Welcome to the Research Group Applied Landscape Ecology and Ecological Planning
The Applied Landscape Ecology/Ecological Planning working group (AG Buttschardt) researches the effects of human ways of life and land use on the natural and landscape environments and how these can be designed to achieve a regenerative development of landscapes. We assume that landscapes are the spatial representation of socio-ecological systems that can only be fully understood in an interdisciplinary approach. In order to take into account the applied aspect of ecological planning, our research is increasingly transdisciplinary and explicitly includes the noosphere. We therefore cooperate with interdisciplinary centres (e.g. the ZIN or the Brazil Centre), other Universities (e.g. Münster University of Applied Sciences) and practitioners (see links). Our work focuses on Integrated Natural Resources Management, Agroecology and Limnology/River restauration.
Research News
Welcome to the winter semester 2024/25
We welcome all new and old students to the new semester. You can find information about our courses in the Teaching section.
New Publication
In the research field of Agroecology in our Working Group, Dr. Cornelia Steinhäuser and Prof. Dr. Tillmann Buttschardt have authored a fundamental contribution in a colaborative textbook of various perspectives on the practice of landscape ecology. In landscape ecology, the ecological aspects of land use and agricultural systems are often examined, while social and agricultural factors receive less attention. Historically, agriculture has contributed to increasing biodiversity, but modern developments in standardization and globalization have also caused problems such as species loss and environmental pollution. Today, there are various approaches to agriculture, with the challenge being to respect ecological boundaries, tackle social inequalities, and promote a climate-neutral economy. Transformative agroecology connects science, practices within the agri-food system, and social movements, aiming for diverse, local, and regenerative cultural landscapes. Our contribution examines how landscape ecology can support these processes.
Resilience & Active Hope: How to deal with the climate crisis
Humboldtⁿ is the sustainability network of the universities in North Rhine-Westphalia. Its goal is to “take joint responsibility for the future issues related to sustainability. The network places ‘the indispensable sustainability discourses of politics, business and society on a thematically broad, differentiated and rapidly growing scientific basis’.
One element of the network's activities is the lecture series. 1.5 or 3 credit points can be earned in the lecture series and credited in the supplementary area. You can find more information here.
Two lectures will be given from Münster:
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10.10.2024 15:30h - 17:30h |
Introduction to the lecture series by the Arbeitsstelle Humboldtⁿ Dr. Daniela Pastoors, University of Münster ZIN |
Wohin mit Angst, Wut und Verzweiflung? Polykrise und psychische Gesundheit |
und
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16.12.2024 12 - 16 h |
Hybrid closing event at the University of Münster with a lecture by Prof. Dr. Tillmann Buttschardt, University of Münster, ILÖK and a Workshop together with Dr. Daniela Pastoors, University of Münster, ZIN |
Deep Adaptation - ein Ansatz zum Umgang mit den Veränderungen, die es geben wird?
Active Hope/Work, that reconnects |
Wir freuen uns über eine rege Beteiligung!
BIOBRAS 2024
From September 3 to 19, 2020, a group of students and researchers led by Prof. Dr. Tillmann Buttschardt and Dr. Jan Lehmann from Münster visited Belo Horizonte and held a summer school with their partner Prof. Dr. Ricardo Solar from UFMG. The group of German and Brazilian students from various courses and qualification levels (Bachelor, Master, PhD) was on the road for almost three weeks. The program included workshops, visits to universities and museums, as well as field work in the Caraça Reserve. Of course, cultural exchange was not neglected either. The program was a revival of the summer schools developed in the BIOBRAS project.
Conference Contested Rural Spaces
From September 16-21, 2024, the 31st Colloquium of the IGU Commission on the Sustainability of Rural Systems will take place in Mendoza (Argentina) under the title “Contested Rural Spaces”. Dr. Cornelia Steinhäuser is a member of the Steering Committee of the IGU Commission and plays a key role in both the Organizing and Scientific Committee of the conference.
There will be four main topics, all related to the research lines of the WG Ecological Planning:
1) Regional productions/ecologies
2) Rural-urban disputes
3) Socio-environmental inequalities and environmental conflicts
4) Land ownership, tenure and planning
An outstanding feature of the conference is the fact that, in addition to the two conference days, a so-called field study will also take place, in which the topics of the conference will be explored in depth on site and in practice.
Further information on the conference can be found here.
New ZIN blog published
A new ZIN blog post by Dr. Cornelia Steinhäuser provides insights into the recently completed project on the positions and expectations of young adults in agriculture (JunGAP) and establishes links to our research focus on agroecology.
NABU background paper on agroforestry published
How can modern agroforestry systems become part of a nature conservation strategy? NABU's new background paper helps stakeholders and interested parties to take a stand on the ecological advantages and disadvantages of agroforestry.
Until now, there have been many unanswered questions regarding the nature conservation categorisation of the commercial use of woody plants in fields, meadows and pastures. It is precisely these gaps in the debate that the new background paper from the nature conservation organisation NABU addresses.
The background paper was compiled by Thomas Middelanis and Julia Binder with experience from the agroforestry monitoring network together with NABU NRW's State Expert Committee on Agriculture.
Production-integrated nature conservation measures Implementation manual for practice - 3rd edition published
Nature conservation measures are implemented on agricultural land, can be integrated into agricultural production or the farm and achieve added value for nature. In the handbook, 24 PIN measures for 35 species are presented on 120 pages. Questions about function, implementation and legal framework conditions are clarified. In addition, there are practical examples and cooperative projects between nature conservation and agriculture in which PIN has already been successfully implemented. The handbook is the result of cooperation between AG Ökoplan and the Westphalian Cultural Landscape Foundation.
The handbook was funded by Landwirtschaftliche Rentenbank. You can order it here for a nominal fee of 6.50 EUR.