Thomas Randrup

I have a M.Sc. in Landscape Architecture from the University of Copenhagen, Denmark (1990), and a PhD in Landscape Planning also from the University of Copenhagen (1996).

I worked for the Danish Forest and Landscape Research Institute as researcher, senior consultant and senior researcher (1996 – 2003), and at University of Copenhagen, as professor in Urban Greening & Park Management (2003 – 2008). In late 2008 I left academia to become Head of Department and later Business Unit Director at NIRAS Consultants (2008 – 2011), after which I became Business Developer for HedeDanmark, the largest landscaping company in Scandinavia (2011 – 2015). During 2014 I was interim CEO at a Swedish landscaping company (Väla Mark & Trädgård) when acquired by HedeDanmark. In February 2015, I returned to academia as a researcher and research coordinator at the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU). In January 2016, I was appointed as full professor at the Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Dept. of Landscape Architecture and Spatial Planning (15% position), as well as at SLU at Dept. of Landscape Architecture, Planning and Management.

I was Honorary Professor at University of Copenhagen 2009-2019.

I co-founded (with Cecil Konijnendijk) the scientific journal Urban Forestry and Urban Greening (2002) published by Urban & Fischer and later Elsevier.

During my career, I have published more than 400 publications, including peer-reviewed articles and book chapters, edited proceedings and books, scientific and professional articles, and conference papers.

I have been involved in a range of international networking and project activities. I coordinated the COST Action on Urban Forests & Trees (funded by the European Union), and participated in the twinning cooperation for sustainable forestry between Denmark and Malaysia. I has also advised the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations on urban and peri-urban forestry issues, and has served as project evaluator in e.g. Sweden, Norway, Finland, USA, UK, Singapore and Hong Kong. Lately, larger EU finansed projects (e.g. Green Surge and CONEXUS) and the Driving Urban Transition project, NATURO as well as the Biodiversa+ project GREENHANCEnbt have formed central parts of my academic network and focus.

In 2019 I became International Fellow of The Royal Swedish Academy of Forestry and Agriculture, and in 2020 Member of the Royal Fysiografic Society in Lund, Sweden, Academy for Natural Sciences, Medicin and Techniqe. 

During my career, I have studied and promoted the role of urban green spaces, and especially the role of urban trees. Today, we focus on Nature-based Solutions as a multifunctional approach in public governance and management.

The term ‘Management’ is a combination of Planning and Maintenance, denoted as 'Strategic Management'. In strategic management, policy making, tactical provision and operational activities are all included and equally considered. Likewise is governance as the steering and organisation of management desisions, including engagement of various stakeholders. 

I have a social-ecological-organisational focus on my research, in studying how public straegtic management of green (or open) spaces can support users and/or natures needs and preferences. The purpose of my research is to develop management solutions of urban open spaces, with a strategic management mindset which reduces resources, and increses use.

I regulary supervise BSc, MSC and PhD students within the (urban) landscape governance and management fields.