Seal element of the university of freiburg in the shape of a clover
  • Gehörnte Mauerbiene (Osmia cornuta) auf einer Blüte

Faculty of Environment and Natural Resources

Chair of Nature Conservation and Landscape Ecology

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

We study experimentally and at the landscape level the interactions between biodiversity and ecosystem functioning, teach with enthusiasm to inspire the next generation, and communicate evidence-based conservation strategies to society and practice.

Our vision

Our goal is a future in which diverse, healthy, and sustainably managed cultural landscapes form the foundation for everyone’s quality of life.

Team

Everyone in our team has their place and can contribute their own talents, interests, and ideas. We foster an open, participative, and appreciative team culture where diverse perspectives are welcomed and collaboration takes place on equal footing.

We also value our social connection and make time to connect outside of work, whether it is through sports, outings, or other shared activities. This helps build a strong team where people feel at ease, learn from each other, and grow together.

Our structures

  • Group writing sessions
  • Weekly health promotion activities, e.g. lunch runs and active break sessions (“Pausen-Express“)
  • Structured onboarding and offboarding, with a buddy system to help new team members settle in
  • Annual performance reviews
  • Weekly team meeting
  • Individual project meetings in small groups
  • Team retreats
  • Social events, e.g. team outings, holiday parties, pub nights, getting together to paint, draw, or play games
  • Friday fika (a Swedish social coffee break tradition)
  • A buddy system to ensure every team member is celebrated with a birthday cake
Group picture with members of the Chair of Nature Conservation and Landscape Ecology at the NABU wild bee educational garden

Research

Research areas of the Chair of Nature Conservation and Landscape Ecology

We view research as a collaborative process in which complex questions are addressed through inter- and transdisciplinary cooperation. We work transparently, employ robust methods, and conduct both applied and fundamental ecological research. In this way, we advance the basic understanding of ecological systems and generate knowledge that directly contributes to the conservation and promotion of biodiversity.

Outreach

Communication with society and policymakers is a central part of our mission. Through activities, lectures, policy briefs, interviews and statements, we actively engage in societal and political discourse to reach a broad and diverse audience. In doing so, we act purposefully and responsibly, maintaining a balanced relationship with our research activities.

Putting knowledge into practice: recent examples

Title page of our quiz "Test your knowledge about wild bees" (in German). The photo on the title page shows a bumblebee.

Online quiz und bee memory game

To celebrate World Bee Day 2026, the RestPoll project members engaged visitors with an interactive online quiz (in German) and a bee memory game, combining fun and learning about wild bees. Visitors who tested their knowledge at our information stand at the Wiehre Farmers’ Market had the chance to win prizes.

Play interactive games

RestPoll policy brief

Within our EU project RestPoll, we have summarised scientific findings on the restoration of pollinator habitats to inform actions related to the EU Nature Restoration Regulation.

View publication

TEDx talk with Alexandra-Maria Klein

In her talk, Alexandra-Maria Klein explains in an accessible way the crucial role pollinators play in our food security. She addresses a broad public audience and uses examples to show how anyone can contribute to the protection of wild bees in their own garden or on their balcony.

View talk

#Krautschau tours

Through regular #Krautschau activities, we invite the public to explore plant diversity in urban areas together. These events provide engaging insights into the often-overlooked wild plants growing in gutters, on walls, or between paving stones. During the tours, participants are encouraged to use the Flora Incognita app to identify the plants they encounter.

Information about the app

We are active on social media through our project accounts:

Teaching

With our lectures and courses, we aim to inspire and spark curiosity. We place great importance on a solid theoretical foundation and closely integrate it with practical exercises to make knowledge applicable and tangible. At the same time, we see ourselves as approachable mentors, open to feedback and constructive suggestions for improvement. We strongly encourage students who write their theses with us to publish their research findings and actively participate in academic discourse.

Teaching areas of the Chair of Nature Conservation and Landscape Ecology

  • Species identification and functional biodiversity
  • Landscape ecology and management
  • Experimental methods in ecology
  • Conservation biology and practice
  • Mapping of habitats
  • Sustainable agriculture
  • Scientific research and writing

News

The team from the Chair of Nature Conservation and Landscape Ecology at the starting point of the B2Run Freiburg.

Team event

B2Run Freiburg

The team from the Chair of Nature Conservation and Landscape Ecology at the University of Freiburg successfully participated in the B2Run Freiburg on 30 June 2026. Together, we took on the challenge and completed the course with great motivation, team spirit, and good vibes. The event provided a wonderful opportunity to strengthen our team beyond the workplace while promoting health, community, and a shared sense of achievement. Congratulations to everyone who took part!


Dead bumblebee (Bombus terrestris)

Publication

Science article: “EU Omnibus proposal increases pesticide risks”


In our recent Science article, Dimitry Wintermantel and his co-authors examine the European Commission’s proposed simplifications of EU pesticide regulation under the so-called Omnibus package. The researchers warn that removing existing precautionary safeguards could increase environmental and health risks and undermine the European Union’s legally binding environmental commitments. They emphasize that regulatory efficiency can be improved without compromising transparency, reliability, or scientific rigor. At the same time, they propose practical measures to strengthen both the efficiency of environmental risk assessment and the protection of human health and the environment.

Read article

Interview

“Bürokratieabbau auf Kosten der Gesundheit?” (Cutting red tape at the expense of health?)

Dimitry Wintermantel and Julia Osterman were interviewed by the Süddeutsche Zeitung as experts on the planned reform of EU pesticide regulation.
The article highlights concerns about the potential consequences of relaxing approval procedures for plant protection products. Together with international scientists, Dimitry Wintermantel and Julia Osterman warn that key safeguards designed to protect human health and the environment could be weakened.

Read article

Our team

One team, many perspectives. Internationally connected, committed, and full of ideas.

Information on wild bee protection

Help protect wild bees – find out more and get involved.

Job openings

Career opportunities in an environment that combines scientific excellence with societal relevance.

RestPoll – Horizon Europe project for restoring pollinator habitats

To counter the decline of pollinators and the resulting loss of pollination services, our pan-European project “RestPoll – Restoring pollinator habitats across European agricultural landscapes based on multi-actor participatory approaches” aims to permanently restore pollinator habitats in Europe and enhance their connectivity.