Zentrum für Umwelt und Kultur Benediktbeuern

The Zentrum für Umwelt und Kultur Benediktbeuern (ZUK) is a non-profit environmental and cultural center located in the Maierhof of Benediktbeuern Abbey in the Bavarian municipality of Benediktbeuern, in the district of Bad Tölz-Wolfratshausen. It was founded in 1988 on the initiative of the Salesians of Don Bosco, with Herbert Bihlmayer SDB among its co-founders; he chaired the sponsoring association until 2011. From 1997 to 2017, Ottmar Schoch SDB served as coordinator. The center operates as a registered association (e. V.) and is part of the Don Bosco Kloster Benediktbeuern. ZUK pursues two main goals: preserving the natural foundations of life and cultural heritage, and promoting education for sustainable development from a Christian responsibility for creation. Its work is guided by the abbey's motto "Youth, Creation, Education – today for tomorrow." The center manages several facilities, including the Maierhof environmental youth education center, an academy for teacher and educator training, adult education courses, an environmental library, guest rooms, conference areas, and a cultural office that organizes cultural programs and open-air concerts. The Energiepavillon, built in 2004 next to the abbey's energy center, houses energy and geo workshops, the nature conservation and landscape management office, and self-catering areas. In the surrounding moorland, ZUK maintains two bird observation stations (Moosmühle and Fuchsbichlstadl), a high moor adventure trail, a barefoot path, a sound path, a woodland trail, and adventure biotopes for environmental education. Additional facilities include the Kohlstattalm on the Benediktenwand, the Loisachstadl in the moor, and a hut near Lake Kochelsee. The center is supported by a sponsoring association (Trägerverbund e. V.) comprising three religious orders, foundations, institutions, companies, and regional authorities. Main funding comes from the Association of Friends and Sponsors (Verein der Freunde und Förderer e. V.), the Salesians of Don Bosco, the Allianz Umweltstiftung, and the Deutsche Bundesstiftung Umwelt. In 2022, former employees founded the association LET'S DO MOOR e. V. to support the monastery's educational institutions. Following a severe hailstorm in August 2023, not all rooms in the Maierhof were available, so in June 2025 a temporary campsite with tipis and yurts was opened in the abbey's orchard. The ZUK continues to be active in nature conservation, environmental education, and model projects for climate and moor protection, working with agriculture and science.

The Zentrum für Umwelt und Kultur Benediktbeuern (ZUK) was founded in 1988 on the initiative of the Salesians of Don Bosco, a Catholic religious order. It is housed in the Maierhof of Benediktbeuern Abbey, a historic monastery complex in the Bavarian municipality of Benediktbeuern. Among the co-founders was Herbert Bihlmayer SDB, who served as chairman of the sponsoring association (Trägerverbund) until 2011. From 1997 to 2017, Ottmar Schoch SDB acted as coordinator of the center. The ZUK was established to combine nature conservation, environmental education, and cultural activities within the setting of the monastery. Its mission is rooted in the Christian responsibility for creation, as expressed in the abbey's guiding principle "Youth, Creation, Education – today for tomorrow." Over the decades, the center developed a wide range of facilities and programs. The Maierhof became home to an environmental youth education center (Umweltjugendbildungsstätte), an academy for teacher and educator training, adult education courses, an environmental library, guest rooms, self-catering areas, a conference area, and a cultural office that organizes cultural events and open-air concerts. In 2004, the Energiepavillon (Energy Pavilion) was built next to the monastery's energy center. It houses energy and geo workshops used by the educational institutions, as well as the nature conservation and landscape management office, which also oversees the management of the Loisach-Kochelsee moorland. In the surrounding moor, ZUK maintains two bird observation stations: Moosmühle, a winter feeding station with an artificial biotope, and Fuchsbichlstadl, located at a lapwing biotope grazed by cattle and water buffalo in summer. The center also created a high moor adventure trail, a barefoot path, a sound path, a woodland trail (Gehölzpfad Klosterland), and adventure biotopes for environmental education. Additional facilities include the Kohlstattalm on the Benediktenwand, the Loisachstadl in the moor, and a hut near Lake Kochelsee. The ZUK is supported by a sponsoring association (Trägerverbund e. V.) composed of three religious orders, several foundations, institutions, companies, and regional authorities. Main funding comes from the Association of Friends and Sponsors (Verein der Freunde und Förderer e. V.), whose members include prominent figures from business, society, and politics such as Hans Zehetmair, Georg Fahrenschon, and Marcel Huber. Other major supporters are the Salesians of Don Bosco, the Allianz Umweltstiftung, and the Deutsche Bundesstiftung Umwelt. In 2022, former employees (including former civil service volunteers, FÖJ/FSJ participants) founded the association LET'S DO MOOR e. V. to support the monastery's educational institutions. In August 2023, a devastating hailstorm caused severe damage to the Maierhof, leaving many rooms unusable for regular activities. As a response, in June 2025 ZUK opened a temporary campsite with permanently installed tipis and yurts in the abbey's orchard to continue offering accommodation and educational programs. The center remains active in nature conservation, environmental education, and model projects for climate and moor protection, working in collaboration with agriculture and science.

• 2025

  Temporary campsite with tipis and yurts opens in the abbey's orchard in June.

• 2023

  Severe hailstorm in August damages the Maierhof, leaving many rooms unusable.

• 2022

  Former employees found the association LET'S DO MOOR e. V. to support the monastery's educational institutions.

• 2017

  Ottmar Schoch SDB ends his role as coordinator.

• 2011

  Herbert Bihlmayer SDB ends his chairmanship of the sponsoring association.

• 2004

  Energiepavillon (Energy Pavilion) built next to the monastery's energy center.

• 1997

  Ottmar Schoch SDB becomes coordinator of the center.

• 1988

  ZUK founded on the initiative of the Salesians of Don Bosco in the Maierhof of Benediktbeuern Abbey.

Non-profit environmental and cultural center combining nature conservation, environmental education, and Christian creation responsibility within a historic monastery setting.

• Environmental youth education programs

  Offers for kindergarten groups, school classes, youth groups, and families, including nature guides, multi-day environmental weeks, and religious-themed weekends.

• Academy for teacher and educator training

  Provides further education for teachers and educators, and organizes symposia on energy and nature topics.

• Adult education courses

  Open courses on topics related to the ZUK's fields of activity.

• Nature conservation and landscape management

  Active conservation work in the Loisach-Kochelsee moorland, including habitat preservation and species diversity projects.

• Cultural events and open-air concerts

  Organized by the Kulturbüro, including concerts in the Maierhof.

• Guest accommodation and conference facilities

  Guest rooms, self-catering areas, and conference spaces in the Maierhof and temporary campsite.

1. 1Das Naturschutzzentrum ZUK e.V. in Benediktbeuern - ZUKzuk-bb.de
2. 2Zentrum für Umwelt und Kultur Benediktbeuern - Wikidatawikidata.org
3. 3Zentrum für Umwelt und Kultur Benediktbeuern - Wikipediade.wikipedia.org