Overlapping Hotspots: A student atlas of the effects of ASF control measures on biodiversity in Lusa

This hands-on research-oriented course involves two planned in person excursions and an online participation option using data and GIS which focus on the intersection of biodiversity and disease control measures for African Swine Fever (ASF). ASF is a highly deadly (95% est. lethality) hemorrhagic virus virus affecting pigs and wild boars. The participants will decide which excursion they are interested in by the end of May. There is the prospect of having all costs covered through FOSTER, but until confirmed assume an individual cost of around 200 Euro.

The project specifically focuses on the Lusatia (Lausitz) region stretching across south Brandenburg and north-east Saxony. Lusatia is a site of late-capitalist cultural and economic development after its expansive settlement prior to world war two and displacement of the native slavic speaking populations as a crucial border region producing coal, lumber, water, and textiles. This project will facilitate further exploration of how the fragmented ecology of Lusatia as a 'cultural landscape' – development of the region for economic purposes – contributes too sustaining a large wildlife population (wild boars, deer, wolves), which has been a challenged for containing the spread of ASF.  While Lusatia offers 'more than ideal living room' of monoculture forest/farms, it also has a thriving hunting community, alongside sensitive biodiversity soils, plant and animal life provided by the post-glacial landscape of the Muskauer Faltenbogen.

As viral and biodiversity hotspots come to overlap with one another, the government and peri-government responses question the biological sustainability of disease management control over the landscape. Two separate planned in-person excursions related to the above topics over 4 days (of work) each with 2 days in Saxony (upper Lusatia) and 2 days in Brandenburg (lower Lusatia) (to take place in German but with English translation possible). The excursions will be supported by a bi-weekly online meeting to discuss background readings (more-than-human food geographies, animal/disease control infrastructure/ biosecurity/biodiversity overlaps outside the farm, etc) and methodological preparation (for surveys, interviews and GIS data management) which will take place in English, so fluent English is recommended but not a requirement - the seminar leader is Canadian). 

Bikes are likely required (if you do not have a bike and require one, or need to take public public transit only, we will accomodate everyone) and a good fitness level to move around via walking and riding. Online participation is otherwise possible. 

(1) Parallel fences – Do the ASF fences influence wolf attacks on livestock among small-scale hobby farmers -  June 21 (Evening arrival) - 23 & 28 (ibid) -30

The movement of the major host, wild boars, who are found in high numbers in the German borderland with Poland are attempted to be restricted via wildlife fencing which beyond disturbing genetic exchange in wildlife and leading to deaths on and at the fences. Beyond these relatively known phenomenon, there may be unintended effects on the 'Weide Nutztierlandschaft' via the affective learning of wolves to jump fences, especially those that are constructed parallel to one another as means of restricting wildlife access (wolves and foxes versus wild boars), as environmental officers insist the ASF fences be traversable for more nimble large wildlife.

Students will conduct surveys with affected farmers regarding the protection measures they use and how they recalibrate them after a wolf attack, in addition to visitations to the ASF fences and meetings with natural resource officers.

Excursion 2)

(2) Overlapping hotspots? – What is the impact of carcass search teams on forest floor biodiversity?)  - July 22-26

Because of ASF’s ‘Dreieck’ epidemiological makeup accounting for its ability to remain for long periods of time outside the wild boar host’s body, and the high fever symptoms of ASF, sick and dying wild boars retreat to wet and moist biodiversity sensitive regions (i.e., moors), where the virus’s omnipresence is attempted to be removed by human chains and dog search teams.

Participants will gain access either to one of or both biodiversity sensitive areas and carcass search and removal efforts against ASF. Observing some of the regions where ASF carcass search and removal have taken place, such as protected natural areas, to identify various biodiverse life can be compared with ongoing efforts to remove the virus, and the students will speculate on relations between the two areas supported by questionnaires with veterinary officers and volunteers on the inclusion of environmental risk assessments in planning (for the former) and observed possible biological disturbances (for the latter).

(3) Online participants will work with data LUFA and DBBW (wolf monitoring agencies) to overlay data from wolf attacks with the potential migration of wolves across the constructed ASF fences (open data sources from federal states and districts) related to the first excursion. In relation to the second excursion, they will work with data from the respective federal states on where the carcass search and removal efforts are taking place alongside information on high biodiversity sensitive regions.

All participants will assist in the compiled information from interviews, surveys and observations through the expectationto deliver their own findings that contribute to a database that will help tell stories/enliven the quantitative data and maps. A compiled atlas of maps and essays will follow in the project’s publication available to each participant.