Vienna families invited to plant 9,000 saplings in new forest

Families are invited to plant about 9,000 saplings in Vienna’s Donaustadt district on Saturday, as part of the annual “Forest of Young Viennese” planting event, ORF reports. The planting will take place from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on a field at Telephonweg 25, where a new forest is planned.

The trees and shrubs include native species such as oak, lime and rosehip, selected to cope with Vienna’s urban climate. The city’s north-east is among its least forested parts, and Donaustadt has hosted the planting event repeatedly over the years.

Visitors can also take part in activities including wellington-boot throwing, crafts with natural materials and puppet performances. Children can learn about nature by observing soil-dwelling creatures under a microscope and identifying animals by their tracks, feathers and fur. Participation is free and does not require registration.

The event began in 1985 as the “Young Citizens’ Forest,” when people who had just turned 18 were invited to plant a tree to mark gaining the right to vote. Since 1989, it has been open to all Viennese. The planting campaign adds between 50,000 and 100,000 square metres to Vienna’s forest area each year, creating habitat for native wildlife including deer, hares, pheasants and moths.