bioversum Jagdschloss Kranichstein

Subproject bioversum Jagdschloss Kranichstein

The conservation of biodiversity - a challenge for the future

The bioversum Jagdschloss Kranichstein is a nature museum with an extensive didactic program in the northeast of Darmstadt. The exhibition is located in the armory as well as in the adjacent open-air laboratory and is thus part of the ensemble Jagdschloss Kranichstein. The bioversum is surrounded by an extraordinary variety of habitats and species: from the beech forest with natural streams to fish ponds, meadows and fields to the historic castle park.

The exhibition invites visitors to discover, experiment and try things out and brings the public closer to the importance of biodiversity as the basis for the existence of all life. It focuses on biodiversity as an inseparable part of human cultural development. This is done using the example of Kranichstein with its beech forest and interconnected habitats. In the two exhibition rooms on the topics of “Biological Diversity” and “Biological Invasions”, visitors young and old can expect a large forest diorama, interactive experience stations, audio plays and much more.

Recognize - Experience - Act

Our goal is to teach elementary biological, ecological and cultural relationships. The focus is on the encounter with “nature”, including that influenced by man. With the exhibitions, the outdoor laboratory and our mediation offer, we awaken fun and joy in the discovery of nature. The exhibition and programs encourage reflection on the relationship between humans and nature and provide our visitors with a personal approach to the topic of biodiversity. An interdisciplinary approach is particularly important to us in order to give our visitors as many points of reference as possible to their everyday lives and thus encourage them to take action themselves.

Switching point between science and the public

The bioversum Jagdschloss Kranichstein works with various cooperation partners and sees itself as a mouthpiece in the communication of science. His topics are primarily related to biodiversity and biological invasions in the European context. With lectures, identification marterial, excursions and special exhibitions, a scientific forum for the discussion of species protection and diversity is to be established. The bioversum aims to communicate current research results on these topics in a target group-oriented manner. In addition, the bioversum is also developing materials to explore the region’s animals, plants and habitats for themselves.

Our contribution to the BioDivKultur project

Within the framework of the BioDivKultur project, we take on precisely this mediating role and make the scientific findings from the project accessible to a broad public. We provide background knowledge, draw the eye to urban green spaces and their biodiversity during daily walks through the city, make the organisms involved visible and give suggestions on how to promote biodiversity in various areas.

To this end, we are developing an exhibition around the theme of green spaces in the park of the Jagdschloss, where we will present the inhabitants of the meadows and their way of life, in addition to various management methods and their effects.
The exhibition will be continued at various locations in the city in order to make the topic visible and tangible over the entire project period. For school classes, we develop materials that can be used to work on the topic of “Biodiversity in the City”.

The materials we have developed, both those of the mobile exhibition and those of the mediation, will also be usable for other cities and can be used there after a modular adaptation to the local specifics. Due to the connection of the bioversum with the Jagdschloss and thus the hunting theme, we will also develop information on the management of forest meadows and their impact on flora and fauna and make it available to hunters in training courses.

The BioDivKultur project is funded by the Research Initiative for Biodiversity Conservation of the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research.