Aim
The foundation has the aim of promoting scientific research and actions in the field of conservation of the natural heritage and in the field of biodiversity.
It realizes or makes carry out scientific research, in particular in zoology, botany, mycology, ecology, paleontology, geology, mineralogy, anthropology/human biology as well as in history of biology.
Moreover, it ensures on the one hand a scientific accompaniment of the implementation of the international conventions signed by the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, in particular conventions of Washington, of Bern, of Bonn (including the agreement of London) as well as the convention of Rio on biological diversity. Its activity extends in addition to the application from the regulations and directives from the European Union, in particular the directives “Habitats” and “Birds” as well as the scientific follow-up concerning agri-environmental measurements. It contributes to the scientific management of zoological gardens and botanical gardens, nature parks and natural reserves. It will contribute to the establishment and the management of databases as well as other systems of documentation on the natural heritage, in particular the databases LUXNAT and LUXSITE established by the Luxembourg national museum of natural history.
The foundation will attempt to improve the contact between the specialists in the various disciplines concerned by supporting meetings like by organizing specialized conferences or workshops.
Excerpt of the statutes of the foundation (pdf 285 kB).
Financing projects
The research projects supported by the foundation are financed in the two following ways:
- by AFR grants (Aides à la formation-recherche) of the FNR (Luxembourg national research fund). The foundation accommodates scientists within the framework of postgraduate grants by FNR covering PhD and postdoctorate research.
- by private gifts: you can contribute to improve our knowledge on biodiversity of the alive world which surrounds us by making a donation to the foundation. These funds will be dedicated to research projects of young scientists. By this skew you also will contribute to the protection of biological diversity since any program of conservation requires solid scientific bases.
The foundation benefits from funding granted by the Ministry for culture, higher education and research and the National museum for natural history.
Co-operation with the National Museum of Natural History
Cooperation between the Foundation and the National Museum of Natural History is based on the following two conventions:
- Convention of 17 December 2001 on cooperation in the scientific and educational fields.
- Convention of 8 December 2014 concerning the provision of premises, equipment and experimental outdoor spaces for scientific research purposes.
Board
- Simon Philippo, president
- Alain Frantz, vice-president
- Thierry Helminger, treasurer
- Guy Colling, member
- Laura Daco, member
- Claudine Felten, member
- Arno Frising, member
- Lucien Hoffmann, member
- Marianne Hoffmann, member
- Danièle Murat, member
- Jacques Pir, member
- Jean-Pierre Schmitz, member
- Simone Schneider, member
- Alexander Weigand, member
The following associations are members of the foundation:
- SNL – Société des naturalistes luxembourgeois
(Danièle Murat, Simone Schneider) - natur & ëmwelt (former LNVL – Lëtzebuerger Natur- a Vulleschutzliga)
(Claudine Felten, Jean-Pierre Schmitz) - AMHN – Amis du Musée national d’histoire naturelle
(Alain Frantz, Thierry Helminger) - ABIOL – Association des biologistes luxembourgeois
(Marianne Hoffmann, Jacques Pir)