To mark International Women’s Day on March 8, Landscapes News is publishing a series of stories honoring women with a laurel for their dedication to improving the landscape. In this profile, Shafi Noor Islam, assistant professor, University of Brunei Darussalem and Habilitation Research Fellow, chair of Ecosystems and Environmental Informatics at Germany’s Brandenburg University of Technology (BTU) Cottbus-Senftenberg, writes about Sandra Reinstädtler. Check Viewpoint for more laurel recipients.
Sandra Reinstädtler (Dipl.-Ing., DI, engineering diploma,Technical University of Dresden) is a doctoral research associate in the Department of Environmental Planning at BTU. She studied landscape architecture at TU Dresden, specializing in landscape planning, land use, water management and their relationship with climate change. Her diploma thesis focused on regionally scaled strategies for rural land use and the sustainable development of cultural landscapes in a commune in an alpine region in Switzerland.
She has broad experience in scientific guidance as a lecturer, including teaching a “Cultural Landscapes and Historical Gardens” module of lectures and seminars in the U.N. cultural agency, UNESCO World Heritage Studies master’s program. She also taught environmental planning for a land use and water management master’s program, strategic environmental and environmental impact assessment for environmental engineers, and city ecology for city and regional planners at BTU.
Additionally, she has worked through an ERASMUS-exchange program in the master’s program for environmental and applied science at Sweden’s Halmstad University.
So far, she has 12 publications in international journals, conference proceedings and books.
Specifically, her research focuses on landscape, land use and environmental media such as water, especially in Spree Forest (Spreewald) and Lusatia (Lausitz) Region of Germany. She also works on (cultural, natural) landscape and nature protection as well as on coastal landscapes and wetlands. Her latest work focuses on water systems, land use, landscapes and global change from a global to regional modeling perspective. She focuses on the relationships between human activities such as land use, water, the role of landscapes and their change factors.
As the availability of clean water is combined with functioning landscapes, her interdisciplinary research about water and landscapes is essential for nature and ecology as well as for people and combined society, culture, economy. Already in many regions of the world, water scarcity and security is at risk. So her landscape research is a great stepping stone for enhancing development targets through the U.N. Sustainable Development Goals.
She has gained scientific research and field study experience in Germany, Britain, Canada, Sweden, Switzerland and the United States.
On the occasion of International Women’s Day 2018, I salute Sandra Reinstädtler as a genius landscapes expert and for her novel work on nature and culture conservation, and her landscape protection efforts.
Deepali Rautela at forefront of sustainable forest certification program in India
Through grassroots “A Tree for Sam and Sally” Mavis Siame encourages reforestation
Bezaiet Dessalegn’s fuel-efficient stove-for-work program in Ethiopia protects trees
Aleta Baun protects livelihoods by fighting encroachment into Timor forests
Kinari Webb transforms medical payment system to protect Borneo orangutan habitats
Lucia Madrid leads integrated landscape watershed project in Mexico
Cecile Ndjebet mobilizes mangrove restoration project on Cameroon coast
Renée Giovarelli puts gender equity on the map in push for land rights
Monica Mezzalama ensures safe travel for maize and wheat seed to curb pathogens
For Maggie Muurmans, saving sea turtles starts with the community
Soil scientist Leigh Winowiecki works with over 8,000 farmers to restore degraded land in Africa
Yuyun Ismawati fights mercury, pollutants in landscapes to protect livelihoods
EcoAgriculture’s Louise Buck takes collaborative landscape efforts to new heights
Landscapes activist Myriam Espinoza Torres empowers communities in Mexico
Susie Kinyanjui leads 1.5 million charcoal seedball sowing reforestation initiative
Honor your “Landscape Laurel” on International Women’s Day 2018
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