News
Setting up an online ecosystem services platform
05 SEPTEMBER 2013
At a joint brainstorm session by the OpenNESS and OPERAs projects, plans for a common online platform for ecosystem services and natural capital were discussed. Researchers of both projects met in the Amsterdam public library, a perfect setting for discussing a platform for knowledge exchange. The intention to create a single platform jointly by both research projects was confirmed and responds to the wish of the funder, the European Commission Directorate-General for Research & Innovation.
In general terms the platform will provide a central access point to essential resources in support of operationalizing ecosystem services and natural capital. The meeting explored vision and goals, potential user groups, possible questions to be answered by the platform, challenges for joint development, possible solutions and functionality. A joint project team was set up to lead the process through the next few years. A first step will be to develop a scoping paper for input in the full project meetings that will be held in October.
Image: OPERAs homepage
OpenNESS prepares for its first cross work package workshop
23 AUGUST 2013
The first OpenNESS cross work package meeting will be held at Loch Leven, Kinross, Scotland from 21 to 24 October 2013. It will focus on the interaction of the OpenNESS case studies with its methodological work packages (WP1-4). The problems defined in the case studies will be matched to the methods.
In order to be able to develop a coordinated case study programme, which will be used to analyse the application of the ecosystem services and natural capital concepts in concrete management and decision-making situations, the workshop strives to meet the following objectives:
- clarify the demand for tools and supply of OpenNESS expertise, and produce a work plan for each case study for the coming 12 months;
- agree a set of evaluation criteria to judge the merits of the concepts and methods tested in the case studies; and
- ground-testing conceptual frameworks.
Next to the main programme, a list of pop-up meetings will allow for discussing specific subjects, tools or methodologies. Some members of OPERAs will also attend the workshop, in order to familiarize with and streamline both projects.
You can download the programme here.
Image: Scheme illustrating the overall methodological approach (WS = workshop)
OpenNESS case study highlighted in educational film explaining ecosystem services
09 AUGUST 2013
The Cairngorms National Park, the most northern UK case study site in OpenNESS, is featured in a stunningly photographed short film which explains the ecosystem service concept to the public. Addressing issues of value and the many ecosystem services which a single landscape can deliver it seeks to educate and inspire. Watch the film »
Photo: Frame from 2020VISION's latest short film; Wild Scotland
Operationalising the ecosystem services concept: Dr Paula Harrison introduces
OpenNESS and OPERAs
10 JULY 2013
In this short video interview Work Package 3 leader Dr Paula Harrison outlines the aims and activities of OpenNESS and OPERAs. The BioFresh blog is a forum to discuss the science, policy and conservation of freshwater ecosystems alongside wider environmental issues. Read more »
Image: Click on the image on the right to watch the interview with Dr Paula Harrison, the button in the lower right-hand corner allows you to watch it full screen
The international environmetrics community introduced to OpenNESS
12 JUNE 2013
This week Alaska is hosting the 23rd Annual Conference of the International Environmetrics Society. During a technical session entitled ‘The evidence base for ecosystem management decisions’ Jan Dick from the Centre for Ecology and Hydrology (CEH) presented work examining different ecosystem service indicators. She compared indictor selected by local land manager’s with data derived from pan-European databases or modelled output.
The joint work of OpenNESS partners Joachim Maes, Maria Luisa Paracchini and Grazia Zullian, (JRC with CEH colleagues) was presented along with a few slides introducing future work to be undertaken within the OpenNESS project. Ron Smith (CEH) also presented examples of Bayesian Belief Networks in a separate talk and highlighted the role of the OpenNESS project to test such statistical tools within real world case studies.
For more information: http://ties2013.com/
Photo: Jan Dick introducing the environmetrics community to OpenNESS, © Ron Smith, CEH
Nature is at the heart of the OpenNESS case study site in the Cairngorms
22 MAY 2013
A new partnership aimed at driving forward conservation projects in the Cairngorms National Park (UK) to ensure it is in good shape for future generations, was launched by the Scottish Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs and the Environment on 18 May 2013. This partnership will also function as the ‘Case study Advisory Board’ (CAB) in OpenNESS.
'Cairngorms Nature' involves a range of partners all with an active role in helping to conserve and enhance the nature and ecosystem services of the Cairngorms National Park. They are responsible for the implementation of the Cairngorms Nature Action Plan 2013-2018, which will deliver an ambitious conservation vision for the UK's largest National Park and contribute to the Scottish Biodiversity Strategy.
Dr Jan Dick, Landscape Physiologist at the Centre for Ecology & Hydrology (CEH), presented the OpenNESS project to local stakeholders and there was a good degree of interest in how all ecosystem services could be acknowledged and valued in decision making.
For more information: http://cairngorms.co.uk/media/news/cairngorms-nature-launched-at-special-event
Photo: Hamish Trench (CNPA Strategic Land Use Director) shows his son the outline of the CNPA in the QuickScan tool © George Macdonald, Scottish Gamekeepers Association and Charitable Trust
Witnessing the benefits of ecosystem services
9 MAY 2013
The benefits of a rich biodiversity and a healthy, functioning, ecosystem are not always obvious. However, that wasn’t the case at Loch Leven, Kinross, Scotland, this week when the largest brown trout in more than 100 years was landed. This historic event coincided perfectly with the OpenNESS - OPERAs meeting at the site to discuss the benefits of ecosystem services.
This record catch reflects improvements in the biological health of the lake due to reductions in phosphorus pollution from surrounding industry, sewage and agriculture. Other evidence includes lower concentrations of nitrates, fewer algal blooms, the return of sensitive plant species, and an increase in aquatic birds. News of improved angling at Loch Leven has been spreading across the world in recent years and this record catch is likely to attract even more visitors to the area, with consequent economic benefits to the fishery and local hotels.
The benefits of managing ecosystem services better are precisely what the meeting in Kinross was focused on. Project teams from two major EU-funded research projects on this topic, OpenNESS and OPERAs, were discussing how to ensure that scientific knowledge on ecosystem services and natural capital is used by land managers, businessmen and policymakers to generate sustained benefits for society and for the economy. One area of collaboration between the projects will be a joint pool of 35 case studies across the globe. The Loch Leven case study in the OpenNESS project will complement the ’Scotland’-level case study in the OPERAs project.
For further information:
Loch Leven fisheries: http://lochlevenfisheries.wordpress.com/2013/05/07/loch-leven-record-smashed
OpenNESS: Prof Eeva Furman, Finnish Environment Institute (http://www.openness-project.eu/node/6)
OPERAs: Prof. Mark Rounsevell, University of Edinburgh (http://www.operas-project.eu/operas/contact.html)
Photo: http://lochlevenfisheries.wordpress.com/2013/05/07/loch-leven-record-smashed/
OpenNESS officially started during a two-day meeting in snowy Helsinki
18 MARCH 2013
On 12 and 13 March 2013, OpenNESS celebrated its official kick-off in Helsinki, Finland. Almost 100 participants from the consortium consisting of 25 research institutes and 10 SMEs from 22 European and four non-European countries were hosted at the Helsinki House of the Estates by the Finnish Environment Institute (SYKE), the OpenNESS coordinating body.
The aim of the kick-off was to meet each other, get a better understanding of the OpenNESS concept and its policy and research challenges, as well as an overview of the tasks under each work package. During break-out sessions each work package had a facilitated session about its approach, methodology and working structure. Also possible collaboration and cross-cutting themes between the work packages were identified.
Central to OpenNESS is the multi-scale case study approach, designed to ground concepts and theories on real world observations and analysis. More than 30 representatives of these case studies and SMEs attended the kick-off meeting. During a very interactive and fun 'understanding case studies' session, all of them were introduced to the whole consortium.
Detailed information about each case study will be added to this website soon!
For more information, please contact us or explore this website.
Photo: The OpenNESS kick-off participants © Riku Lumiaro, SYKE