Association:
Tree circle around the world

S a t e m e n t in the version dated 18 February 2024 

Preamble 

I love the forest! 

After many conversations about the statutes of our association "Baumkreis um die Welt", I enter the forest in the hope of finding clear thoughts. 

A snake crosses my path. Just a few metres further on, I find a crystal and, to my great delight, I hear the small stream rushing, which had been dry for a long time! Yes, it is right to found the association. 

My vision appears before my inner eye: 

A forest that heals people. People who are connected from heart to heart. Connected to the sky, the earth and the trees. A little brook rushes. Accompanied by music. WE have planted these trees. Blessed trees. 

THANK YOU to all those who make the tree circle around the world a reality. A blessing for the world. 

Eisenstadt, 25 May 2023 

Tim Martina Schäffer, co-founder of the association 

1 Name and registered office of the Association, financial year

1. The association bears the name "Tree circle around the world". It is to be entered in the register of associations and will then bear the addition "e.V.". 
2. The association is based in Berlin. 
3. The financial year is the calendar year. 

2 Purpose, non-profit status of the association

1. The association pursues exclusively and directly charitable purposes within the meaning of the section "Tax-privileged purposes" of the German Tax Code. 
2. The purpose of the association is the promotion of nature conservation and landscape conservation in accordance with the Federal Nature Conservation Act and the nature conservation laws of the federal states, as well as the promotion of environmental protection, including climate protection, coastal protection and flood protection. (Fiscal Code (AO), § Section 52 Non-profit purposes, paragraph 2, point 8). The association "Tree circle around the world" aims to plant and care for trees every year. The association also aims to protect existing trees and preserve them as far as possible. The purpose of the statutes is realised in particular through public relations work, with which the members of the association and the board draw attention to the importance of trees and all plants for the climate. The association "Tree circle around the world" has set itself the task of providing comprehensive information about the importance of forests and imparting theoretical and practical knowledge in various events such as lectures, seminars and workshops, panel discussions and guided forest walks. In this way, the association fulfils another important and supplementary educational task (AO, § 52, paragraph 2 point 7, the promotion of education, popular and vocational training including student aid). 
3. The association's activities aim to strengthen the connection between people and nature, for example through cultural events, tree sponsorships, the integration of nature as a space for perception and coaching, the creation and maintenance of a forest garden, joint planting campaigns, etc. 
4. Cooperation with people from all over the world, experts, domestic and foreign associations, communities, initiatives and projects that are committed to climate protection is planned. The idea is that many people will plant trees in their regions and thus make an active contribution to preserving a life-friendly environment. In this way, a network is created that realises the idea of the tree circle around the world. 
5. The long-term aim is to create a meeting place for young and old and for international exchange. 
6. The organisation's activities are based on scientific findings. 
7. The association also endeavours to promote its purposes, in particular through public events, to gain new members and to collect donations. 
8. The association is selflessly active; it does not primarily pursue its own economic purposes. 
9. The association's funds may only be used for the purposes set out in the articles of association. Members shall not receive any benefits from the Association's funds. 
10. No person or organisation may benefit from expenses that are alien to the purpose of the association or from disproportionately high remuneration. 

3 Acquisition of membership

1. Natural and legal persons as well as partnerships with legal capacity can become members of the association. 
2. Admission to the association must be applied for in writing by submitting a membership application to the Executive Board. In the case of minors, the application for membership must be submitted by their legal representatives. The Executive Board decides on the application for membership at its own discretion. It does not have to justify its rejection of the application to the applicant. 
3. At the proposal of the Executive Board, the General Assembly may appoint members or other persons who have rendered outstanding services to the association as honorary members. Honorary membership can also be revoked in justified cases. 

4 Termination of membership

1. Membership of the association ends upon resignation, expulsion or death (in the case of legal entities and partnerships with legal capacity, upon their expiry). 
2. Resignation must be declared in writing to the Executive Board. Resignation can only be declared with a notice period of three months to the end of the financial year (i.e. the notice of resignation must be received by the Executive Board in writing by 30 September of a year in order to give notice for the following year). 
3. A member may be expelled from the association by resolution of the General Meeting if it
   1. culpably damages the reputation or the interests of the association in a serious manner or
   2. is more than six months in arrears with the payment of its membership fee and has not paid the arrears despite a written reminder under threat of expulsion.
4. The member must be given the opportunity to comment on the reasons for the exclusion at the general meeting. These must be communicated to the member at least two weeks in advance. 

5 Rights and obligations of members

1. Every member has the right to use the association's facilities and to participate in joint events. Every member has equal voting and election rights at the general meeting. 
2. Every member has the duty to promote the interests of the Association, in particular to pay their membership fees regularly and, as far as they are able, to support the life of the Association through their co-operation. 

6 Membership fees

1. Each member must pay a membership fee due in advance. If joining the association on or after 1 July of a year, only half of the membership fee for the current year is due. Each member is free to pay a higher membership fee. 
2. The amount of the membership fees is determined by the General Meeting on the proposal of the Executive Board. 
3. Honorary members are exempt from paying membership fees. 
4. In justified individual cases, the Executive Board may decide to reduce the amount of the membership fee or to waive it entirely. 

7 Bodies of the Association

The bodies of the association are the Executive Board, the Advisory Board and the General Meeting. 

8 Management Board

1. The Executive Board consists of the First Chairman, the Second Chairman, the Third Chairman, the Treasurer / Cashier and the Secretary. If a member of the Executive Board is unable to attend, the remaining members of the Executive Board decide on a deputy. 
2. The five members of the Board of Directors each represent the Association alone, i.e. eachEach member of the Executive Board has sole power of representation. Legal transactions that exceed an amount of € 500 or result in an overdraft of the association's account must be approved in advance by at least three members of the Executive Board. 
3. The members of the Executive Board may be paid remuneration. The General Meeting decides on the amount of remuneration. 

9 Tasks of the Executive Board

The Executive Board of the Association is responsible for representing the Association in accordance with Section 26 BGB and managing its business. It has the following tasks in particular: 

1. convening and preparing the general meetings, including drawing up the agenda,
2. the implementation of resolutions of the General Meeting,
3. the administration of the association's assets and the preparation of the annual report,
4. the admission of new members as well as the support and administration of association members,
5. the exclusion of members.

10 Appointment of the Executive Board

1. The members of the Executive Board are elected by the General Meeting for a term of two years. Board members can only be members of the association. Membership of the Executive Board ends with membership of the association. Re-election or premature dismissal of a member of the Executive Board by the General Assembly is permitted. A member of the Executive Board remains in office after the end of the regular term of office until the election of their successor. 
2. Every member of the Association has the right to submit an election proposal for the functions of the Board of Directors no later than one week before the election, whereby their own name may also be included in the election proposal. If a member is unable to attend a general meeting, he/she may express his/her will/decision in writing by submitting a written and signed vote to the Chairman of the Executive Board or one of his/her deputies up to one day before the ordinary or extraordinary general meeting. It must be clearly recognisable to which agenda item the written vote relates. This written vote is only valid for the day of the General Meeting. Voting on the election proposals is prepared in accordance with the principle of the resistance-based decision-making procedure. Resolutions are passed in accordance with the majority principle. 
3. If a member leaves the Executive Board prematurely, the remaining members of the Executive Board are authorised to elect a member of the Association to the Executive Board until the election of a successor by the General Meeting. 

11 Consultation and decision-making by the Executive Board

1. The Board of Directors meets as required. Meetings are convened by the First Chairman, by the Second Chairman if he is unable to attend and by the Third Chairman if he is unable to attend. A notice period of one week should be observed. The Board of Directors is quorate if at least three members are present. If a member of the Board of Directors is unable to attend a meeting of the Board of Directors, he/she may express his/her will/decision in writing by submitting a written and signed vote to the Chairman of the Board of Directors or one of his/her deputies up to one day before the Board of Directors meeting. It must be clearly recognisable to which agenda item the written vote relates. This written vote is only valid for the day of the Board meeting. The sessions can also be conducted "online" via the Internet. 
2. The proposed resolution is adopted in accordance with the principle of the objection-based decision-making procedure. If there is a serious, justified objection to a proposed resolution, this cannot be accepted. In this case, an alternative proposal must be submitted by the member of the Management Board who raised the serious objection. Resolutions are passed according to the majority principle. 
3. The resolutions of the Executive Board must be minuted. The minutes must be signed by the secretary and the Chairman (first, second or third) or another member of the Executive Board. 

12 Advisory Board

1. The Advisory Board consists of a maximum of 15 members. 
2. The Advisory Board has an advisory function; decisions are made by the Executive Board or at the General Meeting. The Advisory Board can fully fulfil its function independently of the Advisory Board members present. 
3. The Advisory Board has the following tasks, rights and duties:
   • Advising the Executive Board in particular on strategic and financial issues
   • The Advisory Board has the right to ask the Executive Board for its opinion on individual projects. The Executive Board is obliged to comply with this request.
   • The Advisory Board has the duty to inform the Executive Board of undesirable developments and, if necessary, to inform the General Meeting.
   • The Advisory Board has the right to submit proposals and motions to the General Meeting.
   • The Advisory Board promotes the ideas and goals of the organisation to the public.
4. Dhe members of the Advisory Board are elected by the General Meeting for a term of two years. Re-election is permitted. Members of the Association as well as persons who are not members of the Association may be elected to the Advisory Board. Advisory Board members may resign from their position at any time without giving reasons.
5. The Executive Board is responsible for convening the Advisory Board meetings. The Advisory Board must be convened if the interests of the Association so require or if at least two members of the Advisory Board so request. 
6. The meetings of the Advisory Board are chaired by a member of the Executive Board, namely the First Chairperson, the Second Chairperson if the First Chairperson is unable to attend and the Third Chairperson if the Second Chairperson is also unable to attend. All members of the Executive Board have the right to be present at Advisory Board meetings. Meetings of the Advisory Board must be convened with reasonable notice. The meetings of the Advisory Board can be combined with the meetings of the Executive Board and held online via the Internet. 

13 Tasks of the General Meeting

The General Meeting is responsible for decisions on the following matters: 

a) Amendments to the Articles of Association,

b) the determination and amendment of membership fees,

c) the appointment of honorary members and the exclusion of members from the association,

d) the election and dismissal of members of the Executive Board and the Advisory Board,

e) acceptance of the annual report and discharge of the Board of Directors,

f) the dissolution of the

14 Convening of the General Meeting

1. The Executive Board must convene an ordinary general meeting at least once a year. The meeting shall be convened in writing, giving two weeks' notice and stating the agenda. General meetings can be held "online" via the Internet. 
2. The agenda is set by the Executive Board. Any member of the association may submit a written request to the Executive Board to add items to the agenda no later than one week before the General Meeting. The Executive Board shall decide on the application. The General Meeting decides on motions for the agenda that have not been included by the Executive Board or that are submitted for the first time at the General Meeting. 
3. The Executive Board must convene an Extraordinary General Meeting if the interests of the Association so require or if at least one tenth of the members so request in writing, stating the purpose and reasons. 

15 Resolutions of the General Meeting

1. The General Meeting is chaired by the First Chairman of the Board of Directors, by the Second Chairman if he is unable to attend and by the Third Chairman if he is unable to attend. If the latter is also unable to attend, the General Meeting elects a chairperson from among its members. 
2. The General Meeting shall constitute a quorum if at least one third of all members of the Association are present. If a member is unable to attend a General Meeting, they can express their will/decision in writing by submitting a written and signed vote to the Chairman of the Executive Board or his deputy up to one day before the ordinary or extraordinary General Meeting. It must be clearly recognisable to which agenda item the written vote relates. This written vote is only valid for the day of the General Meeting. If there is no quorum, the Executive Board is obliged to convene a second General Meeting with the same agenda within four weeks. This shall constitute a quorum regardless of the number of members present. This must be indicated in the invitation. 
3. The decision-making process at the General Meeting is based on the principle of the objection-based decision-making procedure. If there is a serious objection to a proposed resolution, it cannot be adopted as it stands. Those members who have raised a serious objection are obliged to justify their objection and to submit an alternative proposal for finding a solution or to participate in its preparation. If several variants are presented for decision, the resolution is passed according to the majority principle. 
4. Minutes must be taken of the proceedings of the General Meeting and the resolutions passed, which must be signed by the secretary and the chairman of the meeting. 

16 Dissolution of the association, termination for other reasons, discontinuation of tax-privileged purposes

1. In the event of the dissolution of the Association, the First Chairman, if he is unable to do so, the Second Chairman and, if he is unable to do so, the Third Chairman of the Executive Board, i.e. two persons in the aforementioned order, are authorised liquidators, unless the General Meeting appoints other persons. 
2. If the association is dissolved or cancelled or if tax-privileged purposes cease to exist, the assets of the association shall be transferred to a legal entity under public law or another tax-privileged corporation. The assets of the organisation shall be used for purposes that correspond to the original purpose of the organisation, for reforestation or conservation, for example of trees and forests. 
3. The above provisions shall apply accordingly if the legal capacity of the association has been withdrawn. 

17 Cash auditors

1. The General Meeting elects two cash auditors who may not be members of the entire Board of Directors. 
2. The term of office of the cash auditors is two years. Re-election for a further term of office is permitted. The General Meeting may instead or additionally decide that the Executive Board commissions qualified third parties to audit the correctness of the management. 
3. At least once a year, the cash auditors shall audit the entire association's treasury, including all accounts, accounting documents and receipts, and shall submit a report to the General Assembly. They are authorised to carry out a comprehensive audit of all accounts and documents from a factual and mathematical perspective. 
4. The auditors propose that the actions of the Executive Board be approved at the General Meeting. 

18 DIS Arbitration Rules

The Association adopts the Rules of Arbitration of the German Arbitration Institute (DAS) as its own rules. These are the "Arbitration Rules of the German Institution of Arbitration (DIS)" (Rules of Procedure for the "German Court of Arbitration"). 

Dietramszell, 28.05.2023