microbiology Expert Named Scientific Director to Boost Airport Biodiversity Efforts
Toulouse, France – Dr. Matthieu galtier, a microbiologist with a decade of experience studying life at the microscopic level and training at the Pasteur Institute, has been appointed scientific director of aero biodiversity, an association dedicated to preserving biodiversity around airports. The move signals a deepened commitment to ecological preservation within the aviation sector, leveraging scientific expertise to enhance environmental practices.
Aero biodiversity, founded in 2015, works with airports and aerodromes to inventory flora and fauna and formulate environmental recommendations. Dr. Galtier’s appointment comes as the association expands its focus to include soil biology - crucial for carbon capture within the extensive grasslands surrounding airfields. This expansion builds on the association’s existing database of over 140,000 observations, encompassing more than 4,000 plant species, 400 bird species, and around twenty bat species, collected from 75 airports and aerodromes, including 15 in the Occitanie region.”Convinced that science can definitely help preserve the living, I aspire today to transmit my knowledge and mobilize the collective to protect ecosystems, in particular in the singular and rich framework of airport meadows,” Dr. Galtier stated following his appointment. He will oversee a team of 22 naturalists, guiding their work in cataloging species and developing environmental strategies for partner airports.
According to Lionel Guérin, president of aero biodiversity, Dr. Galtier’s expertise will allow the association to broaden its scope “from biodiversity to soil biology,essential for the capture of carbon by the immense biomass of airport meadows.” The Occitanie region is leading the way, with 13 airports actively engaged in biodiversity initiatives.
