Anneli Ekblom

My main research interest the last years been has centred on socio-environmental dynamics; an interdisciplinary study residing in the intersection between Environmental History, Historical Ecology and Archaeology. I am also interested in the intersection of society, policy and environment in present day debates and practices of sustainability. Another important strand of my research and educational philosophy is student active learning and co-creation of knowledge.

• IHOPE Scientific steering committee member
• Boardmember of Societas Archeologica Upsaliensis, SAU.

The Biocultural Heritage of Sicilian Olive Trees The 4 year project is funded by VR 2020-02625 and is a collaboration with PhD student Vincenza Ferrara and Agricultural and Forestry Science, Palermo University. With climate change and increasing abandonment of the Sicilian countryside, the old olive cultural landscapes are threatened. A historical understanding of these landscapes facilitates strategies and solutions for their sustainable management, we will 1) map the spatial and temporal evolvement of olive cropping systems in Sicily, 2) analyse the dynamics of change and continuity in the olive cropping systems and to 3) inform the sustainable management of the olive cropping systems today. Drawing on the concept of Biocultural Heritage, we use historical maps and satellite image analyses to build a geographical database. We investigate the composition of olive intercropping systems using stable carbon isotopes and phytoliths. Together with local farmers, we document local practices and knowledges of olive management. The collaboration with local stakeholders and involved methodologies also constitute a new framework for collaborative research and sustainable management of old olive trees and associated cultural landscapes.

Landscape transformations and socio-ecological management in Limpopo National Park, Mozambique: The project is funded by VR 2012-2015 (collaborations Michel Notelid and Rebecca Witter). We use archaeology, anthropology and paleoecology to analyse the long-term and contemporary socio-natural dynamics in Limpopo National Park (PNL) and lower Limpopo Valley, Mozambique. Our aim is to inform and improve conservation and heritage decision-making in PNL. See project webpage.

Long term landscape dynamics of the Southern Africa savanna: The development of tools for fine-tuning climate projection models, biome-shift predictions and land cover change is of crucial relevance for decision making and policy formulation with respect to biodiversity, livelihood security and social planning.

Archaeobotany and contract archaeology: As an archaeobotanical consultant for contract archaeology since 1999I have aimed to develop the archaeobotanical method to address archaeological research within the context of Swedish heritage management and contract archaeology (see list of reports in attached CV).

Ekologiska rum Mälardalen (The ecological dynamics of places in Mälardalen): The project, aims to analyse and synthesise the current knowledge on palaeo-ecology, human transformations of the landscape and ecological dynamics in the Mälar valley.