Projects

The Ökodorf Brodowin Foundation for Nature Conservation, Environment and Social Issues has already enabled and financed many different projects since its inception, with many more in the pipeline. We are currently compiling an overview for, which will soon be available on this page.

Activity Report of the Board of Directors of the Ökodorf Brodowin Gisela and Werner Upmeier Foundation for Nature Conservation, Environment and Social Affairs.

Financial year 2017 / 2018

1. In the period under review, 4 Executive Board meetings were held on current topics. A further board meeting was held in autumn, at which the tax advisor also presented the annual financial statements.
2. The flats for pupils and students in the foundation’s own building are well received and are often occupied. In addition, small attic flats and the former mill have been renovated and modernised and are also used to accommodate interns. As a result, the foundation now has 7 rooms available at any given time, and has the possibility to accept and accommodate interns for nature conservation projects.
3. Cooperation with the Schorfheide Chorin biosphere reserve and the lower nature conservation authority is working very well. In the year under review, 1 on-site meeting was held to coordinate the annual maintenance measures.
4. Cooperation with the Eberswalde University of Applied Sciences (HNE) and research institutions such as the Leibnitz Centre for Agricultural Landscape Research (ZALF) in Müncheberg was intensified through student events. The HNE took part in 2 guided farm tours sponsored by the foundation with 45 first semester students at each tour. HNE also carried out a project on the topic of “healthy nutrition”. This year ZALF organised 1 visit on the subject of nature conservation and organic farming.
5. Ecological excursions and guided tours for school classes were carried out 10 times in the year under review and were met with great interest among the participants. The pupils of the 9th grade of the partner school (Rudolf Steiner School in Berlin Dahlem) also completed their annual agricultural internship in Brodowin and were supported by the Foundation with the purchase of tools for the afternoon projects. Excursions were made with the children on the subject of landscape studies and nature conservation.
6. The two permanent projects for bat quarters and the Orchid Meadow will continue to be managed. In coordination with the nature guard, new boxes were installed for the bats as additional and more attractive winter quarters. In addition, there were 3 suburban meetings to coordinate the expansion of the bat quarters. In the orchid meadow project, two guided tours were carried out in spring and autumn during the operating year. A census was also carried out during the flowering period. In addition, there was an inspection to discuss the annual maintenance measures.
7. Members of the foundation’s board regularly work in close cooperation with neighbouring farmers and interest groups, such as the Serwest Hunting Association, to promote the expansion and continuation of ecological projects in Brodowin, Serwest and neighbouring districts.
8. A regular task of the board is to hold talks with donors and supporters of the foundation, to inform them about the foundation’s work and also to recruit new supporters. However, no donations were received in this financial year.
9. The following specific projects were supported by the foundation in 2017/2018:

– Financial support for school class tours
– Brodowin sports club for child and youth work
– Brodowin voluntary fire brigade for child and youth work
– Work clothes as an integration aid for a worker employed via Lebenshilfe e.V. in Brodowin
– Brodowin village club for ecological projects
– Ökodorf Brodowin e.V. for hiking brochure and benches for hiking trails
– Loan to an employee to repair his moped to enable him to travel to work
– Bat boxes in cooperation with the nature guard