This followed a process spanning several years, during which Ulrike Lutz, the school liaison officer for the biosphere reserve, in particular, became increasingly committed to organising activities and programmes in collaboration with the Rhön Biosphere Reserve. The Rhön Nature Experience Centre is regularly integrated into lessons through the educational modules ‘Nature and Team’ and ‘Forest Think Tank’. ‘It was particularly pleasing that our travelling exhibition #nofilter – The world is better than we think was used intensively for several weeks,’ confirmed Dr Joachim Schneider, Head of the Rhön Nature Experience Centre.

However, simply commissioning external partners is not enough to qualify for the award. The school must also demonstrate its own activities in the field of sustainable development. From the wide range of offerings, Julia Rösch, who is responsible for sustainable development at the administrative office, selected the classroom visit on structural change in Hammelburg. “This is an important topic for the biosphere reserve as a model region for sustainability, but one that is often overlooked by the public,” she said at the ceremonial presentation of the certificate.

All award-winning partner institutions are given the opportunity to set up a ‘biosphere corner’. 

Normally, this is produced in a Rhön carpentry workshop using old planks from the Moorsteg, but Hartmut Karlitzek, who is also the biosphere school representative at Hammelburg Secondary School, immediately came up with the idea of having the pupils make the display themselves as part of a project-based lesson. Claus Schenk, director of the Haus der Schwarzen Berge in Oberbach, immediately pledged his support and will provide the wooden planks.

Thus, the award marks not only the successful conclusion of an application process, but also a starting point for the development of Hammelburg Secondary School as a biosphere school.