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Sabers celebrate Earth Week

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Sarah Denewellis
  • 52nd Fighter Wing Public Affairs
SPANGDAHLEM AIR BASE, Germany --  In honor of Earth Day and Arbor Day this year, the 52nd Civil Engineer Squadron environmental element set their sights on helping Spangdahlem Air Base go green and stay that way. During the annual Earth Week event, the environmental element reached out to the community by educating them on the importance of environmental awareness.

During the week-long event, representatives from the environmental element visited the local middle school to emphasize the importance of nature conservation to those whom it will most affect; our children. 

"The attendance of the school children is very important so we can pass along environmental stewardship to the next generation," said John Tarantine, 52nd CES environmental element chief. "The environmental element just isn't about compliance and environmental laws; it's also about educating, particularly the youth."

Their efforts extended beyond the classroom and into the field. Children from the Spangdahlem Middle School and the local girl scouts were invited to take part in the annual planting of four new trees on base.

"Trees are important for nature," explained Franz Steffes, a 52nd CES environmental engineer. "They also have a high value for a lot of different bird and animal species and also improve the climate all over the world. Without trees you will not have a chance to survive on earth."

In addition to planting trees annually, the environmental element planted a number of fruit trees around base over the course of the last 30-40 years. As many as 120 different species including apple, pear, cherry and plum trees grow on base thanks to their efforts. These fruit trees are open to the public for picking when the fruits ripen.

For the final event of the week, 22 participants including military, US and local national civilian employees from the base partnered with members from the Spangdahlem Youth Fire Department to take part in the 2015 annual Spangerbach Creek Cleanup and Community Cleanup day. Participants spent the day cleaning up a 3,000-meter stretch of the local stream in Spangdahlem village. Approximately 15 garbage bags, each 150 liters, were filled with trash from the local creek and disposed of.

For more information about these events and other ways you can help out with the local environment, contact the 52nd CES environmental element at DSN: 452-7257/Comm: 06565-61-7257
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