PRESS RELEASE
On the occasion of World Wetlands Day 2023
Örjan Berglund First Scientific Officer for the International Peatland Society
Dr Örjan Berglund from Sweden has been appointed as first Scientific Officer (SO) of the International Peatland Society (IPS). He will support the Scientific Advisory Board, Executive Board and Secretariat by gathering and communicating data and knowledge on peatlands and peat from the global and regional perspectives.
Dr Berglund will start on 1 March 2023, based in Uppsala, Sweden, where he will continue to work also for the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU). Dr Berglund holds a PhD in Hydrotechnics and has been working as a Researcher in the Department of Soil and Environment since 2000. His doctoral thesis was entitled “Greenhouse gas emissions from cultivated peat soils in Sweden”.
His expertise covers greenhouse gas emissions from peatland in agricultural use, climate change mitigation, peatland digital mapping, hydrology, and local stakeholder management. He is an internationally acknowledged lecturer and researcher with many publications to his name and holds membership of many esteemed scientific bodies. Contact information for Dr Berglund will be orjan.berglund (at) peatlands.org from March onwards.
Strengthening the IPS
Marko Pomerants, IPS President commented on the appointment: “The range of questions related to the use of peatlands is becoming more and more complex. IPS members, as well as the wider community of policymakers, need adequate and high-quality evidence-based responses, and in their absence, to research the problems, so far often themselves. Hiring of an SO is critically needed in the current era.”
Susann Warnecke, IPS Secretary General, added that the appointment of Dr Berglund offers IPS the excellent opportunity to move its scientific input from one of voluntary engagement to professional acquisition. “This move will significantly help IPS to stimulate discussions and provide reliable information on responsible peatland management, including peat use, climate impacts and restoration. Data is urgently needed at all levels of decision making, by governments, in companies and in research. We very much look forward to working with Örjan.”
Professor Jack Rieley, Chair of the IPS Scientific Advisory Board stated: “Örjan Berglund will greatly strengthen the role of IPS as a world leader in promoting the importance of peatlands and peat in the fields of biodiversity, climate change and restoration globally and regionally. His brief will include peatland conservation, responsible peatland management and wise use of peatlands and peat.”
Outlook
Örjan is looking forward to meeting as many as possible IPS members this year, virtually and in person, and will be in attendance at the RE3 Conference in Québec in June.
Further information will be available in the spring. For details on the work of the IPS, please visit www.peatlands.org.
Photo by Amanda Öberg.
Susann Warnecke
IPS Secretary General
susann.warnecke@peatlands.org
+358 40 418 4075
Marko Pomerants
IPS President
marko.pomerants@peatlands.org