Markus Ritter

Markus Ritter, born in Basel in 1954, is a biologist who served as a member of the Basel cantonal parliament from 1988 to 2001, becoming its president toward the end of his tenure. In 1986, he co-founded the party Grüne Alternative Basel with Lucius and Annemarie Burckhardt. From 2006 to 2018, he worked as a staff member in the government administration of the Canton of Basel-Stadt. Ritter has published books and specialist articles on the history of environmental protection and nature conservation, as well as on ornithology and botany. From 1987 onward, he participated in projects, seminars, and publications concerning landscapes, nature, and environmental issues. From 2012, he worked on the cataloguing and study of the estate of Lucius and Annemarie Burckhardt held by the University Library of Basel. Birdwatching was among his personal interests.