Forest or Coal? ~Hambacher Forest at the front of Climate Change action

[@juliussilvan]

First video on this new channel! Something different, but I like it at least;) Would be great to hear your thoughts on the new channel & the Hambach situation;) Many thanks for the support! Cheers, Julius P.S. don't forget to subscribe;p and maybe cool to follow the social media facebook.com/natures.pact & instagram.com/natures.pact

[@Ghostofeightdancestudent]

Roundhouse?

[@FrankSchweppe]

Although only a small bit is left, this forest is a strong symbol. Those images of the open mine are truly terrifying. Meanwhile, Germany still needs to buy nuclear power from France across the border. Talk about hypocrisy. I am wondering if that mine with its great height differences could not be converted to a large energy storage facility, with hydro storage reservoirs at different levels. Not only large corporations are a threat to nature. I live in an area with a lot of forest (central France; our village of 180 inhabitants and 10 square km has more forest than the remaining Hambacher Forest, I see several monumental trees from my window at the edge of our yard and hear woodpeckers every day; we are in a 260 square km Natura 2000 area so no large industrial activities now or in the foreseeable future - lucky me) and I see many small landowners who possess small areas of woodland who just cut down even the most emblematic, healthy old trees to sell them for the wood, in many cases just as firewood. They don't care one bit about the animals and other creatures for whom those trees were habitats, they just want the money (in all honesty, some of these people are pretty poor with very small pensions and need the money to make ends meet, so the insufficient state pension scheme is one of the causes of forest destruction). Or farmers cut down hedgerows thinking that they can enhance their production of hay, wheat or whatever by combining small fields into one large one, with better access for tractors - or to get a bit more European subsidy, which is dependent on the surface of fields not hidden by trees on aerial photos. After which there is no more habitat for small predators, so the rodents take over, multiply unchecked and destroy the fields... In that sense, many small intrusions on nature make for a lot of damage as well. Good initiative to start this channel, keep up the good work.

[@juliussilvan]

Thanks for sharing! Nice input Frank!:)

[@agnosjr]

We gave so much money to these companies that use coal and oil. All of those past years for our convenience, not understanding or even not caring for the damage that they were causing to the environment. They became giants, feral animals, real beasts that will not go down without a big fight they will fight with tooth and nails to avoid their ending. They have financial resources, judges, police and politicians in their pockets. I think we can win this fight but it will be an uphill battle, and the best way is like you are doing creating a way for people to see what is going on and to get involved. Thank you for your initiative and for what you do. Cheers.

[@juliussilvan]

Good words my friend!. I think there is also an important role for the civilian, we can make choices which kind of products we consume. Hope we will choose for the sustainable products. All the best!

[@joxy-2123]

Profit is temporary, Nature is permanent. You decide which one is more important The choice should be obvious

[@juliussilvan]

And besides nature also our own well-being in the long term

[@jamesklass6368]

Im excited for this channel my friend! very cool!

[@jm4672]

God bless you God bless people like you we need so many more people like you if everybody would get on the same page we can save this Earth for a great great grand kids and animals trees everything I love this Channel please keep it up

[@Nixon69]

John McKenzie WORD ❤️💯

[@Phlegg]

Great video, well done, very interesting 👌

[@bleepbloop7039]

very informative video and many cool shots of these forests

[@Gamenomaly]

Cars going backwards are funny :) "also the mining wheel spinning the wrong way" :D

[@juliussilvan]

Haha, good to hear you payed some attention;)

[@seade3]

I love the new channel man its good cause people need to know how bad its getting keep up the good work

[@schwarzzelter7161]

Sadly we are still facing the same problem... But really nice to see that you've been to Hambi! :)

[@Griffstar77]

Good job! Keep up the great work. Watching from London, UK

[@joxy-2123]

Great video

[@samcook7997]

110th subscriber love the new channel keep It up

[@josephwilcox2097]

Great video loved it

[@geminigacha2533]

Love the new content keep it up!

[@AscendPodcast]

Great VIDEO :) Love the New Channel we should defiantly do a podcast sometime or collaboration in some way.

[@juliussilvan]

Cool stuff! will check out you podcasts;)

[@rz9974]

I heard that solar panels have their own problem. When it reaches the end of its life, it can't be thrown away because of the heavy metals in it, but it's also hard to reuse any of the materials in there. So it's like a garbage but you can't throw it away...

[@AlbiinoBlacksheep]

way to solve that is with recyclable solar panels, also, their life time is approx 20 years, so by then we'll probably have a solution for recycling it.

[@garycottreau8442]

Will follow to see other ideas. I hear you. But. I agree we all want clean air and water and a safe environment. We need to step up and join in on reducing use of fuel based carbon. The only issue is finding common ground on the time line the way I see it. The extremists environmentalists want yesterday and far right want years from now. In the end will will most likely meet in the middle somewhere. Cheers.

[@juliussilvan]

The middle might often be the best solution, but we have a problem here. The recent IPCC report reported that climate change effects were a lot worse then we thought, even between 1.5 and 2 degrees there is a huge different. With 2 degrees, all coral reefs and many low land area are already doomed they say. So if we want better well being in the future we better be quick about it. Thanks!

[@garycottreau8442]

@@juliussilvan I hear you on this. What I have noticed is the people with suits and diplomas live in one world and meet at these conferences and give us their very thoughtful and studied information. On the other hand - with a world population of 7.7 billion ... the poor and least able to do anything or afford anything [ approx 7 billion] appear on the outside looking in. We seems between and rock and a hard place on this. I know I cannot even remotely afford an electric car. Do to location I need a car [remote area] and so have a 'gas sipper' that is good on gas to reduce the impact, but not as good a electric. We need a practicable plan that works for real people to move forward. A plan that is inclusive of the poor and stars the poor.

[@artjaazz1]

Thanks, Julius, maybe you could make a feature about fracking in Europe/Germany

[@codycroff4709]

I really appreciate how important the world is to you Julius. Keep up you're dedication and you'll make a difference. Much love from Michigan.

[@loveberjlund2332]

This is needed!

[@jjruss2160]

love the new channel idea it sounds great and hopefully will raise awareness

[@juliussilvan]

Thanks a lot russ!

[@agustinresendiz5498]

Om exited aboit learning and also exited about this channel

[@XnoobsauceX]

Keep it up!

[@terryfreedom9742]

There was this huge corporation who started mining the remote forests for a rare raw material. At first they tried working with the people living there but then just bulldozed through their land and chased them away. The indigenous people were pretty mad and scared because their leader was killed by a falling tree limb. But this one guy, who worked for the company had fallen in love with one of the chicks from the area. He fought for them , at first peaceably but when diplomacy failed, he took up arms. In the end the corporation lost and the guy married the girl and mated with her, impregnating her. Now they are poor, their land is destroyed and the corporation is gone. I'm not sure if there's a moral to this story or not.

[@MrGeforcerFX]

When the Nuclear power plants were shutdown and the plans to add new ones were scrapped in the mid twenty teens Germany( or really the entire western world) added 10-20 years for us to get off of using coal for power. Europe doesn't have enough access to natural gas to use it as the gap filler for renewables and the USA and Canada can't ship enough over the Oceans to fulfil that need, and in the political climate we are in Europe doesn't want to continue to have energy dependence on Russia.

[@PackRunner3]

I actually like these videos they're informed and educated. What the world needs to get is climate change is not a political issue yet we politicized it. One thing we can all agree on is money removed from politics is a good start. We can't convince them to start taking steps when coal companies billions of dollars speak louder than citizens and data.

[@juliussilvan]

But how to manage this globalist world without politics? But the power of big companies in politics is a problem indeed

[@jito7377]

I honestly believe this forest will be copped down. The corporations are to strong.

[@johndove1997]

Nice video! ben benieuwt wat er staat te gebeuren met het bos. gr uit nl

[@juliussilvan]

Ik ook! Volgend mogelijk cutting season begint weer in oktober 2019. Dan zal de spanning wel weer oplaaien.

[@oscarejdonovan]

Great to see the new channel Julius. Next Spring I am going to cycle around the world to raise money for a rainforest conservation charity, and am looking forward to learning some more about what I will be riding for. Your Smooth Gefixt videos have also been very useful in teaching me about wild camping! Succes ouwe!

[@juliussilvan]

That's totally awesome man! Rainforest conservation is really at top of my concerns and passion:) Although it didn't came yet to give it much attention. I actually would love to hear more about your plans and maybe I can somehow support you in your mission/journey. If you like that please send me your contact to [e-mail], and we can talk some about it:). All the best!

[@oscarejdonovan]

@@juliussilvan Hey Julius, sorry I missed your comment. I've sent you an email reply, hope you get it :)

[@mikemiller7117]

I understand your love of nature and I also love nature. But, I grew up in Coal mining area,and a lot of people feed their families from coal mining. If a government puts restrictions on mining, then they need to do an equal amount to help all the families that depended on that coal. There are two sides to every story.

[@juliussilvan]

Fair points Mike. For next projects, I really hope to speak with people from both sides. I know there are a lot of people locally dependent on the mining, that's why I would encourage RWE to invest more in greener technologies which can take over employment. But for general well-being in the long term, we will have to move quickly. In Germany RWE is really the worst of all energy corporations, and in case the government abandons coal there will definitely be compensations, especially that makes it harder for the government to make the choise because it will cost so much extra money. But this is what we will have to pay.

[@PackRunner3]

I agree. I'd say government subsidies and job training would be a good start. Is there anything you'd like to suggest that you feel would be in reason. I know saying job training is big talk knowing that a 46 year old coal miner isn't necessarily inclined to learn a new career choice by that time. Maybe a government sponsored retirement or severance?

[@mikemiller7117]

@@PackRunner3 I wish I had the answer. Most Coal Miners take a lot of pride in being a miner, since it is such a difficult job that few have the courage to do it. I would say the best plan would be to phase it out as a career option, which would mean to get the younger generations educated,and offer them options where they can make enough money to raise a family. But, these types of men, that I grew up with, they dont really want to work in an office, so it would need to be jobs that can allow them to work with their hands. I also dont think the Government should be completely responsible for the subsidies. I think these major coal companies have gone into these communities, stripped them of their natural resources, made fortunes, and then just pack up and move on, these large mining companies should be responsible for helping educate the younger generations. If your dad works in a mine, then the kids should get their college or job training paid for. But, its not just the miners, its the steel mills, the truck drivers, the train yards, the coal industry employs a lot more than just coal miners. We are talking about rebuilding an entire economy, so it is definitely a complicated situation. Here is a video about the coal industry in my hometown: kzbin.info/www/bejne/Z4eliqZ7fNV_eqs

[@PackRunner3]

@@mikemiller7117 that's a solid point and you'd obviously understand the culture more. Also I love that you think the coal companies need to put out too and it not just fall back on the tax payers. You're right, I was going to go a little more in depth earlier like offer job training to younger ones and those that are willing to take it and offer a retirement package to those that would prefer that option. You're cool in my book.

[@mikemiller7117]

@@PackRunner3 Thanks man. You are very respectful and cool in my book as well. I just hope one day we find the right solution.

[@WonderingGreenMan]

Great ideas for this channel! The world is turning into a much smaller place that we all must share. Corporations, countries, and individual citizens alike need to see the impact we are having on the planet. Where is our civilization going to be in 20, 50, 100, or 1,000 years? Uncivilized may be the answer if we continue our destructive path. And should we remain civilized, what good is a world devoid of all animal and plant life? How hard would it be to describe something as common as a tree or a bird to your grandchild, and then tell them that humanity wiped them from the face of the planet? It is starting to become an embarrassment to think that the worlds most "intelligent" species soils and sullies their own home with total disregard for any other life. Thank you for speaking up about it!

[@juliussilvan]

Great to hear these wise words from people:)

[@brunoengels8922]

Im German and I was on a Hambacher Forst demostration.

[@juliussilvan]

Cool:)

[@TGoO14]

Change the channel pfp but other than that good stuff mayne

[@juliussilvan]

Yeah, it was a last minute thing, but you don't seem to be the only one, will re-evaluate it. Thanks

[@maelmissier3378]

First subscriber and like

[@juliussilvan]

Welcome!:) But I subscribed Smooth Gefixt as first;P

[@Amanlow]

SMOOOOTH gepact jonge!!!!

[@juliussilvan]

This one made me laugh out loud xD

[@Rogere805]

yeah sure ill check this channel out.

[@juliussilvan]

Cool!;)

[@Myn6211]

Excellent video Julius. I sincerely hope that the rest of this forest remains intact.

[@juliussilvan]

Next years cutting season it will be tense again.. Cheers!

[@doritoification]

Should have expanded nuclear and phased out coal. The social costs of the nuclear phase out are $12 billion a year, 70% of which is increased mortality from air pollution as the nuclear power was primarily replaced by coal and net imports.

[@ア尺ノムリ丂]

100th person to sub

[@juliussilvan]

Welcome, how were the words and spelling in this one;P

[@Ghostofeightdancestudent]

​@@juliussilvan roundhouse?

[@Kultcha23]

Cool new video and channel!

[@siggy2609]

I can't wait to see what this channel will grow into! Not many people on youtube emphasise the importance of preserving what little nature Europe has left and show the true ills of corporatism. I will be watching your videos for sure and I hope the best for this channel!

[@juliussilvan]

Great supportive words, thank you!

[@RolieKloeOlie]

Very well spoken English, Julius. Love the new channel. Thank you for letting us know about environmental issues in Germany. Cya next year -Kloe

[@juliussilvan]

Sweet:) You too;)

[@JH-6]

Well done and best of luck getting the message out

[@ECsponger2]

Resist and FIGHT !

[@acteon-nature-wildlife4507]

Hello superb video congratulations for sharing I subscribe welcome to my channel Actéon nature France

[@jpender3181]

Keep this up Julius, and thank you. (From FL, usa)👍👍

[@RyanMclain]

this hereby constitutes my having commented.

[@juliussilvan]

Cool:)

[@LastManStanding2012]

In my opinion the activists are completely overreacting about the Hambacher Forst. It´s a 200 ha forest. Germany has more than 11.000.000 ha of forest. Every year this forest INCREASES by about 5.000 ha. The type of forest with a mixture of Quercus spec. and Carpinus betulus is not as rare as said in this video. It grows in a lot of dry and warm areas in Germany (mostly southern slopes). Most of the forests in Germany are spruce and there is a lot of money invested to turn those forests back into the naturally occuring beech forests and in the suitable areas into oak forests. The companies that mine brown coal in Germany also have to invest money into the reforestation after they mined the coal. I think there´s a lot worse shit going on in the world (like the deforestation in the rain forests) where the activists should try to make a change instead of the Hambacher Forst. Also if everyone of them would take a spade and plant 100-200 oaks or beech seedlings under the spruce and pine forests in Germany to help change the unnatural structure of the forests instead of sitting around for weeks in the Hambacher forest to protest, they would make a much bigger change. Just my 2 cents... PS: Nothing against you Julius, I like your videos a lot and I like that you are trying to preserve nature and make a change in the world. I have a master degree in science of forestry and I appreciate everyone who cares about nature and helps to preserve it.

[@juliussilvan]

Actually some good points there! However, it's also about the activism against climate change & coal mining and then it makes sense that the Hambacher has become the iconic middle point of that, although very small indeed. I know, in Europe more forest is planted than cut down, Great! but still Older forest become more scars, like they have been cutting in Primeval Forest Bialowieza, Poland for example. We should just take som much care about preserving those precious older forests, and you can't really replant them, because it takes 100s of years for soil & forest to recover. Thanks for your input!

[@LastManStanding2012]

Thank you for your reply! And you made some good points as well. I agree with you that it is important to raise awareness of climate change and the factors that cause it. But I think the Hambacher forest is not a good choice as an iconic middle point for that (this is debatable and just my opinion). I totally agree that we have to stop using fossile fuels though. I also agree that the Bialowieza Forest needs to be preserved because it is unique. But I think that a forest does not need to be preserved just because it is old. And I think you can replant them (yes, it takes time, but when you work in the forestry field for a while you get a different perspective and 200 or 300 years don´t appear that long anymore). In the tropics of course, it is completely different because the soil leaches out so fast. There you can´t just replant them. There is a high demand for timber and it is important that the forest also produces timber and is not only preserved. If you have a good forest management you can make sure that you have dead wood with a big diameter left in the forest (for animals and insects) and that the timber mass does not decrease over the years, still you can take out old trees from time to time for timber production and don´t have to preserve the whole forest. Using timber products (for construction, furniture etc.) can help to fight climate change because the CO2 is trapped in the products and a new tree can grow where that old tree was standing and start to bind more CO2. Some of these old oak forests in Germany wouldn´t exist without human activity. By nature there would be nearly all areas covered with beach trees (by far the most competitive tree species in Germany) and just very few other species. Humans planted oak trees a long time ago to feed their pigs in autumn. They mixed them with hornbeam (for firewood, you can cut them and they grow back out of the stump). Also old mine dumps (slate for example) are important biotops where unique forests grow. These forests are protected now. I´m just trying to show that not all human activity is as bad as it seems and not everything needs to be preserved. A good management and understanding of nature is more important ;-)

[@juliussilvan]

Forest are indeed important for wood production, and when sustainably managed this goes well together with all the other great ecosystemservices of forests, like biodiversity, in some areas even creating more diversity, (also here, the higher Netherlands would have been mainly plain beach) full agreement on that! I actually also studied forestry & nature conservation;) But really almost all of the European forest are managed, and having some unmanaged forests is really valuable, 1. for nature 2. research 3. and for people to see how they look like. So let's just not touch the current older (less managed) small bits of forest there are left, that's just my opinion! Nice to discuss with other foresters. Cheers, Julius

[@LastManStanding2012]

Yes, I totally agree with you. We need to have some unmanaged forests, no doubt. For some animal and plant species it is very important that they are not disturbed at all. What upsets me is the lack of knowledge of the politicians who make the decisions and quite often even the activists. Their intentions are good and they want to save the nature. But they don´t understand the whole situation and they want to protect everything in nature and protest against everything that destroys parts of nature without having the background information. For example there are activists that get upset with hunters that kill huge numbers of deers and boars in our forests. They have no idea that it is neccessary and that we have problems with overpopulation of those animals. They think just because they don´t see them often that they are rare. Another example is an area in the centre of Germany which is covered with a beech forest. Politicians just decided a couple of months ago to preserve the whole forest, so there will be no management anymore. These forests are one of the most timber productive forests in Germany and are an important income for the forestry. The forestry relies on that money for a proper management since it is getting barely any money from the government. There are enough beech tree forests with less productivity and poorer quality for timber production in the centre of Germany that could be preserved instead. As you said: It´s nice to discuss with someone who actually has a good knowledge and understanding of nature. So I appreciate this conversation with you :-)

[@lauradepooter4512]

@Nature’s Pact Ik wil niet vervelend zijn ik denk alleen dat jullie meer mensen zouden kunnen bereiken wanneer jullie je neutraler op stellen (behalve als het gaat om het behouden van de natuur natuurlijk). Dingen als jullie profiel foto zouden sommige mensen kunnen afschrikken het te kijken (ik denk niet dat dit de bedoeling is). Zou het niet mooi zijn wanneer iedereen (arme en rijke, linkse en rechtse, zwarte en blanken) het over dit onderwerp eens kan zijn. Verder wil ik jullie bedanken voor de tijd die jullie hierin stoppen. Take care about nature (and yourself).

[@juliussilvan]

Hallo Laura, Helemaal eens met je punten:) Dit concept moet nog even zijn weg vinden, binnenkort steek ik er weer tijd in en profiel foto opfrissen etc. Heel er bedankt voor je input! word erg gewaardeerd!

[@MrBboer]

Gooi nooit iets in de natuur, want dat is guur. Roland/Ko

[@juliussilvan]

Jullie zijn geweldig!

[@alivekicking5415]

THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU for what you & others like you do.

[@juliussilvan]

Great to have you with us from the beginning:)

[@holgerstritt6575]

#hambibleibt

[@golfboy7156]

Wald oder* Kohle

[@juliussilvan]

Thanks;)

[@wonkeyleggs]

Thats an outrage

[@ronmckenzie2890]

This didn't age well

[@juliussilvan]

I would agreed with you on that;)

[@dirtydan179]

*capitalism*

[@andreleblond6320]

Really libtard

[@andreleblond6320]

You'd be dead without capitalism

[@andreleblond6320]

It's true you would die under communism or socialism they're both the same thing

[@andreleblond6320]

@Freedom & Responsibility I to believe that conservation is needed but capitalism isn't what to blame

[@JorntWagenaar]

Can we stop this capitalism/communism argument please? It's clear both systems have failed us. We've got enough smart people on this world to come up with alternitives and there are enough combined small expetimental systems that seem to work quite well on a small scale. This "you don't like capitalism so you're a communist" (and vice versa) is beneath us and holding us back.