Circular logo with the text DAS WIEDTAL above a colorful landscape featuring trees, a river with a fish, red-roofed buildings, a chapel, flowers, and a stylized rising sun in the background.

Exchange between hiking trail sponsors and the forest

Around 40 volunteer trail patrons from the Rengsdorf-Waldbreitbach municipality came together at the beginning of March to kick off the year. The district foresters from the surrounding forest districts and the Fürstlich-Wied forestry administration were also present. The exchange between forestry and tourism is very important, as many topics can be dealt with more easily through personal coordination.

This year's meeting took place at Paganetti's "Zur Erholung" inn in Breitscheid-Verscheid. Some new trail patrons received training and instruction on the topic in advance. In the evening, Barbara Sterr from WanderTourenTeam Rengsdorf gave an overview of the existing markings, followed by a theoretical part of the training. Irmgard Schröer then presented the work of the Rhine-Westerwald Nature Park, particularly with regard to the hiking trails and possible funding for the local communities. The nature park supports benches and rest areas as well as information boards and themed trails. Managing Director Florian Fark gave an overview of the work of the tourism association, in particular statistics, marketing activities and the digital hiking tour planner.

The trail sponsors look after over 500 km of marked hiking trails in the Wiedtal and Rengsdorfer Land. The 1st Chairman of the Wiedtal Tourism Association, Mayor Pierre Fischer, praised the great voluntary commitment. He emphasized once again that the local hiking trails in particular are also mainly used by locals. And that, like all other tourist attractions, they always benefit the local population.

A group of seven people stand on a grassy trail at the edge of a field, listening to a woman who is speaking near a tree. Trees line one side of the path, and the sky is clear with sunlight filtering through.