1. Ways to Diversity: Perspectives from the scientific conference Bjørn Iuell Statens Vegvesen, Norge John Linnell NINA, Norge

2. Theme 1: Ecology We know a lot – but still some gaps! Describe the use of structures vs evaluate their effectiveness. Need to move from anecdotes to robust, rigourous science. Do our studies on focus species, e.g. moose really reflect ”biodiversity” in general? How many species do we need to study? Must study scaling issues – different species percieve the landscape at different scales.

3. Theme 2: Linking the quality of life of humans and wildlife viability Combined use of mitigation structures for human and wildlife. Similarity in thresholds and limits (e.g. soundscapes). Poses potential for many win – win solutions, but we need to communicate them. Limitations, misuse. Both interests are difficult to value in monetary terms – so they pose similar challenge for decision makers.

4. Theme 3: Society and institutions How to develop effective public participation? How to balance top-down and bottom-up approaches? How to reform decision making and planning structures? How to integrate knowledge into planning and decision making processes? How to integrate the different sectors? How to integrate road / rail planning into wider landuse planning / zoning?

5. Theme 4: Landscape as an integrative framework Recognition of landscape as social – ecological system provides a conceptual framework for integrative and inter-disciplinary thinking. Must find a way to boil down its full complexity to a set of robust indicators or focal features. Cumulative effects. Must look carefully at the range of models that are in use (e.g. those that focus on networks of protected areas vs. those that look at whole landscape).

6. Theme 5: Upscaling How to upscale from research to practice? How to upscale from case studies to entire infrastructural network?

7. Theme 6: Communication challenges Building bridges between research disciplines. Must congratulate ”Include” on achieving this! Integrate research into decision making and policy formulation. Build connections between different sectors. Communication and coordination between planners and decison makers at different administrative scales.

8. Summary Research on infrastructure impacts and mitigation is moving forward! Dramatic increase in inter-disciplinary approach, still room for improvement. Much knowledge can be applied already, but we still need new knowledge on many key areas! Landscape is a difficult term in spatial planning the way the planning system is organised today. We need to find the right way to deal with it in research, in planning systems, in decision making.