The five-year-programme LAND-PATHS focuses on five landscape types; forest, agricultural landscape, sea and coast, city and mountains.
Uppsala University receives a grant of SEK 45 million for research on sustainable landscapes in the LAND-PATHS programme. The overarching aim is to develop more sustainable and integrated practises in landscape decision-making, management and planning. The programme is funded by the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency.
natural resources and sustainable development.
"Nature has many valuable functions for humans and society, but most landscapes are impoverished today", says Malgorzata Blicharska.
She is associate professor of natural resources and sustainable development at Uppsala university and programme coordinator for LAND-PATHS.
"We want to investigate how biodiversity and landscapes that are more multifunctional can be protected and developed. It is an important task, but it is also exciting and fun research that we will conduct in broad collaboration."
Focuses on five landscape types
LAND-PATHS focuses on five landscape types; forest, agricultural landscape, sea and coast, city and mountains. Knowledge in each area will be developed in collaboration with users and other actors in each landscape. LAND-PATHS will apply a transdisciplinary approach, combining expertise of both researchers and stakeholders.
environmental science. Photo: Mikael Wallerstedt
An important part of the work will be to investigate how obstacles to landscape multifunctionality can be counteracted and how synergies between different societal goals can be build on.
"Now it's time to reverse the trend. The richness of nature decreases, but we can change that", says Mikael Karlsson.
He is associate professor of environmental science at Uppsala University and leads the programme's work with Transformative landscape governance pathways.
"It is challenging but important to link the use of landscapes with biodiversity and climate considerations. We are happy to work with so many knowledgeable and committed actors, from mountain to coast, from city to country."
Develop more sustainable and integrated practises
The overarching aim of LAND-PATHS is to develop more sustainable and integrated practises in landscape decision-making, management and planning. LAND-PATHS will co-design transformative governance pathways to foster sustainable practises in biodiverse multifunctional landscapes, and explore how more multifunctional management practises can be fostered across different types of landscapes.
In addition to scientific publication, a "LAND-PATHS Manifesto" will be produced together with actors in different landscapes. A number of stakeholders are involved, from, among others, reindeer husbandry, the environmental movement, local communities, administration and decision makers. A large communication investment is included in the programme.
Annica Hulth
LAND-PATHS
"LAND-PATHS" stands for "The multifunctional LANDscapes of the future: barriers and drivers for transformation PATHwayS. It is funded by the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency and will last 5 years. Several researchers from Uppsala University lead and participate in the programme, together with researchers at SLU, Stockholm University and Södertörn University.
