Biosphere Reserves Institute
The Conference Programme
Aim of the conference
From May 16th to May 20th, 2022, about 120 early career scientists and research managers working in, for and with UNESCO Biosphere Reserves (BR) came together in a conference to jointly develop strategies for future action. An assessment of the current situation, especially through the eyes of young scientists, led to conclusions for the future of research in BRs. Their conclusions were complemented by recommendations from research managers. All findings were merged into proposed guidelines. These guidelines are currently being compiled together with the presentations into a conference volume.
In the long term, this exchange shall lead to more research for sustainable development in the World Network, from which not only the MAB Programme will benefit, but society as a whole.Thus, the project aims to contribute to the implementation of the research-related goals of the Lima Action Plan (LAP) and the achievement of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDG): Research in the World Network of BR shall be promoted through the international exchange of research results and positive examples of research support.
Target-oriented exchange
In workshops with various methods and approaches, the participants addressed the following questions and developed strategies for future action:
- Which key results and new findings have been achieved in recent years through research in BR?
- Where are research gaps? How can such research gaps be communicated more effectively? What are the implications for management at BRs, academia and for organisations supporting research?
- What has been achieved in promoting research in BR since the LAP was adopted, and which framework conditions, concepts and approaches have proven to be effective?
- Which 'good practice' examples should set an example? Which future-oriented strategies are helpful to implement the concept of BR idea through research activities?
- How can research managers and BR managers inspire scientists to work in and for BR?
May 16th - May 17th
Early career scientists presented their recent results and shared experiences related to scientific work in biosphere reserves. Based on this exchange, they developed proposals on how the framework conditions for research in biosphere reserves could be improved.
May 18th
All participants undertook excursions in the Schorfheide-Chorin Biosphere Reserve. While getting to the area, they jointly philosophised about the future of research in biosphere reserves.
May 19th - May 20th
Funding agencies, research institutions and biosphere reserves shared examples of successful research support. In addition, results from the first part were presented to research managers. Based on these recommendations and best practice examples, future guidelines were developed.
Side programme
Besides the official conference programme, there was some free time for silence or recreation. The conference venue provided numerous possibilities (swimming or running at the lake, volleyball, table tennis ball, etc). In addition, we offered a complementing side programme encouraging innovative thinking through arts, silence and creative exchange.
On Wednesday, 18th, for example participants jointly organised an
international cinema and picnic. Food, drinks and short films were shared from biosphere reserves around the world.
Excursions in the Schorfheide-Chorin Biosphere Reserve
EXCURSION 1
The agricultural landscape around Brodowin
Key words: glacial landscape formation; agricultural landscape; nature tourism; visitor guidance; large-scale organic farming; local production; nature conservation on farmland, steppe grassland, kettle hole ponds, lakes.
This excursion took us to the ”eco village Brodowin”, a rural village that has completely switched to organic farming (Demeter) already in 1991. A large-scale organic farm and several smaller family enterprises are working here in the heart of Schorfheide-Chorin BR. We learned about target conflicts between nature conservation and large-scale modern organic farming and how to solve them, as well as about a visitor guidance system in the landscape, and nature conservation in the young-moraine agricultural landscape. This included a visit of the biggest farm and the surrounding countryside.
With: Dr. Susanne Winter and Frank Gottwald, Ökodorf Brodowin e.V., and Ludolf von Maltzan, farm manager.
EXCURSION 2
Peatlands in the central biosphere reserve and Sernitz spring mire restoration
Key words: natural and drained mires, peatland ecosystems, mire restoration; farming on wet organic soils.
We visited different types of near-natural mires in the central biosphere reserve and the peatlands of the Sernitz catchment near Greiffenberg. Here, the largest restoration of a spring and percolation mire in northern Germany has just been completed. A guided tour took us along different mire-ecosystems which were re-vitalised as part of the EU-LIFE-project "Lesser Spotted Eagle”. We also learned about extensive grazing as conservation-oriented land use on wet organic soils.
With: Dr. Benjamin Herold, biosphere reserve administration, and Prof. Dr. Vera Luthardt, HNEE
EXCURSION 3
Ancient beech forests of the Schorfheide-Chorin Biosphere Reserve
Key words: old-growth lowland beech forests; science-based integration of conservation targets into beech forest management; cooperation of biosphere reserve and forest administrations; marteloscopes.
This excursion lead us to various lowland beech forest tracts, including the Grumsin forest as part of the UNESCO World Natural Heritage Site "Primeval and old-growth beech forests of Europe". We had the opportunity to exchange with foresters. To learn more about nature conservation integrated management of beech forests, we visited managed forests and the BR core zone "Fauler Ort" as well as a forest marteloscope, an innovative tool for simulating forest management.
With: Dr. Martin Flade, director of Schorfheide-Chorin BR, and Dietrich Mehl, director of the Reiersdorf state Forest district.
EXCURSION 4
Journey with the Solar Explorer (Werbellinsee) and experimental aquatic research (Wuckersee)
Key words: renewable energies, climate change mitigation; environmental education, experimental research on calcareous clear water lakes; fishery management; tourism pressure.
Participants of this excursion travelled on the solar-powered research vessel “Solar Explorer”. During this trip, we will talked about the importance, condition and protection of clear water lakes. In this context, we will also learned about innovative environmental education and sustainable fishing. We were introduced to the EU-LIFE-project ZENAPA, which focuses on climate protection in large protected areas, and we visited a lake where experimental research on clearwater lake ecosystems is performed.
With: Uwe Graumann & Rüdiger Michels, biosphere reserve administration, and Dr. Rüdiger Mauersberger, manager of the Chara lakes research project
Participants
Due to spatial limitation, participation was be restricted to early career scientists as well as representatives from research management, funding organisations and biosphere reserves who actively contributed to the conference. Therefore, the application form included an abstract of either a recent study or an example of research support.
By "early career scientists" we refer to the definition by the European Geosciences Union: "An Early Career Scientist (ECS) is a student, a PhD candidate, or a practising scientist who received their highest certificate (e.g. BSc, MSc or PhD) within the past seven years. The seven-year period can be extended to allow for periods when the scientist was not working in science because of, but not limited to, caring and/or parental responsibilities, disability, personal illness, community obligations or national service.”
Research managers with a focus on biosphere reserves from the following areas were invited:
- International, national, sub-national and local science funding organisations and bodies (ministries, funding institutions, regional and local authorities etc.),
- universities and research institutions, including UNESCO Chairs, undertaking research in biosphere reserves,
- biosphere reserves active in research.