| 1. |
- Eriksson, Fredrik, et al.
(författare)
-
Golf courses as a part of Urban Green Infrastructure: Social aspects of Golf Courses and Extensively Managed Turfgrass areas from Nordic Perspective.
- 2015
-
Konferensbidrag (refereegranskat)abstract
- Originated in Scotland in the 15th century the game of golf started to be very popular first in Europe and later in all English colonies and finally, by the end of the 20th century, around the world. In the Nordic countries turf grasses and golf facilities are increasing since the second part of the 20th century. The Nordic golf federations have 900 000 members, playing golf on more than 900 courses that cover a total area of more than 58 000 ha. The popularity of golf is directly connected to the growing of market economy. In the end of the 20th –beginning of the 21 century, in the era of globalisation, golf started to be one of the very important symbols of business success and a very popular pastime game. We research golf courses within the interdisciplinary project “Lawn as the cultural and ecological phenomenon” run by scientists from SLU, Sweden and funded by the Swedish Research Council. One of the goals of this project was to study the gradient of different managed lawns from the most intensively managed to the more meadow like lawns. Golf courses in this sense can be seen as a microcosm itself where all types of planted grass communities (lawns) are presented (fairway, rough and high rough). Six golf courses, two courses nearby three cities (Uppsala, Malmö and Gothenburg) have been investigated. In these courses six holes have been sampled for both environmental and ecological parameters. After contacts and discussions with managers responsible for six golf courses in three regions a total number of 180 interviews been conducted. This research was supported by STERF (Scandinavian Turfgrass and Environmental Research Foundation). Last decade in Sweden there is a growing movement of creating multifunctional golf courses which can provide a whole range of ecosystem services such as improving biodiversity and providing recreational areas which are accessible for the public. STERF is one of the main promoters of this movement. The social part of this study has been focused on golf courses and their significance from the golf players' perspective. The main research question was “What is valued by golfers in their golf course environment when it comes to the green environment and ecological, cultural and social values”. The interviews indicate that the golf course and time spent on the golf course include so much more than the sport itself. For many players the visits at the golf course also act as experience of nature and beautiful surroundings as well as in a social context, a way to stay in shape (fitness) as well as a way to relax (recreation). Natural values that are often mentioned by the interviewees is quiet, peaceful environment (silence), the chirping of birds, butterflies and other small animals as well as shrubs, trees and plantings. Although the existence of "natural environment" is perceived as a positive example, said one of the golfers: "it is so beautiful with birch trees and meadow flowers available as background for this golf course". Golf players also enjoy things like silence, nice smells and sounds from the nature as well as presence of water (lake, pond and river). Golf courses have great potential to support multiple values, for biodiversity and carbon sequestration and social wellbeing of people. Further work in this project will include analysis of trade-offs and synergies between the different research fields.
|
|
| 2. |
|
|
| 3. |
- Ignatieva, Maria, et al.
(författare)
-
Pros and cons of transdisciplinary research: A case study of Swedish lawns and their sustainable alternatives
- 2020
-
Ingår i: Urban Forestry & Urban Greening. - : Elsevier BV. - 1618-8667 .- 1610-8167. ; 56
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- In this article, we discuss the pros and cons of transdisciplinary research using the results of a research project on lawns carried out in Sweden from 2013 to 2016. We viewed lawns as a complex ecological and cultural phenomenon and searched for different sustainable lawn solutions in urban areas of Sweden.Constraints on the research included the time and effort required for team members to become familiar with the different research approaches, participate in regular meetings and agree on joint methodology. Later in the project, the integration, analysis and understanding of field data, theoretical sources and practical implementation approaches were also time-consuming obstacles. Thus, the initial and final phases of the project were extremely important and demanded a lot of time and effort. Especially challenging was the cross-use of different methodologies from natural and social sciences. Such ambitious multiscale and multitask projects dealing with living urban nature and people require at least five years to complete, rather than the three years typically suggested for classical research projects.The pros of the transdisciplinary approach was its ability to incorporate results of natural and social studies into landscape design, the ability to involve stakeholders in different project activities and to disseminate the research results in practice. This research revealed that lawns are a relatively recent phenomenon that is still expanding globally. The social study component showed that mowing and creating smooth, green lawn surfaces is important to stakeholders (lawn users, planners and managers). However, in Sweden, there is a tendency for local citizens to accept more biodiverse plant communities. Working closely with open-minded stakeholders led to the real implementation of lawn alternatives, which, in turn, increased media attention. The initial concept—that management was a central factor to the whole transdisciplinary project—was confirmed. The goal of this article is to share the unique experiences and lessons learned by researchers of conducting transdisciplinary research and to make such complex research more successful.
|
|
| 4. |
- Ignatieva, Maria, et al.
(författare)
-
The lawn as a social and cultural phenomenon in Sweden
- 2017
-
Ingår i: Urban Forestry & Urban Greening. - : Elsevier BV. - 1618-8667 .- 1610-8167. ; 21, s. 213-223
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Lawns have a significant influence on the cityscape as one of the essential elements of green spaces and an important part of people's everyday lives. Most people in the Western world view lawns as a compulsory element of the urban landscape, almost an icon, without questioning their social, symbolic, ecological or aesthetic values. This research is a part of the conceptual framework and methodological approaches that are being used in an ongoing transdisciplinary collaboration project to study lawns in Sweden as a social and ecological phenomenon.The overall aim of this study was to investigate social and cultural perceptions of lawns, as well as motives behind decisions about the establishment and management of lawns in Sweden. Two multifamily housing typologies, the 'Million Programme' and People's Homes', were examined due to their dominance in Swedish cities. We also studied how an alternative vision of conventional lawns can be applied and accepted by urban residents. We estimated lawn cover in multi-family housing areas and links to people's perception and use of lawns. Questionnaires, semi-structured interviews and observational studies were used (N = 300). Our results showed that people like lawns even if they do not always directly use them. Lawns cover the most significant amount of outdoor spaces in all multi-family residential areas and accompany people everywhere from the house to the schoolyard or park. The total lawn cover in the study areas was 27.8%. Lawns were particularly valued as important places for different outdoor activities (playing, resting, picnicking, walking, socialising) and enjoying the green colour. However people do not want to use a vast monotonous lawn, but a variety of spaces that provide good conditions for different senses ( sound, smell, touch and sight) and activities. Alternative lawns were also appreciated by many citizens, politicians, planners and managers. The implementation of new types of lawns requires special planning and design solutions adjusted for each particular neighbourhood. (C) 2016 The Authors. Published by Elsevier GmbH.
|
|
| 5. |
- Trovik, Clement, et al.
(författare)
-
The Scandinavian Sarcoma Group Central Register: 6,000 patients after 25 years of monitoring of referral and treatment of extremity and trunk wall soft-tissue sarcoma
- 2017
-
Ingår i: Acta Orthopaedica. - : TAYLOR & FRANCIS LTD. - 1745-3674 .- 1745-3682. ; 88:3, s. 341-347
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Purpose - We wanted to examine the potential of the Scandinavian Sarcoma Group (SSG) Central Register, and evaluate referral and treatment practice for soft-tissue sarcomas in the extremities and trunk wall (STS) in the Nordic countries. Background - Based on incidence rates from the literature, 8,150 (7,000-9,300) cases of STS of the extremity and trunk wall should have been diagnosed in Norway, Finland, Iceland, and Sweden from 1987 through 2011. The SSG Register has 6,027 cases registered from this period, with 5,837 having complete registration of key variables. 10 centers have been reporting to the Register. The 5 centers that consistently report treat approximately 90% of the cases in their respective regions. The remaining centers have reported all the patients who were treated during certain time periods, but not for the entire 25-year period. Results - 59% of patients were referred to a sarcoma center untouched, i.e. before any attempt at open biopsy. There was an improvement from 52% during the first 5 years to 70% during the last 5 years. 50% had wide or better margins at surgery. Wide margins are now achieved less often than 20 years ago, in parallel with an increase in the use of radiotherapy. For the centers that consistently report, 97% of surviving patients are followed for more than 4 years. Metastasis-free survival (MFS) increased from 67% to 73% during the 25-year period. Interpretation - The Register is considered to be representative of extremity and trunk wall sarcoma disease in the population of Scandinavia, treated at the reporting centers. There were no clinically significant differences in treatment results at these centers.
|
|
| 6. |
- Berg, Per, et al.
(författare)
-
Micro-comprehensive planning in Baltic Sea urban local areas
- 2010
-
Ingår i: Proceedings of the ICE - Engineering Sustainability. - : Thomas Telford Ltd.. - 1478-4629 .- 1751-7680. ; 163, s. 219-232
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Seven key community resources (physical, economic, biological, organisational, social, cultural and aesthetic resources) were studied in each of 22 common local urban townscape areas in 11 cities in the Baltic Sea region. A method was developed for multi-dimensional assessment of the sustainability status of the local communities according to the United Nations Habitat agenda. From an analysis of strong and weak points of the seven resources, a contextual micro-comprehensive plan for sustainable community development was outlined for each local area, comprising three components: universal, townscape-type-specific and place-specific strategies. The research also revealed unique key drivers for change for each area - either a specific problem or a vision for change. By addressing the key drivers, it is suggested that sustainable community development could be more efficiently introduced and implemented.
|
|
| 7. |
|
|
| 8. |
- Bergqvist, Tuula, 1958-, et al.
(författare)
-
Passion and Exploitation Among Young Adults with Different Labor Market Status in Europe
- 2015
-
Ingår i: Nordic Journal of Working Life Studies. - 2245-0157. ; 5:2, s. 17-31
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The aim of this article is to describe and analyze the relationship between attitudes to work, wellbeing, and labor market status among young adults in Europe and to discuss the extent to which the relationship can be understood in terms of passion or exploitation. This aim is made concrete in the following research questions: To what extent do young adults in Europe have a passionate attitude to work? Are there differences between groups with various labor market status and nationalities? Are there differences in levels of well-being between the groups of young adults with different labor market status, and differences between the countries? The results are based on an individual survey conducted with three categories of young people (18–34 years old): long-term unemployed, those in precarious employments, and those regularly employed. The study had a cross-national comparative design and the countries included were France, Germany, Italy, Poland, Sweden, and Switzerland.
|
|
| 9. |
|
|
| 10. |
|
|
