The Forest Academy team

CEO

Johanna has been working at the Waldakademie since 2019 and has been Managing Director since 2021. Her core areas of expertise are event management, team leadership, and strategic management. She's always there to listen and works behind the scenes to ensure our guests have an unforgettable stay at the Waldakademie. Thanks to her open, fair, creative, and caring nature, we all feel very comfortable here at the Waldakademie.

CEO & Owner

Tobias has been managing director and owner of the Forest Academy since 2018 and is responsible for the Forest Academy's political work. Not only has he been with the Forest Academy since its inception (December 2016), he is also the company's innovator. When it comes to forest policy, he's not easily criticized—he's familiar with almost every study and can delve into any topic. Tobias is open, fair, cheerful, and relaxed.

lecturer

Patrick is an ecologist and has been a lecturer for our seminars and events since 2019. He is particularly at home with the topic of "Forests in Climate Change." In addition to exciting consulting projects, he visits potential new primeval forest project sites and examines them closely. Patrick is meticulous, open-minded, and enthusiastic in his work. In his private life, he loves his Garden of Eden, his friends, and delicious food.

Customer advisor

Sandra is your first point of contact if you contact the Forest Academy by phone, in writing, or in person. She looks forward to hearing from you, your questions, and your interest in our work. She will try to help you with any inquiries with her relaxed manner. She has been part of our team since December 2022.

Customer advisor

Since June 2024, Nina has been your first point of contact as a customer advisor for questions and other concerns regarding our seminars, events, online courses, and the UrwaldProject. Nina is a true Eifel native who loves her garden more than anything and is known for her dry sense of humor. She is highly empathetic and solution-oriented.

Content producer & videographer

Celine is an avid nature videographer. Since June 2021, she has been responsible for structuring, filming, and editing our online courses, YouTube videos, and managing our social media channels. Celine is organized, cheerful, relaxed, open, and optimistic. In her private life, she loves traveling in her converted van and is passionate about nature and sports.

Seminar preparation, garden maintenance & cleaning

Sabine is the epitome of turbo. She has been taking care of the culinary well-being of the seminar participants at the Forest Academy since 2019, accompanying seminars, researching and writing Instagram posts, ensuring our garden always looks beautiful and well-maintained, and impresses us every day with her incredible energy. Sabine loves the fascinating world of insects and shares her knowledge with us all. She loves being outdoors, listening to music, reading, and surprising us all with little treats.

lecturer

Jonas is a passionate nature lover and environmentalist with a keen interest in research. He is particularly passionate about the fascinating world of birds, the diversity of plant life, and the ecological and climatic relationships in forests. He is also interested in protected areas at home and abroad and is committed to intact ecosystems and species conservation. Jonas shares his knowledge and passion to raise awareness of intact ecosystems.

lecturer

Peter is also part of the teaching team and has been sharing his knowledge at various events since 2017. Together with Jan, he leads our forestry seminars, leads you through fireside chats, and offers practical training sessions as part of our forest guide training. Peter is always positive, upbeat, and enthusiastic. In his free time, he enjoys cycling, spending time with his family, and enjoying a (vegan) burger (with fries).

Barista at Waldcafé Blattwerk

Stephanie has been working at Waldcafé Blattwerk since July 2024 and is brimming with energy and motivation. Stephanie is open, warm, and dedicated, and enjoys spending time outdoors walking her dog.

lecturer

Jan has been part of the Forest Academy team since February 2024. In addition to his expertise as a forester, he has a passion for collecting wild herbs. He also advises you on forestry matters and guides you through exciting outdoor events such as survival. Jan loves metal concerts, (lots of) food, and surprising us with crazy stories.

Online Marketing Manager

Moni takes care of our online marketing. She ensures that the Forest Academy's message is spread around the world and is extremely precise, structured, and fast in doing so. Together with her dog Gloria, she has been enriching our team since January 2023.

Barista at the Waldcafé Blattwerk

Sabine has been welcoming you to the new Waldcafé Blattwerk on the Waldakademie campus since March 2024. Sabine is a wonderfully warm person with a keen eye for aesthetics, details, and the positive things in life. Sabine is a true bundle of energy and incredibly enthusiastic!

lecturer

Doro has been teaching plant identification at the Forest Academy since 2019, together with her husband Burkhard, as part of the Forest Week and the "Botanical Biodiversity" course. She is an absolute expert in this field and also shares her valuable knowledge with students at the University of Koblenz. She shares her passion for lichens and mosses in the four-hour seminar "The Fascinating World of Lichens and Mosses." This passion means that a one-kilometer walk can easily take two to three hours, as there is something exciting to discover everywhere. Doro is brimming with energy, enthusiasm, and determination.

lecturer

Together with his wife Doro, Burkhard, affectionately known as "Burki," teaches the plant identification modules. He has also studied forest and nature conservation law extensively and is passionate about forest preservation. Burkhard prefers his coffee plain black and, in addition to his extensive knowledge, is known for his excellent cooking skills.

lecturer

Rainer holds a degree in biology and works as an editor for GEO Group magazines. He enthusiastically completed his forest guide training with us and has been sharing his love of plants, animals, and fungi with others as a nature guide since the beginning of 2023. He also has a passion for graphics of all kinds—his artistic spectrum ranges from 3D visualizations to naturalistic drawings. Among other things, he created the illustrations for our 2022 Forest Protection Mug.

lecturer

Celina and her dog Nala have been enriching the Forest Academy team since spring 2023. She is passionate about critically examining content and enjoys all work that requires creativity. She is curious, thoughtful, loves learning in and from nature every day, and is wholeheartedly involved. Celina quickly takes delight in the little things nature offers us and is grateful to be able to spread the Forest Academy's message.