Integrate+

The excursion rotates between bordering regions. On the 22nd of October 2015 it took the 22 participating foresters to the Freiburg City Forest. They discussed on Douglas fir management, mountain biking around urban areas, nature pedagogic and public relations in forestry. Their first excursion point was a visit to the Integarte+ Marteloscope ‘Rosskopf’. The City Forest District Head Dr Hans Burgbacher gave an introduction to Douglas fir management in the city forest. Andreas Schuck and his colleagues Hannes Schmitt and Alexander Held presented the Integrate+ project, and the aim of establishing marteloscopes.

Deputy Head of Freiburg City Forest Nicole Schmalfuβ then provided an outline for a management exercise to be performed in the Marteloscope. It aimed at maximising economic earnings while conserving microhabitat structures. Divided into three groups the participants implemented the virtual exercise. They used mobile software developed by the Integrate+ project that allows selecting trees and visualising the results immediately. The exercise was accompanied by lively discussions tree by tree. In the wrap-up session the three groups presented their results, highlighting, analysing and discussing the difference implementing the given task.            

The participants noted that performing exercises in a marteloscope are helpful for calibrating oneself and can find application to train new management strategies. Also one can be sensitised for incorporating parameters such as microhabitat structures when making tree selections. They encouraged that marteloscopes should also find application for other topics such forest protection measures.