Hartmut Jungius

Hartmut Jungius (* 1939 in Georgenthal , East Prussia ) is a German zoologist and conservationist. He was managing director of WWF Germany for five years .

Life

From 1963 to 1970 Jungius studied biology and geography at the University of Kiel . During this time he toured Canada, the United States and South Africa, where he learned about the management of protected areas and national parks . In 1969 he conducted ecology and behavioral studies on African ungulates , in particular large ried bucks in the Krüger National Park , on which he wrote his doctoral thesis at the University of Kiel in 1970, which he completed with summa cum laude .

In 1969 and 1970 he worked as a management consultant for UNESCO in Bolivia to support the government in establishing protected areas . In 1970 Jungius became a member of the WWF , where he initially worked as a nature conservation officer until 1977 and later as chairman of the nature conservation directorate. He was responsible for the organization, implementation and monitoring of the WWF conservation program. This included practical conservation programs for certain species (e.g. vicunas in Bolivia, wolves in Europe, reintroduction of large herbivores in Italy), conservation work in Latin America, Europe and the Middle East, and cooperation with national and international governmental and non-governmental organizations .

In 1978 Jungius switched to the IUCN as program coordinator , where he was given responsibility for nature conservation work in the Middle East . This included, in particular, the promotion of regional and national nature conservation activities, cooperation with IUCN members, expertise in nature conservation issues and project development. Practical work has been carried out in several Middle Eastern countries, notably Oman , Jordan and Saudi Arabia , with the successful reintroduction of the Arabian oryx , which was then extinct in the wild, among the most prominent projects. Other tasks included the development of system plans for protected areas, the development of a management plan for the coastal area of ​​the capital region of Oman, as well as surveys and the creation of management plans for the Saudi Arabian Red Sea and the Gulf coast . From 1980 to 2000 Jungius was a member of the scientific committee of WWF Germany.

In April 1981, Jungius was appointed Director of Regional Services and Project Services by the IUCN. He was responsible for monitoring, coordinating, implementing and reviewing the regional activities of the country sections as well as for the IUCN project management department, which deals with the development, review, implementation, evaluation and management of projects.

In July 1985 he returned to WWF, where he worked as the head of project monitoring and project development in the nature conservation area. He has been involved in the organization, implementation, monitoring, assessment, development and funding of projects that WWF has sponsored worldwide.

In 1990 Jungius was responsible for the WWF's programs and projects in Europe and the Soviet Union . The development of contacts and projects in the eastern countries as well as the promotion of the cooperation between the national organizations of the WWF on nature conservation issues of European interest were of particular importance. The establishment and identification of new protected areas was promoted in order to promote the preservation of biodiversity. The most successful projects included the Biebrza National Park in Poland established in 1993 , a comprehensive, integrated protection program for the Oder region, the Šumava National Park in the Czech Republic , new environmental protection initiatives for the Danube Delta , the introduction of a program for protected areas in the Caucasus (Georgia) and the establishment of several new protected areas in Russia, particularly in the Arctic , Siberia and the Far East.

From 1991 to 1995 Jungius was managing director of WWF Germany . His activities included leading, coordinating and developing the nature conservation program, strengthening fundraising and communication activities, and realigning the nature conservation program from national to international activities, with a focus on regions in Russia , the Caucasus , Mongolia and Eastern Europe . Another cornerstone of the nature conservation work of WWF Germany during Jungius' term of office was the national protection program, which focused on freshwater issues (e.g. Oder and Elbe ), Wadden Sea and Baltic Sea , climate change and agriculture .

In 1995 Jungius returned to WWF International, where he continued his work as Director for Eastern Europe and Central Asia. The focus regions were Russia, especially the Russian Arctic, Central Siberia ( Sakha ), the Far East and the Urals , Central Asia, the Caucasus, Mongolia and Eastern Europe with a focus on Hungary, Poland and the Danube - Carpathian region . The activities dealt with questions about accession to the European Union and with awareness-raising and education campaigns for the conservation of species and protected areas. The monitoring, development and implementation of comprehensive protection plans for the ecoregions of the Far East, the Caucasus and the Altai and Sajan Mountains as well as the development, implementation and fundraising of conservation projects for endangered species (e.g. Saigas in Mongolia ) and Protected areas.

Jungius has been retired since 2004. However, he continues to act as an advisor to the WWF and other non-governmental organizations.

Web links

• Profile and biography of Hartmut Jungius on the Large Herbivore Network