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Aachen, January 17th, 2008

New trees for Aachen's Soers
ALRV and the City of Aachen stand up for the renaturation

On Thursday, an oak was planted jointly by Frank Kemperman, General Manager of the Aachen-Laurensberger Rennverein e.V. (ALRV) and Gisela Nacken, Head of the Planning and Environment Department of the City of Aachen. The City of Aachen and the organiser of the CHIO Aachen, ALRV started their final works in Aachen's Soers in order to compensate for the cross country courses in the Soers that were built in 2006. "From an environmental point of view I am really glad that the competitions are now carried out here in the Soers", said Gisela Nacken. "It's a perfect symbiosis: The ALRV can use the grounds one day a year for the sports, and at the same time the traditional cultural landscape will be revived 365 days a year." Also Kemperman was pleased: "We all have experienced wonderful World Championships here, and also during the CHIO the cross country courses have been welcomed by both the audience and the competitors. There is no place on earth which is more beautiful than the Soers."

The courses had been initially built in the Soers' meadows for the Eventing cross country and the Driving marathon competitions on the occasion of the FEI World Equestrian Games Aachen 2006. Since 2007, they have also been in use for the cross country and marathon competitions in the course of the World Equestrian Festival, CHIO Aachen (June 27th - July 6th). Like with every kind of intervention into nature, there are legal and compulsory requirements for a renaturation. Already in the run-up to the CHIO Aachen 2007, compensatory measures had been undertaken. Now the final phase has started: About 90 trees -oaks, ashes, willows and several waterside woods- as well as 500 meters of hedges will be planted. Additionally the Hochkirchen-brook will be renatured, several source areas will be restored and plantings near Poch/Strüverweg, at the Gut Bau and aside to the Wildbach will be made. Furthermore, the swampy areas near Soerser Hochkirchen have already been enlarged. "We will have fulfilled all requirements until the CHIO Aachen 2008", said Frank Kemperman. And Gisela Nacken is not only looking forward to the spectacular cross country competitions in the course of the CHIO, but is also pleased that "the visitors will finally be able to see a lot of green trees in the Soers again."

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