Nature Conservation and Landscape Ecology

In the degree program Nature Conservation and Landscape Ecology, the nature conservation goals defined by society are examined in the light of recent research in the area of landscape ecology. The core goal of the degree program is to convey to students nature conservation expertise and the capability to employ their analytical and critical thinking skills to refine nature protection approaches and designs against a backdrop of rapid and ongoing global change. The program focuses on both regional and international aspects.

Students are integrated into research projects and learn to understand the inner workings of nature preservation and landscape ecology and put them into their proper scientific perspective. In terms of methodologies, aside from the tried and tested, students also explore new ways such as numerical model construction in order to derive scenarios or when using digital image processing in nature preservation monitoring. Processes in the landscape are evaluated against the backdrop of negotiation processes within society. On the basis of the scientific knowledge and insights conveyed to them in this master's degree program, graduates are able to develop and implement innovative conservation solutions. 

Possible lines of work:

Research and teaching at universities, scientific work at research centers (e.g. the Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research/UFZ, the Research Center Jülich/FZJü), planning/application at public offices and authorities (e.g. the German Federal Agency for Nature Conservation/BfN, the Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, and Nuclear Security/BMU, the Federal Environment Agency/UBA, middle- and lower-level nature conservation authorities), planning/application in environment and planning offices, scientific policy consulting (e.g. UN organizations, EU, national governments, NGOs), other environmental protection-oriented institutions (national park administrations, biological field stations, conservation centers)