Marianne und Dr. Fritz Walter Fischer-Stiftung

The Marianne and Dr. Fritz Walter Fischer Foundation was established in 1992 by Marianne and Dr. Fritz Walter Fischer within the Donors' Association. Its aim is to promote young talent in the scientific and artistic fields. Until 2006, it awarded doctoral scholarships in the biological and natural sciences. Since 2009, it has been offering the program "BEN – Biodiversity, Ecology, Nature in National Parks and Biosphere Reserves," which supports particularly qualified postdoctoral and doctoral researchers in the natural and life sciences. The foundation funds interdisciplinary junior research groups that develop programs in European national parks and biosphere reserves: They observe the dynamics of biodiversity following the cessation of various land uses and develop application-oriented concepts for the sustainable management of cultural landscapes and wilderness areas, taking into account ecological and socioeconomic requirements.

The Marianne and Dr. Fritz Walter Fischer Foundation supports outstanding researchers in the natural and life sciences to generate new insights into biodiversity in national parks and biosphere reserves across Europe through interdisciplinary junior research groups. It aims to achieve a balance between nature conservation and economic use and seeks to develop innovative concepts that facilitate dialogue between science and local stakeholders, thereby promoting sustainable management of protected areas.

The foundation program is aimed at postdoctoral researchers with up to six years of research experience after completing their doctorate, as well as doctoral candidates who wish to jointly establish their own research group. A prerequisite is an affiliation with a recognized university or non-university institute in Germany that guarantees an active research environment. Collaborations with research institutions abroad and the involvement of national park or biosphere reserve management are encouraged.