National chapters in the spotlight: IALE Region Deutschland - IALE-D
The discipline of landscape ecology has a long and dynamic history in Germany, with its origins dating back to the 1930s when the term "Landschaftsökolögie" was coined by the cartographer and ecologist Carl Troll, marking its distinction as a scientific discipline. Since its inception, German landscape ecologists have ben actively envolved in the International Association of Landscape Ecology (IALE), shaping its early development and actively contributing to its initiatives. For instance, Karl-Friedrich Schreiber was a member of the inaugural IALE Executive Committee and served as Vice-President until 1988, succeeded by Wolfgang Haber until 1991. In 1987, the second IALE World Congress was hosted in Münster, Germany, with a focus on the concept of "Connectivity in Landscape Ecology", an event that is widely regarded as a significant early milestone in the development of the concept.
On 5 May 1999, approximately 30 colleagues from Austria, Germany and Switzerland convened in Basel, Switzerland, to establish the German Chapter IALE-D, with the objective of unifying German-speaking researchers, planners, and other interested parties in the realm of landscape ecology. During the subsequent official establishment of the association, its mission was delineated as the promotion of science, research and education in the domain of landscape ecology, and its practical application. The association has undertaken a number of tasks to fulfil this mission, including the organisation of conferences, seminars and workshops to promote the exchange of experience and information and the discussion of the latest research results in landscape ecology. Furthermore, IALE-D aims to organise and support study visits and internships for students from Germany and abroad, to collaborate with other national and international institutions, and to provide information to the public.
The inaugural IALE-D Annual Congress was convened in Nürtingen in 2000 and featured a series of over 40 talks on the subject of 'The future of central European landscapes'. Since that time, more than 20 such congresses have been held almost annually, with a total of more than 800 presentations – a figure which does not include the numerous additional workshops that have also been held. The content of these congresses has evolved over time, reflecting the broadening of topics in the field. Initially focusing on key research areas in landscape ecology, such as the quantification of landscape patterns, land use and land cover change, ecological processes, ecosystem services, and landscape conservation and sustainability, the scope has expanded to address pressing issues including biodiversity loss, climate change, and transformation. A recent publication provides an overview on twenty-five years of landscape ecology discussion in the German-speaking IALE community: https://doi.org/10.3097/LO.2024.1131.
Among the many activities and working groups, IALE-D has been publishing the peer-reviewed, open access journal Landscape Online since 2007. At the time of its inception, it was, to the best of our knowledge, one of the first peer-reviewed Open Access scientific e-journals in the field of landscape ecology. Over the last 15 years, it has evolved from an idea driven by the German-speaking IALE community in Germany, Austria and Switzerland to a more established journal linked to the international IALE community and supported by many other chapters and landscape ecologists from around the world. The editorial (2022) provides a review of the development of the journal, accessible via the following link: https://doi.org/10.3097/LO.2022.1106.
Due to the widespread disruptions caused by the global pandemic, the IALE-D conference tradition was suspended, with the event being held online and in a hybrid format. Recognising the need to restore face-to-face engagement, the 2024 IALE-D Annual Congress was held in Bernburg, Germany, and was the first major physical congress since the onset of the pandemic. The event served to reaffirm the commitment to in-depth discussions and community-building. This event, which was attended by over 70 participants, featured approximately 40 presentations and a number of workshops, all of which focused on the theme of "Resilience vs. transformation in urban and rural areas – what can landscape ecology contribute?" The event also marked a significant milestone, as it was used to celebrate 25 years of fruitful collaboration and networking within the German-speaking landscape ecology community. The subsequent IALE-D Annual Congress is scheduled to be held in Hildesheim in 2026, situated between the European Congress in 2025 and the World Congress in 2027.
At present, the German Chapter of IALE-D boasts approximately 150 members. The present board is constituted by Christian Albert (President), Werner Rolf (Vice-President), and Roman Lenz (Treasurer), along with committee members Dagmar Haase, Uta Schirpke, and Ulrich Walz.
Website: www.iale.de
Photos from the German IALE Congress 2024 in Bernburg (Renate Geue)