An extraordinary combination: in the middle of the jungle just outside the city, visitors can experience biodiversity on a large and small scale at the end of the first week of the summer holidays. Soil samples are collected on exploratory tours with the rangers from Naturwacht Saar, which are then closely examined under the microscope together with researchers from the Helmholtz Institute for Pharmaceutical Research Saarland (HIPS).
For two days, the Günther von Bünau WildnisCamp not far from the hiking parking lot at Forsthaus Neuhaus north of Saarbrücken will be transformed into an outdoor research laboratory. There, young and old can try their hand at discovering exciting new soil bacteria in the freshly collected soil samples. On both days, the scientists will be on hand to explain how research into microbial biodiversity in the soil and the discovery of new active pharmaceutical ingredients are connected. The search for new soil bacteria in the primeval forest environment is extremely promising - after all, hundreds of novel bacteria have already been discovered from Saarland soil samples as part of the MICROBELIX citizen science project, some of which can actually produce interesting active ingredients.
This is precisely one of the aims of MICROBELIX: to find new soil bacteria with the help of citizen scientists that are able to produce previously unknown natural substances. These can then be developed into new drugs to combat infections and other diseases. At the same time, HIPS researchers are working on methods to provide previously unattainable insights into the biodiversity of microorganisms in the soil. In addition to the microbiological research work, there will also be workshops on both days in which researchers will explain their studies published in specialist journals in a generally understandable way. And those who have done enough research can take a break in the games tent, for example with a round of soil bacteria quartet or microbe memory.
Date
Sunday, 29 June 2025, from 10 a.m.
Organizers
The exhibition and the thematic action days are a cooperation of the Ministry of Environment, Climate Mobility, Agriculture and Consumer Protection, with the SaarForst Landesbetrieb, the NABU Saarland e.V., the Helmholtz Institute for Pharmaceutical Research Saarland and the Netzwerk Entwicklungspolitik im Saarland e.V.. It is also an exhibition in the spirit of education for sustainable development.
Location
Günther von Bünau WildnisCamp not far from the hiking parking lot at Forsthaus Neuhaus north of Saarbrücken
Further information:
The event is free of charge and registration is not required. For more information, please see the website of Saar Urwald (in German).
