Presiding Committee

Wise strategies from the Presiding Committee of EuroNatur

The Presiding Committee of the EuroNatur Foundation is composed of six members serving on an honorary basis. Its tasks are the strategic direction, approval of budget plans and the annual financial statement.The Board supervises the work of the Executive Director.

Prof. Dr. Thomas Potthast
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Prof. Dr. Thomas Potthast - President

„It is through cooperation with local civil society actors that EuroNatur fosters the idea of a peaceful and unified Europe. Assuring fair access to Nature for today's and future generations is a central challenge of our time.“

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Dr. Anna-Katharina Wöbse
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Dr. Anna-Katharina Wöbse - Vice president

"EuroNatur has found a convincing way of developing a sort of international understanding on ecological matters. Nature and environmental conservation are regarded here as self-evidently part of  European solidarity."

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Prof. Dr. Hubert Weiger
© BUND / Prof. Dr. Hubert Weiger
Prof. Dr. Hubert Weiger - Member of the Board

“In founding EuroNatur the former chairman of the Federal BUND organisation, Prof. Dr. Gerhard Thielcke, created a nature conservation organisation which set itself the central task of surmounting in a positive sense the many national borders dividing Europe. I, too, see it as an essential task of national organisations to take part in work at the international level.”

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Dr. Thoamas Griese
© Dr. Thomas Griese privat
Dr. Thomas Griese - Member of the Board

“Getting people interested in Nature is something that means a very great deal to me. I shall use my contacts in the political and business arenas to canvass for the work of EuroNatur and to raise awareness that nature conservation is about far more than protecting a few species of orchids.”

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Jörg Nitsch
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Jörg Nitsch - Member of the board

”I have been following EuroNatur's activities with lively interest from its founding years. I am very keen on the cross-border approach to nature conservation and as member of its board I want to give my active support to EuroNatur for their development and implementation of projects to protect the unique natural world of Europe.”

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Prof. Dr. Hannes Knapp
© Peter Schmenger
Prof. Dr. Hannes Knapp - Member of the Board

As one of the fathers of the GDR’s national park programme, Hannes Knapp is fully aware of the importance of valuable protected areas. “At the time of German reunification, there was the dictum of ‘family silver of German unity’. The primeval beech forests in Romania are the ‘golden treasure of the European Union’. This valuable treasure needs to be conserved, not exploited!”

More about Prof. Dr. Hannes Knapp

News

Airport construction threatens Albanian bird paradise

++ Construction work for airport in Narta Lagoon continues unabated despite significant protests ++ Resting area is internationally important for…

Disappointing results of last trilogue on Renewable Energy Directive

++ Woody biomass and hydropower can continue to count towards renewable energy targets ++ No will for sustainable climate policy in the EU in sight ++

Major success: River Vjosa becomes National Park

++ Today the Vjosa River in Albania has been proclaimed Europe’s first Wild River National Park ++ EuroNatur, Riverwatch and many other partners have…

More Ski Resorts Planned Around Syvdovets

In 2016, the Transcarpathian Regional State Administration announced its plans to build a ski resort of the same name in the Svydovets mountain…

Romania's primary forests are disappearing - the EU Commission must intervene

++ Investigative research uncovers scandalous machinations in the forestry industry ++ EuroNatur demands strict protection for primary forests in…

Lead ammunition finally banned from wetlands

Good news for Europe's waterbirds: the use of lead shot ammunition in wetland hunting has finally been banned. The law came into force on 15 February…

Don’t be afraid of the wolf

For the first time in more than 100 years, the presence of a female wolf has been verified in the Black Forest. Since two male wolves already live in…

Flamingos or planes: Protests against Airport in Albania

++ World Wetlands Day focuses attention on global destruction of rivers, lakes, marshes and coasts ++ Major demonstration in Albania against…

Schwaderer in German President Steinmeier's delegation

Great honour for Gabriel Schwaderer: EuroNatur Executive Director took part in Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier's state visit to Albania and…

Vjosa Wild River National Park: Feasibility Study is a major milestone

The Vjosa River in Albania, one of the last wild rivers of Europe, is one major step closer to protection today as the team of Albanian and…

Legal action against the Vlora Airport in Albania

New developments on the planned airport construction in the Narta lagoon: The lawsuit filed by our partners against the project was ruled as…

Dismal prospects for Svydovets

A gargantuan ski resort is looming in the Svydovets mountains of Ukraine. The environmental movement Free Svydovets has filed a lawsuit against these…

Review of the Year 2022

War in Ukraine and the energy crisis, bird flu and a fish die-off, plus the continuing Coronavirus pandemic and its consequences: 2022 was a…

Spotlight on nature’s diversity

++ Start of EuroNatur photography competition 2023 ++ Anniversary for the “European Treasures of Nature”++

Further opposition to Albanian airport construction

European governments request that the Albanian government suspend the construction of the airport in the Vjosa-Narta Protected Area. The main…