The soldiers’ work was supervised by foresters from Nadleśnictwo Świętoszów. The areas designated for afforestation were first plowed, after which the soldiers cleared them of stones and litter. Instructions on how to plant the trees were merely a formality, as this was not the soldiers’ first contact with seedlings.
The action was attended mainly by soldiers of the self-propelled artillery squadron (das) and the logistics battalion (blog) of 10BKPanc. The soldiers were also supported by the brigade commander, Colonel Maciej Jabłoński, who—instructed by forest district manager Wojciech Moskaluk—planted several trees.
In total, on Monday, April 20, the Świętoszów armored soldiers planted more than three and a half thousand seedlings, and throughout April—eight thousand one-year-old pine and beech seedlings across an area of two hectares. “The soldiers put a great deal of effort into the work and planted the trees very efficiently. This is not their first experience with this type of work,” said forester Ewa Ławrowska. “And the fact that they care about it can be seen by looking at the forest planted by soldiers in 2001.”
The joint action by the armored soldiers and foresters was an excellent lesson in ecology for the soldiers, but not only for them. The 10BKPanc website, as well as the brigade’s fan page on Facebook, are visited daily by thousands of Internet users, including many young people. It is education for them too, as it builds awareness and sensitivity to environmental issues. Instilling rational behavior in young people and promoting attitudes imbued with the spirit of humanitarianism, cooperation and collaboration is one of the educational aspects of military service.
The weather was favorable that day, and a bonfire, combined with roasting sausages and organized by employees of the forest district, further improved everyone’s mood.
Katarzyna Przepióra