Educational Background: After school I studied biology in Kassel. Last year I finished my diploma thesis and since December last year I am working on my PhD thesis about the molecular systematics of the plant genus Fosterella (Bromeliaceae) that is distributed in Southamerica
Where I live and how I view my environment: I am living in Kassel, in the center of Germany. Near to my home we have several protected areas (Naturschutzgebiete) and three national parks, Nationalpark Kellerwald, Nationalpark Hartz and Nationalpark Hainich. There are some nature parks as well: Naturpark Eichsfeld-Hainich-Werratal, Naturpark Meisner, Naturpark Habichtswald and Naturpark Münden. There´s a lot of forest areas around Kassel and beautiful hills.
Biodiversity means to me personally: ..a lot of different species in a patchworklike environment with fields, forests, hills and valleys, the opposite of monoculture and a part of our life that is worthy to protect! Biodiversity is the best signboard of an intact nature.
My Symbol of biodiversity: ...an old beech grove with wildcats, anemones, deers, stag beetles, lesser spotted woodpeckers and woodruff
My motivation for participating: .. to show people what biodiversity should mean to them and how beautiful and diverse their country is. If we reach this aim it is easy to sensitise them for the protection of our environment and biodiversity. And of course to get in contact with a lot of young people that campaign for biodiversity in their countries. That motivates to go on with our work.
How did I show I am ready to "Go 4 BioDiv": I am working in the context of plant systematics, so I try to find out how species are related to each other. In my case I am working with a genus of the Bromeliaceae, a southamerican plant family. I want to learn something about diversification of this model plant. If we get knowledge about how species live and diversificate, how they disperse and why they die out it is the first step to understand what biodiversity means.
Then I try to make people sensitive for their environment and show them plants and animals in our region. Many people are oblivious to the nature around them.
My message to other participants: It is great to see how many young people from very different countries are working with the same aim! I am proud to be part of it and to have the chance to show the world our point of view!
