Rheinland-Pfalz Forest Ranger Michael Dejon explains the parts of an oak seedling to elementary school students at Ramstein Air Base, April 23, 2024. Dejon emphasized the importance of understanding how trees grow and their role in the forest. (Alexander Riedel/Stars and Stripes)
Ramstein Air Base’s youngest residents inaugurated a nature trail today by planting trees and exploring newly installed educational stations as part of a hands-on Earth Week celebration.
Located in the base’s northeast, the forested trail spans approximately a mile and starts off at Michigan Avenue in the Ramstein housing area. It features 13 educational stops that teach visitors about the plants and animals in the ecosystems surrounding the bustling military base.
To celebrate Earth Week, each student planted oak trees along the path under the guidance of forest experts from Rheinland-Pfalz and Germany’s Federal Forest Service.
“It is really important to me to bring the forest closer to the children to allow them to see and learn about it firsthand,” said Michael Dejon, a forest ranger with the Neubau Forest Territory, which includes parts of Ramstein Air Base. “With the planting, we try to teach the kids about sustainability. We are planting a tree that we will never see fully grown — but the next generation will.
“The kids then get to visit the tree they planted and see how it develops,” Dejon continued. “That forms a tangible connection to the forest.”
The trail signs, developed by the 86th CES environmental office in collaboration with local experts, provide information on topics ranging from ecosystems, such as swamps and deciduous forests, to animal species, including facts about amphibians, reptiles, insects and birds.
An overview map displays the mile-long path through the Ramstein Air Base’s forest, starting from Michigan Avenue in the Ramstein housing area and highlighting the thirteen educational stations along the way. This visual guide helps visitors navigate the trail and learn about the local ecosystem, fostering a deeper connection with nature. (86th Civil Engineer Squadron)
One of 13 signs along the newly opened nature trail provides information on five local bird species at Ramstein Air Base, April 23, 2024. Each sign is crafted to engage students with fun facts and important ecological knowledge. (Alexander Riedel/Stars and Stripes)
Jan Klein, a forester with Rheinland-Pfalz state, plants oak seedlings along Ramstein Air Base's new nature trail with Ramstein Elementary School students, April 23, 2024. Together, kids planted 250 trees. (Alexander Riedel/Stars and Stripes)
A Ramstein elementary student plants an oak seedling on the new nature trail at Ramstein Air Base, April 23, 2024. (Alexander Riedel/Stars and Stripes)
A Ramstein elementary student examines the roots of an oak seedling, April 23, 2024. (Alexander Riedel/Stars and Stripes)
“Every year we celebrate Earth Week with special events and this year we wanted to do something that helps educate our community on the importance of nature on base,” said U.S. Air Force Capt. Lois Agabon, the deputy installation manager with the 86th Civil Engineer Squadron.
One of the trail’s most popular features during the opening was the beaver station, where children learned about Europe’s largest rodent from experts at the German Beaver Center and Ramstein’s environmental office. From its skull to water-repellent pelt, kids were able to get hands on with the animals, which were once endangered and now are showing signs of population recovery along Germany’s waterways, according to a center statement.
Ramon Batista, a second grade teacher, and students examine a beaver skin during an educational stop on the nature trail at Ramstein Air Base, April 23, 2024. This station highlights the diverse wildlife that can thrive on the busy military installation. (Alexander Riedel/Stars and Stripes)
Katarina Specht, a forester with Germany's Federal Forest Service introduces Ramstein Elementary School students to animal tracks at a quiz station on the base's new nature path, April 23, 2024. Interactive quizzes engage students in identifying local wildlife by their paw and hoof prints. (Alexander Riedel/Stars and Stripes)
Ramon Batista, a teacher at Ramstein Elementary School, explains tree growth rings to students, showing a cut of a tree on Ramstein Air Base, April 23, 2024. This educational moment helps students understand the age and life cycle of trees along the newly established nature education trail. (Alexander Riedel/Stars and Stripes)
Stefanie Venske, an educators with the Rheinland-Pfalz Beaver Center, introduces Ramstein Elementary School Students to beaver footprints and physiology at Ramstein Air Base, April 23, 2024. Regional creeks support a recovering population of European Beavers, which can weigh up to 66 pounds. (Alexander Riedel/Stars and Stripes)
Kids, teachers, and forest workers walk the newly opened nature trail on Ramstein Air Base, April 23, 2024. This trail is designed to educate young minds about local ecosystems and sustainability. (Alexander Riedel/Stars and Stripes)
Despite the proximity to the air base’s operations, many species thrive in the forests, and the trail provides a safe pathway for both education and exploration, Agabon said.
