On 15th August 2012 Dr. Martin Schneider-Jacoby died after a brief, severe illness at the age of 56. As a staff member of EuroNatur for 25 years - for virtually half of his lifetime - he was committed to the preservation of Europe´s natural heritage, and he never faltered in this commitment. Martin Schneider-Jacoby was especially dedicated to nature conservation on the Balkans. He was a pioneer in the preservation of its most outstanding biodiversity hotspots, like the Sava wetlands of Lonjsko polje.  At the beginning of the nineties, he initiated the large scale trans-boundary protection of the Danube, Drava and Mura rivers – by starting to build up a cooperation between the five Mura-Drava-Danube countries aiming at one major goal: the establishment of a joint UNESCO Biosphere Reserve. The first concept for a 5-country reserve was developed in 1998 and it formed the basis for the recent achievements. He can truly be called the “prime father” of the reserve.

The death of Martin Schneider-Jacoby is a severe loss, both as an excellent nature conservationist and as a very much appreciated friend and colleague. We cannot replace Martin Schneider-Jacoby but we can do our utmost to carry on his conservation work and his spirit.

Our heartfelt thanks go to him for his many years of exceptional commitment and involvement. And we wish to express our sincere sympathies to his immediate circle, his family and to all those who were close to him.

WWF and the "Mura-Drava-Danube" team

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