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

5th anniversary of our professorship

Open Day

On the occasion of our 5th anniversary of the Chair of Forest Entomology and Forest Conservation, we cordially invite you to an open day with a varied program on 22 March from 13:30. In addition to the presentation of our research and a guided tour of the Exploratorium Lebendiges Wittental, we are particularly looking forward to the vernissage on the subject of “Fragile” with works on insects in the art of the artist Sonia Itten. All are very welcome!

Thesis on the ambrosia beetle Platypus cylindrus

Renowned Scientific Award for a Thesis on the Oak Pinhole Borer

Marcel Hugo Decker has been awarded the prestigious Förderpreis der Ingrid Weiss / Horst Wiehe Stiftung for his thesis titled „Eine Übersicht zur Biologie, entopischen Historie und Waldschutzsituation des Ambrosiakäfers Platypus cylindrus (Fabricius, 1792) (Eichenkernkäfer) sowie einer experimentellen Untersuchung seiner Pilzsymbionten auf autochthonen und allochthonen Holzsubstraten.” The award is presented by the Deutsche Gesellschaft für allgemeine und angewandte Entomologie (DGaaE) for an outstanding scientific work on a purely entomological topic.

Keynote Speech at the DGaaE meeting

Congratulations to Vienna for her invitation as a Keynote speaker!

Dr. Vienna Kowallik has been invited to give a keynote speech on “Insect-Microorganism Interactions” at the meeting of the German Society for General and Applied Entomology. The Entomology Conference 2025 of the DGaaE will take place in Geisenheim from March 17 to 20, 2025. In her lecture, Vienna will highlight the effects of anthropogenic disturbances on the microbial symbiosis in honey bees and bark beetles. She will focus on two systems that react quite differently to environmental changes.

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