COAST- Center for Environmental and Sustainability Research
Sustainable land use and Biodiversity
© [Maja Wolzenburg]
Coastal regions have to face change processes – due to climate change and increasing land use conflicts. Sustainable land use means to meet these future challenges and to sustain the land and resources for us and future generations. One main goal is to preserve nature, the livelihood for diverse species. This conservation of biodiversity is of central importance.
Topics:
- sustainable land use management in the North Sea region
- development of climate adaptation strategies
- ecosystem services
- participative processes
Running Projects
Completed Projects
Running Projects

BEFmate
Biodiversity – Ecosystem Functioning across marine and terrestrial ecosystems
Funding body: Land Niedersachsen
Project duration: 2014 - 2018
Institutions: ICBM

nascent
New opportunities for a sustainable food system through transformative enterprise models
Funding body: Federal Ministry of Education and Research
Main focus: Sustainable food supply system, that enables food sovereignty and resilient food production on a regional level
Project duration: 01.04.2015 - 31.03.2018
Institutions: CENTOS
Completed Projects

COMTESS
Sustainable Coastal Land Management: Trade-offs in Ecosystem Services
Funding body: BMBF
Main focus: The collaborative research project will perform an inter- and transdisciplinary investigation of four land management scenarios, applied to coastal regions along the North Sea and the Baltic Sea in Germany. COMTESS will quantify and evaluate the performance of multiple ecosystem functions and services in each scenario in socio-economic and ecological terms.
Project duration: October 2010 - December 2016
Institutions: COAST, CEM, ZENARiO
Kornweihen
Funding body: Deutsche Bundesstiftung Umwelt, Niedersächsische Wattenmeerstiftung und Nationalparkverwaltung Niedersächsisches Wattenmeer
Main focus: Kornweihen gehören zu den seltensten und am stärksten bedrohten Brutvögeln in Deutschland. Dem niedersächsischen Wattenmeer kommt dabei eine besondere Bedeutung zu, denn nahezu der gesamte deutsche Brutbestand der Kornweihe brütet auf den Ostfriesischen Inseln. Zu wissen, wie Kornweihen in ihrem Lebensraum Wattenmeer "funktionieren", ist von grundlegender Bedeutung für den Erhalt der Brutpopulation und für die Erarbeitung eines wirkungsvollen Schutzkonzeptes.
Project duration: 2009 - 2016
Institutions: CEM

Artenhilfsprogramme für drei FFH-Libellenarten in NW-Deutschland
Funding body: DBU
Main focus: Ziel des DBU-Projektes ist die Zustandsanalyse der aktuellen Vorkommen dreier gefährdeter und nach Europarecht (FFH-Richtlinie) geschützter Libellenarten. Darauf aufbauend findet im Projekt eine Planung und Erprobung von Maßnahmen zur Verbesserung der Lebensraumqualität und des Lebensraumverbundes statt.
Project duration: 01.04.2012 - 30.09.2014
Institutions: ZENARiO, IBU

Clim-A-Net
The North-South-Network on Climate Proofing of Vulnerable Regions
Funding body: DAAD
Main focus: Interdisciplinary cooperation project for adaptation strategies to climate change between the Carl von Ossietzky University of Oldenburg (UO), the Tanzanian University of Dar es Salaam (UDSM) and the South African Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University (NMMU)
Project duration: November 2010 - December 2014
Institutions: COAST

Developing Sustainability
Interdisciplinary research network with universities in Latin America, Africa and Asia.
Funding body: DAAD
Main focus: (Further) Development of inter-disciplinary teaching programs, research activities and institution building regarding sustainability at all partner institutions
Project duration: August 2009 – December 2013
Institutions: COAST
VICE
Vector borne infections: risk based and cost efficient surveillance systems
Funding body: Federal Office for Agriculture and Food
Main focus: The aim of the EU-research project VICE is the development of a computer-based surveillance system that allows a continuous estimation of the outbreak risk of such diseases. Thus, in times of high outbreak risk fast and specific preventive actions are possible.
Project duration: April 2012 - December 2015
Institutions: ZENARiO