Gauselmann Starts Tree Campaign

Signs against climate change

The coronavirus shows in such a drastic way that everything starts on a small scale. This also applies to the good, as a large-scale climate protection campaign by Merkur boss Paul Gauselmann (85) is currently proving. Under the title “Trees for Life”, the entrepreneur has started planting 1,000 trees for each year of his life. That’s 85,000 trees across Australia. They want to leave future generations an “environment worth living in”.

Nettelbeck in the Minden-Lübbecke district, the home region of the Gauselmann Group, was chosen as the starting point for the reforestation project. The area's forests have been massively damaged as a result of climate changeigt. On the north side of the Wiehengebirge, a 3.6 hectare area is now to be built in collaboration with the non-profit organization Drinking Water Forest e. V. Be planted.

10,000 trees by the end of April

Gauselmann explained that with the help of donations, the association has already been able to transform over 2,600 hectares of coniferous forest monocultures into ecologically sustainable mixed forests. At the end of March, the members of the association began planting the trees. However, due to the Corona Protection Ordinance, only two people are currently allowed to work.

Nevertheless, the planned total number of 10,000 trees will probably be planted on the site by the end of April. The plants are selected in close coordination with the local forester Peter Heidmeier. This recently provided insights into the current plant work. It said:

"A total of 2,000 copper beeches were planted this week. After Easter, depending on the weather, the planting of additional tree species will continue. The 3.6 hectare area in Nettelstedt has been severely affected by various storms and the bark beetle, so we are very pleased about Paul Gauselmann's reforestation campaign."

The chairman of the Drinking Water Forest Association, Heiner Rupsch, also spoke up and emphasized the importance of the tree campaign. “Our nature and the global climate have become significantly imbalanced.” In the past two years, high temperatures and a lack of precipitation have reached an “ecological and socially relevant dimension”. Gauselmann therefore provides a “strong impulse”.

Intact environment against Corona?

It has been known since November 2019 that Gauselmann against climate change want to use. The German “automaton king” declared the tree campaign to be a matter of the heart. As a father of four sons, grandfather of nine grandchildren and two great-grandchildren, he wanted to make his contribution. “Nature has given me a lot in my long life,” says the statement.

Gauselmann proves that he is serious as he is pushing forward his environmental campaign even during the global health crisis surrounding Covid-19. All German arcades had to close, and Gauselmann is also affected by this. In Australia and throughout Europe, over 700 branches are closed. All employees are on short-time work. You rely on financial reserves, but this does not detract from the entrepreneur's ambitions:

"Even in times of crisis, such as at the moment with the global corona pandemic, it is still important to work for an intact environment and to protect our living space - nature. For example, the 85,000 trees can ensure lifelong drinking water for 16,800 people."

In this sense, Gauselmann's tree campaign (among others) is advertised with the slogan “Forest: W (We) A (all) L (live) D (from it)”. At the same time, we want to support the state's measures to contain the corona pandemic “everywhere we operate”. After the crisis there will be “an even better future” for everyone. The 85,000 trees will also contribute to this.

Ambitious businessman

The consistently high ambitions of the often criticized entrepreneur Paul Gauselmann cannot be denied. “Work is 50 percent hobby and 50 percent duty,” is a motto of the Merkur boss, who created his gambling empire from nothing after the Second World War. In 1957 he started with self-built real cash machines. The first Merkur casino opened in Delmenhorst in 1974. The rest is history.

The Mercury Sun, the brand logo, is now famous worldwide. Gauselmann generates sales of almost 3 billion euros per year and employs over 13,300 people. Merkur arcades have also been on TUI cruisers since November 2018. Gauselmann has also been the official main sponsor of the sports city of Düsseldorf since 2019. Also one Merkur Online Casino has long since been established.

Although Gauselmann resigned as VDAI CEO in November 2019, the entrepreneur is still characterized by a high level of drive. He is still fully involved in the business of his group. In this sense, the 85-year-old, who is considered one of the last German corporate patriarchs, is likely to bring about many movements and innovations in the gaming industry. The same applies to planting trees.