As the Sägewerk team, we are fully aware that organizing this festival comes with great responsibility for how we interact with and impact the environment. That’s why nature conservation, environmental protection, and sustainability play a key role in every step of our planning.

This year in particular, species protection has become a central focus. In close cooperation with local authorities, a conservation conflict was identified due to the presence of sensitive and protected animal species on and around the site. To address this respectfully, we entered into months of active communication with environmental agencies and expert planners. As a result, we agreed to move the festival date to late summer to avoid disturbing the sensitive breeding periods of local bird species. In addition, an environmental consultant was brought on board to implement specific measures for local lizard species, such as the installation of reptile fences and the careful relocation of animals where necessary.

With the approval of the Lower Nature Conservation Authority and the successful implementation of these measures, the Sägewerk Festival 2025 will take place at the end of August.

 

We are highly motivated to leave behind as small an ecological footprint as possible and focus in particular on the following areas:

 

Mobility:

Sägewerk is easily accessible by regional train. There are regular connections from Berlin, Leipzig, and Dresden to Jänschwalde Ost. From the station, the festival site is just a short bike ride away. There are plenty of bike racks and secure parking spots near the entrance.
Alternatively, we offer a shuttle service from the station directly to the gate. There is also the option of traveling by coach from Berlin. Updates about the departure point will follow.
We strongly encourage travel by public transport as the most climate-friendly option. If you prefer the comfort of a car or camper van, we kindly ask you to fill all seats with fellow festival-goers, for the sake of the planet.

 

Food:

All food trucks at the festival serve exclusively vegetarian and vegan meals,  diverse, delicious, and sustainable. We avoid all single-use plastic dishes and encourage guests to bring their own reusable containers. To minimize food waste, we’ll offer a donation station for leftover food and gear after the festival. These donations will go to local charities, food banks, or community organizations. You can donate your Camping equipment as well. If it is undamaged we can donate it too and if it's broken or damaged in any way we want to use the materials for sustainable fashion and art projects.

 

Communication & Education:

Sustainability starts with awareness. That’s why education and clear communication are central pillars of our environmental strategy.

From the very beginning of the build-up, our team is briefed on eco-conscious behavior and resource handling, including waste separation, using biodegradable products, and water conservation.
We also share eco tips and info via social media, on-site signage, and the festival booklet – covering everything from using biodegradable soap to sorting trash properly.
Our goal: to build a shared sense of environmental responsibility and make sustainability a natural part of the Sägewerk experience.

 

Nature Conservation:

All of our work takes place strictly within the designated festival area, without affecting nearby protected zones. We stick to existing paths and avoid cutting or damaging trees, shrubs, and plants. Green waste is cleared away to prevent animals from settling in potentially unsafe spots ahead of the event. We also provide biodegradable soap and dishwashing liquid to avoid harmful chemicals ending up in the soil or groundwater.

 

Species Protection:

The protection of endangered and sensitive species has taken on particular importance in the planning of the Sägewerk Festival 2025. In detailed discussions with the Lower Nature Conservation Authority and specialist environmental planners, it became clear that several protected species inhabit the area in and around the festival site – most notably ground-nesting birds and various species of reptiles.

As organizers, we feel a deep responsibility to respect these habitats and to find a way to hold the festival in harmony with the local ecosystem. Over the course of several months, we engaged in a continuous and collaborative dialogue with all relevant stakeholders to assess the ecological situation and explore possible solutions.

This process led to the development of a comprehensive protection strategy that balances the needs of the festival with those of the natural environment. A key decision was to reschedule the event to late summer, a time when sensitive nesting periods of local bird populations have concluded – thereby avoiding disturbance to breeding and rearing phases.

In addition, a number of targeted conservation measures were designed and initiated to protect the reptile species present on the grounds. These include the installation of reptile fencing to keep animals away from high-traffic areas, as well as relocation efforts led by ecological experts to ensure the safety of individual animals prior to the start of the event.

All of these actions were guided by a formal species protection assessment and carried out in close coordination with the responsible conservation authorities. This collaborative and science-based approach ensures that the measures are both legally sound and ecologically effective.

We are proud and grateful that, thanks to this shared commitment and careful planning, Sägewerk Festival 2025 can take place at the end of August, in a way that is mindful of the valuable wildlife that calls this area home.

 

Waste Management

During the festival, we want to continue separating waste diligently with your help! Each of you will receive a trash bag from us in which you can collect your waste. For larger camps, we will also provide an additional bag for glass waste.

There is a waste deposit system: everyone can reclaim their €10 waste deposit by handing in a full trash bag.

There are plenty of waste stations and ashtrays throughout the site, and we’ll also hand out pocket ashtrays at the entrance. These are mostly repurposed film canisters and plastic bottle preforms, designed to help you dispose of cigarette butts on the go so they don’t end up polluting the environment.

During and after the festival, we also collect any trash that didn’t make it into a bin.

 

CO₂ Footprint Assessment

Looking toward a more climate-friendly future, we don’t just want to act sustainably, we want to make our impact measurable. That’s why, in 2024, we started a pilot project to calculate the CO₂ footprint of the Sägewerk Festival. In 2025, this project will be continued and refined.

But what actually is a CO₂ footprint?

A CO₂ footprint assessment helps us figure out how many greenhouse gas emissions are caused by planning and running the festival and how we can analyze and reduce them over time. We include all relevant sources of emissions: travel by visitors, electricity usage, materials we use for construction, food and drinks. Basically everything that leaves a measurable emission trace.

How do we do it?
We follow the internationally recognized standards ISO 14067 (Carbon Footprint of Products) and ISO 14068 (Climate Neutrality). To get the numbers right, we use emission factors provided by the Umweltbundesamt (UBA) and guidelines from the Bundesamts für Wirtschaft und Ausfuhrkontrolle (BAFA).

These “emission factors” are basically reference numbers that tell us how much CO₂ is produced by a certain activity, like bruning one liter of gasoline, riding 100 km on the train or using 1 kg of polyester.
We combine these factors with our actual resource use: how many kilometers were driven? How much power was consumed? What materials did we use?

All of this is multiplied and added up and in the end, we get a total amount of CO₂ equivalents. CO₂ equivalents are a unit that lets us compare different greenhouse gases (like methane, nitrous oxide, etc.) by converting them into the impact they would have as if they were CO₂. That way, we can combine emissions from gasoline, train rides, and construction materials into one big, understandable number.

This calculated footprint gives us a clear overview and helps us track our climate performance over the years. It shows us exactly where we can make the biggest difference in reducing emissions.

Our long-term goal: Avoid emissions first, then reduce what we can and finally compensate what’s left through certified climate projects. But the priority will always be: reduction over compensation.

Our mission as organizers is to respect and protect the environment in which Sägewerk takes place. We want to be transparent about our efforts and invite you to join us in building a more sustainable festival experience. We’ve created an Environmental Guide for all participants, which will be shared ahead of the festival.
For questions or suggestions, feel free to email us at umwelt@khisdapaze.de – we’re happy to hear from you!