and Forestry). With short inputs about the health of the forest, the remaining kilometers flew by. Arriving at the Geiswiesen, the busy preparation for the night began. The tent was set up. Afterwards, light pollution was intensively discussed. The exhausted expedition participants then quickly prepared their dinner and then quickly slipped into their sleeping bags.

Day 2

The fog still hid the treetops as the last day of the expedition dawned. Fortified with freshly prepared porridge, the first ascent was immediately tackled. At the forester's lodge Taubensuhl there was a little refreshment and a biodidactics seminar under the direction of Siegfried Weiter (forester) briefly but intensively dealt with the ecological footprint. Starting at the Wald-Weinberg border in Frankweiler, the team was accompanied by Stefan Asam (Director of the Rhineland-Palatinate State Forests) and Michael Leschnig (Head of the Haardt Forestry Office). They mingled with the expedition team and had intensive discussions about the sustainable development of the Palatinate Forest. On the last kilometers, the participants showed first signs of exhaustion, but on the way through the vineyards, with the city of Landau always in view, even this last effort was mastered. Arriving at the Landau campus, the team was given an appropriate reception by Prof. Dr. Gabriele E. Schaumann (President of the RPTU in Landau). Besides a sportive challenge, which was successfully mastered, a lot of knowledge about the Palatinate Forest was gained. And above all, a community and cross-campus friendships developed from a number of motley students!