Living Lab

Møn / Aarhus University

Researchers at the Aarhus University are working on the small island of Møn which also forms part of the EU Life Orchids Project. The project’s goal is to improve habitat connectivity through converting arable land to pastures. Landowners, nature agency, the municipality, and researchers are involved in the restoration activities.

Activities within the Living Labs

Within the Living Lab network, we are conducting an array of different activities at different levels. These include:

The center level contains activities that are conducted at the living labs but coordinated by RestPoll members (i.e. pollinator monitoring).

  • Pollinator and vegetation monitoring (Task 1.2a)
  • Pollination monitoring (Task 1.2b)
  • Measuring the effect of co-design (Task 1.3)
  • Rapid assessment of plants and pollinators (Task 1.4)
  • Evaluate interactions among landscape-scale drivers and local restoration measures on pollinators (Task 2.2)
  • Identify synergies and opportunities for improvements of current restoration implementations (Task 2.3)

The second level contains activities that are conducted within the living lab with all stakeholders involved (i.e. workshop to discuss implementation of co-designed measures).

  • Assess co-benefits of pollinators restoration measures and the direct and indirect impacts of restoration measures on bio-economy (Task 2.4 + 3.3)
  • Develop and test a novel instrument based on Payments for Restoration-mediated Pollination Services (PRPS) (Task 3.2)
  • Establishing and monitoring progress and knowledge flow with the Living Lab (Task 4.1)
  • Assessing enabling conditions for pollinator restoration measures (Task 4.3)

The third level are activities that are conducted within the living lab during demonstration events, including a larger audience (i.e. workshop on horizon scan).

  • Horizon scanning of strengths, weaknesses, opportunities & threats for pollinator restorations (Task 4.4)

The final level includes activities that involve the general public within the living lab vicinity (i.e. testing of feasibility of tools). 

  • Assessing the awareness of pollinators and willingness to protect them (Task 3.1)
  • Estimate the value added by wild pollinators to the food value chain (Task 3.4)
  • Test and evaluate tools for the RestPoll toolbox of restoration methods (Task 5.2)
  • Survey consumer willingness to purchase biodiversity-friendly products (Task 5.3)
  • Understanding and evaluating the co-design of pollinator-friendly labels (Task 5.4)

About this Living Lab

Implementations

Restoration of semi-natural grassland, removal of fertilizers and pesticides, assisted spread of native seeds, adding stones, banks, and bull pits to the landscape

Main landuse types

Extensive grasslands (pasture, livestock), forests

Pollinator dependent crops

Semi-natural grassland habitats

Conventional cereal crop farming in this area has often been converted into grassland with the use of large grazers such as in this case Hereford cattle. Møn was the first part of Denmark where Hereford cattle were introduced, and they are still the preferred grazer in this area.
Conventional cereal crop farming in this area has often been converted into grassland with the use of large grazers such as in this case Hereford cattle. Møn was the first part of Denmark where Hereford cattle were introduced, and they are still the preferred grazer in this area.
A cuckoo bee inspecting the nest hole of an *Andrena* near one of the living lab sites that has been transformed from conventional farm to grassland. The proximity of these earthen
A cuckoo bee inspecting the nest hole of an *Andrena* near one of the living lab sites that has been transformed from conventional farm to grassland. The proximity of these earthen
Out control sites are important to include establishing a baseline. This site outside Magleby is conventionally farmed, but the overall habitat heterogeneity and the rich entomofauna in the area provide interesting findings from within the field.
Out control sites are important to include establishing a baseline. This site outside Magleby is conventionally farmed, but the overall habitat heterogeneity and the rich entomofauna in the area provide interesting findings from within the field.
Claus Rasmussen and Sean B.B. Craig looking over Busene bakker, near the border between Klinteskoven (Calcareous Forest) and the very old grassland. The grassland is rich in flowers both during spring and summer and serves as the inspiration for many of the interventions in the nearby agricultural fields.
Claus Rasmussen and Sean B.B. Craig looking over Busene bakker, near the border between Klinteskoven (Calcareous Forest) and the very old grassland. The grassland is rich in flowers both during spring and summer and serves as the inspiration for many of the interventions in the nearby agricultural fields.

Researchers

Jonna Løvlund Bach

Tommy Dalgaard

Tommy Dalgaard

Sean Birk Bek Craig

Martin Thorsøe

Martin Hvarregaard Thorsøe

Claus Rasmussen

Claus Rasmussen

Contact us for collaboration​

Alexandra Klein

RestPoll coordinator
alexandra.klein@nature.uni-freiburg.de