News from the management at LTV

Compared to other SLU campuses, Alnarp has been neglected when it comes to buildings, IT infrastructure etc. Expansion is necessary, and the physical environment should be adapted to better contribute to this aim. A campus update would also make it possible for us to improve collaboration with the surrounding community.

Testbeds and trial fields

As our focus areas horticulture, landscape and agriculture largely concern the use of land and soil, the physical outdoor environment is just as important as the buildings. On our campus, there is considerable potential for constructing testbed and trial areas that can contribute to strengthening research and teaching, but also help communicate what we do. One example is the ongoing work in Alnarp to establish a trial field for apple breeding. The expanded, relocated fields, now organic, are another example.

Different perspectives

Campus development takes place on different scales and must be seen from a long-term perspective. The challenge is to apply a holistic perspective and act persistently and purposefully to avoid ad hoc solutions, at least to the extent possible. However, we also need to be flexible and prepared for expected as well as unexpected opportunities. For everything to work, we need staff to be committed to this work – thank you to everyone who, for example, has signed up for one of the competence groups for the Alnarp campus development.

Among the bigger things to happen, we count the planned new and refurbished builds on Campus Alnarp, as well as the stations planned for rail traffic at both Ultuna and Alnarp. In Alnarp, we expect to inaugurate a new Lommabanan station in 2026.

Among the smaller things, there is the huge pergola constructed for the H22 City Expo in Helsingborg, which Architects Sweden will be gifting to Alnarp. The pergola is a homage to Pär Friberg, former professor of horticultural design and landscape conservation, who designed the original version for the 1955 expo. Where the pergola will be placed is yet to be decided, but in addition to being an outdoor space, it’ll enable us to showcase the unique Per Friberg archive with the 5,000 designs donated to SLU by his descendants.

We will certainly be seeing both large and small projects revitalising our campuses in the future. Exciting times ahead!

Karl Lövrie, deputy dean

The faculty management would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone for the good work done this semester. We wish you all a pleasant summer, not least festive midsummer celebrations!

Christina, Karl, Margit, Håkan and Åsa