Restore the North American Section of the Botanical Gardens

Join the Friends of Freiburg in restoring the North American section of the university's botanical gardens in time for the 400th anniversary in 2020. Your support will go a long way towards:

     - replanting trees that have been lost due to drought
     - installing a new water-saving irrigation system
     - preserving North American treasures, such as the
       centuries-old sequoia trees, the various conifers
       in the Coniferum, and the North American section of
       the garden

This campaign is running in conjunction with other Uni-Freiburg alumni groups from around the world, such as the Alumni-Club Japan, which will work to restore the Japanese section of the garden. Help us plant the seeds of renewal! Click here to lend your support.
 



The Cost of Extreme Heat
In the past two decades, prolonged periods of drought and intense heatwaves have become more frequent during the summer in Germany. Up until now, an above-ground sprinkler system has been used to water the gardens -- but this system is extremely susceptible to high rates of evaporation in the intense heat, which means only a small amount of water actually reaches the plants. The drought has especially affected the garden's trees -- with the oldest, largest, and most precious trees suffering the worst effects. Several of the largest specimens, such as the sequoia tree pictured to the right, have been felled as a result. These conditions have also enabled the growth of a harmful fungi on many of the trees, which has inflicted further damage.


Replanting and Renewal
The restoration campaign will focus on upgrading the irrigation system and planting new trees. The irrigation system will be converted from above-ground sprinklers to a drip-tube system, which will be more effective in saving water and reaching the roots of the plants. To the left is an example of the first installment of this system in the gardens. The estimated cost of the project is  20€ per square meter, with the approximate cost for the 2019 phase being 70.000,- € to 80.000,- € (including installation work). The second project will be the planting of seven to nine juvenile trees, which is estimated to cost 3,500 €. It is possible to sponsor an individual tree (approximate cost 300€ to 700€). If you are interested in making the gift of a tree, please contact us directly!

2020: The 400th Anniversary of the Botanical Gardens
Founded in 1620, the university's botanical gardens are one of the oldest of their kind. The gardens hold over 6000 different species of plants from around the world, and are used by the Faculty of Biology for scientific research. The gardens have existed in their current location on Schänzlestraße in Herdern for over a century. In summer 2020, the university will celebrate the 400th anniversary of the gardens. If you will be in Freiburg, don't miss the special programming leading up to the festivities!