University of Groningen Secures €6.75 Million Grant for Global Biodiversity Restoration Initiative Led by Professor Han Olff

University of Groningen Secures €6.75 Million Grant for Global Biodiversity Restoration Initiative Led by Professor Han Olff

(IN BRIEF) The University of Groningen’s Professor Han Olff leads CurveBend, a €6.75 million project funded by the NWO to develop strategies for biodiversity restoration in livestock-dominated regions. This transdisciplinary consortium will collaborate with local stakeholders in the Netherlands, Argentina, and East Africa to align ecological and social needs, aiming to create a globally applicable approach to biodiversity conservation.

(PRESS RELEASE) GRONINGEN, 9-Nov-2024 — /EuropaWire/ — A research consortium led by Professor Han Olff, an ecologist at the University of Groningen, has received a €6.75 million grant from the Dutch Research Council (NWO) for a new project called CurveBend. This interdisciplinary initiative aims to create innovative strategies for biodiversity restoration in regions where livestock farming is predominant. CurveBend will explore how to balance ecological requirements for biodiversity with human land use needs, such as housing, agriculture, and recreation, across three key areas: the Dutch grasslands, Argentina’s Pampas, and the savannas of Tanzania and Kenya.

The research will examine the spatial needs of wildlife and people across landscapes of over 100 hectares to develop effective biodiversity solutions at the landscape scale. During the initial phase, the team will work collaboratively with local stakeholders, including residents, farmers, and conservation groups, to design shared initiatives that align ecological and social interests. The later phase of the project will focus on integrating these region-specific approaches into a global framework for biodiversity restoration.

The CurveBend team includes researchers from the University of Groningen, Leiden University, Wageningen University & Research, and international partners from Kenya and Argentina. They are joined by conservation organizations, local governments, and agricultural organizations such as Staatsbosbeheer, Aves Argentinas, and Friesland Campina. The grant, provided by NWO’s Research on Routes by Consortia (ORC), supports interdisciplinary collaborations aimed at achieving scientific and societal breakthroughs.

About the NWO grant

The grant for CurveBend comes from NWO’s Research on Routes by Consortia (ORC) funding instrument. This aims to enable interdisciplinary research and innovation that brings scientific and societal breakthroughs within reach. A prerequisite is that participants are part of a consortium.

Media Contact:

Email: communicatie@rug.nl

SOURCE: University of Groningen