Honorary man of nature: Dr. Schlapkohl receives Federal Cross of Merit!

Honorary man of nature: Dr. Schlapkohl receives Federal Cross of Merit!

Heinz Schlapkohl, a committed environmentalist from Weisenheim am Sand, was awarded the Federal Cross of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany. The 81-year-old was honored for his tireless commitment to nature and environmental protection. He received the award at the end of last year.

Growing up on the Baltic Sea, Schlapkohl developed a deep connection to nature early on. In his more than 40-year career in nature and environmental protection, he has initiated and managed numerous projects. An important part of his work is water protection, especially the interface between water and nature conservation.

Many years of service to nature conservation

As early as 1984, Schlapkohl was elected chairman of the BUND Bad Dürkheim district group. He led the BUND state water working group for almost 30 years and has been actively involved at the state level since 2002 as well as in the International Commission for the Protection of the Rhine (ICPR). One of his most important projects is the Isenach alluvial fan renaturation project between Bad Dürkheim and Birkenheide. In addition, he was intensively involved in land consolidation procedures within Natura 2000 areas, especially in the “Haardtrand” bird sanctuary.

Another milestone in his work was his active role on the committee of the Palatinate Forest Biosphere Reserve, where he advocated for core zones and an effective visitor guidance concept. Schlapkohl is also a co-initiator of the association Luchs-Projekt Pfälzerwald Vosges du Nord e.V. His long-standing affiliation with BUND is also reflected in his membership in the state board, his work as district representative for Rhine-Hesse-Palatinate and as deputy state chairman from 2004 to 2015.

The state chairwoman of BUND Rhineland-Palatinate, Sabine Yacoub, emphasized Schlapkohl's expertise and commitment in her appreciation. His social commitment was also significant: from 1971 to 2003 he was a volunteer shop steward for IG Chemie and a works council member in a chemical company. He has previously received various awards for his services, including the State Medal of Merit in 2000 and the State Order of Merit in 2006, as well as the special nature conservation award from the proNatur Rhineland-Palatinate Foundation in 2010.

The Federation for the Environment and Nature Conservation Germany (BUND), Rhineland-Palatinate regional association, congratulated Dr. Heinz Schlapkohl warmly welcomed his award and thanked him for his decades of commitment to environmental and nature conservation BUND Rhineland-Palatinate reported. This was preceded by the awarding of the Federal Cross of Merit, which honored Schlapkohl for his tireless efforts the Rhine Palatinate reported.

– Submitted by West-East media