Traditional knowledge of medicinal plants represents one of the oldest forms of health care and continues to play a vital role in the lives of millions of people worldwide. A new scientific study co-authored by Assoc. Prof. Zbyněk Polesný and FTZ graduate Naji Sulaiman from the Faculty of Tropical AgriSciences (FTZ), Czech University of Life Sciences Prague (CZU Prague) focuses on the ethnobotany of herbal teas in the coastal region of Syria – an area with an exceptionally rich yet still insufficiently documented tradition of folk medicine.

In recent years, Laos has been facing a rapid increase in plastic waste. According to a World Bank study, plastics account for up to 24% of municipal waste, with 95% of plastic pollution coming from just ten single-use items. Despite the growing volume of waste, collection and recycling capacities lag behind—an estimated 40–60% of waste remains uncollected. This situation has direct impacts on the environment, public health, and the local economy. The National Plastic Action Plan 2024–2030 therefore emphasizes reducing plastic consumption and systematically improving waste management. In response, a new project focusing on this issue has been launched. During a two-week mission in the provinces of Savannakhet and Thakhek, a team from the Faculty of Tropical AgriSciences (FTZ), Czech University of Life Sciences Prague (CZU Prague), initiated data collection that will serve as the foundation for realistic and sustainable plastic management solutions.

We are pleased to invite you to attend the dissertation thesis defence of Abdoul Razack Moussa Zabeirou with the title “Dama gazelle population structure, distribution and interactions in socio-ecological system of the Takolokouzet massif, Air Ténéré National Nature Reserve, Niger” (Department of Wildlife and Animal Sciences, Tropical Agrobiology and Bioresources Management). Thesis defence will take place on 24th March 2026, 10:00 a.m., meeting room 313 (building FTZ).