Public lecture series organised by the NWV in collaboration with the University of Bremen, Bremen University of Applied Sciences and the Übersee-Museum, with the overarching theme:
Returnees and new residents – protection, control or what?
How do we deal with changes in flora and fauna?
Raccoon in a live trap, credit: Infrogmation (cc by-sa 4.0)
Ecosystems are dynamic by nature, and their species composition cannot remain static either. Nature conservation efforts generally focus on protecting species whose populations are in decline or which have already disappeared. If the trend reverses and species begin to spread again, the level of appreciation for them usually wanes. Returning species are often viewed with scepticism. This is particularly true of species that originate from other faunal regions and are usually regarded as disruptive as newcomers. In any case, the actual data available for assessment is generally limited; just as in everyday life, ignorance is the best basis for misjudgements, whether positive or negative.
The vast majority of ‘new’ species are invertebrates that hardly anyone sees or is familiar with. Vertebrate species, on the other hand, are more noticeable and, at least if they have feathers or fur, are often viewed positively at first glance. For this reason, the lecture series focuses predominantly on vertebrates, not least because there are research projects on this topic, at least at a regional level. It is to be hoped, however, that in future there will be more projects on this topic, including those focusing on invertebrates and plant species. In this respect, this series is intended to provide an initial introduction through illustrative examples
Dr. Hans-Konrad Nettmann (31. August 2026)
Stand: 15. Sept. 2026
For printing & share (Poster/Flyer)
(deepL-translation)
