sign them over to the Federal Republic of Germany. This is how it came to be that the island of Vilm and many other protected areas belonged for one logical second to Christian Patermann, then a high official in the Ministry of the Environment, now retired, but at one time a director in the European Commission. Thus the island came not only under the administration of the state of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania but also the responsibility of the Federal Agency for Nature Conservation (Bundesamt für Naturschutz), which confirmed its designation as a nature reserve, a core area of the Southeast-Rügen Biosphere Reserve. Three days after its adoption by the Federal Republic of Germany, the "International Nature Conservation Academy" was incorporated under the Federal Agency for Nature Conservation. The academy, which maintains and uses the GDR buildings as an ecological research station, is mandated to provide scientific support to the Federal Secretary of the Environment in matters concerning national and international nature conservation and landscape management, international cooperation, ecosystems, environmental monitoring and research in the Baltic Sea area, and the transfer of scientific method and knowledge. Nature Although it is small, the surprising natural diversity and beauty of the Isle of Vilm has attracted hundreds of landscape painters over the last two centuries. Most of it is covered in forest that has been undisturbed for decades, and even centuries, with the result that its oak and beech woods are among the most untouched and impressive in Germany, and the island boasts a rich diversity of birds and small mammals. Part of the islandmost of Middle Vilm and all of Little Vilmis strictly closed to all human presence. Swimming is not permitted from any of its beaches. In the winter the bay sometimes freezes, and people can walk across the ice to and from Rügenthough most prefer to take the icebreaker. Today, the core of the island is designated as protected zone I of the biosphere reserve, while the cleared area with guesthouses is part of the protected zone II, the so-called development and care zone. The scientists who work on Vilm do not live there, but travel to and from the island daily. The agency has modified some of the buildings for conferences. Conference participants are housed in the cottages built for the ministers. The only thing on the island to distract the delegates from their work is nature; there are no