Prof. Dr. Helge Walentowski | Forest Management | Best Research Article Award
Prof. Dr. Helge Walentowski | Forest Management – HAWK University of Applied Sciences and Arts, Germany
Prof. Dr. Helge Walentowski is a renowned forest ecologist and environmental scientist with over 30 years of experience in sustainable forest management, forest biodiversity, and climate change adaptation. He currently holds the position of Chair of Forest Geobotany, Pedology and Nature Conservation at a prominent German university and is globally recognized for his contributions to forest ecology in both temperate and montane forest ecosystems. His work spans Europe, Latin America, and Asia, focusing on interdisciplinary and applied ecological research. He has led major international research collaborations and has been deeply involved in education, editorial work, and conservation outreach.
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Education:
Prof. Walentowski completed his doctoral degree at the University of Freiburg, Germany, where he specialized in Silviculture and forest ecology. His academic foundation combines ecological theory with practical conservation strategies. Over the years, he has supervised multiple doctoral dissertations and currently advises eight PhD candidates in programs such as GAUSS and CIPDES. He is also involved in curriculum development and academic advisory roles within forest-related degree programs, especially in Forest Ecology and Forest Bioeconomy.
Experience:
His professional career spans academia, research institutions, and applied environmental science. From 1999 to 2015, he was a senior researcher and project manager at the Bavarian State Institute of Forestry, playing a key role in the Natura 2000 conservation initiative. Since 2015, he has served as the Chair of Forest Geobotany, leading research and education in the Faculty of Resource Management. He was also Dean of the faculty from 2019 to 2023. His extensive international work includes field research and workshops in South America, Southeastern Europe, and the Mediterranean.
Research Interest:
Prof. Walentowski’s main research interests lie in climate-resilient forest management, ecological restoration, forest biodiversity, and carbon dynamics. He focuses on how land use and climate change affect forest ecosystems and develops ecological strategies for sustainability. His research often combines field ecology, microclimate modeling, and soil science to address forest degradation and promote biodiversity. He has a strong interest in interdisciplinary science, working at the crossroads of ecology, geobotany, conservation policy, and forest soils.
Awards:
Prof. Walentowski has received several distinguished honors throughout his career. In 2023, he was awarded Docente Honorario and Personalidad Ilustre by the Universidad Nacional Toribio Rodríguez de Mendoza de Amazonas (UNTRM), Peru, recognizing his contributions to forest research and education in Latin America. He also received a certificate from Elsevier for research linked to the UN Sustainable Development Goals. Earlier in his career, he was awarded the Hanskarl Goettling Research Prize for achievements in applied forestry research. These honors reflect his global impact and academic leadership in forest sustainability.
Selected Publications:
“Climate vulnerability of Nothofagus pumilio, N. dombeyi and Austrocedrus chilensis in northern Patagonia” – Forest Ecology and Management, 2024 (Cited by 12)
“Unravelling the pedogenetic development of forest soils in Northern Patagonia” – Catena, 2025 (Cited by 5)
“Soil redistribution and seed availability after fire in Austrocedrus forests” – Fire Ecology, 2025 (Cited by 7)
“Microclimatic variation of temperate forests in Northern Patagonia” – International Journal of Biometeorology, 2024 (Cited by 9)
“Assessing uncertainty in bioclimatic modelling in Patagonia” – Regional Environmental Change, 2024 (Cited by 4)
“Carbon density and sequestration in Patagonian temperate forests” – Frontiers in Forests and Global Change, 2024 (Cited by 10)
“A 50-year perspective on conservation challenges in Patagonian forests” – Biological Conservation, 2025 (Cited by 3)
Conclusion:
Prof. Dr. Helge Walentowski exemplifies a rare combination of academic excellence, global collaboration, and applied environmental impact. With a solid foundation in ecological research and decades of practical experience, he has significantly contributed to our understanding of how forests respond to environmental change. His research has direct implications for climate adaptation, biodiversity conservation, and sustainable land use planning. He is not only a prolific scientist but also a mentor, leader, and international advocate for forest conservation. Based on his consistent and influential contributions, Prof. Walentowski is highly deserving of the Best Research Article Award.