INTERFORST 2018

•••4••• Branchennews Forestry System Transformation A new, unique English-language Master’s study programme will be launched in winter semester 2018/2019 by the Eberswalde Uni- versity for Sustainable Develop- ment (HNEE): The new Forestry System Transformation (FST) stu- dy programme raises the number of courses in the Forest and Envi- ronment faculty to a total of five. In the course of the 4-semester study programme, students will develop an understanding of the impact of changing conditions and changing use of forest resour- ces on forest ecosystems, ecosys- tem goods and services and the connected value-added chains. The degree programme is gea- red towards graduates of fore- stry, applied forestry or environ- mental sciences degrees. Areas of employment include national and international companies in the fields of bioeconomy, politics and business consulting as well as accreditation companies and plan- ning offices. Bioeconomy Conference Unter demMotto „Bio meets Eco- nomy – Science meets Industry“ laden der WissenschaftsCampus Halle und das BioEconomy Cluster Mitteldeutschland am 15. und 16. Mai 2019 zur 8. International Bioeconomy Conference nach Hal- le an der Saale ein. Die 2012 ins Le- ben gerufene Veranstaltung zählt zu den wichtigsten Terminen der Bioökonomie in Deutschland und versammelt jährlich renommierte, internationale Vertreter aus Wis- senschaft und Industrie für einen Austausch über neueste For- schungsergebnisse, Innovationen und aktuelle Entwicklungen an den Märkten. Die Bioökonomie biete zahlreiche Ansätze, um mit wissensbasiertem und nachhalti- gem Wirtschaften Klima und Un- welt für nachfolgende Generatio- nen lebenswert zu erhalten, heißt es. Von Pflanzen- und Lebensmit- telforschung über Land- und Forstwirtschaft bis hin zu Che- mie-, Pharma- und Biotechindust- rie beziehungsweise dem Bereich innovativer Materialien arbeiten unzählige Wissenschaftler und Unternehmer an nachhaltigen und biobasierten Strategien, Me- thoden und Produkten. Gespenstisch aber wenig bedrohlich Weiße Gespenster am Straßen- rand: Eingesponnene und kahl ge- fressene Sträucher leuchten Früh- jahr für Frühjahr weiß und silbern im Sonnenlicht. Die gespenstischen „Verhüllungsaktionen“ à la Christo der Gespinstmotten sind spektaku- lär, aber für Mensch und Pflanze we- nig bedrohlich, heißt es bei der Bay- erischen Landesanstalt für Wald und Forstwirtschaft (LWF). Die Raupen fressen an den Blättern des Pfaffen- hütchens (lateinisch Euonymus euro- paeus, auch Spindelbaum genannt) – das ist erstaunlich, denn alle Pflan- zenteile enthalten hochwirksame Giftstoffe, an denen selbst große Weidetiere sterben können. Stark be- fallene Pfaffenhütchen können auch komplett kahl gefressen werden. Die Pfaffenhütchen-Sträucher erholen sich aber im Laufe der Vegetationszeit wieder. Zwei bis drei Wochen nach dem Kahlfraß treiben sie wieder aus. More than 1.4 million hectares First map of the remaining primary forests in Europe published T he first map of the remaining prima- ry forests in Europe has been com- piled by scientists at the Geography De- partment of the Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin (HU). The map includes more than 1.4 million hectares of primary forest across 34 coun- tries. “It is not that these forests were never touched by man, this would be hard to believe in Europe,” explains Dr. Francesco Maria Sa- batini. He is coordinator of the new study which has now been published in the journal Diversity & Distributions. “Still, these are forests in which there are no clear visible indications of human activi- ties, and in which ecological pro- cesses follow natural dynamics.” “Although these forests only make up a very small fraction of the forested area of Europe they have enormous value for conser- vation,” Prof. Dr Tobias Kümmerle (HU), co-author, highlights. “Primary forests are the only places where many species on the verge of extinction are still to be found. These forests are also vital for better understanding how hu- man influences affect the forest eco- system. Knowing where to find the last remaining primary forests is therefore extremely important. But prior to this study, there was simply no unified map for Europe.” In order to prepare this map, several dif- ferent datasets needed to be merged and harmonized. Dr. Francesco Maria Sabatini: “The success of the study re- lied on collaborating with hundreds of forestry specialists, NGO activists, and other experts who shared their knowl- edge about their countries with us.” Although these forests occupy an area higher than previously expected, the study shows in particular that primary forests in Europe remain generally very rare, are located in remote ar- eas, and are fragmented into small patches. Although 89 per cent of Europe’s primary forests are lo- cated within protected areas, they are still threatened. Valuable evidence “Wide patches of primary forest are currently logged in mountain areas, for instance in Romania and Slovakia or in some Balkan coun- tries. A soaring demand for bio- energy coupled with high rates of illegal logging are leading to the destruction of this irreplaceable natural heritage – often without people even being aware that these forests are primary,” ex- plains Professor Miroslav Svobo- da, University of Life Science in Prague and co-author of the study. The new map can contribute to preserv- ing these forests. In addition, the map provides valuable evidence of where further undiscovered patches of primary forest might be. Map of the last remaining pristine for- ests in Europe Photo: Esri, HERE, Garmin,OpenStreetMapcontributors,GISusercommunity Gespinste der Pfaffenhütchen-Gespinstmotte Foto: Kurt Amereller, LWF