Federal funding for touring exhibition "ProInsect"
18 February 2021
Photo: Martin Husemann, CeNak
With a travelling exhibition, "ProInsekt" wants to get people excited about insects like the marsh grasshopper. The marsh cricket is a species that has declined in many places due to the draining of wetlands.
Under the auspices of the Centre for Natural History (CeNak) of the University of Hamburg, the association of North German natural history museums and collections, NORe, is developing a travelling exhibition "ProInsect". Numerous studies in recent years have shown that the number of insect species, and especially the population sizes, are clearly declining. The Federal Agency for Nature Conservation (BfN) is funding the development of the exhibition in the Federal Programme on Biological Diversity with funds from the Federal Ministry for the Environment amounting to around 512,000 euros.
The exhibition "ProInsect" aims to arouse interest in insects and at the same time identify their endangerment and the factors responsible for it. It is intended to suggest solutions and encourage commitment. Habitat loss and fragmentation as well as intensification of land use are considered to be the main causes of the general decline of species and insects.
"With this exhibition, we want to counteract the sometimes negative image of insects and convey the importance and fascination of these extremely important animals," emphasises Dr Martin Husemann, project manager of "ProInsect" and head of entomology at CeNak.
Starting in 2022, the exhibition will initially be shown in eight museums in northern Germany and then travel through other museums throughout Germany. Scientific backgrounds will be presented in a generally understandable way for all population and age groups and explained using original specimens, enlarged models, media stations with 3D scans and 3D stacking photos, videos and animations. An informative accompanying programme is planned at all exhibition sites.
In addition to the funding from the Federal Ministry for the Environment and the Federal Agency for Nature Conservation, the Federal Foundation for the Environment (DBU) is contributing to the technical and financial support with a further 229,000 euros.
NORe cooperation partners: Centre for Natural History of the University of Hamburg (project management agency), Zoological Museum of the University of Greifswald, Zoological Collection of the University of Rostock, Müritzeum Waren (Müritz), Überseemuseum Bremen, Museum of Nature and Environment Lübeck, State Museum of Natural History in Braunschweig, Landesmuseum Natur und Mensch Oldenburg.
More:
Contact:
Dr. Martin Husemann
Head of the Entomology Department
Project management "ProInsect"
Centrum für Naturkunde
Universität Hamburg
Tel.: +49 40 42838-2373
E-Mail: Martin.Husemann"AT"uni-hamburg.de
Frithjof Malte Leopold
Project coordination "ProInsect"
Entomology
Centrum für Naturkunde
Universität Hamburg
Tel.: +49 40 42838-5629
E-Mail: frithjof.leopold"AT"uni-hamburg.de