Born and raised on a mystic castle in Salzburg, Austria, I grew up with lots of nature and their inhabitants around me. As the only child my most important playground was the forest and nature has always been the best place for me to relax, recover and solve problems. I studied biology at the University of Salzburg, with focus on zoology. I ended up doing research on amphibians, especially on fire and alpine salamanders, some of the most vulnerable and fascinating species I´ve ever seen. I worked a lot together with children, showing and teaching them the biodiversity that we have just on our doorsteps.I believe with all my heart that showing our children the beauty of nature is the most effective way to protect it. With their spirit, enthusiasm and pleasure, children are able to change a lot of things.

After several years at the university, I was working for an Austrian nature conservation organisation, focusing on different subjects of nature conservation. I had to learn that it is sometimes difficult to bring together different people and attitudes and that not everybody values nature the same way. Traveling through the world has been one of my passions, exploring the wildlife, different cultures and ways of life. The force that drives me now even more to get to action to preserve nature and our planet for future generations, is my little 2 year old austrian-spanish girl. She shares her wonderful perspective of life in a unique way. As her second home is Spain, I am very happy to put my energies in working for the European Wilderness Society, with a team doing great projects all over Europe.