portrait

  • PostDoc Contemplative and Buddhist Psychology in the context of sustainability, University Hospital Freiburg
  • Research assistant, Forest Research Institute Baden-Württemberg, Freiburg
  • MBSR teacher, trained at the University of Bangor and the Mindfulness Network, UK
  • Doctorate in Forestry, University of Freiburg
  • Diploma (~ MSc.) Forest Sciences, TU Dresden

 

I studied Forest Sciences at the University of Dresden with stays in Canada, Ecuador and Sweden. During my doctoral and postdoctoral research I worked at the University of Freiburg in the field of forest ecology and was active in the graduate school "Environment, Society and Global Change". Inspired by my private study of Buddhist meditation and psychology with teachers from India and Nepal since 2009, I am still fascinated by the question of what we can learn from this ancient psychology for ourselves personally and for the transformation towards social and ecological sustainability.

 

Over time, my private and professional interests grew together, so that in 2016 I initiated the seminar "Linking Mind and Environmental Sustainability" at the Faculty of Environment and Natural Resources at the University of Fribourg. I later trained as an MBSR (Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction) teacher at Bangor University and with the Mindfulness Network, Wales, UK, respectively, and as a Mindfulness Teacher for Schools (MISP) in London. Since 2020, I have also been working as a PostDoc at the Systemic Health Research Section at the University Medical Centre Freiburg, and as a research assistant at the Forest Research Institute Baden-Württemberg.

from the sewing box ...

My interests are in meditation as an ancient, traditional method to gain deep insight and knowledge about the existential nature of ourselves. This familiarity and expertise is directly related to our (world) views and consequently our values and attitudes towards ourselves (health, well-being, meaning of life etc.), our fellow human beings (benevolence, consideration, cooperation etc.) and the world we live in (forest, nature, sustainability etc.), which we continuously co-create.

Therefore, in my view, familiarity with our own nature and the nature of mind is particularly important. It is connected with the power and freedom to identify and overcome suffering-bringing assumptions, ways of seeing and behaving, and to cultivate connecting, healing ones that are meaningful and life-giving.

Together with my colleagues and partner institutions, I discuss these often very practical insights into meditation and sustainability on a scientific level and in connection with sustainability (see the projects "MindEnvironment" and "Contemplative Psychology of Self and Sustainability"). From this discourse and in combination with my personal experiences, numerous lectures, workshops, a conference, a university course (see Teaching) as well as practical educational offers, always also oriented towards personal development and sustainability, have emerged so far.

The traditional psychological and philosophical roots of my work are clearly in Indo-Tibetan Buddhism. They complement the science and philosophy of secular MBSR (Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction). The origin of this journey and combination of subjects is my personal desire to work for more genuine and honest goodwill and consideration towards "nature and life". Not least because man and nature are inseparably linked. This led to my interest in forests and my work as a forest scientist, which was later combined with psychology and contemplative science.

work areas and interests

  • Contemplative sciences and psychology in the context of societal transformation towards sustainability AND their integration into meditation and mindfulness practice.
  • Forest ecology and forest growth in the context of climate change mitigation and adaptation

projects

  • 2020 - 2023: Carbon and wood stocks of the German forest - Improving projections of current and future CO2 stocks using ecophysiological and empirical forest growth models (KNOW). Research associate at the Forest Research Institute Baden-Württemberg.
  • 2020- 2024: Revisiting the foundations of mindfulness based interventions in sustainability contexts. Visiting researcher at the Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, Section for Systemic Health Research, University Hospital Freiburg.
  • Since 2019: Foundation and freelance work with the Institute for Sustainability, Mindfulness and Psychology.
  • 2015 - 2019: Assessing the naturalness of tree species composition in forests in Germany: considering the influence of assessment methods, climate change and increased biomass use. Funded by the Federal Agency for Nature Conservation (BfN). Research assistant at the Faculty of Environmental and Natural Resources, University of Freiburg.
  • 2017 - 2018: Nature Awareness in Germany: Reflection and discussion of the foundations and potential of awareness raising in nature and environmental protection for conceptual work in science, education, communication as well as implementation in practice. Funded by the Federal Agency for Nature Conservation. Project leader at the Faculty of Environmental and Natural Resources, University of Freiburg.
  • 2016 - 2018: Seminar project "Linking Mind and Environmental Sustainability", funded by the Graduate School Environment, Society and Global Change and the Faculty of Environment and Natural Resources, University of Freiburg. Project leader at the University of Freiburg.
  • 2009 - 2014: Ecological effects of extensive foothills forests in southwestern Germany. PhD project funded by an LGFG grant from the state of Baden-Württemberg. PhD student.

further training

  • Training as MBSR (Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction) teacher with Bangor University and the Mindfulness Network, Bangor, UK, 2019 - 2021.
  • Training as a Mindfulness Teacher for Schools (.b Trainer) with the project www.mindfulnessinschools.org, London, UK, 2018.
  • Training in project management, statistics, scientific writing and presentation with the Graduate School of Environment, Society and Global Change and the Research Unit "Adaptation of Forest Ecosystems to Climate Change", Faculty of Environment and Natural Resources, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany, 2009 - 2013.
  • Private studies in Buddhist philosophy, psychology and meditation in the Tibetan Buddhist tradition with teachers of the Khampagar Drukpa Kagyu lineage of Tashi Jong Monastery, Himachal Pradesh, India, since 2009.

past and recent affiliations

  • 2020 to 2023 Department for Biometry and Informatics, Forest Research Institute Baden-Württemberg, Germany.
  • 2020 to 2024 Clinic for Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, Section for Systemic Health Research, University Hospital Freiburg.
  • Since 2019 part-time self-employment working with mindfulness and sustainability.
  • Since 2018 - 2022 Bangor University / Mindfulness Network, Bangor, Wales, UK.
  • 2015 - 2018 Chair of Site and Vegetation Science, Faculty of Environment and Natural Resources, University of Freiburg.
  • 2009 - 2014 Chair of Silviculture, Faculty of Environment and Natural Resources, University of Freiburg.
  • Since 2009 Tashi Jong Monastery, Himachal Pradesh, India.
  • 2009 forest inventory in Brandenburg, Germany with www.waldkonzepte.de
  • 2007-2009  Department of Physical Geography and Ecosystem Research (Abisko Scientific Research Station), Lund University, Sweden.
  • Institute of Soil Science and Site Ecology, University of Dresden.
  • 2005 San Francisco Scientific Research Station (DFG) in Ecuador.
  • 2004 Canadian Forest Service (CFS) in Newfoundland.

peer-reviewed publications

  • Stark, H., Gärtner, S., Suck, R., Reif, A., (2021): Bewertung der Naturnähe der Baumartenzusammensetzung von Wäldern in Deutschland – Grenzen und Potentiale. Waldökologie, Landschaftsforschung und Naturschutz 20, 21–36. https://doi.org/urn:nbn:de:0041-afsv-02039
  • Forrester, D.I., Tachauer, I.H.H., Annighoefer, P., Barbeito, I., Pretzsch, H., Ruiz-Peinado, R., Stark, H., Vacchiano, G., Zlatanov, T., Chakraborty, T., Saha, S. and Sileshi, G.W. (2017): Generalized biomass and leaf area allometric equations for European tree species incorporating stand structure, tree age and climate. Forest Ecology and Management 396, 160–175.
  • Stark, H., Nothdurft, A., Block, J. und Bauhus, J. (2015): Forest restoration with Betula ssp. and Populus ssp. nurse crops increases productivity and soil fertility. Forest Ecology and Management, 339, 57-70.
  • Stark, H., Nothdurft, A. and Bauhus, J. (2013): Allometries for widely spaced Populus ssp. and Betula ssp. in nurse crop systems. Forests, 4, 1003-1031.
  • Ekberg, A., Arneth, A., Bäckstrand,K., Crill, P.M., Hakola, H. and Stark, H. (2008): BVOC emissions from high-latitude peatlands: Isoprene and monoterpene fluxes in plant communities defined by differences in surface hydrology. Geophysical Research Abstracts, 10.

other publications

  • Stark, H. and Vonderach, Chr. (2022): Insights from the transfer of climate-sensitive growth trajectories from an eco-physiological forest growth model to WEHAM; Annual Meeting of the Yield Science Section (DVFFA) in Rendsburg, 71ff. 
  • Vonderach, Chr., Stark, H., Keppeler, F., Dunger, S. and Kändler, G. (2021): Models for estimating the species-specific crown attachment height of forest trees in Germany; Annual Meeting of the Yield Science Section (DVFFA), 58ff. 
  • Stark, H., Gärtner, S. and Reif, A. (eds.) (2019) Naturalness of tree species composition in Germany: effects of reference, method and climate change. BfN-Skripten, Bonn - Bad Godesberg, 273 pp.
  • Stark, H. Gärtner, R. Suck and A. Reif (2019) Naturnähe der Baumartenzusammensetzung in Deutschland: Erweiterte Grundeinheiten der Karte der potenziellen natürlichen Vegetation in Deutschland. BfN-Skripten, Bonn - Bad Godesberg, 628 pp.
  • Stark, H. and Pfisterer, C. (eds.) (2018) Nature awareness and identity: the role of self-concepts and social identities and their potential for nature conservation and environmental protection. BfN-Skripten 508, Bonn - Bad Godesberg, 119 pp.
  • Pfisterer, C. and Stark, H. (2018) On the need to reflect on self-concepts. In: Nature awareness and identity: the role of self-concepts and social identities and their potential for nature conservation and environmental protection. BfN-Skripten 508, Bonn - Bad Godesberg, 5-23.
  • Stark, H. (2018) Buddhist psychology: the principle of dependent origination in the context of identity and sustainable development. In: Nature awareness and identity: the role of self-conceptions and social identities and their potential for nature conservation and environmental protection. BfN-Skripten 508, Bonn - Bad Godesberg, 94-118.
  • Stark, H. (2015): Biomass production and nutrient cycling in extensive foothill forests. Dissertation, Freiburger Dokumentenserver (FreiDok), University of Freiburg (in English).
  • Bannister, J., Pyttel, P., Seis, K., Stark, H. and Vargas, R. (2013): Forests and forest management in Chile - Impressions of a study trip. AFZ-The Forest 3: 37-39.
  • Stark, H., Nothdurft, A. and Bauhus, J. (2012): Effects of pre-forests on forest nutrient and carbon pools. In: Unseld, R. and Bauhus, J (eds.): Energy Nurses Crops - Alternative Forest Management to Increase Biomass Supply for Energy Purposes in Forests by Integrating Fast Growing Tree Species. Freiburger Forstliche Forschung, 115-123. in German.
  • Stark, H., Nothdurft, A., v. Wilpert, K. and Bauhus, J. (2012): Effects of pre-forests on nutrient stocks in forest soils. Annual Meeting of the Section Yield Science of the German Forest Research Association (DVFFA) in Ottenstein, Austria, 73-78. In German. sektionertragskunde.fvabw.de/
  • Stark, H., Nothdurft, A. and Bauhus, J. (2011): Effects of nurse crops on nutrient and carbon pools in forest soils. Annual Conference of the Yield Science Section of the German Association of Forest Research Organisations (DVFFA) in Cottbus, 201-206. In German. sektionertragskunde.fvabw.de/
  • Stark, H., Nothdurft, A., Bauhus, J. (2011): Effects of pre-forests on nutrient and carbon stocks in forest soils, AFZ-Der Wald, 66/14, 4-6.
  • Unseld, R., Wenzel, M. Weich, T., Stark, H., Weinreich, A., and Bauhus. J. (2010): Foresters in South-West Germany - Alternative forest management to increase biomass supply for energy purposes in forests. Forst und Holz, 65/10, 14-17.
  • Stark, H. (2009): Isoprene (C5H8) emission dynamics of a Sub-Arctic mire landscape and the influence of site, vegetation, net carbon dioxide (CO2) exchange and micro-meteorology. Masters thesis at the Department of Physical Geography and Ecosystem Analysis, Lund University, Sweden and the Institute of Soil Science and Site Ecology, Dresden University of Technology, Germany, 124 p.