Biodiversity Conservation and Future Natures

We are in the midst of a major, global biodiversity crisis ; transformative change is urgently needed. It is my conviction that this change can be achieved. The most promising way forward in my point of view is to join forces across sectors, and to work towards much more harmonious interactions between humans and nature. We need a new “Naturverbundenheit” and new aesthetic values. Also, I am convinced that we need a plurality of approaches in biodiversity conservation, to be able to fine-tune measures to the local situation.

Transformative change needs strong engagement. Having positive visions for what might be earned could trigger such engagement. Scientists in many disciplines have developed positive visions, e.g. about restored landscapes or transformed societies. However, these visions usually are neither integrated across disciplines, nor are they shared with the general public. In a joint initiative with Ingrid Rügemer and Oliver Szasz, we aimed at utilizing the tool box of design thinking to trigger the development of such joint, integrative visions for a good life, with the NGO Symbio(s)cene.

Projects

Essays and Blog Posts

Neuman,, N. (2025): „Der Begriff des Anthropozän bringt uns im Umweltschutz nicht weiter“. Interview mit Tina Heger. [link]

Krimphove, P. (2022): „Wir müssen uns vom Gegensatz zwischen natürlicher und vom Menschen beeinflusster Natur verabschieden“ Ein Interview mit der Expertin für Biodiversität und Ökologie Dr. Tina Heger. Interview for “Die Debatte”. [link]

Heger, T. (2020): Was meinen wir mit „Natur“? Ökologische Neuartigkeit als Beschreibungshilfe für Natur im Anthropozän. Biodiversitäts-Blog, Projekt Bridging in Biodiversity Science (BIBS). [link]

Heger, T. (2019): Invasive Species – Boon or Bane? Topos 108: 90-93. [link to pdf]

Heger, T. (2018): Menschen, Pflanzen, Aversionen? Gebietsfremde Arten und neuartige Ökosysteme. Nodium – Zeitschrift des Alumni-Clubs Landschaft der TU München 10: 64-67. [link to pdf]

Publications

* Heger, T., & Szasz, O. (2025): The Symbiocene as a transformative vision to overcome the degenerative mindset of the Anthropocene. Zenodo. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.16536915

Barbulescu, R., South, J., Byrne, B., Solomos, J., Benson, M., Silva, C. C. V., Yemane, T., Zambelli, E., Anghel, R. G., Bacher, S., Torres, A. M. B., Bernard-Verdier, M., Bibi, R., Boatcă, M., Bolpagni, R., Colon, D., Demoule, J.-P., Dunn, A. M., Durrant, S., Faist, T., Finotelli, C., Garelli, G., Gidley, B., Gippet, J. M. W., Gonzalez, S., Guareschi, S., Heger, T., Hill, S., Hobbs, J., Holmes, G., Hulme, P. E., Jones, H., Jacob, M.-A., Khosa, D., Kilkey, M., Kusumastuti, A., Lavanchy, A., Lewis, H., Macêdo, R. L., Giralt, R. M., Musseau, C. L., Makinejad, M., Castro, E. R. N., Pattison, Z., Probert, A., Roberts, J. D., Ruland, F., Saul, W.-C., Sciortino, G., Shackleton, R. T., Sigona, N., Sokolovska, S., Souter, J., Sun, L., Vathi, Z., Vieten, U., Vimercati, G., Waite, L., Wilson, P., & Yannelli, F. A. (2025): Raising concerns on the dangers of linking biological invasions to human migration. Ethnic and Racial Studies, 48(13), 2496–2501. https://doi.org/10.1080/01419870.2025.2527906

South, J., Barbulescu, R., Macêdo, R. L., Musseau, C. L., Guareschi, S., Alamenciak, T., Alberti, G., Allen, S., Bacher, S., Baker, E., Benson, M., Bernard-Verdier, M., Bibi, R., Boatcă, M., Bolpagni, R., Brown, T. M., Byrne, B., Canavan, S., Castro, E. N., Conlon, D., Demoule, J.-P., Dunn, A. M., Faist, T., Garelli, G., Gervazoni, P., Gidley, B., Gippet, J. M. W., Harwood, M., Heger, T., Henke, T., Hill, S., Hobbs, J., Hodson, J., Holmes, G., Hulme, P. E., Jones, H., Khosa, D., Kilkey, M., Kontou, D., Lavanchy, A., Lewis, H., Giralt, R. M., Meyerson, L. A., Novoa, A., Pattison, Z., Pipek, P., Probert, A. F., Pyšek, P., Ricciardi, A., Roberts, J. D., Ruland, F., Saul, W.-C., Shackleton, R., Sigona, N., Simberloff, D., Solomos, J., Sun, L., Waite, L., Wilson, P., Yannelli, F. A., Vathi, Z., Yemane, T., Vieten, U. M., Vimercati, G., Zambelli, E., & Lieurance, D. (2025): Parallels between biological invasions and human migration are flawed and undermine both disciplines. Response to Ahmed et al. Bioscience. https://doi.org/10.1093/biosci/biaf073

Kelz, R., Heger, T. (2024): Novel Natures - New technologies and conflicts in nature conservation. An introduction to the Special Focus. GAIA - Ecological Perspectives for Science and Society, 33(1): 142-145. https://doi.org/10.14512/gaia.33.1.5

Montana, J., Heger, T., Kelz, R., Bischoff, A., Buitenwerf, R., Eser, U., Kung, K., Sattler, J., Schweiger, A. H., Searle, A., Teixeira, L. H., Travassos-Britto, B., Higgs, E. (2024): From novel ecosystems to novel natures. GAIA - Ecological Perspectives for Science and Society, 33(1): 146-151. https://doi.org/10.14512/gaia.33.1.6

Heger, T., Voigt, A. (2023): Zukunftsbild Groß – Naturerleben (1.0). Zenodo. DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.8379755

Heger, T., Voigt, A. (2023): Zukunftsbild Langsam – Naturerleben (1.0). Zenodo. DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.8379367

Voigt, A., Heger, T. (2023): Zukunftsbild Graswurzel – Naturerleben (1.0). Zenodo. DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.8379669

* Cooke, S. J., Heger, T., Murphy, S. D., Shackelford, N., Febria, C. M., Rochefort, L., Higgs, E. S. (2023): Ecological Restoration in Support of Sustainability Transitions: Repairing the Planet in the Anthropocene. In: M. U. Hensel, D. Sunguroğlu Hensel, C. R. Binder, F. Ludwig (Eds.), Introduction to Designing Environments: Paradigms & Approaches. Springer International Publishing: 93-112. DOI: 10.1007/978-3-031-34378-0_6

Jarić, I., Correia, R., A, Bonaiuto, M., Brook, B., W, Courchamp, F., Firth, J., A, Gaston, K., J, Heger, T., Jeschke, J., M, Ladle, R., J, Meinard, Y., Roberts, D., L, Sherren, K., Soga, M., Soriano- Redondo, A., Veríssimo, D., Roll, U. (2023): Transience of public attention in conservation science. Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment 21: 333-340. DOI: 10.1002/fee.2598

Heger, T., Jeschke, J. M., Febria, C., Kollmann, J., Murphy, S., Rochefort, L., Shackelford, N., Temperton, V.M., Higgs, E. (2022): Mapping and assessing the knowledge base of ecological restoration. Restoration Ecology. DOI: 10.1111/rec.13676; Blogpost with summary

Jarić, I., Roll, U., Bonaiuto, M., Brook, B.W., Courchamp, F., Firth, J.A., Gaston, K.J., Heger, T., Jeschke, J.M., Ladle, R.J., Meinard, Y., Roberts, D.L., Sherren, K., Soga, M., Soriano-Redondo, A., Veríssimo, D. & Correia, R.A. (2022): Societal extinction of species. Trends in Ecology & Evolution 37: 411-419. DOI: 10.1016/j.tree.2021.12.011 [link to pdf]; see also article in Current Conservation

Bohn, F.J. & Heger, T. (2022): Landnutzungswandel und Böden - Version 1.0, Zukunftsbild Graswurzel. Zenodo. DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.5931556 [link to pdf]

Hagedorn, G. & Heger, T. (2022): Landnutzungswandel und Böden - Version 1.0, Zukunftsbild Groß. Zenodo. DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.5931511 [link to pdf]

Priess, J., Bohn, F.J. & Heger, T. (2022): Landnutzungswandel und Böden - Version 1.1, Zukunftsbild Langsam. Zenodo. DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.5864983 [link to pdf]

Heger, T. (2020): The Conservation Revolution: Radical Ideas for Saving Nature beyond the Anthropocene, B. Büscher & R. Fletcher, Verso, London (2020). 224pp., $29.99 (Paperback), ISBN: 9781788737715. Basic and Applied Ecology 47: 22

Heger, T., Bernard-Verdier, M., Gessler, A., Greenwood, A., Grossart, H.-P., Hilker, M., Keinath, S., Kowarik, I., Marquard, E., Müller, J., Niemeier, S., Onandia, G. Petermann, J., Rillig, M., Rödel, M.-O., Saul, W.-C., Schittko, C., Tockner, K., Joshi, J. & Jeschke, J. M. (2020): Clear language for ecosystem management in the Anthropocene: a reply to Bridgewater & Hemming. BioScience 70: 374–376. DOI: 10.1093/biosci/biaa024.

Heger, T. (2020): Relationale Umweltethik als Schlüssel zur Überwindung der globalen Biodiversitätskrise. Natur und Landschaft 95: 372-374. DOI: 10.17433/8.2020.50153831.372-374

Higgs, E. S., Harris, J. A., Heger, T., Hobbs, R. J., Murphy, S. D. & Suding, K. N. (2018): Keeping ecological restoration open and flexible. Nature Ecology & Evolution 2: 580. DOI: 10.1038/s41559-018-0483-9