The Mountain Pasture Conference 2018

The aim with the Mountain Pasture Conference 2018 was to organise an international conference on Lofoten in 2018, in order to present critical challenges to mountain pastoralism and strengthen perspectives for integrated and sustainable management of mountain regions. A total of 42 researchers and practitioners, from 12 countries participated by starting the four-day conference on board Hurtigruten from Bodø to Stamsund on the 9th of September and accommodated at Kraemmervika Havn, the premises for the conference. Three main topics guided the conference with 28 paper and research presentations by both senior and junior researchers: 1) Innovation in grassland management and monitoring 2) Strategies to reduce the causes and mitigate the effects of climate changes on agropastoral systems 3) Linking agropastoral sustainability with agricultural policies and human activities Conference days 10-12.9 Monday 10.9 Vibeke Lind (NIBIO) and Giampiero Lombardi (FAO-CIHEAM-subnetwork of Mountain Pastures) welcomed everyone together with the mayor of Bestyvågøy kommune, Remi Solberg. The first keynote speaker was Per Ståhlnacke (NIBIO) with his presentation "Bioeconomy in Norway - role of the land-based sectors including mountain pasture" followed by Gustav Karlsen (NLR) presenterte "Lofotlam - from local speciality to brand". The third keynote was Riccardo Beltramo (University of Torino) preenting "Internet of things and agriculture. Proximal sensoring an Grass8 system for a sustainable management of pastures". The last keynote of the daywas Mithcel McClaran (Arizona University) with his presentation "Three lessons from drought planning to help planning for climate change". Tuesday 11.9 Traditionally this network appreciates a profound field excursion during the conferences. This time five destinations on Lofoten were visited: *Helge Haug, Niv Haug AS, Ballstad, Stockfish production in Ballstad, Lofoten *The blacksmith in Sund, artist and cultural communicator in Sund *Farm cheese factory with goats at the Lofoten Gårdsysteri in Leknes *Harry Martinsen, sheep farmer delivering to Lofotlam in Unstad *A visit to the Viking museum at Borg and an evening supper with program with the chieftain at Borg. Wednesday 11.9 The last day?s keynote was Inger Hansen (NIBIO) presenting "Livestock - carnivore conflicts; the impact of Production". At the end of the day Claudio Porqueddu, senior researcher at CNR - ISPAAM Sassari, Italy was appointed the next coordinator for the network.

Forventede virkninger og effekter: 1) Konferanse proceedings 2) Special issue 3) Populærvetenskaplige artikler 4) Facebook, Linkedin og Twitter 5) Oppfølgnings workshop 6) Sponsing av Young scholars 1) Book of abstracts 2) Publiseringskanal ny: the Journal of Mountain Science (https://www.springer.com/earth+sciences+and+geography/journal/11629)publiseres av Springer og overvakes av the Chinese Academy of Sciences. Executive editor in chief Qui Dunlian deltok i konferansen. Leveringsfrist før full paper February 28th, 2019. 3)Populærvitenskapelige artikler Vid rapporteringstilfelle er det ikke noe populærvitenskapelige artikler publisert. 4) Hjemmeside og Facebook Hjemmeside: https://nibio.pameldingssystem.no/mountpast2018 FB event: https://www.facebook.com/events/1026818094149367/ 5)Ikke noen oppfølgende post-konferanse workshop er planlagt 6) Ikke noen sponsing av "Young scholars"

The Mountain Pasture conference 2018 in Lofoten will discuss innovations in grasslands as important ways forward towards sustainable grassland/rangeland science and management. A main focus will be on opportunities and challenges connected to sustainable pastoralism and farming, which today are influenced by unprecedented rates of climate- and environmental change, institutional restructuring, use-protection conflicts, and human activities. To meet these challenges, the conference will particularly address the following issues; technical innovation, management and added value, cultural landscapes and food security, pastoral sustainability and climate footprints. At the conference, we invite participants to submit abstract within a wide range of topics to allow both established knowledge as well as innovative and new knowledge to be shared. Experience from previous Mountain Pasture meetings shows that building networks is very important. Dedicating a full day for field trip is not only to show the participants farming systems in the hosting country, but also to allow the participants to communicate, get to know each other, share experiences and build relations. The social program is therefore seen as an important and integrated part of the scientific program. In addition to networking, a main output from the conference will be the support of young scholars. We aim for at least one young researcher to have either an oral presentation or a "speed-presentation" of their poster in each of the sessions. Moreover, young researchers, newly finished with PhDs, are strongly involved in the arrangement of the conference both in NIBIO and NRI. Young researchers are invited at a lower conference fee and there will be an award for the best poster. Partners in the project are Norwegian Institute for Bioeconomy Research (NIBIO), Norwegian Agricultural Extension Service and Nordland Research Institute.