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A new educational trail opens its doors at Fürsteneck Castle. Visitors can experience nature up close and learn the secrets of the region.
Eiterfeld – At Fürsteneck Castle near Eiterfeld, a new educational trail has been opened on the orchard in the north of the site. “Opening the castle to the outside world has become an important concern for us,” said Matthias Feuerstein, head of the socio-political education program at the Burg Fürsteneck Academy.
In the past, cultural events benefited this goal, and the new educational trail for “kindergartens, school classes, but also for families on Sundays” will do this in the future. The educational trail clearly conveys interesting facts about biodiversity in the Hünfelder Land region.
Education meets nature: educational trail opened at Fürsteneck Castle
Seven central information boards deal with the ecological and cultural-historical significance of the orchard, the different apple varieties, convey the basics of cultivation and provide information about the wildlife in this habitat. As a playful element, there is a quiz series about the apple tree, which invites visitors to discover new things. According to the academy, this also includes those who already have previous knowledge.
“I am certain that this nature trail would not have been created without the efforts of Matthias Feuerstein,” said state parliament member Stefanie Klee (CDU), “some create monuments from large structures, some from an orchard.” The end result shows how much passion went into the project.
In addition to Rhönsprudel, the Rhön Biosphere Reserve was also involved in the new nature trail. The idea for the educational trail came about in 2023. According to the academy, what followed was consistently constructive collaboration, conceptual planning and practical implementation.
Torsten Raab from the Hessian Rhön Biosphere Reserve remarked: “We have known each other for a long time and have done a lot together.” It's nice that knowledge about nature can now also be read and learned in the orchard, “not just up in the academy, where people's heads are usually spinning.” The creative implementation of the boards was carried out by the designer Christian Kunert.
During the tour of the nature trail, he immediately let those present take part in the creation of the panels and talked about his work. The Burg Fürsteneck Academy sees the orchard, which has around 150 fruit trees, as an important place for learning and experience in the sense of education for sustainable development and wants to develop it in the future.
Plans include the construction of additional parking areas below the nature trail and a possible expansion of the accessible area into previously inaccessible areas of the orchard. The Fürsteneck Castle Academy is receiving an extension with guest rooms and a studio. The whole thing is expected to cost eight million euros. (imd)
