MICAELA TIETZEN VON HARPE

EARLY-CAREER ECOLOGIST & ENVIRONMENTAL PLANNER

Applied Ecology · Biodiversity
GIS · Regenerative Land Use

Living with nature more intelligently
The future will depend not only on how intelligently we develop our technologies, but on how intelligently we learn to live within the natural systems that sustain us.

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Living with nature more intelligently | © Micaela Tietzen von Harpe. All rights reserved.

Selected Work

A few things I have worked on

Agrivoltaics in Semi-Arid Regions
Co-authored Bachelor’s thesis · Technische Universität BerlinIn a co-authored Bachelor’s thesis, I explored agrivoltaics: using the same land for agriculture and solar-energy production.I led the socioeconomic component, analysing six expert interviews across Spain, Chile and Germany and helping to integrate the findings with a soil-water balance study.The project deepened my interest in solutions that respond to ecological, agricultural and human needs at the same time.La Goccia, Milan
Erasmus+ Urban Planning Studio · Politecnico di MilanoLa Goccia is a contaminated former industrial site in Milan where natural regeneration has led to the emergence of a spontaneous urban forest.Working in a six-person interdisciplinary team, I took primary responsibility for the ecological workstream, using GIS to map biodiversity, habitat fragmentation, permeability, thermal stress and green-blue infrastructure. I then helped translate this analysis into nature-based planning actions.The project showed me how ecology, urban planning and public use might be brought together within one living landscape. It also confirmed something I already suspected: nature does not always wait for planners before beginning its work.Wine, Climate Change and Biodiversity
Research internship · VCCB, Institute of Ecology and Biodiversity · ChileDuring six monthly field campaigns across four vineyard sites in southern Chile, I helped install and monitor insect traps, assisted with arthropod identification and processed biological samples.I also analysed ten interviews with wine and olive producers and wrote a research report on what encourages or prevents the adoption of regenerative agriculture. The findings helped inform a co-authored presentation at the 2025 Trinational Ecology Meeting.The experience helped me see agricultural landscapes not simply as places of production, but as ecosystems in which farming, climate, soil, wildlife and human decisions are all connected.CURRENT DIRECTIONI am seeking a full-time early-career role from September 2026 in applied ecology, ecological restoration, agroecology, nature-based solutions or a closely related field. I would also consider a particularly relevant research or field-based opportunity.I am especially interested in work that combines fieldwork, GIS, research and practical ecological action. My wider interests include biodiversity, rewilding, regenerative agriculture, agrivoltaics and urban ecology.I am drawn to thoughtful, collaborative teams where I can continue learning from experienced practitioners while contributing through careful fieldwork, evidence-led analysis and cross-cultural teamwork.

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About Me

Hello, I’m Micaela.I’m an early-career ecologist and environmental planner completing a B.Sc. in Ecology and Environmental Planning at Technische Universität Berlin, with a particular interest in how people can understand, use and care for land more intelligently.My studies and practical work have taken me from agrivoltaics in semi-arid regions to a spontaneously regenerated urban forest in Milan and vineyard biodiversity research in Chile.I enjoy the point where research, fieldwork, GIS and practical solutions meet—especially when people from different backgrounds come together to look at a landscape, understand what is happening and work out what might help.My approach is careful, collaborative and evidence-led. Spanish is my native language; I speak German at C1 and English at B2, with strong reading proficiency, and I also have basic Italian.I’m happiest working with thoughtful people on projects that are useful, hopeful and grounded in the real world.What draws me in:Restoring nature
Ecological restoration, rewilding, habitat recovery, biodiversity and nature-based solutions that help damaged ecosystems become healthy and resilient again.Using land wisely
Agroecology, regenerative agriculture, agrivoltaics, soil health and ways of producing food and renewable energy without asking too much from the land.Bringing nature into cities
Urban forests, green-blue infrastructure, nature-based planning and public spaces that make room for both people and other forms of life.Connecting fieldwork and analysis
Working with soil, vegetation, insects and habitats in the field, combined with GIS and analysis that help turn observation into practical ecological decisions.

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