For further information please contact: Hans Martin Hanslien, +47 40475239 or hans.martin.hanslin@nibio.no 

The presentations below will be available online - one week before the webinar. The webinar on November 5th at 13 to 15 CET will be a structured panel discussion with the speakers.

The presentations focus on how to realise the potential golf courses and urban grasslands have to support biodiversity and ecological processes in the landscape thus contributing to halt the loss of biodiversity. We will discuss approaches for diversification and how to implement scientific knowledge into practical management of these grasslands.

Valentin Klaus is an ecologists working in different kinds of grassland environments. His work in urban grasslands attempts finding a consensus between people’s expectations on urban green and the requirements of native biodiversity. He likes overcoming mainstream concepts of urban grasslands to find new way how both people and nature profit from urban green.

Johannes Kollmanns research focuses on the restoration of ecosystems destroyed by human activities. In particular, he investigates semi-natural reference systems, criteria for selecting plants for restoration purposes, plant-animal interactions, invasive alien species and the long-term monitoring of restored systems. This knowledge is applied to both natural and urbanised systems.

Mona Chor Bjørn pursue research in areas of ecology including plant- & plant community ecology, plant-pollinator interactions to provide innovative research on sustainable semi-natural herbaceous vegetation for urban and sub-urban environments. Establishment and management of forb dominated vegetation types is the core of my research, with a special interest in native species. Keywords: Biodiversity; Botany; Plant Ecology; Plant community Ecology; Plant-pollinator interactions; Nature Management; Sustainability.

Jörgen Wissman works at the Swedish Biodiversity Centre, Swedish University of agriculture and is mainly focused at research dealing with conservation of species connected to grasslands of different kinds. The main focus-organisms for the research is vascular plants and pollinating insects. He is currently working in several grassland projects with different habitats in focus: roads verges and along railroads, in railroad stations, in urban areas, golf courses and pastures. His research is applied and include participants or collaborations outside academia.

Rowan Rumball started as a part time bat surveyor sub contractor, and has since worked as an ecological consultant on some of the UKs largest infrastructure projects and rarest habitats. Currently employed at STRI, his latest role is providing ecological consultancy to UK, Swiss and Saudi Arabian golf courses and amenity areas. The management plans and recommendations provided by Rowan aim to maximise the ecosystem services provided by amenity areas and protect the worlds dwindling biodiversity. Rowans presentation aims to look at practical management of amenity areas, common pitfalls that landscape managers have to face and how to implement scientific theory into practical management.

Hans Martin Hanslin works on applied aspects of urban ecology and restoration ecology, notably measures to restore ecological functions and support urban biodiversity in both semi-natural and new constructed systems. Here he reports on the results from a project to diversify the vegetation of established grasslands.

STERF, (Scandinavian Turfgrass and Environment Research Foundation) is the Nordic golf federations’ joint research body. STERF supplies new knowledge that is essential for modern golf course management, knowledge that is of practical benefit and ready for use, for example directly on golf courses or in dialogue with the authorities and the public and in a credible environmental protection work. STERF is currently regarded as one of Europe’s most important centres for research on the construction and upkeep of golf courses. STERF has decided to prioritise R&D within the following thematic platforms: ‘Integrated pest management’, ‘Multifunctional golf facilities and ecosystem services’, ‘Sustainable water management’ and ‘Winter stress management’. More information about STERF can be found at www.sterf.org

NIBIO, The Norwegian Institute of Bioeconomy Research, is a research institute owned by the Norwegian Ministry of Agriculture and Food. Its goal is to contribute to food security, sustainable resource management, innovation and value creation through research and knowledge production. The project ‘From dense swards to biodiverse roughs’ (2017-2020) was a collaborative effort by NIBIO’s departments for ‘Urban Greening and Vegetation Ecology’ and ‘Biodiversity and Cultural Landscapes ’. Besides STERF, the project was funded by the ‘Norwegian Agriculture Agency’ and the ‘Norwegian Environment Agency’.