Biodiverzita/Príroda/Ekológia

Biocultural conservation of traditional agroforestry systems against land abandonment

Maintaining rural areas necessarily involves preserving and developing agricultural activities. This is especially true in the Tuscany region of central Italy, where the collective imagination envisions hills and valleys adorned with rows of vines, grapevines, olive groves, husbandry, and centuries-old cypresses. However, even in Tuscany – as is the case throughout Europe – there is […]

Biocultural conservation of traditional agroforestry systems against land abandonment Read More »

Food forests for robust agricultural practices

We desperately need perspectives for (social, ecologic, economic, climate) robust agricultural practices that contribute to a healthier planet for future generations. Most modern agricultural practices are vulnerable to climate change effects. Biodiversity loss and limited genetic crop diversity in our staple foods appear to be underestimated food security and health risks. There is an urge

Food forests for robust agricultural practices Read More »

To bee (or not to be)

As a young ecologist, I aimed to contribute to understanding the effects of biodiversity loss on ecosystem functioning by exploring an often-overlooked realm: underground ecosystems. My journey led me to the prestigious Jena Experiment, a large-scale, long-term grassland biodiversity study in Germany where effects of plant species richness on ecosystem functioning are studied. This opportunity

To bee (or not to be) Read More »

Heischraal grasland staat op omvallen

Heischraal grasland is een combinatie is van heide en grasland. Hierin komen veel zeldzame planten en insecten voor, zoals Valkruid (Arnica montana), Kleine schorseneer (Scorzonera humilis) en de Kommavlinder (Hesperia comma). Maar heischraal grasland is ernstig bedreigd. Door de stikstofdepositie verzuurt de bodem en verdwijnen de zeldzame soorten. Heischraal grasland is een zogenaamd ‘prioritair habitattype’.

Heischraal grasland staat op omvallen Read More »

Peatlands: our natural allies in the fight against climate change

Spring, to us, always indicates the start of a new sampling campaign to the Store Mosse National Park, the largest expanse of peatlands in Southern Sweden. Over a decade we run a plant ecological experiment in this fantastic peatland complex. The Store Mosse NP with its beauty and variety in ecosystems also illustrates what we

Peatlands: our natural allies in the fight against climate change Read More »

Let us not witness the fall of agroecology

When I was 10, I witnessed my dad converting our family’s dairy farm to embrace agroecological and organic practices. Away with the synthetic inputs. No more mineral fertilisers, no more chemical pest controllers. Hedgerows of diverse native trees were planted between fields, and apple trees flourished in their midst. Complex rotations were introduced, enriching the

Let us not witness the fall of agroecology Read More »

Al fluitend door het leven

Het gaat slecht met de Europese vogelpopulaties. Sinds 1990 zien we een afname van 12% onder de 168 meest voorkomende soorten. Vooral de landbouwvogels gaan sterk achteruit (met een afname van 36%), voornamelijk door de intensivering van de landbouw. De Europese Unie kan deze negatieve trend omdraaien door meer in te zetten op natuur-inclusieve landbouw,

Al fluitend door het leven Read More »

Europe Needs Education on Nature

I would like to contribute to #EuropeFor Nature by sharing my story as an expert in Finance and Nature. With just a few days to go before the next European elections, I want to stress the need to educate Europeans: especially future MEPs and all European citizens, whether they vote … or not, for various

Europe Needs Education on Nature Read More »

Imagining a nature-positive future for Europe in 2120

In this decade of climate and biodiversity action there is a strong and compelling need to design and visualise an appealing and hopeful perspective for a climate resilient and nature-positive future. There is common agreement that climate change and biodiversity loss are the world’s greatest challenges for the 21st century. The sense of urgency surrounding

Imagining a nature-positive future for Europe in 2120 Read More »