With your help, NIKIN contributes to the planting of trees. Every product you buy from us ensures that a tree is planted somewhere in need around the world. Forests are important to us, not just those in South America or Asia, but also our own forests. We love them, we use them; they are a source of relaxation and regeneration. But how do you behave properly in the forest?
We're just visiting!
With all due respect, whenever we go into the forest, enjoy the green splendor, and rejoice in the tranquility or the encounter with forest animals, we should not forget that we are only guests in the forest. This also quickly teaches us how we should behave in the forest. Just as we would with dear friends whom we value and respect. Forest protection and sustainability go hand in hand!
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We enjoy the forest for a few hours. Others, however, live in it and with it. This applies, of course, to the forest animals that live here, but also to the plants and trees. All together, they form a unique "forest" ecosystem.
And that's how easy it is to help ensure the forest stays as it is. For its animals and plants. For us and our children.
- When you're out in the forest, alone or with friends, stay on the paths. Small animals and plants find their habitat off the trail, under the trees, and in the thickets. We don't even notice some of them. Under no circumstances should we trample through their "living room."
- In the forest, you want to enjoy the silence and the sounds of the animals. A radio turned up full volume has no place here. It disturbs other hikers – and even more so, it disturbs the wildlife. If you absolutely want to walk through the forest with music, bring headphones.
- Driving a car or using other vehicles such as motorcycles on forest trails is generally not permitted. Horseback riders should also stay on designated trails, if only because of the risk of accidents.
- Dogs enjoy a hike in the woods just as much as their owners. However, they should be kept on a leash. Young wild animals, in particular, lapse into a state of paralysis when threatened, making them easy prey for unattended dogs.
- What applies to your dog also applies to you – stay away from wild animals. Cute young animals that seem abandoned are not alone. The mother is usually nearby and will hide until you leave. If you encounter adult wild animals that show no signs of fear, you should run for your life. This is a side effect of rabies!
- The plants themselves shouldn't be damaged either. Tearing off branches and blossoms or, worse, "decorating" tree bark with scratches is a bad idea. This not only disfigures the plant but also makes it more susceptible to pests or fungal infections.
- Gathering berries and mushrooms for your own consumption is permitted in the forest. However, even here, you should proceed with caution and only pick those forest fruits that you can actually eat and that are ripe. It's best to leave unripe berries on the vine for other visitors. When picking mushrooms, don't pick the entire stock; leave a few. This way, the mushrooms can ensure that spores are sown, and porcini mushrooms and chanterelles grow again the following year.
- And finally, the absolute, absolute taboo: No fire! No cigarettes, no matches, no barbecues. At least not in the forest. For barbecues, there are designated and paved barbecue areas, always set up at a sufficient distance from vegetation. You can use them, but here, too, you should ensure afterward that no glowing charcoal is tipped into the undergrowth or smoldering matches are carelessly discarded. The images of the forest fires in the summer of 2018 should really convince everyone to be especially careful when handling fire. In addition to destroying vegetation, forest fires also cause thousands of deaths among wildlife.
It's not that difficult to treat the forest with care, so that we can still enjoy it tomorrow and a hundred years from now. And if you see others who don't know the "Forest Etiquette," point it out to them!
Great activities in the forest
It's simply wonderful to walk in the forest with your eyes open. If you take a plant guide with you, you'll discover things you hadn't noticed before. Identifying forest birds by their calls is also great fun, especially on forest walks with children.
If you are lucky, you can take advantage of guided forest walks in your area and learn – usually from a forestry expert – a lot about the forest that the casual walker would not learn.
For those who are more sporty, there are numerous leisure activities available, from forest sports trails to treetop climbing (including equipment and safety equipment) – often on the edges of the forest, where it does not disturb the animal inhabitants of our forests.
