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Forksning.se: Mats Niklasson: Operation save the bee - but how? (swedish)

forskning.se logo

Operation rädda biet - men hur? (Swedish)

Mats is a Scientist working to save crucial species: our pollinators and bees. Focusing on the Critically Endangered Nordic dark bee and their habitat.

Mats Niklasson

Bohusläningen: Mats Niklasson: Shall find out how long bees are out searching for nectar (swedish)

Bohusläningen 

Ska ta reda på hur länge bina är ute och letar efter nektar (Swedish)

Donate to Mats - Conservation Expert on Bees & Their Habitat

SDG 15 Life on Land

## In short
Mats is a Scientist working to save some of the most unappreciated but crucial species on our planet, our pollinators and bees. Focusing on the Critically Endangered Nordic dark bee and their habitats. 

**Teaching and researching**
It was natural for me to study forest ecology since I’ve always loved spending time in the woods. For over 25 years, I’ve been teaching nature conservation and researching at the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences. And when I got the chance to work at Nordens Ark, I was thrilled to spend my time working with threatened species since everything is connected, and when a species becomes extinct, it affects the biodiversity in its whole. 

**A degraded species**
The Nordic dark bee is highly threatened, in the areas where the bee initially was found, imported subspecies of honeybees is now becoming dominant – causing the Nordic dark bees' gene pool to degrade. Bees in all forms are important pollinators. If they disappear, it will have far-reaching consequences for our biodiversity as well as our entire food production. 

**Saving the Nordic dark bee**
Through our research, we want to gain knowledge that helps us protect both domestic and wild bees and preserve the important but threatened biodiversity. We are comparing the original Nordic dark bee with three subspecies of honeybees scientifically and objectively. To gain knowledge, we use different tools. One way is that we attach small Rfid-tags to the bees to collect data about their lifecycle. 

## My organization
Nordens Ark is a Swedish private non-profit foundation that works to ensure endangered animals have a future. The work is focused on conservation, rearing, research and training, as well as increasing public awareness of biological diversity. Much of the work is done in the field, both in Sweden and overseas.

Nordens Ark strives to strengthen populations of at-risk species by releasing individuals into the wild, and by improving the habitats in which they live. In Sweden, Nordens Ark has national responsibility for breeding and releasing, among others, the peregrine falcon, white-backed woodpecker, lesser white-fronted goose, green toad and several beetle species.

Since the turn of the millennium hundreds of mammals and birds born at Nordens Ark have been released into nature, among them otters in Holland, European wildcats in Germany and lynxes in Poland. The Swedish peregrine falcon population has been reinforced with more than 175 individuals, and Sweden’s amphibian population with some 10,000 animals.

**Conservation**

The world’s biodiversity is disappearing at an alarming rate. Our planet is now in the midst of its sixth mass extinction of plants and animals. We are at risk of losing three-quarters of all species in the coming centuries. This is terrifying, especially since humans are the main reason for this shift, but there is still time to reverse this negative trend. 

Strong actions will be required to create a more sustainable use of the Earth’s natural resources and there is a need to significantly increase conservation efforts for threatened species around the world. At Nordens Ark the conservation projects form the backbone of the organization.

The vision of Nordens Ark is that endangered species should attain viable populations in their natural environments and that biodiversity is preserved. Nordens Ark’s goal is to create the conditions required for threatened species to be found in sustainable populations in the wild.

**Our approach**

Nordens Ark seeks to promote biological diversity by:
- Contributing to the conservation of endangered species by controlled breeding, and supporting wild animal populations in their natural habitats through various support measures.
- Conducting research and studies of the animals at the park, contributing to an increased understanding of animals and promoting animal survival in the wild. 

Nordens Ark participates in projects both in Sweden and abroad and the work is being carried out within breeding, rearing and reintroduction of endangered species. The strategy is to produce as many suitable individuals as possible and release them in restored habitats within their former range to create viable population in the wild. Some of the species Nordens Ark is currently working with is the:
- Amur tiger
- Great capricorn  beetle
- Green toad
- Lemur leaf frog
- Lesser white-fronted goose
- Longhorn beetle
- Mountain chicken frog
- Pallas's cat
- Peregrine falcon
- Red panda
- Snow leopard
- White-backed woodpecker
- White stork
- Apollo butterfly
- Alpine beetle 
- Roti Island snake-necked turtle
- Big headed turtle

An increasingly important part of Nordens Ark’s work is our involvement in-situ, working directly in the habitat of the species. This work may include fauna protection, restoration of habitats, population monitoring, and development of new techniques and methods for population estimation.

**Organizational documents**

[Annual report and financial statement](https://en.nordensark.se/media/177323/annualreport-nordens-ark-2016-hemsida.pdf)
[Our statues](https://en.nordensark.se/media/1372/stadgar-fr-stiftelsen-nordens-ark.pdf)
[Our board](https://en.nordensark.se/about-nordens-ark/the-board/)


In short
Mats is a Scientist working to save some of the most unappreciated but crucial species on our planet, our pollinators and bees. Focusing on the Critically Endangered Nordic dark bee and their habitats.
Teaching and researching
It was natural for me to study forest ecology since I’ve always loved spending time in the woods. For over 25 years, I’ve been teaching nature conservation and researching at the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences. And when I got the chance to work at Nordens Ark, I was thrilled to spend my time working with threatened species since everything is connected, and when a species becomes extinct, it affects the biodiversity in its whole.
A degraded species
The Nordic dark bee is highly threatened, in the areas where the bee initially was found, imported subspecies of honeybees is now becoming dominant – causing the Nordic dark bees' gene pool to degrade. Bees in all forms are important pollinators. If they disappear, it will have far-reaching consequences for our biodiversity as well as our entire food production.
Saving the Nordic dark bee
Through our research, we want to gain knowledge that helps us protect both domestic and wild bees and preserve the important but threatened biodiversity. We are comparing the original Nordic dark bee with three subspecies of honeybees scientifically and objectively. To gain knowledge, we use different tools. One way is that we attach small Rfid-tags to the bees to collect data about their lifecycle.

My organization
Nordens Ark is a Swedish private non-profit foundation that works to ensure endangered animals have a future. The work is focused on conservation, rearing, research and training, as well as increasing public awareness of biological diversity. Much of the work is done in the field, both in Sweden and overseas.

Nordens Ark strives to strengthen populations of at-risk species by releasing individuals into the wild, and by improving the habitats in which they live. In Sweden, Nordens Ark has national responsibility for breeding and releasing, among others, the peregrine falcon, white-backed woodpecker, lesser white-fronted goose, green toad and several beetle species.

Since the turn of the millennium hundreds of mammals and birds born at Nordens Ark have been released into nature, among them otters in Holland, European wildcats in Germany and lynxes in Poland. The Swedish peregrine falcon population has been reinforced with more than 175 individuals, and Sweden’s amphibian population with some 10,000 animals.

Conservation

The world’s biodiversity is disappearing at an alarming rate. Our planet is now in the midst of its sixth mass extinction of plants and animals. We are at risk of losing three-quarters of all species in the coming centuries. This is terrifying, especially since humans are the main reason for this shift, but there is still time to reverse this negative trend.

Strong actions will be required to create a more sustainable use of the Earth’s natural resources and there is a need to significantly increase conservation efforts for threatened species around the world. At Nordens Ark the conservation projects form the backbone of the organization.

The vision of Nordens Ark is that endangered species should attain viable populations in their natural environments and that biodiversity is preserved. Nordens Ark’s goal is to create the conditions required for threatened species to be found in sustainable populations in the wild.

Our approach

Nordens Ark seeks to promote biological diversity by:
Contributing to the conservation of endangered species by controlled breeding, and supporting wild animal populations in their natural habitats through various support measures.
Conducting research and studies of the animals at the park, contributing to an increased understanding of animals and promoting animal survival in the wild.

Nordens Ark participates in projects both in Sweden and abroad and the work is being carried out within breeding, rearing and reintroduction of endangered species. The strategy is to produce as many suitable individuals as possible and release them in restored habitats within their former range to create viable population in the wild. Some of the species Nordens Ark is currently working with is the:
Amur tiger
Great capricorn  beetle
Green toad
Lemur leaf frog
Lesser white-fronted goose
Longhorn beetle
Mountain chicken frog
Pallas's cat
Peregrine falcon
Red panda
Snow leopard
White-backed woodpecker
White stork
Apollo butterfly
Alpine beetle
Roti Island snake-necked turtle
Big headed turtle

An increasingly important part of Nordens Ark’s work is our involvement in-situ, working directly in the habitat of the species. This work may include fauna protection, restoration of habitats, population monitoring, and development of new techniques and methods for population estimation.

Organizational documents

Annual report and financial statement
Our statues
Our board


The Nordic dark bee is the native honeybee of north and west Europe, but it's been pushed back by imported subspecies of honeybees and is in danger of extinction. Mats is a Researcher fighting to protect the Nordic dark bee and to preserve their essential biodiversity.

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