The surrounding forests are home to countless trees planted by the armored soldiers from Świętoszów. They are no longer forest nurseries, but substantial groves, given that the tradition dates back to the beginnings of the unit’s operations in Świętoszów. Former soldiers of 10BKPanc, using the brigade’s Facebook profile, recall that they too, while completing their compulsory military service, took part in forest campaigns. Forest ranger Ewa Ławrowska has spoken approvingly on numerous occasions about the work the armored soldiers put into afforesting the area, summing it up in one sentence: “They have a heart for it.”
This year, too, a group of soldiers from various subunits of the Brigade took part in a campaign organized by Nadleśnictwo Świętoszów. In one day, they planted 3,500 Scots pine seedlings, approximately 400 beech trees, 200 spruce trees and 150 gray alder trees. All the trees afforested an area of half a hectare in the direction of the Engineering and Sapper Training Center.
At noon, their commander, Brigadier General Maciej Jabłoński, joined the armored soldiers. He personally planted a dozen or so seedlings and then shared a sausage roasted over a campfire with the soldiers.
A ceremonial event also took place that day: the opening of a symbolic guardhouse representing all the tourist and educational facilities that the forest district has prepared for the residents of Świętoszów, including military families. These facilities were created as part of the project “Construction and modernization of tourist facilities in protected areas of Nadleśnictwo Świętoszów,” co-financed by the European Regional Development Fund under the Infrastructure and Environment Operational Programme. The project includes eight facilities, including soldiers’ nature and educational trails, a cycling and walking route, designated campfire areas, vehicle parking areas, viewpoints and others.
“I hope that the guardhouses will protect the soldiers from the rain while they perform this challenging duty. And thanks to the information inside the guardhouses, they will learn more about our beautiful Lower Silesian Forests,” said forest district manager Wojciech Moskaluk in conclusion.
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