During the past two years lots of chestnut trees in Berlin where infested by a plague of horsechestnut leafminers (Cameraria ohridella). These varmints make them die within a short time and only a rapid collection of the autumn leaves preserves from spreading the desease. In autumn of 2003 GAIA organised the campaign “Save the chestnut trees” in cooperation with the senator of urban development and the senator of education in Berlin. Huge Posters and Citylights, that were beeing sponsored by GAIA and the Berlin-based Company “Wall AG”, called all citiziens to help collecting leaves in the parks and streets. In a letter to all school deans, Ilyas Bublis asked the schools to organise help with their pupils. As an effect more than 600 citiziens, 2000 pupils and about 100 kindergarten-children took part in the action. In addition 600 recipients of public wellfare helped the sanitation department of the city, which couldn´t have managed the situation without their help. This was a great succsess of cicil engagement and not at least for GAIA.
