Tag: EU projects

New Special Issue in Nature Conservation offers an interdisciplinary resource for wetland ecosystem restoration

New Special Issue in Nature Conservation offers an interdisciplinary resource from over 100 European experts for the better restoration of wetlands, coasts and floodplains

Wetlands are key environmental sentinels. These systems offer a plethora of ecosystem services, acting as biodiversity hotspots and carbon sinks while providing natural buffers against the impacts of climate change.

They also benefit our society by ensuring food security, providing clean water, and protecting coastal communities. In fact, they support more than one billion livelihoods worldwide, as well as 40% of all known plant and animal species.

However, in our rapidly changing world, we face a series of complex, overlapping challenges. To address the ongoing loss of wetlands, new, interdisciplinary solutions are needed that match the scale of the problem.

A Special interdisciplinary resource

In response to these challenges, a new special issue in Nature Conservation titled ‘Wetlands in a Changing Climate: Restoring Coasts and Floodplains,’ aims to bridge critical knowledge gaps, highlight the vital importance of wetland ecosystems, and identify ways to upscale restoration action under the EU Nature Restoration Regulation.

Wetlands in a Changing Climate: Restoring Coasts and Floodplains special issue in the open-access journal Nature Conservation published by pensoft

Edited by Ute Susanne Kaden, Sophia Schmid, Simone Wulf, Katrina Marsden, Carla Klusmann, Aletta Bonn, Klement Tockner and Mathias Scholz, the Special Issue includes 15 peer-reviewed articles with contributions from over 100 European experts across 18 countries. You can read the full editorial here.

Adopting a ‘source-to-sea’ approach, the collection bridges the gap between riverine and coastal research to foster integrated responses to environmental pressures. Its findings are organized into four key thematic sections:

  • Section I: Wetland biodiversity in a changing climate: Understanding their vulnerability
  • Section II: Wetland ecosystem services and nature-based solutions for climate change mitigation and adaptation
  • Section III: Wetland restoration in practice: Opportunities, overcoming barriers and scaling up implementation
  • Section IV: Wetland policy: Enabling a transition towards a resilient future

By synthesizing perspectives from science, policy, and practice across Europe, this collection serves as a transdisciplinary “guide for anyone seeking an integrated understanding of the unique role of European riverine and coastal wetlands in the context of climate change and biodiversity,”. 

While the primary scope is from Europe, these findings offer vital insights applicable to restoration efforts worldwide.

For me, riverine and coastal wetlands are vivid examples of how biodiversity, climate, and human well-being depend on one another, yet they often remain out of the spotlight – making their protection and restoration all the more important. This Special Issue brings together accessible science, practical experience, and policy perspectives, and we hope it will help spark real – and urgently needed – progress in restoring Europe’s coasts and floodplains.

comments Dr. Ute Kaden, one of the lead authors of this Special Issue.

This Special Issue builds on the 5th European Conference on Biodiversity and Climate Change (Bonn, 2023), a collaborative effort organized by the German Federal Agency for Nature Conservation (BfN), the European Network of Heads of Nature Conservation Agencies (ENCA), the Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research (UFZ), the German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv), and adel-phi.

Connecting the research and people

Beyond the Special Issue itself, the lead editors organised a free online launch event to present the valuable collection of research publications. On Thursday, 26 February, over 300 participants gained insights into the vulnerability and resilience of riverine and coastal wetlands.

The discussion centered on evaluating the multifunctional benefits of nature-based solutions, sharing restoration lessons from across Europe, and identifying key opportunities аnd challenges in scaling up wetland restoration actions.

Addressing biodiversity climate nexus is important – biodiversity loss and climate change are interconnected and we must strengthen their relationship to develop effective responses to both challenges.

Dr. Kim Grutzmacher, Head of Division International Nature Conservation, BfN

During the launch event, Dr. Flore Lafaye de Micheaux, European Senior Advisor at the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands, reflected on how the importance of wetlands extends beyond their ecosystem value.

Wetlands have been part of human existence since the dawn of time, not only because they have provided for our basic needs, but also because they are places of meaning, culture and spirituality. Our message is that it’s time to invest in wetlands as this means investing in future.

Dr. Flore Lafaye de Micheaux, Ramsar Convention on Wetlands

Research from four major projects, BioAgora, Respin, SpongeBoost, and Rest-Coast, was showcased during the launch event. As an active consortium member in these projects, Pensoft contributes essential expertise in science communication, dissemination, stakeholder engagement, and technological development.

Notably, the lead authors Dr. Kaden (UFZ) and Dr. Scholz (who also serves as the coordinator of SpongeBoost) presented insights from Sections I and II of the new Special Issue. Comprising eight papers from the SpongeBoost consortium, the research tackles pressing ecological challenges, ranging from nutrient retention and floodplain services to the socio-economic valuation of nature-based solutions and the intricacies of EU policy.

Wetland restoration involves human-nature relationships, and wetlands should be treated treated as a social ecological system.

Dr. Mathias Scholz, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research

In this Special Issue, you will find in-depth analyses such as the work of Ibáñez et al., 2026, which asks ‘To what extent is coastal wetland biodiversity endangered by climate change? How can we boost the resilience of coastal ecosystems?’ Their research highlights the dual threat of “coastal squeeze” and climate change on Mediterranean wetlands. 

Shifting the focus to inland waters, the issue also features ‘Building blocks for upscaling freshwater ecosystem restoration: Place-based strategies for a transdisciplinary challenge’ by Birk et al. (2026). Drawing on 18 European case studies from the MERLIN project, this research identifies five essential ‘building blocks’ necessary to successfully upscale freshwater restoration efforts.”

Full list of the articles in the Special Issue:

To follow the latest publications, news and highlights from Nature Conservation, we invite you to subscribe for the journal’s newsletter by using the Email alert field on this website’s homepage, and follow the journal on Bluesky and Facebook.

The development of the issue was supported by the Federal Agency for Nature Conservation (BfN) with funds from the Federal Ministry for the Environment, Climate Action, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety(BMUKN) (Project No. 3521830200).

Insects and innovation: Pensoft in Portland 2025

Pensoft attended the Entomological Collections Network Annual Meeting and Entomology 2025, both held in Oregon’s largest city.

In November 2025, Pensoft’s Chief Communications Officer, Teodor Metodiev, crossed the Atlantic to represent the publisher at two entomology events  in Portland, Oregon: the Entomological Collections Network (ECN) Annual Meeting (8–9 November) and the Entomology 2025 conference (9–12 November).

Entomological Collections Network Annual Meeting

Held at the Hyatt Regency in Portland, the ECN 2025 annual meeting brought together professionals dedicated to the care, management, and use of entomological collections. The hybrid event featured live talks, pre-recorded lightning presentations and a silent auction in support of collection initiatives.

  • Pensoft’s stand at the ECN meeting.
  • Natural History Collections and Museomics featured prominently at the event.
  • Deborah Paul, one of the Editors-in-Chief for Natural History Collections and Museomics, with Teodor Metodiev.

At ECN 2025, Pensoft spotlighted its journals in entomology, particularly the newly launched diamond open-access journal Natural History Collections and Museomics (NHCM), which welcomes research on the preservation, digitisation and analysis of natural history collections. Building on last year’s successful collaboration, the meeting again highlighted the Topical Collection “Entomological Outreach Collections and Community Engagement,” published in NHCM and inspired by the 2024 ECN programme.

Entomology 2025

Pensoft joined more than 3,200 insect science professionals at the Entomological Society of America’s annual meeting, Entomology 2025 (Ento2025), hosted at the Oregon Convention Center. Over four days, the conference offered symposia, workshops, networking sessions, mixers and a busy exhibit hall.

Pensoft showcased the EU pollinator projects VALOR and AGRI4POL at Entomology 2025.

Pensoft exhibited at booth #715, showcasing the publisher’s portfolio of entomology journals and promoting two key EU-funded projects on pollinators: VALOR and AGRI4POL. Featuring professional scientific illustrations, attractive open-access publishing opportunities, and results from Pensoft-partnered EU projects, the booth attracted considerable interest from attendees.

A highlight of Pensoft’s presence at Entomology 2025 was the participation of Lars Straub, Editor-in-Chief of the newly launched Diamond Open Access journal Advances in Pollinator Research (APR). Straub moderated two student 10-minute presentation competitions and presented his own research, “Neonicotinoid exposure reduces fitness of a widespread butterfly, Vanessa cardui.”

  • Dr Alfred Daniel Johnson, a Journal of Hymenoptera Research author.
  • Dr Kevin Li, a One Ecosystem author.
  • Dr Claire Rutledge, a NeoBiota author.
  • Dr Lars Straub, Editor-in-Chief of Advances in Pollinator Research .
  • Dr Priyadarshini Chakrabarti Basu, an Advances in Pollinator Research editor.
  • Dr Yihang Li, a ZooKeys author.
  • Dr Jose ‘Joe’ Martinez, a ZooKeys author.
  • Yeshwanth, H M, a ZooKeys author.

–

Following a fantastic week in Portland at both ECN 2025 and Entomology 2025, Pensoft looks forward to continuing its close collaboration with the entomological and collections communities. The Entomological Society of America’s next annual meeting, Entomology 2026, will take place on 8–11 November in Columbus, Ohio, where Pensoft plans to create more partnerships and continue its support for open science in insect research.

Pensoft showcases open science and restoration innovation at the IUCN World Conservation Congress

Pensoft joined thousands of global conservationists, policymakers, and researchers in Abu Dhabi for the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) World Conservation Congress, the world’s largest and most influential event dedicated to safeguarding nature and shaping a sustainable future.

The grand opening ceremony of the IUCN World Conservation Congress 2025.

Held from the 9th to 15th of September 2025, the event brought together over 10,000 participants from 189 countries under five central themes: Scaling Up Resilient Conservation Action; Reducing Climate Overshoot Risks; Delivering on Equity; Transitioning to Nature-Positive Economies and Societies; and Disruptive Innovation and Leadership for Conservation.

Numerous concrete steps towards advancing conservation were taken at the event, from the adoption of a 20-year Strategic Vision for the Union, to the Abu Dhabi Call to Action outlining key global priorities, to announcing Panama as the host of the next World Protected and Conserved Areas Congress in 2027.

Pensoft’s involvement

Represented by Prof Lyubomir Penev (Founder and CEO), Maria Kolesnikova (Marketing and Sales Manager), and Denitsa Peneva (Scientific Illustrator), Pensoft took part in the Congress with a dedicated booth, engaging attendees in conversation about how open science, innovative publishing, and collaborative research can drive conservation.

Denitsa Peneva (left) and Maria Kolesnikova (right) representing Pensoft at the event.

Pensoft’s exhibit placed a strong emphasis on restoration and ecological research, showcasing the publisher’s active role in international initiatives supporting biodiversity recovery and sustainable ecosystem management. Numerous illustrated materials were available for attendees to browse through and take home.

A key feature of the booth was Pensoft’s participation in Horizon 2020 projects such as REST-COAST, which aims to restore and safeguard coastal ecosystems through innovative, large-scale nature-based solutions. Alongside the company’s project involvement, visitors explored Pensoft’s diverse range of open-access journals, including Nature Conservation, One Ecosystem, Estuarine Management and Technologies, NeoBiota, and the newly launched Individual-based Ecology. 

A selection of Pensoft’s materials at the congress.

Two sessions at the event presented Pensoft-partnered EU projects, highlighting the critical connection between science, policy, and practice: the first, Bridging Science and Policy: European Action for Biodiversity and Climate Goals was a collaborative effort of the COOP4CBD, BIOAGORA, RESPIN, and TRANSPATH projects; and the second was REST-COAST’s Advancing Large Scale Restoration Programmes Through Sharing Insights of EU Funded Nature Restoration Projects.

  • Maja Vasilijevic opening the session, Bridging Science and Policy: European Action for Biodiversity and Climate Goals..
  • Keynote speaker Musonda Mumba at Advancing Large Scale Restoration Programmes Through Sharing Insights of EU Funded Nature Restoration Projects.

A platform for lasting impact

One of the most anticipated events on the calendar, the IUCN Congress was a fantastic event that looked to the future of collaborative global conservation. For Pensoft, participation in Abu Dhabi reaffirmed its mission to foster open, accessible, and data-driven knowledge to support efforts to protect and restore our planet’s ecosystems.

  • Letsema Adontsi, Minister of Environment and Forestry, Lesotho.
  • Visitors at the Pensoft booth.
  • Taxonomist Korsh Ararat.
  • Kostas Triantis, author of several articles in Frontiers of Biogeography.
  • Nature Conservation author Kristijn Swinnen.
  • Sana Taktak, part of REST-COAST project.
  • IMA Fungus author Jonathan Cazabonne..
  • Nature Conservation author Neil D’Cruze.
  • Elisa Furlan and Elena Alegri from REST-COAST.
  • Sofia Paredes Maury and Claudia Garcia Barrios from the Guatemalan Association of the Private Nature Reserves.
  • Maggie Kilian, botanist and Director of Engaging Heritage Consulting.
  • Guido Berguido, who recently had a new species named ater him in PhytoKeys.
  • Srijana Joshi Rijal and Bandana Shakya from GBIF Nepal, with Pensoft’s Maria Kolesnikova.
  • Julia Sigwart, Senckenberg Research Institute. with Prof Lyubomir Penev.
  • BDJ author Rachel Haderle.
  • NeoBiota author Ana Nunes.
  • Pensoft Founder and CEO Prof Lyubomir Penev.
  • Matthieu Lapinski and Mathilde Michaud from REST-COAST.

The conversations, collaborations, and commitments shared at IUCN 2025 will continue to shape the publisher’s approach to science communication and innovation going forward.

Relive highlights of the conference on Bluesky and LinkedIn using the hashtag #IUCNcongress.

The legacy of impactful biodiversity research: Pensoft at Living Data 2025

Events like these continue to be of great significance for Pensoft as it works to innovate the landscape of academic data management and scientific outreach.

Effective biodiversity conservation at the global level requires consolidated, streamlined and open scientific data to support it. This was the tenet at the heart of Living Data 2025, a conference unprecedented in its scale and ambition to foster a transcontinental dialogue on the past, present and future of research into the biosphere. 

The event took place between 21 and 24 October in Bogotá, Colombia, and was made possible via an extensive collaboration between the biodiversity networks GBIF, TDWG, OBIS and GEO BON, with support from the Humboldt Institute.

With an audience spanning the globe and a four-day agenda reflecting the diversity of innovations and challenges to be addressed in this context, the scene was set for an inclusive and productive dialogue on biodiversity data. 

For its part, Pensoft seized the opportunity to join this crucial forum. Represented by founder and CEO Prof. Lyubomir Penev, CTO Teodor Georgiev and Science Communication Expert Peter Bozakov, the open-access scholarly publisher and technology provider became an active participant in the programme as:

Three men pose in front of a colorful backdrop featuring tropical plants and the event title "Datos Vivos 2025" in Bogotá, Colombia.
Pensoft’s Chief Technology Officer Teodor Georgiev, Science Communication Expert Peter Bozakov, and founder and Chief Executive Officer Prof. Lyubomir Penev

Еxhibitor on the conference floor

Pensoft’s representatives were front and centre at the event by virtue of a dedicated booth showcasing the company’s work in academic publishing and science communication, as well as FAIR biodiversity data innovation. A wide array of materials was available for researchers to browse through, reflecting a variety of scientific subjects and endeavours. The ensuing conversations reflected a shared commitment to a more ambitious biodiversity research landscape today and tomorrow, as the parties charted potential avenues for cooperation.

A booth at a conference displays biodiversity research materials and promotional items, with two men posing.
Pensoft’s stand at Living Data 2025.

Sponsor of the Best Student Presentation award

Unwavering in its support for young scientists and early-career researchers, Pensoft also left a mark with its sponsorship of the most critically acclaimed student oral talk delivered at Living Data 2025. During the conference’s closing ceremony, Prof. Lyubomir Penev delivered the award to Mélisande Teng for her presentation, titled “A machine learning approach to species distribution modelling using remote sensing and citizen science data“. This distinction entitles her to a free publication in one of the journals in Pensoft’s extensive and exclusively open-access portfolio. 

A speaker stands behind a podium at a conference with a presentation backdrop showcasing various partners, including logos and event details.
Prof. Penev presenting the Best Student Presentation award

Co-organiser of a symposium

Last but not least, Pensoft drew on its experience across its multiple expertises to address some of the topical pillars of the event in its own symposium. The publisher and technology provider was joined in this effort by long-standing partners from LifeWatch ERIC (represented by its CEO Christos Arvanitidis) and the Naturalis Biodiversity Centre (represented by Niels Raes). 

Together, they delivered two sessions sharing the title “Long Live Biodiversity Data: Knowledge Transfer and Continuity across Research Projects”. In that sense, the aim was to emphasise the importance of science results being repurposed and reused, finding new life beyond the endeavours that gave rise to them. The role of open data, targeted communication and clearly defined pathways to impact in decision-making was singled out as an essential aspect on the road to such long-lived outputs.

Both sessions attracted the attention of attendees, leading to proactive engagement with the topics in focus. 

A number of ongoing projects and initiatives – where Pensoft has been involved as an active consortium partner – were in the spotlight, including Biodiversity Meets Data, B-Cubed, OneSTOP, BioAgora, FORSAID, WildPosh, IP4OS and GATE. Special mention was also afforded to SOLO and eLTER, as well as the concluded BiCKL, EuropaBON, HOMED and PoshBee. 

Together with a number of other fellow projects, they provided inspiring testaments to the potential of results to grow beyond the vision they first emerged out of. Overall, the symposium brought together 16 abstracts with over 90 contributing authors, more than 20 initiatives and more than 30 affiliated institutions and organisations. The recordings of Session #1 and Session #2 are already available on YouTube.

Later this year, extended abstracts presented throughout the Living Data 2025 conference will be published in the open-access journal Biodiversity Information Standards and Science (BISS): the official scholarly outlet of TDWG launched in 2017 in partnership with long-term collaborator Pensoft. Initiated by a dedicated call from TDWG, this year’s extended abstracts collection will provide further insight into the perspectives, opportunities and issues discussed in the respective showcases. 

All in all, the conference was a noteworthy milestone for the international biodiversity community – an exchange of views, results and opportunities at a broad geographical and multidisciplinary scale that is truly oriented towards tangible outcomes for the planet’s future. As ever, formats like these continue to be of great significance for Pensoft as it works to innovate the landscape of academic data management and scientific outreach across and beyond borders.

Relive highlights of the conference on Bluesky and LinkedIn using the hashtag #LivingData2025.

Did you know that three years ago Pensoft hosted the TDWG annual conference? Check out the highlights on our blog!

Advancing eScience for biodiversity: Pensoft at the LifeWatch ERIC Biodiversity & Ecosystem eScience Conference

The conference facilitated valuable networking opportunities, meeting us with old friends but also giving us a chance to discuss potential future collaborations.

Between 30 June and 3 July, Pensoft’s team attended the LifeWatch ERIC Biodiversity & Ecosystem eScience Conference (BEeS) in Heraklion, Greece. The event was organized by the LifeWatch ERIC Infrastructure with the aim of tackling the Triple Planetary Crisis (climate change, biodiversity loss, and pollution) through eScience and European Research Infrastructures (RIs). With almost 200 registered participants, the conference discussed “how cutting-edge eScience and European Research Infrastructures can work together to develop innovative solutions for a sustainable future.”

Hosted by the Hellenic Centre for Marine Research, BEeS convened 193 registrants, featured 59 presentations, 36 posters, and provided 12 training sessions, highlighting the vital role of technology, data, and collaborative efforts in confronting global environmental challenges.

Exterior view of the Greek Centre for Marine Research, featuring large windows and a shaded entrance under a blue sky.
A woman in a brown dress and a man in a maroon shirt approach a LifeWatch ERIC banner, entering a building in bright sunlight.

On the first day, a closed-door meeting was held with the aim of adopting a Declaration of Intent (the Crete Declaration) between the involved RIs, e-infrastructures, EU-relevant projects, and Pensoft, as a scientific publisher. The objective was to advance the One Health approach—a strategy that optimizes the health of people, animals, and ecosystems. The Declaration outlines four key strategic commitments:

  • strengthening strategic collaboration
  • advancing data integration and FAIR (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, Reusable) principles
  • supporting Open Science Ecosystems
  • informing policy and practice

Christos Arvanitidis, the president of LifeWatch ERIC, came to the Pensoft stand to meet with our staff and discuss our agenda.

Two men stand behind an exhibition table filled with brochures and materials for biodiversity science, showcasing several organizations and journals.

Pensoft was also invited to present the outcomes of the BiCIKL project, on which we partnered with LifeWatch ERIC, as part of the Mapping Life on Planet Earth: Biogeography in a Changing World session.

Teodor Georgiev, Chief Technology Officer of Pensoft, delivered the presentation, titled The BiCIKL project traverses obstacles to FAIR and linked biodiversity data usage.

The BiCIKL project, which concluded on 30 April 2024, aims to catalyse the culture change in the way biodiversity data are identified, linked, integrated and re-used across the research lifecycle. Key outcomesinclude the creation of uni- and bi-directional links between biodiversity RIs, the establishment of best practices for Persistent Identifiers (PIDs), recommendations for interoperability between RIs, and the development of automated tools and workflows for published data liberation and FAIR-isation. The presentation also introduced the Biodiversity Knowledge Hub, a one-stop portal for understanding the complex, but increasingly interconnected landscape of biodiversity RIs.

Georgiev also delivered a poster presentation, discussing SOLO: a collaborative open-review and publishing platform supporting the EU Soil Mission.

SOLO, a Horizon Europe project in which Pensoft is involved, aims to identify current knowledge gaps, drivers, bottlenecks, and novel research and innovation approaches to be considered in the European Soil Mission research and innovation roadmap. Hosted on Pensoft’s ARPHA publishing platform and integrating the ARPHA Writing Tool, SOLO engages researchers, practitioners, citizens and other stakeholders in the development and review of ‘living’ open-access documents supporting the EU Mission “A Soil Deal for Europe.” Pensoft’s contribution to SOLO encompasses communication, dissemination, data management, and the crucial development of the platform itself.

Pensoft joins EU-funded project SOLO, supporting the EU Mission “A Soil Deal for Europe”

Fifteen research infrastructures and 15 projects were officially represented at BEes, including two other Horizon Europe projects where Pensoft is a partner: ANERIS, which focuses on scientific tools and methods for marine life-sensing and monitoring, and BMD, which offers a single access point to high-throughput biodiversity monitoring tools.

Berta Companys of the Spanish National Research Council introduced ANERIS with an insightful presentation on the project’s innovative technologies, workflow, and overall approach. Her talk highlighted the key challenges connected to marine biodiversity and monitoring sea and ocean ecosystems that ANERIS is tackling and outlined the solutions the project is developing to address them, such as the implementation of Operational Marine Biology (OMB) data products.

A speaker gestures behind a transparent podium adorned with a ship logo, in a conference setting.

BMD was represented by coordinator Niels Raes of Naturalis Biodiversity Center.

An exhibition booth displays various informational materials related to biodiversity, flanked by two attendees.

The conference facilitated valuable networking opportunities, meeting us with old friends but also giving us a chance to discuss potential future collaborations. Pensoft engaged with partners from other European Research Infrastructures, sharing a dedication to collaborative research and the development of open-access resources addressing global environmental challenges.

FERRO project celebrates one year of advancing lake restoration across Europe

With a mission to address nutrient pollution and drive sustainable lake restoration across Europe, the FERRO project marks its first year.

Launched in June 2024, the Horizon Europe-funded project: Fostering European Lakes Restoration by Nutrient Removal, Recovery and Reuse: Integrated Catchment and In-lake Scale Approach (FERRO) – brings together scientists, engineers, and environmental experts from across Europe to develop innovative, nature-based, and circular solutions to reduce nutrient pollution in freshwater ecosystems.

Eutrophication, caused by excessive nutrients, such as phosphorus and nitrogen that enter lakes and reservoirs, remains one of the most pervasive threats to freshwater bodies. These excess nutrients often originate from agricultural runoff and wastewater discharges, resulting in algal blooms, oxygen depletion, and biodiversity loss.

FERRO addresses these challenges by working at both catchment scale and in-lake level, aiming not only to remove harmful nutrients, but also to recover and reuse them – aligning with Europe’s goals for circular economy and sustainable water management.

With a strong emphasis on interdisciplinary collaboration, FERRO combines natural science, engineering, economics, and policy to develop scalable restoration strategies adaptable across Europe’s diverse lake regions.

The FERRO consortium

FERRO unites seven partners from six European countries, each contributing unique expertise to the project’s holistic approach:

Together, these organisations form a powerhouse of knowledge, experience, and innovation in the fields of limnology, hydrology, environmental policy, circular resource use and communications.

Pensoft’s role in FERRO

As the leader of the Communication and Dissemination Work Package #2, Pensoft plays a key role in ensuring that FERRO’s results and insights reach the widest possible audience. The responsibilities include the development and maintenance of the project’s visual identity and digital presence, managing media relations, producing public outreach materials, and facilitating knowledge exchange between scientific, policy, and stakeholder communities. Pensoft also supports the strategic dissemination of scientific outputs and policy-relevant findings, ensuring alignment with the project’s broader impact goals.

FERRO marked its first anniversary with a successful General Assembly meeting held in Leipzig, Germany, between 20th and 22nd May. Over the three-day meeting, the project partners gathered to reflect on the progress achieved during the first year, align their visions for the project’s future, and collaboratively plan the next phases of implementation

As the project entered its second year, the Leipzig meeting served as a moment to evaluate initial findings, refine methodologies, and strengthen engagement with stakeholders at local, regional, and EU levels. The outcomes will guide the FERRO consortium in its continued efforts to advance lake restoration across Europe.

***

Stay tuned for more updates as the FERRO project continues to develop and implement its solutions for healthier lakes and more sustainable nutrient management across Europe! 

You can keep tabs on the project’s official website: ferroproject.eu and also follow FERRO on LinkedIn, X and YouTube.

Values and dependence of society on pollinators: Pensoft joins the EU project VALOR

VALOR is to prompt better understanding of our relationship with pollinators. Pensoft will lead activities related to co-developing tools for expanding engagement and interaction, and support communication, dissemination, and exploitation activities.

Animal pollinators have become a flagship for biodiversity conservation, largely due to their globally recognised role in supporting broader biodiversity, ecosystem functioning, and human well-being.

Despite this recognition and the widely acknowledged benefits of pollination, many of the pressures on pollinators persist. As a result, there is growing evidence of localised yet significant deficits in pollination services, affecting both crop pollination and other communities.

Coordinated by Dr Tom Breeze (University of Reading) and funded by Horizon Europe, VALOR is a multi-actor project that will develop a comprehensive, systems-based approach to gaining a deeper understanding of the cascading impacts of pollinator shifts from flower to fork and beyond.

The project will examine the effects of pollinator shifts on ecosystems, farm businesses, and local communities through primary research and modelling.

VALOR’s coordinator Dr Tom Breeze (UREAD) gave an introductory presentation during the project’s kick-off meeting in February (Reading, United Kingdom). 

The project aims to empower actors to develop a deeper comprehension of relationships with pollinators and will produce a range of co-developed tools for landowners, businesses, and policymakers.

These tools will facilitate a better understanding of pollination-related risks and enable users to conduct their own studies by replicating the project’s methods and applying its models. To ensure comprehensive data collection without compromising scale, VALOR will adopt a systems-based approach, employing a series of in-depth case studies in focal regions to assess the importance of pollinators.

VALOR launched in January 2025 and will be running until the end of 2028.

To achieve its goals the VALOR project has six objectives: 

  1. Co-develop a better understanding of stakeholder knowledge needs around pollinators.
  2. Better understand the dependence of society and the economy on pollinators.
  3. Measure and model the cascading impacts of plant-pollinator networks on ecosystems and human well-being.
  4. Explore the consequences of pollinator loss through value chains.
  5. Forecast the resilience of pollinator networks and human benefits under future conditions.
  6. Co-develop tools to engage and empower actors about pollinator conservation.

Pensoft’s role

Building on its experience in communication, dissemination, and exploitation of results, Pensoft will focus on maximising the project’s impact and long-term legacy. This involves a broad scope of activities, including the development of the project’s visual identity and online presence, as well as the translation of research findings into policy recommendations.

As a leader of the work on co-developed tools for expanded engagement and interaction, Pensoft will support the development of a spatially explicit tool to allow users to explore the fine-scale changes in pollinator abundance and diversity, as well as pollination services resulting from a change in landscape management.

Moreover, Pensoft will assist the VALOR project in contributing to the Safeguard Knowledge Exchange Hub (Safe-Hub).

Pensoft will also facilitate collaboration opportunities with other projects, leveraging its expertise in numerous EU-funded projects. These efforts will be directed towards VALOR’s sister project: BUTTERFLY (101181930).

International consortium

The VALOR consortium comprises partners from thirteen European institutions, along with three associated partners, including China and Australia.

The consortium spans a wide and diverse range of scientific disciplines, from pollinator ecology, sociology, and economics to stakeholder engagement and communications. 

  1. University Of Reading (UREAD)
  2. Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU)
  3. Albert Ludwig University of Freiburg (ALU-FR) 
  4. Jagiellonian University (UJ) 
  5. The Spanish National Research Council (CSIC)
  6. Wageningen University (WU)
  7. Lund University (ULUND)
  8. University of La Laguna (ULL)
  9. University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences (BOKU)
  10. The University of Helsinki (UH)
  11. Pensoft Publishers (PENSOFT) 
  12. World Conservation Monitoring Centre (WCMC)
  13. European Landowners’ Organization (ELO)
  14. University of New England (UNE)
  15. China West Normal University (CWNU)
  16. Beijing Forestry University (BJFU)

Visit the project website to learn more: valor-project.eu!

In the meantime, follow the project’s progress via its social media channels on BlueSky and LinkedIn.

Promoting sustainable agriculture for pollinators: Pensoft joins the EU project AGRI4POL

The new Horizon project is to assist the transition of agriculture to a positive force for biodiversity, crop pollination services, ecosystems and people. Pensoft will lead the communication, dissemination, exploitation and synergies with other projects.

Threats to pollinators and pollination services that support agriculture and provide benefits to people are a worldwide problem, recognized by intergovernmental scientific assessments, national or transnational initiatives as well as policies.

Intensive agriculture is among the principal threats to pollinator biodiversity and the crop pollination services that pollinators provide. Moreover, typically crop breeding has tended to overlook the benefits of pollination for sustained crop yields in favour of other crop traits.

Coordinated by Dr. Adam Vanbergen (INRAE) and funded by Horizon Europe, the AGRI4POL project takes an ambitious and achievable interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary approach to achieve a transition towards sustainable pollinator-friendly farming.

AGRI4POL kick-off meeting (January 2025, Brussels, Belgium).

The project aims to deliver an integrated state-of-the-art analysis of the crop – farming system – pollinator interplay across levels of biological organisation from the crop gene to the agroecosystem. 

AGRI4POL launched in January 2025 and will be running until the end of 2028.

To achieve its goals, AGRI4POL project has outlined seven objectives:

  1. Work with a multi-actor community on research and solutions for promoting pollinator-friendly farming.
  2. Evaluate crop genetics, varieties and floral traits governing pollinator attraction to stimulate breeding of future pollinator-smart crops.
  3. Establish the benefits of pollinator-friendly farming systems for farmers and farming.
  4. Optimise ecological and landscape features for crop pollination, pollinator biodiversity and multiple ecosystem benefits.
  5. Assess the social and economic opportunities and obstacles presented by pollinator friendly farming options. 
  6. Evaluate how policies and practitioner awareness influence uptake of pollinator-friendly farming from national to international scales.
  7. Communicate and promote the benefits of pollinator-friendly farming.
AGRI4POL’s coordinator Dr. Adam Vanbergen (INRAE) gave an introductory presentation during the project kick-off meeting in Brussels (January 2025, Belgium).

Pensoft’s role

Building on its experience in communication, dissemination, and exploitation of results, Pensoft will focus on maximizing the project’s impact and long-term legacy. This encompasses a wide array of activities, ranging all the way from building a project’s visual identity and online presence and creating a podcast to translating results into policy recommendations. Moreover, Pensoft will be facilitating collaboration opportunities with other projects, leveraging on its involvement in numerous EU-funded projects. As of now, Pensoft takes part in six EU Pollinator projects, which serves well to facilitate synergies.

International consortium

The AGRI4POL consortium comprises twenty partners from fourteen European institutions. The consortium covers a wide diverse range of scientific disciplines spanning from pollinator ecology and agriculture to stakeholder engagement and communications. 

  1. INREA
  2. INRAE Transfert
  3. Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research – UFZ
  4. The University of Reading
  5. Wageningen University
  6. Wageningen Research
  7. Lund University
  8. Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC)
  9. Albert-Ludwigs-Universität Freiburg
  10. Pensoft Publishers
  11. Global Change Research Institute – Ustav Vyzkumu Globalni Zmeny Av Cr Vvi (CzechGlobe)
  12. Université de Mons
  13. University of Ljubljana – Univerza v Ljubljani
  14. Università degli Studi di Padova
  15. WCMC LBG – UNEP World Conservation Monitoring Centre
  16. Associació Paisatages Vius – Living Landscapes
  17. Maisadour Semences Romania SRL – MAS Seeds
  18. Confederazione Italiana Agricoltori
  19. Eidgenoessisches Departement fuer Wirtschaft, Bildung und Forschung (WBF-Agroscope)
  20. Swiss Association for the Development of Agriculture and Rural Areas

For update from AGRI4POL, subscribe to the newsletter on the project website!

You can also forllow AGRI4POL’s progress via its social media channels on BlueSky and LinkedIn.

Clear, Open and Engaged: Pensoft’s perspective on the mission of a science communicator

Teodor Metodiev, senior communications officer at Pensoft, offers his thoughts on why and how research should be publicised today.

Teodor Metodiev, senior communications officer at Pensoft at the opening of “The pollinators we can’t live without” temporary exhibition at the National Museum of Natural History at the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences (Sofia, Bulgaria, 2023).

With more than three decades of experience in the domain of science communication, Pensoft has a rich perspective on what it takes to bring science into the spotlight. A testament to this is its growing projects department, where the public face of some of Europe’s most innovative research undertakings is being moulded by a cohort of experts. 

Among their ranks is Teodor Metodiev, a communicator with years of experience when it comes to bridging the gap between the scientific and the public. He recently sat down for an interview to share his observations on the significance, challenges and lessons of the job. 

Read below to find out how effective engagement can make today’s research tomorrow’s reality.  

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Why is science communication important and how can it influence the scope and impact of today’s research?

I believe science communication is fundamental because it eliminates the gap between researchers and users of their work, be they policymakers, practitioners or other stakeholders. By combining novel and traditional communication methods, scientific knowledge, results and data are much more likely to be shared, understood, and applied. If not communicated effectively, scientific results and advances have no real impact and are simply lost in an avalanche of emerging new information.

What are the most common challenges you encounter as a science communicator?

There are many diverse challenges one could encounter as a science communicator! I believe the most common one is the overall complexity of science, which is sometimes very difficult to communicate in a clear, visually appealing way. For me personally, one of the greater challenges is to delve into controversial topics such as climate change, vaccines, or genetic engineering, where emotions and ideologies may run high.

How can complex technical concepts be made accessible to non-science stakeholders and the general public?

Making complex concepts accessible to the general public is among the main responsibilities of a science communicator. There are many different approaches to do that, but it ultimately depends on the audience you want to engage – for example, you would not necessarily want to interact with a farmer through policy briefs. In general, I would list three main ‘pillars’ that can be considered when dealing with complex scientific information:

  • Simplify the language and avoid scientific jargon (i.e. by using short sentences with a clear structure)
  • Always leverage visual aids, such as infographics, animations, videos or graphical abstracts
  • Try to present the information in a narrative-like form – start with the background and problem, and then explain the solutions you are offering.

By adhering to these simple steps, I believe most challenging scientific concepts can be easily translated into an understandable format for laypersons or other stakeholder groups!

Which indicators do you consider crucial when assessing the success of a science communication campaign?

In my view, the success of any science communication campaign should be measured beyond quantitative indicators. Sure, audience reach, number of impressions and demographic data are important, but real success should be assessed through active engagement (i.e. comments or questions towards the topic, participation in events or activities, feedback and criticism from evaluation surveys, etc). I believe that monitoring these qualitative indicators on an ongoing basis is instrumental for a long-term awareness and understanding of a given topic over time.

What has made Pensoft unique and effective in the field of science communication?

I honestly believe the driving force behind Pensoft’s success in science communication is the motivated team behind it –  it has demonstrated that an openness to engage, combined with an urge to learn and expand your horizons, is ultimately the making of a successful science communicator. In addition to being curious and forthcoming, an environmental conscience is another fundamental characteristic of Pensoft which surely resonates with all of its members!

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Explore past and present research projects in Pensoft’s communication portfolio.  

Innovative tools for science communication: How to increase your research impact

At the 5th ESP Europe conference in Wageningen, Pensoft will lead a training session on effective science communication through open access publishing.

The Ecosystem Services Partnership (ESP) is a global network that connects ecosystem services scientists, practitioners, stakeholders, and policymakers at local, national, regional, and global scales. ESP enhances and encourages a diversity of approaches, while reducing unnecessary duplication of effort in the development of concepts and application of ecosystem services.

Starting in 2008, ESP organises annual international conferences, where experts share research progress and exchange ideas in the field of ecosystem services, strengthening cooperation among scientists and practitioners. Since 2015, global and regional conferences started taking place bi-annually, with the 5th ESP Europe conference taking place this year between 18 and 22 November in Wageningen, The Netherlands, under the theme ‘Ecosystem Services: One Planet, One Health’.

The ESP Europe conference will focus on the question of how the ecosystem services concept can address the challenges involved in delivering the global vision of One Health. It will also highlight the interdependence of health across various domains – human, animal, plant, and ecosystem health, and the health of the global environment.

In addition to the main event, the organisers are providing access to pre-conference trainings on Sunday, 17 November, one day before the official start of the conference. One of these focuses on science communication and its role in enhancing research impact. Titled “Innovative tools for science communication: How to increase your research impact”, this session will be hosted by Pensoft Publishers.

A communication and dissemination leader in a wide range of EU research projects, as well as an independent publishing company, Pensoft will introduce the participants to best practices in science communication, drawing examples from a project portfolio which covers ecosystems and biodiversity, agriculture and forestry, pollinators and more. This training activity will also highlight the integral role of open science in effective dissemination, showcasing the opportunities facilitated by Pensoft’s open-access journals, which promoting transparency, accessibility, and reusability of results. Overall, the session will provide an in-depth look into the interlinkage between effectively communicated research outputs and the benefits of openly published data.

The Pensoft team will share their experiences with projects such as  SELINA and SpongeBoost, both of which will also be presented in the scientific sessions and via a shared booth at the event.

Everyone who has already registered for the official programme can still add a training to their application using this link.