Conference “Shepherdesses in the Alps”: Announcement of the speakers

This post is also available in: Deutsch Italiano

What is it like to spend the whole summer in the mountains with your herds? Why is it so important for society and nature to revive Pastoralism, as it has been practiced throughout Europe for hundreds of years? And finally, how has the profession of shepherdess changed in recent years or decades and what will the future bring? These and many more questions will be answered during the conference Shepherdesses in the Alps – Insights into the Pastoralism on November 5 (14:00 – 18:00). In addition to an overview of how LIFEstockProtect integrates the Pastoralism into its project activities, shepherdesses from Germany, Austria and Italy will provide insights into their profession. Curious to find out who they are? Find out!

Speakers at the conference

Four motivated women have already confirmed their participation, which means that you will get to know them during the conference:

Anna Huber

Anna has an artistic background and works in theater productions in Germany. In the past two summers she worked as a shepherdess in Carinthia (Austria) and gained valuable experience about the work and lifestyle of a shepherdess and what it means to share the alpine pasture with a wolf. She will tell us why she decided to become a shepherdess, how she experienced the mountain pasture and what she thinks needs to change for the younger generation to consider this profession.

Astrid Summerer

An experienced shepherdess from South Tyrol who is currently on a transhumance through Italy and Slovenia. During the conference we will get a lively insight into her experiences this year. She has a lot of experience with herding dogs to control the large herds she is herding, but also knows how to handle livestock guarding dogs.

Christina Ziegerhofer

Originally a climbing instructor in Vienna, she worked with dairy cows and dairy goats on mountain pastures in Switzerland and Austria during her vacations as a student. Since last summer, she has been employed by the Styrian Sheep and Goat Breeders’ Association as a shepherdess on the Hauser Kaibling. Her main task there is to maintain the ski slopes by grazing sheep.

Barbara Crea

Her farm is called “Quelle del Baito” and is located in Lessinia, near the village of Erbezzo and the nature park. She started in 2009, has sheep and goats for milk and meat production and has experience with prevention measures, both dogs and fences. In 2020, her farm won the Italian Alpine Club prize, which is awarded to farmers who adopt excellent coexistence practices with large carnivores.

Register now

The conference will take place on November 5, 2021 from 14:00 to 18:00 CET. Following the success of the first trilingual livestock protection conference in January 2021, this conference will have a similar structure: The online format and simultaneous translation into German, Italian and English will allow everyone to participate, regardless of where they are located. The conference will be held via ZOOM and is of course free of charge, but registration is required. Registration is open, which means you can already secure your place. And don’t forget to share this post with a friend or colleague!


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