All the excursions listed on this page are 1/2 day excursions and will take place on Wednesday afternoon, 29 July 2009


Excursion 1

Protected Forests in the National Park Kellerwald-Edersee

Manfred Bauer, Head of Administration of the National Park Kellerwald-Edersee

Deciduous forests dominated by common beech (Fagus sylvatica) are only to be found in Europe. Without the influence of man, beech forests would dominate the landscapes of Central Europe and cover around 2/3 of the area of Germany. Because of its considerable ecological potency, the beech emerged after the Ice Age from small refuges it had found in the south and southeast of Europe to colonise large parts of Europe over the last 6,000 years. This ecological process is continuing and is a unique example worldwide of how a one tree species can fight off its competitors to dominate a large area of land.
Beech forests thrive in a wide spectrum of locations within a broad range of climates and altitudes, dry and damp, rich and poor in nutrients, with extremely acidic soils and soils high in lime. National Park Kellerwald - Edersee represents worldwide the beech-forest (Luzulo-Fagetum) on slate and greywacke, with the acid soil typical for the German low mountain ranges.
Almost 6,000 ha were set aside to found on first of January 2004 the youngest National Park in Germany situated south of the lake Edersee. More than 50 hills characterise the surface of the area. Altitude ranges from 200 to 628 m above sea level. More 1,000 ha of old beeches over 160 years old, small primeval-type areas, brook valleys and valuable special biotopes are home to a rich variety of communities that are typical of deciduous forests. With an area of over 80 % unused, this National Park is currently the largest process protection zone in the silicate beech forest in Germany.
http://www.nationalpark-kellerwald-edersee.de/de/1_Home/index.php

Collect your lunch package        12:15 Stadthalle, opposite to the conference building
Departure:      approx. 12:45 Savignystraße, opposite to the conference building
Return:          approx. 18.00 h Savignystraße, opposite to the conference building
Price:            Early and regular registration 35 EUR (late registration 45 EUR).
The rate includes a lunch package.



Excursion 2

Guided tour to the Eocene Messel Pit Fossil site, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and Natural History Museum Senckenberg (Frankfurt/Main)

During the two-hour guided tour through the Messel pit, the former volcanism, the oilshale, its fossils and the former ecosystem of Messel will be outlined. A visit at a digging site of the Senckenberg Research Institute will give insights into the methods of digging for fossils here. Afterwards, at the Senckenberg Museum a guided tour to its highlights will be given.

The Senckenberg Museum is one of the largest Natural History Museums in Germany. The exhibition shows the recent biodiversity of life and evolution of organisms as well as the change of our planet over millions of years. New research results in all areas of biology, palaeontology and geology are shown. Within a guided tour the highlights of the exhibition will be presented.

Notice: For the field trip, solid shoes are necessary.

Homepage of the Eocene Messel Pit Fossil site: http://www.grube-messel.de
Homepage of the Senckenberg Museum: http://www.senckenberg.de

Collect your lunch package        12:15 Stadthalle, opposite to the conference building
Departure:      approx. 12:45 Savignystraße, opposite to the conference building
Return:          approx. 19.00 h Savignystraße, opposite to the conference building
Price:            Early and regular registration 45 EUR (late registration 55 EUR).
The rate includes a lunch package.


Excursion 3

Mountain heathlands in the Hochsauerland region

Birgit Ziegenhagen, University Marburg
Far away from towns and villages, the largest mountain heathland complex of Northwest Germany is located in the region "Hochsauerland". It is the nature reserve "Neuer Hagen" on the crest of the "Rothaargebirge" with an elevation of about 800 m and an extension of 75 ha. It is characterised by a beautiful rough landscape with a mosaic of extended heathland vegetation, spring fens and bogs. During this excursion, different localities will be shown, focusing on a variety of habitats and species, but also on the conflicts between historical land use, management, tourism and conservation targets in heathlands.

Collect your lunch package        12:15 Stadthalle, opposite to the conference building
Departure:      approx. 12:45 Savignystraße, opposite to the conference building
Return:          approx. 18.00 h savignystraße, opposite to the conference building
Price:            Early and regular registration 35 EUR (late registration 45 EUR).
The rate includes a lunch package.



Excursion 4

Guided walk to highlights of the medieval town of Marburg

The old town of Marburg - its university was founded in 1527 as the first protestant university in the world - has preserved much of its medieval character. A castle dominates the town with its old town hall, steep narrow streets, and half-timbered houses, some of them many centuries old. One of the most striking features is the splendid St. Elizabeth's church, built between 1235 and about 1300, the first church in Germany built in a purely Gothic style. It houses the golden shrine of the famous medieval saint St. Elizabeth of Thuringia. The walk guided by respective experts will lead you through all these jewels of medieval architecture and will last approximately 4 hours. Maximum group size per trip is 30 persons.

Departure:      14:00 conference building
Return:          approx. 18.00 h conference building
Price:            3 EUR




Excursion 5

Visit of EUMETSAT, Darmstadt

(sorry we had to cancel this excursion as we had not enough subscriptions)

Astrid Bendix, Laboratory for Climatology and Remote Sensing
EUMETSAT is the European operational satellite agency for monitoring weather, climate and the environment. It was founded in 1986 in Darmstadt as an intergovernmental organisation and currently consists of 30 member states and cooperating states.

EUMETSAT operates a system of meteorological satellites monitoring the atmosphere and ocean and land surfaces, which deliver weather and climate-related satellite data, images and products - 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. This information is supplied to the National Meteorological Services of the organisation's members and the cooperating states.


EUMETSAT Headquarters, Darmstadt, Germany

The frequent, highly reliable and superb-quality data and images delivered by the EUMETSAT system of meteorological satellites help to enhance and safeguard the daily lives of European citizens. They aid meteorologists in identifying and monitoring the development of potentially dangerous weather situations and in issuing timely forecasts and warnings to emergency services and local authorities, helping to mitigate the effects of severe weather and protecting human life and environment. The information and products are also a very valuable tool for vegetation monitoring, scientific works or daily business as farming etc.
To learn more about EUMETSAT visit http://www.eumetsat.int/Home/index.htm.

Note: Every visitor has to identify himself by his passport or identity card; visitors less then 16 years are not allowed. No bags are allowed.

Departure:      approx. 12:45 Savignystraße, opposite to the conference building
Return:          approx. 19.00 h Savignystraße, opposite to the conference building
Price:            Early and regular registration 45 EUR (late registration 55 EUR).
The rate includes a lunch package.