At AM ALPHA, Returning Real Value is reflected in its buildings, strategies and investment decisions. But that is only part of the story. The other part begins where the future takes shape – not in figures, but in minds.
Through its support of WaldLife Thurnstein, AM ALPHA is helping to make the value of local forests visible and tangible. The initiative offers free, expert-led forest experience tours for children, groups of all ages and schools. It opens up new ways to discover the forest as a place of learning, experience and life – with the aim of sharing knowledge and encouraging a responsible approach to nature.
In this interview, Philipp LaRosée, Managing Director at AM ALPHA, explains why this is also where an essential part of Returning Real Value begins.
Mr LaRosée, at first glance, WaldLife Thurnstein may seem like an unusual fit for AM ALPHA. Why does it fit so well with the idea of Returning Real Value?
Because we do not only measure value in square metres or returns. For us, value is what lasts – even when the numbers have long been forgotten. So, if we take Returning Real Value seriously, we have to look further; What do we pass on? What shapes the next generation?
WaldLife Thurnstein starts exactly there. Children experience the environment not just as a backdrop but as the foundation of our lives. And once they truly understand that, they will make different decisions later on. This is not a side project. It is responsibility – perhaps in one of its most effective forms.
8 tonnes of CO₂: That is the amount of CO₂ that one hectare of forest binds on average each year. To put this into perspective: it is roughly equivalent to the emissions of more than ten return trips in a small car from Munich to Lisbon. This makes the climate protection value of forests tangible – year after year, right on our doorstep.
Where do you see the connection to the real estate industry?
The construction and real estate sectors are one of the largest sources of CO₂ emissions worldwide. At the same time, forests are among the most effective natural climate protectors. If we are serious about climate neutrality, we need to bring both perspectives together: reducing emissions and strengthening natural systems.
That is where the opportunity lies. By looking beyond the building itself and supporting the natural foundations around us, we can create genuine, long-term climate value.
What makes WaldLife Thurnstein different from a traditional forest tour?
The forest works differently from any classroom. It does not explain – it lets you experience. Children smell, touch, listen and observe. They ask questions that no textbook would have prompted. And they discover answers for themselves.
That is where its strength lies. It is not about knowledge that fades after a lesson. It is about experiences that stay. The forest becomes a place of discovery – and that changes perspectives.
So much more than a backdrop:
Forests store carbon, stabilise the water cycle, filter dust and air pollutants and provide habitats for countless species. They are climate protectors, places of retreat and adventure playgrounds at the same time. That is why it matters so much that children do not only learn about the forest but that they experience it as a living ecosystem for themselves.
Why is it important to bring this topic to young people in such a practical way?
Because we have seen that awareness of environmental and climate issues has grown steadily in recent years. But awareness alone does not change anything. Real understanding begins when it becomes personal experience. WaldLife picks up on this growing interest– and turns it into something that can last: attitude, awareness and responsibility.
WaldLife deliberately starts with very young children. Why is that so important?
Because that is where it all begins. When children build a connection with nature early on, appreciation follows. And from appreciation, responsibility can grow quite naturally. What we experience early in life often stays with us for a long time. That is why WaldLife starts where curiosity is at its strongest. The fact that schools are now also interested in using the forest as a classroom shows that something is emerging here with the potential to grow. And we hope it catches on.
101.5 million cubic metres of annual wood growth:
That is how much wood grows back in German forests every year. The figure illustrates the enormous biological performance of forests – and the importance of managing them responsibly.
How does this commitment reflect AM ALPHA’s self-image?
AM ALPHA thinks in generations. That means we do not only develop real estate – we also take responsibility for the environment in which our assets exist. And that environment is not made up of buildings alone, but first and foremost of people.
WaldLife makes this visible: long-term value is created when we think beyond our core business. As a global family office, we connect this mindset with concrete action – supporting international projects as well as local initiatives and creating impact on different levels.
11.5 million hectares of forest in Germany:
That is the size of Germany’s forest area – around 32 percent of the country’s total area. Forests are therefore not a side issue, but a central part of our ecosystem. They influence the climate, the water balance and biodiversity alike.
30 billion trees:
That is the approximate number of trees growing in Germany’s forests. Behind this figure lies a highly complex system that helps regulate water, air quality and carbon storage – and therefore has a direct impact on our lives.
If you had to sum it up in one thought: What does Returning Real Value mean in a project like this?
It means that we do not only invest – we pass something on. Not only resources, but understanding. Not only knowledge, but attitude. And perhaps most importantly: the ability to ask the right questions. When children learn to understand the forest as a living system, it changes the way they see the world. And that may be the greatest value of all: one that grows quietly but that lasts for a long time.
WaldLife in numbers
4 tours: WaldLife Thurnstein currently offers four different tour formats, all free of charge. They range from discovering the beaver habitat for primary school and kindergarten children to tours for families, adults and groups on the topic of “Forest in Transition”.
0 Euro: All tours are free of charge. The low barrier to entry is intentional: as many children, families and schools as possible should be able to experience the forest as a place of learning and discovery.
3 to 99 years: The programme ranges from kindergarten children aged three and above to adults. WaldLife therefore does not treat nature education as a one-off activity, but as a topic relevant at all stages of life.
2 experienced guides: Michael Wollner and Johannes Frankenberger guide the groups through the WaldLife tours. Both work as foresters in the Thurnstein forest administration and combine professional expertise with extensive experience in nature and environmental education.
