For almost 30 years, the Freundeskreis Botanischer Garten Aachen e. V. has been committed to nature education and landscape conservation in the area of the former Melaten estate in Aachen-Laurensberg. With projects such as the Karlsgarten based on the specifications of Charlemagne's "Capitulare de Villis", a farmer's garden, the orchard project and a water laboratory, a diverse extracurricular place of learning has been created on the site on Schneebergweg.

Members of the association maintain the site on a voluntary basis and continuously develop it further. It offers a wide range of educational activities for schools, day-care centers and citizens interested in natural sciences and at the same time makes an important contribution to maintaining the cultural landscape in Laurensberg.

Grant for a New Single-Axle
TractorIn November of last year, the Aachen-Laurensberg District Council approved a grant of 3,500 euros for the purchase of a much-needed single-axle tractor. The tractor is now successfully in use and has already logged around 200 hours of operation, making it much easier to maintain the extensive grounds.

A Glimpse into the
Association’s Activities On Wednesday, April 29, the association invited members of the district council to a guided tour of the grounds. In perfect weather, participants gained insight into the association’s diverse activities as well as the origins and development of the Karlsgarten. The association also demonstrated the practical use of the subsidized single-axle tractor. In addition, the city’s former pump station was inspected as a potential storage facility for the subsidized single-axle tractor.

The district council was impressed by the association's many years of commitment and the visible impact of the work carried out. District Mayor Alexander Gilson thanked Dr. Karl Josef Strank, Chairman of the Freundeskreis Botanischer Garten e. V., for his voluntary work and emphasized that the sponsorship of the single-axle vehicle was a meaningful support that contributed directly to the maintenance and further development of the grounds.