C. Hemp
February, 2026
Kick-Off 2nd phase of Kili-SES in Tanzania
From 9-13 February, project partners and researchers met in Tanzania for the Phase II Kick-Off of the Kili-SES project. The meeting marked the official start of the second project phase and focused on strengthening collaboration, aligning research goals, and initiating synthesis activities across all subprojects.
The workshop week opened at the Nkweseko Research Station, creating a productive environment for intensive discussions, presentation preparation, and bilateral and multilateral dialogue among the subprojects.
On 10 February, the official opening at the Uhuru Conference Center in Moshi included a warm welcome by the speaker of the Research Unit Katrin Böhning-Gaese, a project introduction by Andreas Hemp, and a keynote by Elisabeth Mwakosya (TAWIRI), highlighted the long-term collaboration between TAWIRI and Kili-SES. Researchers from the seven Kili-SES subprojects, including Principal Investigators, Co-PIs, postdoctoral researchers, and PhD students, then presented their objectives for Phase II. Associated projects also provided short overviews, followed by discussions that further strengthened collaboration within the network.
On 11 February, participants visited the Machare Coffee Estate, guided by Bente Medoch, to learn about coffee cultivation systems, plantation management, organic farming practices, and their role in supporting sustainable land use and local livelihoods.The final two days were spent together discussing synthesis, data management, and coordination. A central element was an internal 3-Horizons workshop, which aimed to kick-start the synthesis work on transformation within the Kili-SES project. It provided a basic understanding of the main challenges and potential pathways for change in the Kilimanjaro region. It specifically built on research insights from previous and ongoing project phases, in particular on lessons learned and experiences gained through fieldwork. Activities were organised in three phases: 1) describing the main challenges and positive elements in the present of the Kili social-ecological system, 2) exploring desirable futures and inspiring practices, 3) collecting actions, strategies and management decisions that can help transition from the present to desirable futures.
– Claudia Hemp and Juliane Helm –
January, 2026
Mountain Forests of East Africa Reveal a New Insect Family
Researchers under the lead of Claudia Hemp have identified a previously unknown family of African grasshoppers, Ixalidiidae, using modern genetic methods combined with over 40 years of research. These small, mostly flightless grasshoppers live in East African mountain and coastal forests, including Mount Kilimanjaro, Mount Meru, and the Eastern Arc Mountains, with related species also found in West and Central Africa. Because they are well camouflaged and morphologically similar, they remained unrecognized for a long time. Long-term ecological research programmes on Kilimanjaro provided key specimens that helped reveal this distinct evolutionary lineage. The study also shows how natural history collections are essential for modern biodiversity research, allowing scientists to combine historical material with new genomic data. The discovery highlights the importance of East African forests as hotspots of unique and still hidden biodiversity. The research was supported by the DFG (German Research Foundation), the Orthopterists’ Society, and the SYNTHESYS Programme.
You can find the article here.
– Claudia Hemp –
January, 2026
Assessing nature’s non-material contributions to people across diverse habitats at Mount Kilimanjaro, Tanzania.
Biodiversity plays a vital role in supporting Nature’s Contributions to People (NCP) which are all benefits and detriments of nature to people’s quality of life. People’s interactions with biodiversity and non-living elements of nature—together referred to as entities of nature (EN)—support not only material (e.g., food) and regulating NCP (e.g., water purification), but also non-material NCP, such as aesthetic enjoyment, recreation, or spiritual fulfillment. Despite their importance, the specific links between EN and non-material NCP remain poorly understood. Unlike material and regulating contributions, non-material NCP are often intangible and strongly shaped by human perception, making them inherently more challenging to assess and quantify.
My PhD addresses this gap by providing empirical evidence on how people perceive and interact with nature through the operationalization of non-material NCP. The Mount Kilimanjaro social–ecological system offered an ideal setting for this research. Its remarkable diversity of habitats, combined with the presence of multiple social groups whose knowledge, values, and interactions with nature differ, provides a unique opportunity to examine how perceptions of non-material NCP are shaped.
To investigate these relationships, my research integrates concepts, tools, and methods from both the natural and social sciences. First, I examined which non-material NCP and entities of nature people perceive as meaningful, and where these perceptions occur. Using Twitter as a source of large-scale, text-based narratives, I captured how tourists describe their nature experiences in their own words. Second, I investigated the direct associations between perceived non-material NCP and EN. Drawing on ecological network analysis, non-material NCP were characterized based on the breadth and specificity of their associations with EN, resulting in a typology of specialized and generalized NCP. Finally, I explored how NCP–EN relationships vary across social groups by employing a soundscape-based approach, examining how the acoustic characteristics of habitats support different non-material NCP.
By explicitly linking non-material NCP to entities of nature, my research clarifies how nature matters, where and for whom, generating insights directly relevant for management and conservation. Using a soundscape-based approach, I showed that residents continue to value habitats within the national park despite access restrictions. Using social media data, I found that highly biodiverse habitats do not necessarily correspond to a greater diversity of perceived non-material NCP for tourists; instead, higher-elevation habitats were associated with a wider range of experiences. This pattern may reflect the park’s emphasis on summit-focused activities, which can redirect tourists’ attention away from biodiversity-rich habitats. Together, these findings highlight opportunities for more inclusive conservation strategies and interventions that broaden engagement with biodiversity.
Beyond Mount Kilimanjaro, my PhD responds to the broader need for new tools to better understand the links between nature and non-material NCP. By combining ecological network analysis with emerging soundscape approaches, this work unpacks the ecological foundations of non-material NCP. The typology of specialized and generalized NCP developed in this research provides a transferable framework that can inform indicator development and vulnerability assessments. Importantly, this work emphasizes that nature experiences are inherently multisensory, and therefore no single method is sufficient to capture their full complexity. For example, while Twitter analysis suggested that tourists primarily perceived recreational experiences in mid-elevation habitats, the soundscape-based approach revealed additional contributions, such as learning, that would otherwise remain hidden.
While a PhD journey is rarely linear or smooth, it is a deeply creative and transformative experience. Once it is over, you can only look back with a smile, recognizing it as a true adventure. This work would not have been possible without the support of supervisors, colleagues, friends, and family. I can only wish you more time spent outdoors, and if you are lucky enough in the amazing southern slopes of Mount Kilimanjaro! Asante Sana (:
– Eugenia Degano –
November 24th-26th, 2025
Synthesis Workshop – Systems, Transformations, and Futures/Scenarios
Members of SP7 organized a “Synthesis Workshop” around “Systems, Transformations, and Futures/Scenarios”. The aim of the workshop was to discuss both project specific elements, but also broader themes and “elephants in the room” among different SPs. Another goal was to identify intersections between SPs and opportunities for collaboration. The work will continue at the upcoming KickOff meeting.
Thanks to all who participated, it was a great experience!
– Victoria Junquera & SP7 Team –
October 2025
Kilimanjaro’s Biodiversity in Decline – People, Not Climate, to Blame
Africa’s highest mountain is losing its natural richness fast. A new international study led by the University of Bayreuth reveals that land use, not climate change, is the biggest threat to Mount Kilimanjaro’s biodiversity.
Over the past century, the mountain’s lower slopes have been almost completely transformed. What was once open savannah is now a patchwork of sugarcane plantations, rice paddies, and small farms. The result: three-quarters of native plant species have vanished since 1911.
“Plants form the foundation of every ecosystem,” says lead author Dr. Andreas Hemp. “When they disappear, countless other species follow.”
Kilimanjaro’s landscape is unique. Nowhere else on Earth do tropical savannahs, cloud forests, and glaciers lie so close together. The mountain provides vital ecosystem services—fresh water, fertile soils, flood protection, and cooler local climates—for millions of people in Tanzania and Kenya. Yet some rural areas now reach population densities of up to 1,500 people per square kilometre, putting immense pressure on natural habitats.
The study, published in PLOS One, found that rapid population growth and agricultural expansion are the primary drivers of species loss, while climate change had only minor effects so far.
Still, there’s hope. The researchers point to the Chagga homegardens, a traditional form of agroforestry practiced on Kilimanjaro’s southern slopes. Bananas, coffee, fruit trees, and medicinal plants grow together under a mixed canopy—mimicking a natural forest. “These gardens show that people and biodiversity can coexist,” Hemp says. “They could be a model for sustainable farming across the tropics.”
Source: Hemp, A., Miyazawa, M., Hurskainen, P. (2025). Gain and loss: human and environmental wellbeing – drivers of Kilimanjaro’s decreasing biodiversity. PLOS One.
Link to article: https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0334184
Link to press releases:
University of Bayreuth: https://www.uni-bayreuth.de/pressemitteilung/landnutzung-kilimandscharo
Plos One: https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1102861?utm
– Claudia Hemp –
October 2025
Kilimanjaro at a Crossroads – 2025 Conservation Outlook Released
The 2025 IUCN Conservation Outlook Assessment for Kilimanjaro National Park rates Africa’s highest mountain as “Good with Some Concerns.” The report celebrates the site’s outstanding natural values but warns of increasing threats that endanger both biodiversity and the mountain’s unique ecological balance.
Exceptional World Heritage Values
Mount Kilimanjaro is not only Africa’s highest mountain (5,895 m) but also one of the largest freestanding volcanoes on Earth, rising dramatically from the East African plains. Its spectacular landscape—glaciers, crater lakes, waterfalls, moorlands, and forests—creates a breathtaking natural monument.
Five distinct vegetation zones form a vertical ecological gradient from savanna to snow, hosting more than 3,000 plant species, 140 mammals, and over 8,000 insect species discovered by the Kili Project. Unique endemics include the giant groundsel (Dendrosenecio kilimanjari), giant lobelia (Lobelia deckenii), and Abbot’s duiker (Cephalophus spadix), found nowhere else on Earth. Kilimanjaro also harbours Africa’s highest forest, a subalpine cloud forest of Erica trimera at around 4,000 m a.s.l., and supports globally vulnerable and endemic bird species within the Kenyan Mountains Endemic Bird Area (EBA).
Mounting Threats to a Natural Icon
While Kilimanjaro’s biodiversity remains rich, the report identifies climate change, recurrent wildfires, deforestation, and human pressure as the most critical threats to its long-term conservation:
Climate Change: The mountain’s glaciers have declined by more than 80% since 1912, with projections suggesting they could vanish entirely by mid-century. Warming and drying climates raise the cloud base, desiccate the upper montane forests, and shift vegetation zones downslope.
Wildfires: Increasingly frequent and severe fires—driven by prolonged dry periods and human activity—have destroyed more than 300 km² of high-altitude forests and lowered the closed forest line by 900 m. Fires in 2020, 2022, and 2023 burned over 100 km², severely impacting fog-water collection and water balance.
Deforestation: On the lower slopes, 750 km² of forest have been lost since 1880 due to clear-cutting and land-use change. Illegal logging, charcoal production, and expansion of agriculture continue to threaten the park’s ecological buffer zone.
Human Pressure and Isolation: Kilimanjaro is surrounded by over 90 villages, making it an ecological island. Habitat fragmentation and loss of wildlife corridors reduce gene flow and threaten the survival of endemic species.
Tourism Impacts: With more than 68,000 climbers in 2024, tourism generates income but also erosion, litter, and waste problems along main routes. Sustainable management measures are urgently needed.
Invasive Species: Alien trees such as Acacia mearnsii, Eucalyptus spp., and Pinus patula—introduced during past reforestation efforts—pose a growing threat of invasion in lower montane zones.
Towards a Sustainable Future
The report highlights encouraging steps: expansion of the Kilimanjaro National Park boundaries in 2005, improved fire-risk mapping, invasive species monitoring, and reforestation projects led by WWF, KINAPA, and the local NGO TanzMont, which has played a key role in promoting the restoration of native tree species and raising local awareness for indigenous forest recovery.
Equally crucial are long-term ecological research efforts. The Kili Project, established in 2010, builds on more than three decades of research by Andreas and Claudia Hemp, who have been studying the mountain’s vegetation and biodiversity since 1989. Their work laid the scientific foundation for understanding Kilimanjaro’s ecosystem dynamics — from fire ecology and vegetation zonation to forest recovery and the impacts of climate change. Among the project’s many findings was the discovery of Africa’s tallest trees (Entandrophragma excelsum, over 80 m high) in a remote river gorge within the national park — a striking symbol of Kilimanjaro’s still-hidden natural richness.
The Kili Project’s long-term data and integrative approach provide the backbone for the 2025 assessment and remain indispensable for guiding evidence-based conservation on Africa’s highest mountain.
Download the full IUCN 2025 Conservation Outlook for Kilimanjaro National Park here
– Claudia Hemp –
September 2025
PhD Successfully Completed!
Netra Bhandari, PhD student in SP7 Synthesis project, has completed her PhD titled “A quantitative approach to social-ecological systems: mapping nature’s contributions to people and human health dynamics in the Kilimanjaro region”.
Her thesis aims to advance the understanding of Kilimanjaro’s socio-ecological systems through integrated data and spatial assessments. In her four-year journey, she examined how analysis-ready datasets can be useful in operationalizing the IPBES framework through spatially explicit maps of the potential supply of Nature’s Contributions to People (NCP) and how environmental exposures (air pollution, heat stress, precipitation etc.) are linked to increased incidence of different diseases in urban and rural districts of Kilimanjaro. The thesis will be publicly available on the University of Marburg publication server.
Netra is deeply greatful for every single person who made this PhD journey a sucess, especially all former and current PhD students who shared their data for the synthesis work. She will be continuing as a post-doc in SP7 looking at the spatially explicit demand of NCP across Kilimanjaro.
– Netra Bhandari –
September 2025
IMC 2025 conference
Berta Martín-López (SP3), Dickson Mauki Gerald (SP2), John Sanya Julius (SP3), Milena Gross (SP3), and Neema Robert Kino (SP7) took part in the International Mountain Conference (IMC) 2025, held from September 14–18 in Innsbruck, Austria, right in the heart of the Alps.
Bringing together researchers from around the world, the conference was dedicated entirely to mountain research. Its main goal was to strengthen and connect knowledge on mountain systems—especially how they respond and adapt to global change.
Our team contributed actively to this vibrant exchange and returned with many valuable insights and inspirations that we are excited to share with you.
Dickson: I attended and presented in an interesting session titled “Navigating Africa’s Mountains in New Global Change Territory”. In this session, I presented my insight of the Soil Multifunctionality across Kilimanjaro Mountain ecosystems. This session brought together researchers and practitioners from across the world to explore how Africa’s unique and diverse mountain systems are being impacted by climate change, biodiversity loss, and social pressures. Unlike long mountain ranges elsewhere, many African mountains are isolated “islands,” which makes them both rich in biodiversity and highly vulnerable as Presented by Prof Clark, Vincent Ralph.
Speakers highlighted several key challenges: ecosystem degradation, lack of data, and the need for stronger local and scientific collaboration. A particularly inspiring takeaway was how local traditions and cultural practices—such as sacred forests—are playing a role in protecting mountain environments. There’s a growing call for better monitoring, stronger policy support, and more inclusion of community knowledge in conservation efforts of Africa’s Mountains.
Overall, the session emphasized the urgent need to bring Africa’s mountain regions into the center of global climate and sustainability conversations. As climate change intensifies, we must support local communities, invest in research and restoration, and work across borders to protect these vital landscapes. Africa’s mountains may be scattered, but the energy and ideas shared at IMC made it clear: their future matters—for biodiversity, for culture, and for the planet.
Milena: I was deeply inspired by the presentations that brought the Alpine Resilience Multisensory Art Lab to life within the conference space. I greatly valued research approaches that go beyond traditional dimensions of knowing to also embrace doing and being—as exemplified in the work of Jamila Haider and Josef “Präa Sepp” Rieser. Equally powerful were projects that foreground human voices, such as The Voices of Glaciers: A Human Chronicle of Ice, Loss, and Resilience by the Mountain Research Initiative—including voices on Kilimanjaro’s glaciers—, as well as those that gave voice to non-human beings in their (action) research. A striking example was the Rewilding Apennines project on human-bear co-existence, which creatively introduced the perspective of a bear—embodied by a human representative—into workshops with diverse social actors when decisions on coexistence were discussed. Witnessing such openness and transformative practices within the scientific community has been both inspiring and encouraging. It motivates me to carry these impulses forward in shaping my future postdoctoral research as part of the Kili-SES project.
Neema: Contributing to the research agenda for mountain social-ecologicla systems and mountain futures was the highlight of my time at the International Mountain Conference in Innsbruck, Austria. Inspiring and thought-provoking presentations made the expericne truly unforgettable, including keynote talks by Rupert Seidl “Forest resilience in a changing world: A tale of three mountains”, and Aida Cuni Sanchez “Climate change impacts in African mountains: How can we help local farmers”. It was also great to personally meet many people whose work I have come across and read quite a lot, including Ignacio Palomo, Aida Cun Sanchez, Rob Marchant, Caroline Adler, Jessica Thorn, Bruno Lacotelli, and Adrienne Grêt-Regamey.
I look forward to future collaborations and expanding connections with researchers in the field.
John: Attending the International Mountain Conference (IMC) in Innsbruck, Austria, was such an inspiring adventure that deepened my appreciation for the unique challenges and exciting opportunities in mountain regions. Surrounded by the stunning Alps, I was delighted to see a vibrant mix of voices, including researchers, policymakers, and practitioners—all coming together to share their insights on pressing issues like climate change, sustainable tourism, socio-economic concerns, and the vital importance of local knowledge. I felt particularly moved by the emphasis on teamwork across disciplines and the heartfelt recognition of indigenous and community perspectives in crafting sustainable solutions. Outside of the official sessions, the chance to connect with others led to some significant conversations and exciting potential collaborations. Overall, I left feeling energised and hopeful about the promising future of mountain conservation and sustainable development.
– Berta Martín-López, Dickson Mauki Gerald, John Sanya Julius, Milena Gross, and Neema Robert Kino –
July 2025
Honored Visit: Landesbischöfin Kristina Kühnbaum‑Schmidt and Bishop Frederick Shoo at the TanzMont Tree Nursery in Kidia
On July 22, 2025, we had the great honor of welcoming Landesbischöfin Kristina Kühnbaum‑Schmidt, head of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Northern Germany (Nordkirche), to our TanzMont tree nursery in Kidia, situated on the southern slopes of Mount Kilimanjaro. She was accompanied by Bishop Dr. Frederick Shoo, former Presiding Bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Tanzania, and a small delegation.
Their visit marks a special moment for us, as it highlights the growing recognition of our work in reforestation, biodiversity conservation, and sustainable land use under the Kili-SES (Kilimanjaro Social-Ecological Systems) project.
Landesbischöfin Kühnbaum-Schmidt is not only a spiritual leader but also the official Commissioner for Creation Responsibility for the Evangelical Church in Germany (EKD). She has been a passionate and consistent voice for climate justice and environmental stewardship. Whether calling for a global phase-out of fossil fuels, encouraging more sustainable lifestyles, or pushing her own church to reduce emissions and adopt renewable energy, her commitment is both visionary and practical.
Her presence in Kidia, alongside Bishop Shoo—himself a longtime advocate for reforestation and conservation in Tanzania—is a strong affirmation of the importance of local grassroots efforts in addressing global ecological challenges.
During the visit, many trees were planted on the grounds of the Lutheran Parish in Kidia. Landesbischöfin Kühnbaum-Schmidt, members of her delegation, Bishop Dr. Shoo, and Rev. Shao, the parish pastor of Kidia, all actively took part in this effort—each planting trees as a symbolic and practical contribution to the reforestation of the region.
We at TanzMont and the Kili-SES project feel deeply honored by their visit. It is a meaningful encouragement to all of us working on the ground to restore degraded lands, involve communities in tree planting, and support environmental education. The exchange and interest shown by the delegation gave new energy to our mission and confirmed that small-scale, community-based work matters—and is being seen.
Asante sana, and heartfelt thanks to Landesbischöfin Kühnbaum-Schmidt, Bishop Shoo, and all involved for taking the time to visit and engage with our work. May this encounter inspire further collaborations for the protection of God’s creation.
– Claudia Hemp –
July 2025
ATBC 2025 conference: Tropical Biology and Conservation for a Sustainable World: Merging Diverse Approaches, Actors, and Local Knowledge
Berta Martín-López (SP3), Dickson Mauki Gerald (SP2), John Sanya Julius (SP3), Milena Gross (SP3), and Neema Robert Kino (SP7) actively participated in the ATBC 2025 conference themed “Tropical Biology and Conservation for a Sustainable World: Merging Diverse Approaches, Actors, and Local Knowledge”. The conference took place in Oaxaca, Mexico, from June 29th to July 4th, 2025. Three of us want to share a remarkable experience and insight with the readers of this blog:
John Sanya Julius: The ATBC 2025 conference in Oaxaca, Mexico, represented a pivotal milestone in ecological research, knowledge systems, and community-centred practices. It highlighted the critical importance of inclusive and socially responsible conservation efforts within tropical regions. Hosted amidst Oaxaca’s culturally rich and biologically diverse environment, the event facilitated profound reflection on conservation ethics, challenged traditional paradigms, and promoted co-creation through interactive methodologies, storytelling, and interdisciplinary collaboration. The extensive presentations and dialogues addressed both existing challenges and emerging innovations affecting conservation initiatives in tropical areas. Attendees depart with new scientific research methodologies, expanded global networks, and a reinforced conviction that sustainable tropical conservation must be grounded in respect, reciprocity, and the cultivation of relationships with the communities intimately connected to the land.
Milena Gross: ATBC 2025 was not merely a conference—it felt like a special gathering. Hosted by Prof Miguel Martínez in his home region of Oaxaca, he intentionally designed it as a celebration of life and friendship amidst a world often overshadowed by heartbreaking news, loss of hope, racism, and violence. As a result, the conference felt profoundly authentic and deeply rooted in Oaxaca’s sociobiodiversity.
A workshop, based on the Transformative Change Assessment recently released by the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) (https://www.ipbes.net/transformative-change-assessment), was particularly relevant for the second phase of the Kili-SES research unit, as it focused on pathways for just and sustainable futures. In small—international and interdisciplinary—groups, we discussed how local actions, meaningful partnerships, international collaborations, and visions for the future can address the underlying causes of biodiversity loss and nature’s decline.
Neema Robert Kinabo: The ATBC 2025 in Oaxaca was a truly enriching experience, where engaging scientific presentations were powerfully complemented by the vibrant sharing of local culture and traditional ecological knowledge through cuisine, dance, music, and hands-on activities, such as mycelium-making. This reminded us that cultural knowledge systems, which are integral to conserving global biodiversity, are all around us.
– John Sanya Julius, Milena Gross, and Neema Robert Kinabo –
May 2025
The questions we ask matter: insights from place-based research on nature’s contributions to people
Several researchers involved in SP3 (Milena Gross, Jasmine Pearson, Ugo Arbieu, Jennifer Sesabo and Berta Martín-López) co-authored the manuscript entitled “The questions we ask matter: insights from place-based research on nature’s contributions to people” recently published by Sustainability Science (DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11625-025-01649-z). This manuscript makes an important methodological contribution: Previous (nature valuation) literature recommends using plural methods to reduce the risk of omitting knowledge. However, Milena Gross and colleagues have shown that we can also ‘pluralize’ within one method, transferring insights from the field of linguistics into sustainability science. Multiple question wordings that seemingly ask interviewees the same thing can result in nuanced and insightful responses. This can enable different opportunities for research participants to access and express their perceptions on people-nature relationships. This study used this technique to elicit the many ways that Nature’s Contributions to People (NCP) can be perceived.
In this study, four different question-wordings were explored in interviews with nature conservationists (n=28), tour guides (n=20), and tourists (n=38) at Mount Kilimanjaro, Tanzania. The framing of the questions worked differently for the social actors to express NCP, and multiple question-wordings were necessary for all social actors to express the greatest diversity of NCP. Moreover, the question-framing conditioned the expression of several NCP. For example, ignoring the question wording of Importance would have led to overlooking NCP Intergenerational benefits.
Arguing that methods used to identify NCP serve as ‘NCP-articulating institutions’, the authors claim that researchers can reduce the risk of response omission by drawing on the power of words, in both a single method but also in plural methods. Complementing previous calls for plural methods, the findings showed that a ‘within-method pluralizing’ approach, i.e., using various question-framings as tools within one method, can also amplify social actors’ NCP.
Milena Gross and colleagues hope that these findings will support the NCP and nature valuation community by highlighting new and more cost-effective ways to elicit different NCP and values since including diverse methods is often costly and labor-intensive.
– Milena Gross –
April 2025
Im aktuell erschienenen Senckenberg Magazin, Jahrgang 155, Heft 4, wird die Arbeit der Kilimanjaro-Forschergruppe vorgestellt. Es bietet einen umfassenden Einblick in die interdisziplinäre Forschung am Kilimanjaro und zeigt die Bedeutung internationaler Zusammenarbeit für den Erhalt dieses einzigartigen Ökosystems. Nach einer Einführung der sieben Subprojekte folgen vertiefende Beiträge zu verschiedenen Aspekten der Forschung am Kilimanjaro:
Vorstellung der sieben Subprojekte: Die sieben Subprojekte der Kilimanjaro-Forschergruppe befassen sich mit Wasserverfügbarkeit, Ökosystemleistungen, lokalem Wissen, Wahrnehmung ökologischer Veränderungen, institutionellen Rahmenbedingungen, Biodiversität und einer übergreifenden Systemanalyse. Ziel ist es, die Auswirkungen von Landnutzung und Klimawandel besser zu verstehen und nachhaltige Entwicklungsstrategien zu fördern.
Globale Klimadatenbanken liefern unzuverlässige Werte: Judith und Andreas Hemp analysierten über viele Jahre gesammelte Wetterdaten vom Kilimanjaro und umliegenden Bergen. Sie kritisieren gängige Klimadatensätze wie WorldClim und CHELSA, die auf spärlichen Messpunkten und modellierten Schätzungen beruhen – besonders problematisch in tropischen Gebirgen mit wenigen Wetterstationen. Das führt zu teils erheblichen Abweichungen von den tatsächlichen Niederschlagswerten.
Helikopterbefliegung im Februar: Ein Beitrag von Claudia und Andreas Hemp dokumentiert eine Helikopterbefliegung im Februar, bei der hochauflösende Luftbilder mithilfe von Hyperspektral-, LiDAR- und Wärmebildkameras aufgenommen wurden. Diese Daten ermöglichen eine präzise Kartierung der Vegetation und liefern wertvolle Informationen über Struktur und Zustand der Ökosysteme.
Neue Heuschreckenfamilie: Ein Artikel von Claudia Hemp beschreibt die Entdeckung einer neuen Heuschreckenfamilie in Afrika, die enge Verwandtschaftsbeziehungen zu Arten in Südamerika aufweist. Diese Erkenntnisse werfen neues Licht auf die biogeografische Geschichte und die evolutionären Verbindungen zwischen den Kontinenten.
Studie zu Bushbabies und Baumschliefern: Die finnischen Forscher Hanna Rosti und Henry Pihlström untersuchen die Verbreitung und das Verhalten von Bushbabies und Baumschliefern am Kilimandscharo und in Ostafrika. Ihre Studie trägt zum Verständnis der Anpassungsstrategien dieser Tiere in unterschiedlichen Höhenlagen bei.
Interview mit Beatrice Mmary und Ronald Tenga: Im Interview berichten Beatrice Mmary und Ronald Tenga von ihrer Arbeit bei der NGO TanzMont. Sie erläutern, wie sie lokale Gemeinden in den Naturschutz einbinden und Bildungsprogramme entwickeln, um das Bewusstsein für die Bedeutung des Kilimandscharo-Ökosystems zu stärken.
Ein Auszug des Magazins kann hier heruntergeladen werden.
March 24th-25th, 2025
Pre-Kickoff Meeting for the 2nd phase of the project
From March 24th to 25th, the Kili-SES Team gathered at the Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research (UFZ) in Leipzig for a pre-kickoff meeting of Kili-SES-2. For many team members, it was a delightful reunion, while others were welcomed as new faces joining the Kili-Team.
The meeting, held from noon to noon, covered key aspects of the second phase, including discussions on the objectives for the upcoming phase within and across subprojects, updates on the ongoing recruitment of new PhD students and postdocs, plans for joint activities (e.g., seminars) and preparations for the upcoming kickoff meeting in Tanzania. The team also enjoyed a delicious dinner at Auerbach’s Keller, fostering collaboration and team spirit.
We are excited to welcome all new members to the Kili-SES-Team, including our PhD students and postdocs, and look forward to having them fully on board by November 2025.
– Juliane Helm –
March 2025
A PhD Journey Successfully Completed!
Milena Gross, involved in SP3 Demand for and values of Nature’s Contributions to People, has completed her PhD titled “Balancing the Plural Voices at Play – Approaches of Researchers to Advancing an Inclusive Understanding of People-Nature Relationships.” Her thesis explores how methodological choices shape our understanding of people-nature relationships, with the ultimate goal of informing inclusive conservation policies and practices. It highlights the influential role of researchers’ decisions—boldly framed as political choices—in shaping scientific outcomes. Given the scarcity of studies that critically assess and reflect on methodological approaches in people-nature relationship research, this is a significant empirical contribution. You can access the PhD thesis here: 10.48548/pubdata-1704.
Milena is deeply grateful to everyone who accompanied her on this PhD journey. As she concludes this chapter with the Kili SES research unit, she looks forward to continuing her work as a postdoctoral researcher in SP3 Understanding social-ecological transformations: the role of initiatives’ values, rules and knowledge.
– Milena Gross –
Feb 2025
COSTECH Evaluation of the Kili-SES Project
On February 27th, a team of representatives from COSTECH, along with a board member from the police headquarters Dar es Salaam, visited the Kidia station to evaluate the Kili-SES project. During their visit, they inquired about the project’s progress and impact. Andreas and Claudia Hemp guided them through the station, providing insights into the origins of their research in Tanzania, which started with smaller projects before expanding into two major research units.
The team explained the structure of Kili-1 and showcased various project outputs, including the Kili Booklet, the Map of Kilimanjaro, the Medicinal Plants of Kilimanjaro book, informational flyers, and the latest publication—a small booklet highlighting indigenous tree species suitable for planting within the plantation belt of Mount Kilimanjaro.
The role of Ulf Pommer in the project was also discussed, emphasizing his technical expertise in monitoring forest structure and composition. His work includes measuring tree heights, diameters, and species composition using the Field-Map method. The visitors toured the tree nursery and observed a nearby forest stand, which, despite being only 10 years old, has already developed into a fully established forest.
Current research efforts were also highlighted, particularly those focusing on human well-being, with Tanzanian and international students conducting interviews as part of the study. COSTECH was particularly interested in the number of Tanzanian students educated during the various projects. Andreas Hemp elaborated on the significance of long-term data collection in understanding the Kilimanjaro ecosystem, with implications for other ecological systems as well.
Claudia Hemp introduced her research on Orthoptera, explaining the methodologies used and the value of these insects as bioindicators of habitat conditions. Live bush crickets were presented as examples, demonstrating how monitoring is conducted, what traits are recorded (such as song patterns), and how certain species are bred to study their developmental cycles and biology.
The COSTECH team engaged in discussions and took notes for their upcoming board evaluation, scheduled for April 2025.
– Claudia Hemp –