Prof. dr. France ŠUŠTAR, devetdesetletnik, profesor botanike na Biotehniški fakulteti Univerze v Ljubljani
12. oktobra 2013 je poteklo 90 let od rojstva našega profesorja Franceta Šuštarja (1923). Ob visokem jubileju je primerno, da osvežimo njegovo življenjsko pot in delo. France Šuštar se je rodil v delavski družini v Šmartnem pod Šmarno goro. Gimnazijo je končal v Ljubljani , kjer je leta 1960 zaključil tudi dodiplomski študij na Prirodo-slovno-matematični fakulteti, smer geologija-biologija in pridobil naslov diplomirani biolog (biologija, geologija in paleontologija). Za diplomsko delo »Floristični pregled in fitogeografska oznaka Rašice« je prejel Prešernovo nagrado.
Še pred diplomo je poučeval različne naravoslovne predmete na Primorskem (Gimnazija Ajdovščina, Osnovna šola Renče). Po diplomi (1960) je dobil mesto asistenta za botaniko na Fakulteti za agronomijo, gozdar-
stvo in veterinarstvo, predhodnici današnje Biotehniške fakultete. Na Katedri za aplikativno botaniko, ki je postopoma spreminjala svoj organizacijski položaj in sestavo, je nato preživel svoja akademska leta od asistenta (1965), docenta (1977), izrednega profesorja (1981) do rednega profesorja za botaniko (1987) in upokojitve leta 1992. Vsa ta leta je najprej vodil vaje, nato pa predaval botaniko študentom različnih študijskih programov agronomije, gozdarstva, lesarstva, živinoreje in veterine. Pri tem je treba omeniti njegovo izredno pedagoško obremenitev, ki je daleč presegala takrat veljavne standarde. Kljub temu se ga njegovi študenti radi spominjajo kot vestnega in prijaznega profesorja.
Kmalu po prihodu na fakulteto je začel pripravljati svojo doktorsko disertacijo »Problemi polimorfizma
genusa Thymus L. na Slovenskem in v Istri«, ki jo je zagovarjal leta 1974 pred komisijo v sestavi prof. dr. Stje-pan Horvatic, prof. dr. Ernest Mayer in prof. dr. Viktor Petkovšek. V pripravah na disertacijo se je usposabljal na ustanovah v Gradcu, Dunaju in Zagrebu.
Strokovno in raziskovalno delo profesorja Šuštarja je bilo povezano z uporabno botaniko. Bolj teoretične raziskave so obsegale taksonomske raziskave rodu Thymus, ki ga je obdelal tudi v dveh izdajah Male flore Slovenije, agregata Brachypodium pinnatum in še nekaterih drugih taksonov. Večji del njegovega strokovnega in raziskovalnega dela je bil posvečen fitocenološkim raziskavam, ki so spremljale gnojilne poskuse pri različnih rabah tra-višč, ki jih je opravljal v sodelovanju s profesorjem M. Leskoškom, profesorjem J. Korošcem in profesorjem A. Vidrihom. S svojim dolgoletnim »šefom« prof. dr. Viktorjem Petkovškom je sodeloval pri kartiranju travnikov za fitocenološko karto Jugoslavije in pri drugih vegetacijskih raziskavah v Sloveniji. V sklopu teh raziskav je opravil tudi prve podrobnejše raziskave o fenološkem razvoju traviščne vegetacije v Sloveniji v odvisnosti od nadmorske višine v Alpah, ki je potekala v okviru mednarodnega projekta. Zaključek njegovih vegetacijskih in florističnih raziskav je monografija »Rastlinski svet Šmarne gore z Grmado do hribovja med Smlednikom in Repnjami«, ki je izšla leta 1998 pri založbi ZRC SAZU.
Ob poučevanju in obsežnemu strokovnemu delu je profesor France Šuštar deloval tudi na poljudno-znan-stvenem-strokovnem področju, kjer je opravil več strokovnih predavanj in ekskurzij za društva, osnovne šole in gimnazije. Zelo veliko je pomagal pri gobarskih razstavah, kot botanik je sodeloval tudi pri prvem večjem mladinskem raziskovalnem taboru, ki je potekal na Ljubljanskem barju v letih 1967 in 1968.
Poleg vsega naštetega je bil v času službovanja aktiven tudi v številnih upravnih organih fakultete. Na Katedri za aplikativno botaniko je sodeloval še dolgo po upokojitvi.
Profesor France Šuštar je deloval v drugačnem času, kot je danes. Lahko rečemo, da je imel v več pogledih težko življenjsko pot, ki jo je označevala predvsem velika obremenjenost s pedagoškim delom, ki pa ga je, kot pravi sam, rad opravljal in s tem prenašal znanje o rastlinah tistim, ki z naravo gospodarijo. Točke na Cobbisu in Sicri-su v njegovem času še niso tako kot danes obvladovale slovenske akademske sfere, pač pa je prevladovala potreba po prenosu znanja, tudi med uporabnike.
Ob visokem jubileju želimo profesorju Francetu Šuštarju še veliko zdravih in zadovoljnih let.
Ninetieth anniversary of Prof. France ŠUŠTAR, professor of botany, Biotechnical Faculty, University of Ljubljana
On the 12th of October 2013 elapsed 90 years from the birth of Professor France Šuštar (1923), and so it is time to refresh his life and work in honour of his high jubilee.
Professor France Šuštar was born to a labour family in the surroundings of Ljubljana, in Šmartno pod Šmarno goro. He finished primary school and gymnasium in Ljubljana as well as his undergraduate studies. In 1960, he graduated from the Faculty of natural sciences, University of Ljubljana with thesis in biology and geology. For his thesis entitled »Floristic Overview and Phy-tocenological Characterisation of Rašica« he obtained university reward, named after France Prešeren.
Before graduation, he was employed as a teacher in several primary and secondary schools in Slovenian Littoral (Gymnasium Ajdovščina, Primary School Renče). After graduation in 1960, he got the position of assistant in botany at the Faculty for agronomy, forestry and veterinary sciences, nowadays Biotechnical faculty, University of Ljubljana. At the »Chair of Applied Botany«, which had changed the name and organisational position several times, he spent his whole academic life, starting with assistant in botany (1965), assistant professor (1977), associated professor (1981), full professor in botany (1987) till his retirement in 1992. Over these years, he first led practical courses and field excursions in applied botany and what's more, he lectured several subjects of botany to the students of agriculture, animal husbandry, forestry, wood and food technology and veterinary sciences. It is worth to mention that he has was overloaded with lecturing over his complete academic life. In spite of this, his students remember him as kind and beloved professor.
Soon after his arrival to the university he started the dissertation entitled »Problems on Polymorphism of the Genus Thymus L. in Slovenia and Istria«, which he defended in 1974 in front of the commission members Prof. Stjepan Horvatic, Prof. Ernest Mayer and Prof. Viktor Petkovšek. Throughout the preparations of doctoral thesis, he visited several botanical institutions in Vienna, Graz, Trieste and Zagreb.
Professional and research work of Professor France Šuštar was mostly connected to apply botany, while more theoretical investigations dealt with taxonomy of genus Thymus presented also in two editions of Mala Flora Slovenije, taxons from Brachypodium pinnatum agg. and some other taxa of angiosperms. Majority of his research work was dedicated to phytosociological investigations connected to fertilisation trials and management re-
gimes of grasslands, where he cooperated with professors Mirko Leskošek, Jože Korošec and Anton Vidrih. With his »boss«, Professor Viktor Petkovšek he cooperated in mapping of grasslands for preparation of phytoso-ciological map of Yugoslavia as also in other vegetation investigations in Slovenia. In the framework of these investigations, he carried out also first phenological studies on the development of Alpine grassland vegetation in relation to altitude within an international project. His floristic and vegetation research in Slovenia culminated in monograph »Rastlinski svet Šmarne gore z Grmado do hribovja med Smlednikom and Repnjami (Plant world of the Šmarna gora with Grmada, including hills between Smlednik and Repnje), published by ZRC SAZU.
In spite of his high teaching load, Professor Šuštar participated also in lectures and organisation of excursions for teachers of different schools and professional organisations. He dedicated his time also to organisation of mycological exhibitions and work in mycological organisation. As a professor of botany, he participated at
the first Slovenian youth research camp, carried out at Ljubljansko barje (Vrhnika) in 1967 and 1968. He was active also in organisational bodies of faculty and university. At the »Chair of Applied Botany« he participated with lectures even after retirement.
Professor France Šuštar lived and worked in much different time as nowadays. We could say that he had hard life, overloaded with teaching and other duties, but as he said, he liked it. He transferred knowledge of botany to students of applied disciplines, those who really manage the nature. Citations and scientific points according to SCI at that time were not as important and overwhelming in academic spheres as today, but more the need for transfer of botanic knowledge from abroad and to the users in agriculture, forestry and other disciplines.
At the opportunity of his high anniversary, we wish Professor France Šuštar many healthy and happy years to come.
Njegov akademski naslednik His academic succeeder
Franc BATIČ