Fellows and Alumni
Fellows
Transfer projects of fellows 2023-2025
Projects of fellows 2023-2025
Javokhir Abdukhalikov, Ministry of Ecology, Environmental Protection and Climate Change of the Republic of Uzbekistan
Mentors: Jakhongir Talipov (Ministry of Ecology, Environmental Protection and Climate Change of the Republic of Uzbekistan);Umberto Gallo-Orsi (Coordinating Unint of Raptors MoU, Convention on Migratory Species UNEP-CMS)
Iryna Burbylo, Frankfurt Zoological Society in Ukraine
Mentors: Vasyl Mochan (Frankfurt Zoological Society Ukrainian Carpathian programme); Leonardo Bereczky (Center for the Rehabilitation of Orphan Bears (Romania)
Barbora Chmelova, Ministry of the Environment of the Czech Republic
Mentors: Eliska Rolfova (Ministry of the Environment of the Czech Republic)
Dunja Delic Božic, Wise for Nature (Croatia)
Mentors: Zeljka Rajkovic (freelance); David Tidhar (Masdar - Abu Dhabi Future Energy Company)
Anastazija Dimitrova, Hans Em Faculty of Forest Sciences, Landscape Architecture and Environmental Engineering (North Macedonia)
Mentors: Prof. Dr. Dana Dina Kolevska (Hans Em Faculty of Forest Sciences, Landscape Architecture and Environmental Engineering, North Macedonia); Prof. Dr. Petar Jelev (University of Forestry Sofia, Bulgaria)
Mihaela Fratila, World Wide Fund for Nature Romania
Mentors: Cristina Iliescu (Transylvanian Highlands – Ecotourism Destination); Tibor Hartel (Cluj-Napoca University)
Jonáš Gaigr, Nature Conservation Agency of the Czech Republic
Mentors: Karel Chobot (Nature Conservation Agency of the Czech Republic); Radek Hejda (Nature Conservation Agency of the Czech Republic)
Martina Hervat, Public Institution Brijuni National Park (Croatia)
Mentors: Karla Fabrio Čubrić (Ministry of Economy and Sustainable Development of Croatia); Andrej Sovinc (IUCN WCPA)
Volha Kaskevich, Estonian University of Life Sciences
Mentors: Raymond D. Ward (Estonian University of Life Sciences); Miguel Villoslada Peciña (University of Eastern Finland)
Nana Khelkhelauri, Ministry of Environmental Protection and Agriculture of Georgia
Mentors: Teona Karchava (Ministry of Environmental Protection and Agriculture of Georgia); Nika Malazonia (Michael Succow Foundation)
Marija Lekic, Center for Protection and Research of Birds (Montenegro)
Mentors: Stefan Ferger (EuroNatur); Mate Zec (The Nature Conservancy TNC)
Andrijana Micanovic, Montenegrin Ecologists Society
Mentors: Vuk Iković (Independent environmental protection expert and member of the project team for the establishment of the Natura 2000 ecological network in Montenegro.); Diyana Kostovska (Bulgarian Biodiversity Foundation)
Mirzonazar Mirzoev, Tajikistan Nature Foundation
Mentors: Khalil Karimov (International Council for Game and Wildlife Conservation); Stefan Avramov (Rewilding Europe, Rewilding Rodopes, CEEweb for Biodiversity)
Niloufar Raeesi Chahartaghi, Sunich Group (Iran)
Mentor: Dr. Neda Kardooni (CEO and founder of the non-governmental organization "Nedaye Tose'e”), Katrin Parvanova
Gulshad Shagiakhmetova, Ministry of Natural Resources of the Republic of Uzbekistan
Mentors: Khalilulla Sherimbetov (State Committee of the Republic of Uzbekistan for Ecology and Environmental Protection); Sergey Zagrebin (Manager of GEF/UNDP/Ministry of ecology of the Republic of Uzbekistan "Global Biodiversity Framework Early Action Support GBF-EAS")
Kenzhekan Sultanbaeva, Ilbirs Foundation (Kyrgyz Republic)
Mentors: Zairbek Kubanychbekov (Ilbirs Foundation Public Fund); Tanya Rozen (Central Asian Programs for Conservation X Labs)
Madina Tauyekelova, Association for the Conservation of Biodiversity of Kazakhstan ACBK
Mentors: Alyona Krivosheyeva (Association for the Conservation of Biodiversity of Kazakhstan); Matt Lowton (Fauna and Flora International)
Alona Varukha, Chornobyl Radiation and Ecological Biosphere Reserve (Ukraine)
Mentors: Oleksandr Borsuk (Chornobyl Radiation and Ecological Biosphere Reserve); Anja May (Nationale Naturlandschaften Germany)
Mergen Yusupov, Ministry of Environmental Protection of Turkmenistan
Mentors: Dr. Jumamyrat Saparmyradov (Ministry of Agriculture and Environment Protection, Turkmenistan); Fariza Adilbekova (Convention on Migratory Species UNEP-CMS)
Transfer projects of fellows 2020-2022
Projects of fellows 2020-2022
Nadia Alekseeva, Directorate of Protected Areas of Saint Petersburg (Russian Federation)
Mentors: Nino Natsvaladze (Department in the Directorate of PAs of St Petersburg); Stella Vareltzidou (Freelance consultant /CCNet, Thessaloniki; formerly Axios River Mgmt Authority)
Maya Ashirova, Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH (Turkmenistan)
Mentors: Aknabat Potayeva (Kopetdag Strict Nature Reserve); Tobias Garstecki (Freelance consultant); Rejepgeldy Amanov (Division of the Environment Protection and Hydrometeorology of the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment Protection)
Boris Bozic, Milvus-Environmental Consultancy (Croatia)
Mentors: Huria Ogbamichael (Freelance change management consultant; Berlin); Dr. Gesa Geissler (TU Berlin)
Nona Budoyan, Ministry of Environment of Republic of Armenia (Armenia)
Mentors: Dr. Astghik Danielyan (GIZ Armenia);Dr. Lydia Slobodian (Serova, Washington, D. C.); Arsen Gasparyan (WWF Armenia)
Maya Eralieva, Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH (Kyrgyz Republic)
Mentors: Ruslan Mamyrov (Freelance economist and natl. expert in TP topic); Dr. Timm Tennigkeit (Unique forestry and land use GmbH, Freiburg)
Taida Garibovic, NATURA-JADERA public institution for management of protected areas in the County of Zadar (Croatia)
Mentors: Dr. Ivana Zubak Čižmek (University of Zadar); Anne Schierenberg (Nationale Naturlandschaften e. V., Berlin)
Asli Gemci, European Climate Foundation (Turkey), volunteer to WWF Turkey
Mentors: Sejal Worah (WWF India)
Siavash Ghoddousi, Institute of Biodiversity Conservation and Sustainability (Iran)
Mentors: Delaram Ashayeri (Department of Environment, IRoI); Julia Laux (Federal Agency for Nature Conservation Germany); Dr. Mahmood Soofi (Department of Cultural Heritage, IRoI)
Neza Hervatic, Municipality of Ankaran (Slovenia)
Mentors: Barbara Švagelj (Landscape Park Debeli Rtič); Mosor Prvan (WWF Adria)
Zerrin Karaaslan, Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, General Directorate of Nature Conservation and National Parks (Turkey)
Mentors: Dr. Şerife Sertkaya (MoE, Planning Division for Protected Areas); Gernant Magnin (Freelance/CCNet, Hilversum); Dr. Nilgül Karadeniz (Ankara University)
Luna Milatovic, International Council for Game and Wildlife Conservation - CIC Hungary (Hungary)
Mentors: David Mansell Moullin (Coordinator, Sustainable Wildlife Management; SWM); Dustin Gilbreath (Caucasus Research Resource Centre )
Rustam Murzakhanov, Michael Succow Foundation
Mentors: Bert Lenten (Freelance consultant; ex-AEWA, ex-CMS); Kirk Olson (WCS Mongolia); Mariya Gritsina (MSF/Research Institute of Zoology in Uzbekistan)
Ivana Saric Kapelj, Association Biom (Croatia)
Mentors: Marija Jurčević (BirdLife Europe); Marianne Carter (FFI, Cambridge)
Bogdan Vykhor, World Wide Fund for Nature Ukraine (Ukraine)
Mentors: Dr. Vasili Kostiushyn (Department of Animal Protection and Monitoring, National Insitute of Zoology); Kai Elmauer (Elmauer Institute)
Alumni Network
An important aspect of the Klaus Toepfer Fellowship Programme is its active network of about 100 alumni from 28 countries. The Alumni network opens up opportunities for cooperation between alumni, their institutions, the programme countries, German institutions, trainers and mentors as well as strategic partners.
Alumni activities are planned and implemented jointly by fellows and the organizers of the programme.
Alumni reunions are an important element of the alumni network. Four alumni meetings have taken place so far, in 2015, 2017 and 2023 in Germany, and in 2019 in Georgia. The 2023 meeting involved mostly the fellows from the 5th programme cycle, who had not had a chance to meet on Vilm island before, due to the COVID pandemic. Participants continued learning on management skills by attending advanced level trainings, e.g. on media skills, negotiation and conflict resolution. They also engaged in peer coaching, reflecting their professional situation and the framework conditions for nature conservation within regional subgroups.
Alumni are also already involved in the Klaus Toepfer Fellowship Programme as mentors for the transfer projects of the current fellows and as ambassadors for the recruitment of further fellows.
