Lea Spelzhausen

After my studies of Biology at the University of Hamburg, I held an academic position at the University of Bremen in the field of ecology. There I taught Bachelor courses of Ecology such as Arthropod identification and Ecological experiments. My research focused on how grassland management affects soil biota, their provision of ecosystem functions (soil aggregate formation) and associated ecosystem services (carbon sequestration). Since land use change is one of the main drivers of biodiversity decline, I am passionate in my belief that sustainable farming plays a critical role in promoting biodiversity and in conservation management. Consequently I have now enrolled myself in a sustainable farming apprenticeship with the ambition of starting my own organic dairy farm. As an academic I participated in 4 summer schools (Russia, Finland, Greece, Romania) which demonstrated to me that learning is even more rewarding when one experiences different settings, people and approaches to education. I am convinced that diversity in every aspect is the most beneficial way of learning. I am really motivated to integrate my previous experience gained during these workshops to replicate these stimulating learning environments. I think the region of Wendland is ideal for this kind of project!