"We hope for groundbreaking indications for the climate-stable further development of our forests"
- State Secretary Sabine Kurtz at the groundbreaking ceremony for the Environmental Technology Center at the University of Freiburg
- Innovative research center for the analysis of ecosystems is scheduled to go into operation in mid-2023
- Eva Mayr-Stihl Foundation and state ministries are supporting the construction
On October 15, 2021, the groundbreaking heralded the construction of the Environmental Technology Center at the University of Freiburg - a research center that will allow scientists to simulate diverse ecosystems, recreate extreme weather events or analyze the interplay between plants and insects under real conditions. "We hope that the new environmental technology center at the renowned research location Freiburg will provide groundbreaking information for the climate-stable further development of our forests," said Sabine Kurtz, State Secretary in the Ministry of Food, Rural Areas and Consumer Protection Baden-Württemberg (MLR) at the groundbreaking ceremony. The groundbreaking ceremony took place during the Faculty Day of the Faculty of Environment and Natural Resources, which will include the Environmental Technology Center.
Michael von Winning, Head of Programs & Strategy at the Eva Mayr-Stihl Foundation, which supports the construction significally, emphasized: “The Environmental Technology Center is to become a new unique selling point for the Faculty of Environment and Natural Resources and the University of Freiburg. I am very pleased that the support of the Eva Mayr-Stihl Foundation is decisive for the implementation of this project. "
And Dr. Matthias Schenek, Chancellor of the University of Freiburg, said: “The Environmental Technology Center further strengthens the focus on the environment and sustainability at our university and offers space for new interdisciplinary research approaches. And to be able to bring together university, state and private commitment to such important future issues with the Umwelttechnikum is very important to us. "
When do tipping points threaten our forest ecosystems? Which tree species are robust against climate change? From mid-2023, researchers will be able to work on these and other pressing sustainability questions in the environmental technology center, by then the construction should be completed. It will build a bridge between laboratory research, large-scale field experiments and observation areas. The calculated total costs for the implementation of the environmental technology center amount to around 5.5 million euros, the Eva Mayr-Stihl Foundation is contributing around 4 million euros. In addition, the Baden-Württemberg Ministry of Food, Rural Areas and Consumer Protection and the Baden-Württemberg Ministry of Science, Research and Art are funding the construction.
Further Information Environmental Technology Center
Contakt:
Andreas Friedrich
Fakultätsassistent für Forschung, Betrieb und Finanzen
Fakultät für Umwelt und Natürliche Ressourcen
Albert-Ludwigs-Universität Freiburg
Tel.: 0761/203-3603
E-Mail: andreas.friedrich@mail.unr.uni-freiburg.de
Franziska Becker
Hochschul- und Wissenschaftskommunikation
Albert-Ludwigs-Universität Freiburg
Tel.: 0761/203-54271
E-Mail: franziska.becker@pr.uni-freiburg.de
