09/21/2024 BMW BERLIN-MARATHON

Together for forest protection - SCC EVENTS & WWF

For almost four years, SCC EVENTS and the WWF have been linked by a special partnership that goes far beyond a typical charity co-operation. What began as a classic charity project has now developed into an intensive collaboration aimed at making sporting events more sustainable.

Far more than just collecting donations…

As Marieke Wittneben from WWF emphasises, this collaboration is an example of ‘effective cooperation’. Originally, the main focus was on activating the running community to collect donations through sporting events. Participants in the BMW BERLIN-MARATHON can, for example, make an environmental donation for forest conservation in the Uckermark on the registration form. But that was just the beginning: SCC EVENTS is working with the WWF to further reduce the footprint of our events. Examples of this include the use of reusable cups and fair trade organic bananas for participant catering, the provision of free public transport for all participants and efforts to increase waste separation. This collaboration shows that sport and nature conservation can go hand in hand - and that big events not only carry emotions, but also responsibility.

Hands that plant a tree © Albert Wotke

^{© Albert Wotke}

The Uckermark project

A central element of the partnership is the protection of forests in the Uckermark, a region known for its unique habitats. Here, the WWF has been working for over 30 years to preserve and restore species-rich mixed forests, a valuable habitat for many endangered species.

‘The Uckermark in north-east Brandenburg is extraordinarily rich in precious habitats: old beech and idyllic alder forests, clear lakes and streams, moors and orchid meadows,’ explains Gareth Kratz, Project Manager at WWF. However, many of these forests have been converted into monocultures that are susceptible to pests and droughts. The WWF is therefore creating ‘primeval forests of tomorrow’ that are climate-resilient and species-rich.

If you would like to get an idea of these conservation measures, you can visit the nature experience trail in the Zerwelin National Natural Heritage Site. With a length of 4.5 kilometres, it may not be a marathon route, but it is definitely an experience close to nature.

The ‚Erlenbruch‘ in Zerwelin in the Uckermark © Albert Wotke

^{The ‚Erlenbruch‘ in Zerwelin in the Uckermark © Albert Wotke}

Regional projects in the focus of SCC EVENTS

For SCC EVENTS, the choice of the WWF project in the Uckermark was a logical consequence of the existing trusting partnership. ‘The WWF gives us the certainty that the donations from our participants are really being used in the best interests of the environment,’ explains Christian Jost, Managing Director of SCC EVENTS. The focus on the Berlin/Brandenburg region also played an important role in the decision to get involved in the Uckermark project. After all, the main aim is to have a local impact and support projects that take place in the immediate neighbourhood.

Sustainability beyond forest protection

But SCC EVENTS' commitment does not end with forest protection. The company pursues a holistic approach that takes equal account of social, ecological and economic aspects. In addition to the reduction of emissions and the conscious use of resources, the focus is also on the health and safety of participants and employees.

This cooperation is an impressive example of how companies and environmental protection organisations can actively work together - and that sustainable action is not just a trend, but a responsibility that we all have to face up to.

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