Culture-Social Day at Schatzhaus Österreich in the Belvedere Federal Garden
Denis Bolic, Valentin Cordes, Andreas Fiegl, Leopold Graf, Sandro Hoell, Benjamin Hofer, Daniel Jaeger, Silke Kempf-Letuha, Maram Lejri, Manfred Mittendorfer, Miriam Schlemitz, Marija Stanimirovic, Martina Wimmer
In the context of the NAVIGATOR 2.0 program 2021/2022, a group of highly motivated individuals once again set out to find a social project that seemed feasible for all 13 participants. This search was not necessarily made easier by the high volatility of the COVID19 measures. After evaluating various proposals from the group, a decision was finally made on a grassroots level and with good cheer we agreed to have a cultural-social day at the Schatzhaus Österreich in the Federal Garden Belvedere.
The main task of the Alpine Garden is to preserve endangered plants of the Alpine region, not only of the Alpine region we know in Europe but of all mountains worldwide. To this end, the Federal Gardens, to which the Alpine Garden belongs, participate in an international seed exchange programme with over 400 botanical gardens and institutions worldwide. In this way, the Alpine Garden receives a good 2,000 different seed portions every year, which serve to preserve the existing collections and protect species.
Full of confidence, zest for action and with the physical means at our disposal, we thus met on a cool spring day at the end of April 2022 in front of the entrance to the Alpine Garden in the Belvedere. Michael, the head of the Alpine Garden, greeted us happily and informed us right from the start that unfortunately they only had limited resources at their disposal and that they were therefore always happy about little volunteer helpers.
Of course, we were equipped with the necessary tools such as picks, shovels, wheelbarrows, work gloves and weed cutters and set to work. Among other things, we were allowed to remove weeds, "replant" trees and dig out and renew water shafts. It became clear to us relatively quickly that these kinds of activities had little to do with the posture we were used to at our usual workplace. As a result, some of the participants manifested various deficiencies, especially in the knee, hip and spine areas.
But the moaning and sighing was not heard and so the motto was "grit your teeth and leave physical and hygienic concerns aside". After several hours and "thankfully" interrupted by a downpour that gave us a break, we were able to complete the work assigned to us to the complete satisfaction of our client.
In addition, Michael gave us a deep insight into his field of activity, which is quite astonishing, at least for laymen. To regard him and his staff as gardeners in the conventional sense seems to project too simple an image. Highly trained experts in the service of science and nature conservation is probably more accurate.
At the end of the day, exhausted but satisfied, we returned to our everyday lives, certain that we had done meaningful work and gained new insights.
In the context of the NAVIGATOR 2.0 program 2021/2022, a group of highly motivated individuals once again set out to find a social project that seemed feasible for all 13 participants. This search was not necessarily made easier by the high volatility of the COVID19 measures. After evaluating various proposals from the group, a decision was finally made on a grassroots level and with good cheer we agreed to have a cultural-social day at the Schatzhaus Österreich in the Federal Garden Belvedere.
The main task of the Alpine Garden is to preserve endangered plants of the Alpine region, not only of the Alpine region we know in Europe but of all mountains worldwide. To this end, the Federal Gardens, to which the Alpine Garden belongs, participate in an international seed exchange programme with over 400 botanical gardens and institutions worldwide. In this way, the Alpine Garden receives a good 2,000 different seed portions every year, which serve to preserve the existing collections and protect species.
Full of confidence, zest for action and with the physical means at our disposal, we thus met on a cool spring day at the end of April 2022 in front of the entrance to the Alpine Garden in the Belvedere. Michael, the head of the Alpine Garden, greeted us happily and informed us right from the start that unfortunately they only had limited resources at their disposal and that they were therefore always happy about little volunteer helpers.
Of course, we were equipped with the necessary tools such as picks, shovels, wheelbarrows, work gloves and weed cutters and set to work. Among other things, we were allowed to remove weeds, "replant" trees and dig out and renew water shafts. It became clear to us relatively quickly that these kinds of activities had little to do with the posture we were used to at our usual workplace. As a result, some of the participants manifested various deficiencies, especially in the knee, hip and spine areas.
But the moaning and sighing was not heard and so the motto was "grit your teeth and leave physical and hygienic concerns aside". After several hours and "thankfully" interrupted by a downpour that gave us a break, we were able to complete the work assigned to us to the complete satisfaction of our client.
In addition, Michael gave us a deep insight into his field of activity, which is quite astonishing, at least for laymen. To regard him and his staff as gardeners in the conventional sense seems to project too simple an image. Highly trained experts in the service of science and nature conservation is probably more accurate.
At the end of the day, exhausted but satisfied, we returned to our everyday lives, certain that we had done meaningful work and gained new insights.
Denis Bolic, Valentin Cordes, Andreas Fiegl, Leopold Graf, Sandro Hoell, Benjamin Hofer, Daniel Jaeger, Silke Kempf-Letuha, Maram Lejri, Manfred Mittendorfer, Miriam Schlemitz, Marija Stanimirovic, Martina Wimmer