Music echoes across the forest clearing, bread on a stick is being baked over the fire pit, and children are off on the trail of a secret forest message: On Sunday 27 September, the KÖNIGSSTUHL National Park Centre invites you to a forest festival at the UNESCO World Heritage Forum Waldhalle near Sassnitz, from 12 noon to 4 pm. With a woodland concert, hands-on activities and the finale of the World Heritage Trail, families, locals and day-trippers will come together to celebrate the start of autumn. At the same time, a new partnership with Biopark will begin, focusing attention on biodiversity in agriculture from the perspective of the protected beech forest.

A Sunday afternoon in the heart of the World Heritage Forest

A walk through the beech forest, just a few kilometres from Sassnitz, leads straight into an afternoon full of music and encounters: the Trio Taktlos from Rostock bring three female voices and their own arrangements, ranging from folk songs to gospel and modern pop songs. Mostly without instruments, though occasionally with instrumental accompaniment, the singers invite the audience to listen, hum along and sing along. 
Whilst the music echoes across the clearing, children can twist bread on a stick over the fire pit or have their faces painted. The Forest Discovery Station, complete with VR headsets, offers new perspectives on the ancient beech forest. Anyone walking to the Waldhalle with family or friends can take a leisurely break here, meet up with friends and sit together whilst enjoying the music. This is a wonderful way to welcome autumn together: out in the woods, with time for one another and little discoveries in the picturesque clearing.
In the year marking the 15th anniversary of Jasmund’s designation as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the focus is on a forest that lies right on our doorstep and is also part of a natural heritage of global significance.

Together for nature that has a future

The Forest Festival also marks the launch of the collaboration between the KÖNIGSSTUHL National Park Centre and Biopark e.V. from Güstrow. Under the shared motto ‘Together for nature with a future’, the collaboration combines the culinary offerings with information on organic farming and biodiversity. The meat used in this collaboration comes from Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, Berlin and Brandenburg.
“We are delighted to have found a strong partner in Biopark, for whom preserving our natural resources is just as important as it is for us. From now on, at the National Park Centre and also in the Waldhalle, we will be serving our guests almost exclusively organic meat at very reasonable prices. The quality and, above all, the flavour – for example, of the bratwurst or cirrywurst – have completely won us over,” says Managing Director Mark Ehlers.
Biopark e. V. has been campaigning for over 35 years for climate protection, the conservation of nature and the environment, and healthy, responsible nutrition. The association advocates a form of agriculture that takes today’s needs into account whilst preserving the livelihoods of future generations.
To mark the launch, Biopark will be on site with an information stand on the topic of ‘Agriculture for greater biodiversity’. A farmer from Sassnitz, who is part of the Biopark community, will also be present. Visitors can talk to him about farming practices and learn how farming methods and habitats for animals and plants are interconnected.
Tasting is also very much encouraged: a tasting session will introduce the new organic bratwurst and offer a first taste of the gastronomic collaboration.

The forest elves await their message

Whilst celebrations are already underway in the clearing, the teams on the World Heritage Trail are drawing closer to their destination. On behalf of the forest elves, the island children are solving puzzles at eight stations along the way, collecting golden beech nuts and completing the messages on their rune staffs. At the Waldhalle, they will finally announce what the Ancient Beech Forest wishes to convey to people. At around 3 pm, the best treasure hunt teams will be announced.
The treasure hunt is a joint project organised by the KÖNIGSSTUHL National Park Centre, the Vorpommern National Park Authority, the town of Sassnitz and its zoo, the Sagard rescue dog unit, the Sassnitz Volunteer Fire Brigade and Volkssolidarität Sassnitz, as well as many volunteers.

On foot, by bike or by e-bus to the festival

The Waldhalle UNESCO World Heritage Forum can be reached from Sassnitz on foot or by bike. In addition, the VVR is offering special services on route 18 from Sassnitz bus station via Hauptstraße to the Waldhalle: the first outward journey departs at 11.20 am, and the last return journey from the Waldhalle leaves at 3.40 pm. The VVR’s fare and transport regulations apply.