Station Linné (LTER), Öland - Sweden

Station Linné has its roots in the Uppsala University Research Station on Öland. The research station is situated in Ölands Skogsby, adjacent to Stora Alvaret and the UNESCO World Heritage Site “Södra Ölands odlingslandskap”. The station was inaugurated in 1963 and was run by Uppsala University until June 30, 2008. Since May 1, 2010, however, the station is run by an independent foundation, the Station Linné Foundation (Stiftelsen Station Linné). The mission of the Foundation is to support research, education and outreach within sustainable development. Currently, the foundation supports its mission primarily by running the research station in Ölands Skogsby. The station has a tradition since 1963 committed research on the flora and fauna of Öland and documented in several hundreds scientific papers. Although the station is small, it is visited yearly by about 100 scientists and students from Swedish and foreign institutions. Since 2005, the station is also the permanent base for the Swedish Malaise Trap Project, a comprehensive inventory of the entire Swedish insect fauna, which is internationally unique in that it is the most ambitious ATBI (all-taxa biodiversity inventory) targeting a sizable insect fauna yet. Since 2000, the station has also organized outreach activities for the general public, not the least for children and youngsters. Future plans include collaboration with local authorities, the station also hopes to be involved in the creation of a future Visitor Centre for the adjacent World Heritage Site. The station will continue to provide support for visiting scientists and students, and we hope to add more lodging facilities, and expand the station's educational and research activities for young adults.