“The warm rain was quite unexpected,” says city manager Lydia Keune, describing the situation late last year. Then a representative of the “Gerd-Godt-Grell-Foundation” approached us and asked the team of the city management to develop a “green idea” for the city center, then there would be a financial contribution. Initial plans for an urban gardening project fell through due to formal obstacles – and a concept for walking trees based on the model of the city of Stuttgart and a foundation donation of 5,000 euros followed. And since the weekend, six little tree boxes have been standing in Kirchenstraße, serving not only as green eye-catchers in combination with insect-friendly planting, but also as seating. Says Keune, “They’re called walking trees because we use a lift truck to move them as they’re needed.” The trees will pass their acid test next Thursday at the “Steinburger Abendmarkt”, where they will certainly be put to good use as additional decoration with seating.
Frank Schneider, chairman of the board of the Grell Foundation, joyfully commented on the realization of the project via email from his vacation: “The walking trees are a very modern way of downtown greening, which we were happy to support.” The Gerd-Godt-Grell Foundation has its headquarters at Kapellenstraße 18, the oldest house in Itzehoe. In addition to the foundation and the city management, the following were involved in the project: Carpenter Hartwig Friedt, nursery Neer and the Itzehoe youth fire department, which flamed and painted the wooden boxes.
