Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Laura Kmoch @laurakmoch.bsky.social · Sep 2

What makes data collection memorable? And which insights from our recent photo elicitation survey in #Rwanda will stick with the data collection team?

Find out by reading their first-hand stories in this blogpost: t1p.de/7pe80

With @plieningerlab.bsky.social from @agrarunigoe.bsky.social

Enumerating landscape change

Agroforestry, woodlots, and terraces were at the heart of our latest data collection round for the RESTORE project. How did we study them…

medium.com

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Laura Kmoch @laurakmoch.bsky.social · Jun 10

We’re aiming for diverse perspectives in this Special Feature. Please share and tag relevant colleagues in your network to spread the word!

#Restoration #SocialEcological #CallForProposals #UNDecade #geography @peopleandnature.bsky.social @plieningerlab.bsky.social

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Reposted by Laura Kmoch

People and Nature @peopleandnature.bsky.social · Jun 9

People and Nature is seeking proposals to the Special Feature “Halfway through the UN Decade: taking stock of social-ecological restoration”.

Submissions will be open until 30th June - find all further information & the submission form here:
besjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/page/journal...

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Laura Kmoch @laurakmoch.bsky.social · Jun 10

🌿 Call for Proposals: Special Feature in People and Nature 🌿

"Halfway through the UN Decade: Taking stock of social-ecological restoration"

We're looking for bold, critical, and constructive contributions that forge new pathways and guide the next years of the UN Decade.

🔗 Details: t1p.de/6woms

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Reposted by Laura Kmoch

Mountain Research and Development @mrdjournal.bsky.social · Mar 7

Olive, walnut, and almond are cultural keystone species for the Amazigh communities in Morocco’s High Atlas Mountains. Knowing this can enhance biocultural conservation. Read the article by @mobarakchaima.bsky.social, @laurakmoch.bsky.social, @plieningerlab.bsky.social and coauthors: t.ly/3Hc4J

Olive trees in the terraced landscape of the High Atlas. Sustaining livelihoods and cultural identity, olive is the main cultural keystone species here. Photo by Tobias Plieninger @plieningerlab.bsky.social

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Reposted by Laura Kmoch

The White Horse Press @whitehorsepress.bsky.social · Mar 5

‘Nomadic Peoples’ 29.1 is live – a special issue edited by W. Ning, S. Joshi and Y. Shaoliang on ‘Pastoral Resilience and Transformation in the Hindu Kush Himalaya’. NP is #openaccess in 2025 by #subscribetoopen; read it here: liverpooluniversitypress.co.uk/toc/whpnp/cu... #pastoralism #himalaya

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Laura Kmoch @laurakmoch.bsky.social · Feb 19

📣 New post out on People • Nature • Landscapes: t1p.de/g3f2m

Sukanya Basu reflects on her recently completed #PhD journey and what's next in the UK.

Read on for tales of #tree friends, discovering #food paradise, and urban blue infrastructure #research in megacities of #India.

#AcademicSky

The PhD Rollercoaster: Highs, Lows, and the Moments That Mattered

Dr. Sukanya recently finished her PhD. Here she reflects on the completed journey, and what is next!

t1p.de

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Laura Kmoch @laurakmoch.bsky.social · Feb 19

📣 Welcome to the Focali annual meeting 2025!

⏰ 13 March, 9.30-16.30
📍 In central Stockholm

👉 Read more on the event page and sign up here: ui.ungpd.com/Events/0485a...

👉 Check out the call for talks and submit yours: ui.ungpd.com/Surveys/c36c...

Call for talks to the Focali annual meeting, March 13 in Stockholm

Welcome to submit your talk for the Focali annual meeting 2025. This year we will engage through speed talks, along with several shorter pitches in addition to the other sessions and time for discussi...

ui.ungpd.com

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Laura Kmoch @laurakmoch.bsky.social · Jan 31

🧐How are biological and human cultural diversity interlinked and changing over time?

Emmeline Topp addressed these questions through oral history interviews in three contrasting regions of Germany.

Read the latest on People • Nature • Landscapes for more on her fascinating results: t1p.de/4sjk4

Oral histories reveal biocultural diversity across three regions of rural Germany

Biocultural diversity is the concept of links between human cultural diversity and biological diversity. In rural regions, where forests…

t1p.de

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Laura Kmoch @laurakmoch.bsky.social · Jan 17

🌿💧Agricultural intensification, urbanisation, water conservation, and flood protection change the #landscapes of peri-urban #Shanghai.

🧐How does this shift affect different residents, and their ecosystem services access?

Find out by reading Zheyi Xia's blogpost: medium.com/people-natur...

Ecosystem services in peri-urban China: how are they perceived, and how can we conserve them?

In this blog, Zheyi Xia introduces himself as a guest researcher at SEIAS.

medium.com

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Reposted by Laura Kmoch

Tobias Plieninger @plieningerlab.bsky.social · Jan 8

#Agroforestry contributes to dietary diversity through providing food, income & energy and supporting agroecological processes. An excellent first phd paper by Khant Sandar Htet about 3 native trees leading to dietary diversification in Myanmar. With @laurakmoch.bsky.social. doi.org/10.1007/s109...

The nexus between agroforestry landscapes and dietary diversity: insights from Myanmar’s Central Dry Zone - Landscape Ecology

Context Agroforestry plays a crucial role in increasing tree-based food production for healthy and sustainable food systems. However, the potential of farm trees to contribute to farmers' dietary dive...

doi.org

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Laura Kmoch @laurakmoch.bsky.social · Jan 7

📣New article out in Landscape Ecology: t1p.de/jgbll

Khant Sandar Htet discusses the importance of #agroforestry in #Myanmar's #drylands.

Toddy palms, jujube and thanakha #trees enhance farmers' dietary diversity along four interlinked paths.

@plieningerlab.bsky.social #LandscapeEcology #food

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Reposted by Laura Kmoch

Bartosz Bartkowski @bartoszbartk.com · Dec 20

It drives me mad how often I need to repeat that improving people's knowledge/awareness of sustainability challenges WILL NOT per se translate in more sustainable behaviour. That's, unfortunately, not how people function. www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...

Why facts don't change minds: Insights from cognitive science for the improved communication of conservation research

Conservation scientists increasingly seek to find ways to implement their research for improved policy and practice. However, such efforts may be inef…

www.sciencedirect.com

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Reposted by Laura Kmoch

Global Land Programme @glp-earth.bsky.social · Dec 16

Hi bluesky! Connect with us for land system science news, jobs, events, and more. PS what is a tweet called here?

Check out our land system science starter pack!
go.bsky.app/Q8L1uKg

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Reposted by Laura Kmoch

Elizabeth Hilborn @elizabee.bsky.social · Dec 13

Bumblebee nests are hard to find, yet they need protection from spring through fall to allow the colony to complete their life cycles. Dogs to the rescue! Texas officials have trained dogs to sniff out nests so that they can be protected and studied for conservation purposes. 🧪 tinyurl.com/5db52zva

Bee-Sniffing Dogs Deployed by Texas Parks and Wildlife to Study Habitats

These pups help with pollinator conservation efforts

tinyurl.com

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Laura Kmoch @laurakmoch.bsky.social · Dec 9

📣New article out in Urban Forestry & Urban Greening

We explore diverging values and management options for a large peri-urban #agroforestry system - the #Maâmora forest in #Morocco.

Led by @mrio-torralba.bsky.social with @plieningerlab.bsky.social, Emmeline Topp and Fouad Mounir.
t1p.de/1jsqq

Diverging values and development options for agroforestry in a metropolitan area of North Africa

The use of large green infrastructures in peri-urban areas, such as urban forests, has become one of the most relevant tools to mitigate some of the n…

t1p.de

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Laura Kmoch @laurakmoch.bsky.social · Dec 6

Do you like🧀? Or care about 🌿 landscapes and #certification?

👉 Check out the latest post on our People, Nature, Landscape Blog.

@lukaseff.bsky.social discusses geographical indication labels and the sustainability of landscape-based #food products in 🇩🇪, 🇬🇷, and 🇪🇸.

t1p.de/6tvzb

Do Geographical Indication labels inform about the sustainability of landscape-based food products?

Among producers of regionalized foodstuff, there are common positive beliefs about sustainability of their products. While the Geographic…

t1p.de

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Reposted by Laura Kmoch

PIK_climate @pik-potsdam.bsky.social · Dec 2

Land management within #planetaryboundaries is critical for addressing the land-use crisis, finds new PIK / UNCCD report. Land #degradation drives biodiversity loss, worsens climate impacts, and threatens agriculture, food security & livelihoods all over the world.
www.pik-potsdam.de/en/news/late...

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Laura Kmoch @laurakmoch.bsky.social · Mar 21

Let's celebrate 🎉 It's the International Day of Forests 🌿🌳

To mark this occasion, our team shares stories from our forest-related research. Think forests in Lower Saxony 🍂, Mangroves 🍃, and Rwandan Forest Restoration 👇

t1p.de/5rjr9

#InternationalDayofForests #InternationalForestDay #ForestDay

Let’s celebrate! The International Day of Forests

The 21st of March is the International Day of Forests. This year themed “Forests and Innovation”. We’d like to celebrate this occasion, by…

t1p.de

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Laura Kmoch @laurakmoch.bsky.social · Mar 4

📣Mega-city lakes and urban foraging - what's the link?

🦀🌿💧Find out in Sukanya Basu's latest post on our research group's People • Nature • Landscapes blog:

medium.com/people-natur...

#geography @plieningerlab.bsky.social

Exploring Urban Edible Foraging: Navigating Megacity Landscapes

Urban foraging is essential for promoting biodiversity. It makes use of underutilised resources, reduces food waste, fosters people’s…

medium.com

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Reposted by Laura Kmoch

Chrisi_mit_i @christinabrugger.bsky.social · Feb 22

Klimanotstand in Süditalien, teilen Spaniens, Algerien, Marokko und Tunesien.
Dürre auf Sizilien.
Marokko im 6. Dürrejahr, mit 37° im Februar.

Und hier protestieren die Bauern für billigeren Diesel.. 🤦

www.derstandard.at/story/300000...

Winterdürre setzt Südeuropa und Nordafrika zu

Wassereinschränkungen und Dürrenotstände sind in manchen Regionen die Folge. Die Situation hat sich seit Ende Jänner verschlechtert

www.derstandard.at

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Reposted by Laura Kmoch

Erle Ellis @erleellis.bsky.social · Feb 20

Kicking Native People Off Their Land Is a Horrible Way to “Save the Planet” 🌍 www.nytimes.com/2024/02/20/o...

Opinion | Kicking Native People Off Their Land Is a Horrible Way to Save the Planet

Forcing Indigenous people out of protected areas they help manage and rely upon is not the way to achieve biodiversity and climate goals.

www.nytimes.com

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Laura Kmoch @laurakmoch.bsky.social · Feb 8

📣 New paper alert! with @plieningerlab.bsky.social and Aimad Bou-Lahriss.

We appraise rural people's plight with water scarcity and the promise of dryland tree planting as a nature-based solution to High Atlas communities' drought-related struggles.

Open access - please share widely. #geography

Drought threatens agroforestry landscapes and dryland livelihoods in a North African hotspot of environmental change

Dryland agroforestry is often hailed as a nature-based solution for rural people’s water- and climate-related struggles, yet appraisals of traditional…

www.sciencedirect.com

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Reposted by Laura Kmoch

David Shiffman, Ph.D. 🦈 @whysharksmatter.bsky.social · Feb 6

Friends, I wrote up a quick guide to getting started on Bluesky for folks who are used to old Science Twitter.

Please share it with your folks who are joining. And please let me know if I missed anything or got anything wrong. 🧪

www.southernfriedscience.com/bluesky-is-n...

Bluesky is now open. Science Twitter, here’s how to use it!

The once-great science twitter is, depending on who you talk to, either dying or dead. Once a vibrant place for many discussions related to my fields of marine biology, ocean conservation, and publ…

www.southernfriedscience.com

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Laura Kmoch @laurakmoch.bsky.social · Dec 12

What a great team of colleagues to be around, at the
@plieningerlab.bsky.social 🙌

We spent three intense days with reflections on our landscape research, biocultural approaches, and scicom strategy last week.

Thanks to Staatsdomäne Frankenhausen for hosting us - we enjoyed the ❄️ and tasty food 🧑‍🍳

Group photo of colleagues from the Plieninger Lab

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