Launch of Frankfurt Conservation Center: A Bright Start for Nature Conservation

Frankfurt, June 10, 2026. The Frankfurt Conservation Center (FCC) was officially inaugurated today during a festive ceremony at Villa 102 hosted by KfW Foundation, the charitable foundation of Germany’s public development bank. Guests included Frankfurt’s Deputy Mayor for Culture and Science, Ina Hartwig, Patricia Zurita, Executive Director of Conservation International, and keynote speaker Sylvie Goulard. Carsten Schneider, Federal Minister for the Environment, Climate Action, Nature Conservation, and Nuclear Safety, delivered a digital welcome address. FCC sees itself as an international knowledge center for biodiversity and nature conservation, bringing together science, practice, policy, business, and civil society to address global conservation challenges collaboratively. While the center’s future home on the grounds of Frankfurt Zoo is still under development, numerous activities and partnerships with collaborating organizations are already underway.

The illuminated logo displayed on stage during today’s ceremony symbolized the Frankfurt Conservation Center’s ambition to make an impact far beyond Frankfurt. The idea for FCC was first conceived in 2020. Since then, the state of Hesse, the City of Frankfurt, the founding partners, and numerous national and international organizations have worked together to transform this vision into a results-driven center with international reach and influence.

Focused on Global Challenges Such as Species Loss

FCC’s work responds to growing global challenges including species loss, the degradation of intact ecosystems, and the increasing dependence of economic systems on vital natural resources. Conceived as an open platform for collaboration, FCC invites businesses, foundations, research institutions, public-sector actors, and committed individuals to get involved through projects addressing sustainable value chains, biodiversity-related risks, educational opportunities, and forward-looking conservation initiatives.

“The Frankfurt Conservation Center embodies the belief that the major challenges of conservation can only be overcome together. It brings together people, ideas, and institutions that have often worked separately in the past, creating a new force for effective action. Rather than building another structure, FCC seeks to combine existing strengths into something greater, creating a space where collaboration generates impact beyond what individual organizations can achieve alone – and where shared ideas can lead to lasting change,” FCC Managing Director Felix Gaschick told the approximately 150 invited guests from politics, academia, business, and civil society.

Gaschick has led FCC since September 2025; his position is funded by Conservation International. Drawing on more than 20 years of international experience in nature and environmental conservation, he has implemented a range of measures since taking office, including the strategic roadmap “From Vision to Impact,” a Collaborative Conservation Fund, and the center’s first joint initiatives.

Three Founding Members: Goethe University Frankfurt, Senckenberg Society for Nature Research, and Frankfurt Zoological Society

FCC is founded by three institutions: Goethe University Frankfurt, the Senckenberg Society for Nature Research, and Frankfurt Zoological Society. Together with partners including Conservation International, the Institute for Social-Ecological Research (ISOE), KfW Foundation, BioFrankfurt, TRAFFIC, Frankfurt Zoo, KPMG, and the Nature Trust Alliance, FCC is building a unique network for international conservation.

“The rapid loss of biological diversity cannot be halted by research alone. Existing conservation strategies are not sufficient to secure the long-term preservation of biodiversity and its indispensable contributions to society. With FCC, we are pursuing new approaches by bringing together science, practice, and policy to advance nature and species conservation in an interdisciplinary and solution-oriented way. Senckenberg contributes its expertise in biodiversity research, monitoring, and international scientific networks, and plays a particularly active role in developing the FCC Data & Knowledge Hub,” explains Senckenberg Director General Prof. Dr. Klement Tockner.

Located in the heart of Frankfurt, the center takes an interdisciplinary approach. Research, education, hands-on conservation practice, public engagement, and dialogue with the finance sector are intentionally brought together. Guided by the motto “Connecting Minds – Expanding Horizons,” FCC is forging new alliances. Rather than serving as another standalone institution, the Frankfurt Conservation Center acts as a platform that connects existing expertise and enables collaboration. Its streamlined governance structure is designed to create synergies and strengthen connections among ongoing initiatives.

“FCC offers an opportunity to integrate scientific knowledge and practical conservation work more closely. Frankfurt Zoological Society contributes decades of experience in international protected-area management, global networks, and a practitioner’s perspective to FCC’s work,” explains Dr. Christof Schenck, Executive Director of Frankfurt Zoological Society.

“In addition to generating knowledge, universities have a responsibility to help shape societal transformation. FCC provides an important framework to which we contribute our interdisciplinary expertise in research, as well as our strengths in education and the development of early-career researchers,” says Prof. Dr. Enrico Schleiff, President of Goethe University Frankfurt.

FCC to Establish Its Own Home on the Frankfurt Zoo Grounds

To provide the network with a dedicated physical home, FCC plans to establish its own offices on the grounds of Frankfurt Zoo. With its unique combination of international finance, world-class research, and a long-standing commitment to conservation, Frankfurt offers ideal conditions for the center. Planning is currently underway for an architecturally and ecologically exemplary site that will bring together knowledge, practical experience, and the public.

“Frankfurt brings together an exceptional concentration of expertise in research, conservation, and finance. With the Frankfurt Conservation Center, we are creating a platform that deliberately connects these strengths and generates tangible impact for international conservation. FCC, together with its future home at Frankfurt Zoo, will further strengthen Frankfurt’s profile as a globally recognized hub for innovation and sustainable development,” emphasizes Dr. Ina Hartwig, Frankfurt’s City Councilor for Culture and Science.

Further information:

FCC’s website: https://frankfurtconservation.org/en/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/frankfurt-conservation-center-fcc/ www.linkedin.com/company/frankfurt-conservation-center-fcc/

Podcast: “Hinter dem Zoo geht’s weiter”; Episode 85 of June 5, 2026 “Naturschutz weiter denken“ about FCC: https://fzs.org/de/aktuelles/naturschutz-weiter-denken-das-frankfurt-conservation-center-85/

Contact

Felix Gaschick
Managing Director Frankfurt Conservation Center
presse@frankfurtconservation.org
Phone: +49 (0)69 9434 4677

Images:

Foto: ZGF / Daniel Rosengren

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