Ilmenau awarded German Forest Capital for 2015

24 March 2015 News

Ilmenau has become the latest town to be elected by PEFC Germany as the German “Forest Capital”, beating five other cities to lift the award for 2015.

The town will be officially honored with the award next month on 15 April. As part of the award, Ilmenau will also receive 1,000 trees to plant an urban forest and in July will host the 2015 PEFC Germany General Assembly.

The "Forest Capital" competition was initiated by PEFC Germany in 2011 in celebration of the International Year of Forests. This year six cities and communities across Germany participated, with the town of Bad Waldsee in second place and the city of Ehingen in third, both from the Baden-Wurttemberg region of Germany.

Ilmenau, located in the Thuringia region, has more than 1,100 hectares of forest - which have been PEFC-certified since 2002 - and is a strong supporter for the sustainable and ecological use of forests. The town is also committed to raising awareness of sustainable forest management and PEFC certification, with a strong focus on child and youth education. Never missing an opportunity to educate the local population, Ilmenau used the severe damage it suffered from the storm "Kyrill" as an opportunity highlight the importance of species-rich and sustainably-managed forest resources.

“Our forests are managed with strict care and in a sustainable manner by our forest employees, ensuring that these forests will still be here for our future generations. Since 2002, we have demonstrated this active commitment through PEFC certification,” said Gerd-Michael Seeber, the Mayor or Ilmenau, showing his delight at receiving the award. “It is a great honor for us that our commitment will be rewarded with the “Forest Capital 2015.”