A brief history of the Agroecology lab
Our lab was originally founded as the "Landscape Ecology and Plant Production Systems" unit back in 2007 by Prof. Jan Bogaert (landscape ecologist), Prof. Charles De Cannière (forestry) and Prof. Marjolein Visser (agronomy). Prof. Jan Bogaert left ULB in 2012 and is now based at Gembloux Agro-Bio-Tech (ULiège).
The original aim was to contribute to the improvement of natural resource management by pooling expertise from ecology, agronomy, and forestry. More specifically, the team studied landscape transformations through the quantitative analysis of aerial photographs and satellite imagery, while developing analyses on farming systems, the agroecology of native seed production for the restoration of degraded lands, and smaller-scale studies such as the ecophysiology of tree growth.
Since 2013, the team has welcomed Prof. Nicolas Vereecken, and more recently Prof. Cécile Thonar in 2021, to reinforce our teaching, research and outreach activities on agroecology, embracing the social and economic dimensions of the management of natural resources, as well as collectively developing studies on agroecological innovations, urban agriculture, agroforestry and the biodiversity/ecosystem services nexus.
Following the well-deserved retirement of Prof. Charles De Cannière in September 2023, the Agroecology Lab is now directed by Prof. Nicolas Vereecken and includes Profs. Marjolein Visser and Cécile Thonar as permanent academic staff (Professor and Associate Professor, respectively).
The Agroecology lab today... and tomorrow
The Agroecology lab is one of five laboratories of the Brussels Bioengineering School (BBS) at the Université libre de Bruxelles (ULB). Our lab hosts a growing team of researchers interested in trans-disciplinary studies, bridging the gaps between ecological, agricultural and social sciences.
The academics in the team have a strong commitment in the management and the teaching of the BBS, and they are also actively involved in international development cooperation — an essential ingredient of our research and education activities. The academics in the team have a track record of over 15 PhD theses successfully defended with a focus on Europe, Central, West and North Africa, as well as publications in high-impact international peer-reviewed journals and a wide range of scientific outreach activities.
Find out more about us and our research through the pages of this website!
