Chair of Forest Entomology and Protection

Faculty of Environment and Natural Resources

Chair of Forest Entomology and Forest Protection

Abkürzung der Fakultät für Umwelt und Natürliche Ressourcen "unr" in der Farbe sand auf grünem, kreisförmigen Hintergrund

We are working on a better understanding of the ecology and evolution of forest insects in order to maintain the ecological and forest ecosystem services of our forests in the long term. Our professorship is located in Stegen-Wittental, on the edge of the Dreisamtal valley, about 10 km east of Freiburg. Here we have several buildings, including greenhouses and laboratories, as well as a large open space – ideal conditions for learning, teaching and research.

News

Freshly created pond, two students at work, greenhouse in the background, nesting mound in the foreground

StuRa funding also in 2026

Expansion of the “Vibrant Wittental” project

With the help of funding from the student proposal budget, the “Exploratorium” for biodiversity and species knowledge was launched in 2022. In the fifth year of the project, the student council is now funding a further expansion. Plans include the creation of a barrier-free permanent exhibition of the forest zoology collection and the development of new teaching and learning materials to strengthen species knowledge.

31.07.2025

Visit from the Eva Mayr-Stihl Foundation

The Eva Mayr-Stihl Foundation has been funding our “Exploratorium Vibrant Wittental” project since 2024. Robert Mayr, founder and chairman of the foundation, and Susann Pfeiffer, who is responsible for science and research, recently visited us for the first time. The topic of the visit was current research approaches to investigating the sensory impressions of bark beetles during the recolonization of trees.

5th anniversary of our professorship

Lively interest in the open day

On 22 March 2025, the Chair of Forest Entomology and Forest Conservation hosted an open day to mark its fifth anniversary. What happens in the yellow villa on the edge of the forest in Wittental and in the associated greenhouses and laboratories? What is researched here and what are the changes to the site all about? These and other questions attracted numerous interested visitors on Saturday afternoon.

Research

Our research focus and current projects

Teaching

Our range of courses and information about theses

Publications

Overview of our publications, conference presentations, articles in the media and more

Exploratorium Vibrant Wittental

Students, together with teachers and members of the public, use the large site of our chair for hands-on biodiversity education.

Learn more

Student shows visitors the habitats for amphibians