BANU Field Botany Certification, a retrospective

2023-07-25

The examinees were mainly students, but also people who need the knowledge professionally and hobby botanists* participated. Very pleasing was the high number of passed exams: 43 of them were even passed with distinction, for which at least 80% of the exam types had to be correctly reproduced.

The experiences from the previous year, the exchange with other examination sites as well as a well thought-out preparation and a committed team led to a thoroughly successful day.

In advance, the plants were randomly selected by the program "R", so that no personal preferences influenced the selection. The plants were then collected the day before, sometimes even on the same day, in the ÖBG and Bayreuth surrounding area by employees of the University of Bayreuth. Already faded plants were substituted by photographic material. On Saturday morning the bronze examination took place in four subgroups, in the afternoon the silver examination comprising four subareas with one group. After the respective examination there was the possibility to exchange with others comfortably with a refreshment drink in the sun and to give feedback about the event via posters. Two free garden tours by the ÖBG rounded off the program and were accepted with great interest by the participants.

This year's field botany certification exam was again an all-around successful event, rewarded with much positive feedback, including from Lisa Silbernagl (project leader "Nationwide Coordination BANU Species Knowledge"), who praised the excellent organization and implementation.

And what does the future hold? Due to the high demand, the bronze and silver examinations will be offered again next year, and the date is already fixed: it is Saturday, June 22, 2024. However, the gold examination will not take place in Bayreuth for the time being, but probably in southern Bavaria in 2024. We are looking forward to many interested people and plant enthusiasts registering and participating again.

Further information and exam details can be found on the website of the BANU field botany certification at the ÖBG.
 
Knowledge of species is essential for successful and sustainable conservation work, the preservation of biodiversity and an exciting and interesting hobby for everyone. Therefore, the "Federal Working Group of state-supported environmental education centers in nature and environmental protection" (BANU) has developed a certification system valid throughout Germany, which is comparable and defines a transparent, high standard of species knowledge. In Bavaria - the certification was initiated by the ANL (Academy for Nature Conservation and Landscape Management) in Laufen.