On the trail of nature: we discover the forest habitat during Ramsis expedition “Forest Experience”

What is a “herbarium”, we ask ourselves at the beginning of the tour?

Because Anni starts with us right after the Ramsi dance in front of the hotel entrance and we walk only a few meters further up directly into the forest. After a short introduction everyone gets a card with a plant species and we go on the search to create our own plant collection.

A herbarium is a collection of dried and preserved plant parts. Anni has also created one with at least 50 different plants herself during her 2-year FNL plant expert training. We collect our diligently, for example from maple, oak and hawthorn.

All the time Anni brings us a lot of interesting facts about trees and plants of the forest and its ecosystem and we head towards the Ramsis forest hut.

On the way the children discover the animals of the forest and learn playfully which functions they have in their habitat.

Did you know, for example, that the fox is the “policeman of the forest”? If food remains somewhere or an animal dies, he takes care of it. His smallest “helpers” are the forest ants, which teem on the forest floor.

From toddler to grandma or grandpa – Anni tries to appeal to all age groups with funny facts and challenging team building elements. “My goal is to have something interesting for every participant of every age,” Anni says.

We reach our destination: Ramsis forest hut. There we take a break to strengthen ourselves and to creatively design our collected plant parts.

With wax crayons and coloured pencils, watercolours and adhesive tape, the white paper in front of us quickly turns into great works of art, which we take with us and laminate later in the children’s hotel for taking it home. And we get something else from Anni: She tells us that everyone has a birth tree, the characteristics of which are also reflected in our character.

We also look at various lichensand why we have to kneel down in front of them to see the incredible structure with a microscope.

“I cherish the stag,

I care for the deer.

I protect you from the storm,

I protect you from snow.”

At the end of the tour Anni makes us aware of the value of the forest with another game. As a natural ecosystem – as we have learned – it not only offers protection and a home to all living creatures, but is also particularly important for us humans and it becomes clear to us why we also have to protect it.

The forest not only cleanses the air, it also has a calming and healing effect on us. For example, a walk in the forest helps against stress, chronic diseases of the cardiovascular system and strengthens our immune system. Just give it a try and you’ll simply find: “Forest does you good”.

At our head waiter Franz in the Ramsi bar there is a children’s cocktail called “Green earthworm”. During the expedition “Forest Experience” you can find out how this creation came about! ;-)

At home in the nature adventure world!

The Ramsi family.