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Research Group on Forest Ecology and Biodiversity

Our research focuses on the patterns of biodiversity and the dynamics of the boreal forest ecosystems. The studies aim at understanding how biodiversity is linked with the ecosystem dynamics and how natural disturbances and forest management affect biodiversity.

In particular, we explore how landscape properties and forest succession differ between managed and natural boreal forests, and how these differences are reflected upon ecosystem characteristics and their species assemblages. The studies aim at facilitating ecologically sound forestry and conservation practises. Both ecological and economical aspects are covered in the studies.

The work is done in close collaboration with students, associates and colleagues from several Finnish and international universities and research institutes.

Sara Pineda Zapata (sara.pineda.zapata@uef.fi)

I am a forestry engineer from Colombia, interested in landscape management, fragmentation, and connectivity. For my master’s thesis, I identified potential ecological corridors for the national system of protected areas in Colombia, based on species’ ecological profiles. Currently, my research is mainly focused on the study of plantations at the landscape level in Europe, the ecosystem services they can provide, as well as the possible impacts derived from their location and management. The final goal of my research is to propose optimized distributions of land uses to obtain more sustainable and multifunctional landscapes.

SavingScapes

The main aim of the project is to enhance landscape awareness and collaborative governance of cultural and natural landscapes through innovative learning interventions in higher education. The partners of the consortium are willing to tackle the question, how actors and stakeholders can collaborate into the governance of a landscape. Special concern will be attended for empowering methods to carry out collaborative planning and for improving the communication flow between local and regional authorities, environmental planners and managers, NGOs and citizens.

The project is developing and enhancing partnerships and innovation between HE institutions, organizations on the field of landscape planning and management, environmental NGOs and citizens. The activities of the project will take place in four countries in Europe (Italy, Spain, Netherlands and Finland). Partners are going to cooperate closely with each other and with regional and international networks and other stakeholders.