together with Studium Generale is inviting you to join the city walk in Breda with ecologist and lichenologist Willem Bosma.
Place: Breda
Starting point of the excursion: around 11:00 gather at Breda station, near the entrance to Willemstraat. From here we walk south, to Valkenberg Park
Date and time: April 23, 2025, from 11:00 AM to 15:00 PM
Bring your own lunch.
To join the walk, register via this link
On April 23, we will walk through Breda for a few hours and look at the urban nature, specifically lichens. We will map out which lichens occur in the city, and what this says about the quality of the living environment.
Besides lichens, there is of course much more to discover. Think of bird species that have adapted to life in the city. What beautiful sounds do they make? Did you know that bird species such as the kingfisher and green woodpecker breed in a large city like Breda? What do these birds tell us about the living environment? And what do the trees and plants tell us about the biodiversity of Breda? What kind of ecosystems are there?
During the walk we will also consider what we as humans can do to contribute to a more beautiful and healthier environment. A pleasant living environment for people, animals and plants. An ecosystem where many species feel at home, for now and in the future.
By signing up to this free walking program, we are kindly inviting you to walk the common grounds with us and engage with the local landscapes in the series of field trips between our art academies in Den Bosch and Breda. Together with foragers, mycologists, lichenologists, researchers, artists, and enthusiasts we will learn about the ecologies of places, assemblages of micro and macro-organisms and elements which co-create the surrounding ecosystems. Walking in the fields is presented as an extended open air learning environment where we are encouraged to look, hear, smell, dig, taste, stay with, and learn how to live and work reciprocally.
Good to know: In Breda we can come in contact with ticks. These parasitic arachnids can bite people and transmit diseases. As a precaution, we will stay on footpaths as much as possible to limit risks. Wear long trousers.
Willem Bosma (1989) is an ecologist and nature guide. From an early age he has been fascinated by mother nature and all her species. He is a bird watcher, florist and a bat researcher, but he’s also focused on insects, like butterflies, moths and dragonflies. He also likes to look at artistic life forms, such as lichens and mushrooms. He lived in Breda for 2 years, where he worked as an ecologist for the local authority of Breda.
In addition to his work as an ecologist, his mission is to connect people with nature. By organizing excursions, workshops and lectures, he hopes to generate love for nature. Because as humans we cannot live without mother nature. In fact, we are part of mother nature.
Want to know more about Willem and his love for nature? Feel free to check out his blog: Natuurverslaving
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