“Educational Fruit Tree Path” – Growing a Greener Campus Together! 🌳
On October 29th, 2025, students, faculty, and staff of Rhine-Waal University of Applied Sciences joined forces with University President Prof. Dr. Oliver Locker-Grütjen and project partners to launch a unique sustainability project: the Educational Fruit Tree Path with future fruit trees – part of the “Greening the Campus” project.
This event – organized by the Faculty of Life Sciences and the Sustainable Food Systems Research Centre – was more than planting trees – it marked the beginning of a broader effort to create a greener and more vibrant campus which will set roots with further projects to come. Along the new fruit tree path, climate-resilient fruit trees were planted together with companion species to promote ecological balance, biodiversity, and long-term resilience. The project aims to transform the campus into a living ecosystem that provides shade, food, and habitats for many species.
The path is designed as “A Walk With All The Senses” – a multisensory experience inviting everyone to see, smell, touch, and taste:
🐦 Bird House and Insect Hotel – creating habitats for birds and insects
🌸 Colorful Flowers and Fruits – enjoying vibrant colors and seasonal diversity
🌿 Luffa, Barks and Fruits’ Texture – exploring the textures of plants and fruits
🌹 Roses, Jasmine and Herbs – discovering fragrances and aromas
🍎 Different Types of Fruits – learning about and tasting fruit diversity
Besides being used as teaching object in the study programs at the Faculty of Life Sciences, in future each plant will feature a QR code that provides interactive information about the species, practical care tips, and harvesting guidance. In this way, the path becomes both an outdoor classroom and a place for relaxation and reflection.
The project was made possible with the practical support of LIKK (Landschaftspflege im Kreis Kleve e.V.), the support of the Permaculture Niederrhein Association (Permakultur-Niederrhein e.V.) who initiated the project “Greening the Campus” and the representatives of the city of Cleves who supported the planting. Special thanks go to the responsible students Alina Maksimova, Nicole Stürmlinger, and Delfina Andrada, whose commitment and creativity in developing the idea made this project a success.
This planting event also supports the development of the campus for the State Garden Show 2029 (Landesgartenschau 2029). The Sustainable Food Systems Research Centre facilitated the activity of this enthusiastic and diverse group of people to come together to make the project happen.
👉 Get involved!
Adopt a plant, join future planting activities, or simply enjoy this new green learning and meeting space on our campus. Together, we’re shaping a more sustainable future – root by root, tree by tree. 🌱
Photos © Hien Do
Sustainable Food Systems Research Centre
Marie-Curie-Straße 1
47533 Kleve
Deutschland/Germany