Born and raised in the northern German city of Oldenburg, Klaus Schwettmann developed early a special rapport with nature, not least inspired by his grandfather, a keen naturalist. As a young boy he often spent time exploring the extensive moorland so characteristic of his home county. The tranquility of the landscape had a great influence on him and it was here that he made his first steps into wildlife observation – which would ultimately lead to a career closely linked to biology and the environment.

After his ‘Abitur’ (university entrance qualification) he focused on the study of natural sciences and received his Master’s as well as a Doctorate degree in Natural Sciences from the University of Hamburg. In two periods from 1982-1995, Klaus Schwettmann lived and worked for approximately ten years in the Philippines, and thereafter for nearly twelve years in the Lao People’s Democratic Republic (Laos). In between he also worked on a short-term basis in the AR Yemen. He currently lives in Vientiane, the capital of Laos, as “Senior Adviser for Sustainable Tourism” and “Customer Relations Manager” with Green Discovery Laos, the leading Eco-tourism and Adventure Tours Operator in the country.

The search for a synthesis between his love for nature and meeting the needs of the less privileged people in developing countries is for him one of the most intriguing challenges. Apart from his professional engagement he prefers to live in a multi-cultural environment, and relaxes by immersing himself in jazz and oldies music, enjoys the art of photography – and dreams of one day being a tropical garden designer.