In honor of Eva Mayr-Stihl
Eva Mayr-Stihl founded the Eva Mayr-Stihl Foundation with her husband Robert Mayr more than 35 years ago. Since 1995, the foundation has supported the University of Freiburg with endowed and named professorships as well as lucrative prizes, research funding and institutional funding. Eva Mayr-Stihl died on April 9th at the age of 87. Research into the protection and sustainable use of forests was a particular concern for Eva Mayr-Stihl. A North American oak tree has now been planted in the botanical garden of the University of Freiburg in memory of Mayr-Stihl. “Eva Mayr-Stihl was a pioneer in promoting sustainability research. We are very grateful to the Eva Mayr-Stihl Foundation that they are by our side and that together we can expand the focus areas of environment and sustainability at the University of Freiburg," said the rector of the university, Prof. Dr. Kerstin Krieglstein at the commemoration.
The University of Freiburg has not yet planted a tree to commemorate a person. Eva Mayr-Stihl is the first to receive this honor.
Robert Mayr, founder and CEO of the Eva Mayr-Stihl Foundation, was asked by the rectorate about his late wife's favorite species of tree. "It was important to me that the tree, which is supposed to commemorate my wife, has similar properties to her own," he said at the tree planting. “I've been told this oak is very adaptable, durable, stress tolerant and competitive. All of this applied to my wife. In addition, it is often used as an ornamental tree because of the beautiful foliage – that would certainly have flattered my wife.”
The director of the botanical garden and head of the Plant Biomechanics Group at the University of Freiburg, Prof. Dr. Thomas Speck spoke of the botanical garden as an "ideal place to commemorate the founder and honorary senator Eva Mayr-Stihl and a showcase for research." The place reflects numerous ideas and projects that the foundation has funded. The tree, whose biological name is "Quercus macrocarpa", will "enjoy visitors for many decades and remind them of Mrs. Eva Mayr-Stihl."
