the new board of the DRV (left to right): Ulrich Mäck, Johannes Schwarz, Norbert Schäffer, Andreas von Lindeiner, Hermann Hötker, Helmut Brücher, Helmut Opitz, Ubbo Mammen and Christoph Sudfeldt. (Torsten Langgemach: not in the photo)
On 19 April 2008, an era came to an end in Zwiesel in the Bavarian Forest: Dr Hans-Günther Bauer retired after 15 years as president of the Deutscher Rat für Vogelschutz (DRV). The very well attended general assembly thanked him for his substantial commitment with a painting by bird artist Christopher Schmidt which shows his favourite species in pursuit of which he went for many a demanding climb up the highest summits: the Rufous-tailed Rock Thrush. However, the outgoing president could not entirely severe “his” ties which had grown over a decade and a half: after taking stock both humorously and (self) critically, he offered to continue supporting the DRV as well as possible and he will continue representing the DRV on the national Red List Panel.
The unanimous elections of a new board yielded the following results:
president: Dr. Andreas von Lindeiner (LBV)
vice-presidents: Dr. Hermann Hötker (NABU), Dr. Norbert Schäffer
treasurer: Johannes Schwarz (DDA)
secretary: Ubbo Mammen (monitoring of raptors and owls)
committee members: Helmut Brücher , Dr. Torsten Langgemach (Vogelschutzwarte Brandenburg),
Dr. Ulrich Mäck (OAG Baden-Württemberg), Helmut Opitz
(NABU), Dr. Christoph Sudfeldt (DDA)
On the election eve, the new board came together for a first meeting to determine the key activities for the next three years. The implementation of the EU Birds Directive (better interconnection of the international with the regional level), the national biodiversity strategy as well as climate change are to be thematised. The situation in agriculture – renewable resources, bio-energy crops, EU agrarian policy – which is subject to continuing changes was already dealt with as a focus in this year’s conference and will continue to engage the DRV in the years to come because of the changed living conditions of bird species in cultivated landscapes resulting thereof. Very informative presentations by Florian Schöne (NABU) and Prof Dr Franz Bairlein (DO-G) impressively showed the immense challenges which nature and bird conservation will have to face if species diversity is to be conserved in this habitat as well. The current general framework seems anything but favourable.
The DRV set itself the goal of intensifying the dialogue between governmental nature conservation and initiatives at the association level. The magazine “Berichte zum Vogelschutz” (Reports on Bird Conservation) published by the DRV enjoys high academic approval and is to be strengthened as a flagship of the DRV. The Hessische Gessellschaft für Ornithologie und Naturschutz (HGON; Hessian Society for Ornithology and Nature Conservation) joined the DRV as the 17th member association. Finally, the general assembly resolved to fund the nation-wide German ADEBAR project with 3,000 € in 2008.