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Heinz Sielmann Stiftung
Heinz Sielmann Stiftung was founded in 1994 by wildlife filmmaker Heinz Sielmann and his wife Inge Sielmann to halt biodiversity loss through direct land...
Heinz Sielmann Stiftung
Heinz Sielmann Stiftung was founded in 1994 by wildlife filmmaker Heinz Sielmann and his wife Inge Sielmann to halt biodiversity loss through direct land conservation. The foundation's assets stem from Sielmann's prolific career in documentary filmmaking. It now manages a network of unbroken landscapes, with a flagship presence in Brandenburg's Döberitzer Heide, Wanninchen, Kyritz-Ruppiner Heide, and the Groß Schauener Seen chain, alongside the Gut Herbigshagen estate in Lower Saxony. The foundation's deployment model is structurally distinct: instead of a traditional endowment portfolio, the foundation's primary store of value and programmatic output is its growing land bank. It acquires ecologically degraded or threatened land, restores it, and permanently removes it from development. The portfolio spans diverse asset types including mixed-use heritage estates, heathlands, and large-scale lake districts, concentrated in eastern German states. Co-investors and operational partners include the Bingo Umweltstiftung Hannover, which collaborated on a ESG global fund initiative. Led by Chairman Jochen Paleit, the board includes Carolin Ruh overseeing finance and administration. The separate Board of Trustees is chaired by Fritz Brickwedde, with members including Bernhard von Baden. In September 2024, Paleit assumed the role of Chairman, marking a leadership transition. The foundation also houses the Heinz Sielmann Film and Photo Archive. It is a member of the F20 Foundations Platform, the Initiative Transparente Zivilgesellschaft, the Bundesverband Deutscher Stiftungen, and the Deutscher Spendenrat. The foundation operates as a hybrid conservation entity and landowner, a structure rare among German philanthropic foundations. Its influence derives not from grant-making but from direct control over a biologically significant real asset portfolio. The governance structure separates management from the oversight of a prominent Board of Trustees, linking conservation execution with broad institutional credibility.
General information
Firm type
Endowment / Foundation
Year founded
1994
Location
Region
Europe
Country
Germany
City
Duderstadt
Corporate office
Gut Herbigshagen, Sielmann-Weg 1, 37115 Duderstadt, Germany
Principals
Jochen Paleit
Chairman of the Board
Carolin Ruh
Board Member, Finance and Administration
Fritz Brickwedde
Chairman of the Board of Trustees
Bernhard von Baden
Member of the Board of Trustees
Sector focus
Frequently asked questions
How does the foundation source the land it acquires for conservation?
The foundation identifies ecologically high-value areas—often degraded heathlands, wetlands, or former military training grounds—and purchases them directly on the open market or through long-term lease arrangements. Its acquisitions are concentrated in eastern German states like Brandenburg, where the foundation has built large contiguous biotope networks.
Does the Heinz Sielmann Stiftung function more like a grantmaking foundation or a direct conservation operator?
It operates primarily as a direct conservation landowner and steward rather than a traditional grantmaker. The foundation's core programmatic output is the direct acquisition, restoration, and permanent protection of land, which forms its primary asset base.
How is the foundation's governance structured?
The foundation has a dual governance structure. The management board, currently chaired by Jochen Paleit, handles daily operations and conservation strategy. A separate Board of Trustees, chaired by Fritz Brickwedde and including members like Prince Bernhard von Baden, provides fiduciary oversight.
Where does the foundation's underlying wealth come from?
The foundation was endowed and initially funded by the estate of Heinz Sielmann, a pioneering German wildlife filmmaker whose decades-long career generated the capital base. His wife Inge Sielmann was co-founder and continued to support the foundation's mission until her death in 2019.
Does the foundation maintain any philanthropic structures beyond its core land-conservation work?
Yes, in addition to land management, the foundation runs the Heinz Sielmann Film and Photo Archive and has an educational arm focused on teaching children and youth about nature conservation. It also participates in the Harry Schleehahn Stiftungsfonds.
Is the foundation open to co-investments or partnerships?
Yes, it partners with aligned institutions on specific initiatives. One cited co-investor is the Bingo Umweltstiftung Hannover, which collaborated on the initiation of the Stiftungsfonds ESG Global, indicating a willingness to pool capital for targeted conservation and ESG projects.
How is the foundation's conservation work tied to its membership in the F20 platform?
The Heinz Sielmann Stiftung is a member of the F20 Foundations Platform, an alliance of foundations focused on climate protection and the energy transition. This membership signals its active role in international policy dialogue, connecting its on-the-ground German conservation work with broader climate action goals.
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