Canadian landscape ecologist Prof. Trevor Lantz completes FNK research visit

27 March 2026

Photo: Uwe Schneider

For the past two weeks, Dr. Kerstin Jantke, Dr. Hao Xia, and Prof. Uwe Schneider welcomed Prof. Trevor Lantz from the University of Victoria to the University of Hamburg. Currently on sabbatical, the landscape ecologist is collaborating with the team on the project SQUEEZE – Protection of the Disappearing Arctic Tundra: Potential, Planning, and Communication.

While Kerstin, Hao, and Uwe are developing TundraProtect, a systematic conservation planning tool that covers the entire Arctic tundra, Prof. Lantz focuses on a detailed regional approach in a smaller area within the Gwich’in community. His model incorporates cultural heritage sites, biodiversity richness and connectivity, fire risks, and future ecological projections to create a highly detailed and locally informed conservation strategy.

Throughout the visit, the scientists explored ways to link the broad circumpolar perspective with fine‑scale regional planning efforts. The exchange strengthened their collaboration and opened new pathways for integrating conservation research across scales.

One day during his stay, Dr. Birgit Heim, a Research Scientist at the Alfred Wegener Institute (AWI), also visited Hamburg to meet Prof. Lantz and the FNK SQUEEZE team. Dr. Heim applies remote sensing technologies to identify biodiversity values, offering valuable complementary expertise to the project.