“Rainforests and Cloud Forests: Nature’s Plundered Treasure Chambers”—a topic that resonated deeply and drew a full house to the lecture hall at the Görlitz campus of Zittau/Görlitz University of Applied Sciences. Prof. Dr. Christa M. Heidger, Vice President for Education and International Affairs, together with Prof. Dr. Matthias Schmidt, the Associate Dean of the Faculty of Social Sciences, welcomed the diverse audience of students, faculty, university staff, employees of the Senckenberg Museum of Natural History in Görlitz, and interested members of the public.
The Vice President then introduced the audience to the topic with an opening lecture. “Cloud forests are mountain rainforests located in the montane regions of the tropics, above the belt where cloud formation predominates,” she explained, distinguishing the forests that gave the event its title. She highlighted the danger facing the priceless biodiversity of these rainforests. Tropical timber, palm oil, cattle ranching, the patenting of plant substances, and urbanization are highly sought-after uses that pose a significant threat to the survival of the forests and the habitats of countless animal species. She concluded her presentation with explicit information about the consequences of destruction, such as the loss of potential medicines, the loss of scenic beauty, and the loss of cultural diversity among indigenous peoples, as well as the impacts on the local and global climate.
The following presentation by M.Sc., Diplom-Ing. (FH) Denis Kupsch, a researcher at Georg-August University of Göttingen, built on this introduction, in which he examined the topic “The Impact of Palm Oil Cultivation on Biodiversity” in greater depth. After a brief introductory overview of the topic of palm oil, he presented findings from his research project using a case study titled “A New Palm Oil Plantation in Southwest Cameroon?” His current research focuses on agro-industrial development in tropical Africa, which—in the context of globally active palm oil producers—exerts significant pressure on forested landscapes. Integrated into these landscapes are traditional agroforestry systems, which are characterized by social and ecological complexity but have so far been poorly understood. The project aims to gather fundamental information on the impact of different forms of land use on biodiversity, their social and economic significance, and the possibilities for conserving existing ecosystems. Mr. Kupsch concluded his passionate and ambitious presentation with mitigation strategies, addressing overarching topics such as certification and carbon accounting systems, as well as ways in which everyone can take personal action in their daily lives. For example, checking ingredient lists and thus avoiding products that contain palm oil, or using products derived from sustainable production.
The planned presentation by Dr. Rafael Ernst, curator and head of the Herpetology Section at the Senckenberg Natural History Collections in Dresden, unfortunately had to be canceled at the last minute. He was excellently represented by Dr. Matthias Nuss, head of the Lepidoptera Section at the Senckenberg Natural History Collections in Dresden. Dr. Nuss spoke on the topic “Remnants of Tropical Forest in Northern Angola—Current Status, Scientific Research, and Conservation Options.” It became clear that even the smallest remaining forest fragments harbor a surprisingly high level of biodiversity. Here, the rainforest is threatened not by global corporations but by the activities of the local population, who cut down old trees with valuable wood for sale or hunt so-called “bush meat” for food.
Prof. Dr. Annette Drews, from the Faculty of Social Sciences at the University of Applied Sciences Zittau/Görlitz, rounded out the first round of presentations. With her presentation “Experience Rio Negro—Sustainable Tourism in the Amazon Basin,” she managed a smooth transition from the academic presentations of the previous speakers to a vivid journey through the Amazon. Accompanied by a presentation of numerous personal photographs, she guided the audience from Manaus into the jungle, where she lived alongside indigenous peoples. The social scientist has accompanied these indigenous communities for many years, and they remain the destination of research trips she undertakes with her students to this day.
The final presentation bore the intriguing title “The Mountain That Moved and the River That Disappeared—Environmental Protection in the Colombian Andes.” Here, the NGO Dapa Viva was introduced by Ana Ocampo from Colombia. She was assisted with translation by Armin Hirche. Mr. Hirche is a student at the Zittau/Görlitz University of Applied Sciences, majoring in Ecology and Environmental Protection, and spent his internship semester at Dapa Viva in Colombia. The NGO focuses on environmental education, nature conservation, and research. In Colombia, a large portion of the natural landscape has already been dangerously altered by the expansion of agriculture and the associated deforestation. This poses a serious threat to the fragile ecosystem of the little-studied cloud forests. The organization Dapa Viva therefore conducts research projects that expand knowledge of these interrelationships and seeks to raise awareness among the population about the vulnerability of nature.
Due to the late hour, the subsequent discussion session was shorter than originally planned. It was moderated by Dr. Christian Düker, press and public relations officer at the Senckenberg Museum of Natural History in Görlitz. He posed targeted questions to the speakers and skillfully guided the discussions.
The evening concluded on a relaxed note with a free salsa workshop in the university auditorium, where beverage sales benefited Dapa Viva.
Contact:
Vice President for Education and International Affairs
Prof. Dr. rer. nat. Christa Maria Heidger
Phone: 03583 612-3012
Email: prorektorin-bildung@hszg.de