Sustainability Award
And the winner is........!
The 2026 Bocholt Sustainability Award goes to NABU
© Stadt Bocholt
The Bocholt group of the NABU Borken district association has won the 2026 Bocholt Sustainability Award. Second and third places went to the Wildwiese nursery and the second-hand and pop-up shop PLAAN•B. In addition, the jury awarded a special prize to the project "GEMeinsam Heilignachmittag".
Around 80 guests attended the awards ceremony at the Westphalian University of Applied Sciences on Friday 9 October. The town of Bocholt has presented the Sustainability Award for the second time, following its inaugural edition in 2024. Thirteen projects had entered the competition. The surprise at receiving the award was clearly evident among all the winners.
The Bocholt Sustainability Prize is awarded every two years and recognises projects that combine environmental, economic and social aspects. The prize money continues to be sponsored by stadtwerker. Once again, a jury comprising representatives from politics, the civil service, academia, the media and the main sponsor decided on the winners.
First place - and with it 5,000 euros - went to the NABU Bocholt group for their project "'Bocholt's Aasee & Hohenhorster Berge: Sustainable Protection and Enhancement for Bocholt'". In doing so, the jury also recognised the group's long-standing commitment to making Bocholt a better place, step by step. Michael Wiesmann, who presented the award, emphasised that environmental protection strengthens the town's image and is a locational advantage for both people and businesses. With the "Blue Classroom", the group aims to make greater use of the Aasee for environmental education in future. As a lasting symbol of the award, a native tree will be planted by the Aasee next year in collaboration with NABU.
....the winner is: Borken District Nature Conservation Association - Bocholt Branch
The second prize, worth 2,500 euros, goes to the Wildwiese nursery, run by the 'Jugend & soziale Arbeit' association. Under the title "Experiencing Sustainability", the nursery is collaborating with Sakina Döing's Naturhof Bocholt, which had also entered the competition. The focus is on social environmental education, through which children gain first-hand experience of nature and sustainability. The laudatory speech was given by Elke Cappell-Knorr.
The jury awarded third place and 1,000 euros to PLAAN•B. The presenter, Michael Jansen, visibly surprised the prize-winners with his words of praise. The sisters Romy, Ninja and Gina Wenningmann founded the second-hand and pop-up shop and run it together, as they describe it, "with a heart from Bocholt and in the heart of Bocholt%$.
Jürgen Elmer, managing director of stadtwerker and sponsor of the sustainability award, delivered a special laudatory speech. This year, in addition to the three main prizes, the jury announced a special prize of 1,000 euros, which was donated by the sponsor. It goes to the project "GEMeinsam Heilignachmittag - The smart revolution against silence", a social venture project in cooperation with the city of Bocholt. With this special prize, the jury aims to support the project's further development.
The keynote speech of the evening was delivered by science journalist and TV presenter Thomas Ranft, entitled "Sustainability as a gain, because moaning isn't a solution either%$. Ranft advocated a mindful approach to oneself and the environment. The current state of the world can certainly dampen one's spirits, he said, but it is precisely from this that energy for new endeavours can be drawn. Fear is not a good guide, he added, as crises have time and again given rise to developments that have subsequently made life better or easier. As an example, he cited the invention of the bicycle, which stemmed from a famine and the resulting shortage of horses. Ranft illustrated his appeal - that everyone can make a contribution - with the image of an ant: it clears a twig from its path without realising that, in doing so, it is also clearing the forest.
Sponsor of the prize money
Sustainability Policy
© Stadt Bocholt
In 2022, the City Council adopted a "guideline on the awarding of the City of Bocholt Sustainability Prize". The prize is awarded every two years.
"The City of Bocholt's Sustainability Award is presented for innovative ideas, concepts and projects that combine social, economic and ecological factors in an exemplary and successful manner to create sustainable solutions", emphasises the City Council. Entries are assessed on the basis of various criteria, such as their local connection to the town or their benefit to the general public.
At least two of the three pillars of sustainability should be addressed. The award seeks long-term measures - not one-off initiatives - that contribute to the conservation of resources, demonstrate economic benefits or promote social and cultural engagement in the town.
We look forward to hearing new ideas for Bocholt's sustainable development that might inspire others to follow suit. After all, each one in its own right strengthens our town's so-called "grandchild-friendliness"!
Sascha Terörde, Climate Protection Unit
The jury
A jury will consider the applications submitted and select a winning project.
The jury consists of:
- the mayor,
- the chairpersons of the political committees
"Economy, Trade and Tourism",
"Climate, Environment and Energy" and
"Labour, Health, Social Affairs, Inclusion and Equality", - a representative from Westphalian University of Applied Sciences,
- a regional media representative, and
- a representative of the main sponsor, Bocholt Energy and Water Supply (BEW).
The first prize is worth 5,000 euros. - In addition, as a symbol of sustainability, a tree will be planted in the city for the winning project.
Sponsor of the Sustainability Award
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