Final report from Campus Ås on Fascination of Plants Day” 18 May 2012 in the University Park at UMB La

1. Final report from Campus Ås on Fascination of Plants Day”
18 May 2012 in the University Park at UMB
By Cecilie A. Mathiesen
Background
Friday 18 May was the first "Fascination of Plants Day" (FoPDay) organized by
Norwegian University of Life Sciences (UMB) and the two Norwegian research
institutes; Crop Sciences and Forest and Landscapes. It is the first time such an
event has been held all over the world on the same day. European Plant Science
Organisation (EPSO) took the initiative and the idea spread quickly.
Preparation
Since January, the "18 May Committee" have held meetings each 2nd-3rd week
with representatives from the different institutions involved. Initiator and
coordinator of the event in Norway, Trine Hvoslef-Eide, has worked with the
Norwegian Research Council to establish financial support to science related
events. The University of Oslo, Norwegian institute of Forests and Landscape and
UMB was granted a joint application (5/11/12) and got financial support for 50%
of expenses up to NOK 400 000, -. The department of plant and environmental
sciences (IPM) hired a project coordinator at UMB (from 03/24/12) who worked
with key areas such as press and publicity, planning and descriptions of events and
logistics (program layout, signage, student workers, etc.). Due to late funding a
good project scope was not possible and the focus was mainly on to get tasks
finished in time.
The program
In summary we had a nice and varied program for the day, based on what the
various institutions and departments were interested in to contribute with. We
reached a broad audience from garden enthusiasts, retirees, prospective students to
families with children. See attached program for details.
The result.
Students handed out about 200 programs (only 1 per group) during the day and
about 100 copies of the Nature and Culture trail. At the Centre for Plant Research
in Controlled Climate (SKP) plant enthusiasts came to buy bedding plants
produced by students, for the benefit of schooling for a girl of 5 years in Tanzania
(see picture) for about NOK 17 000, -). People also came to solve quizzes, taste

2. microalgae, and hear six different 30 minutes lectures for the general public during
the day. Audience varied between 10-25 people and one of the lectures was the
teaching tool “Why study plants?”, translated into Norwegian. Approximately 30
people attended the historic walk in the park. There was a steady stream all day
families with children among livestock at IHA. It was possible to visit
“Sansehagen” (usually closed to the public), developed for people with dementia to
give them calming experiences with plants.
Some photo impressions of the day:
Photo: Trine Hvoslef-Eide
Photo: Trine Hvoslef-Eide
Photo: Trine Hvoslef-Eide
Photo: Lars Hopland
Photo: Lars Hopland
Photo: Kari Boger
Photo: Lars Hopland
Photo: Trine Hvoslef-Eide
Photo: Kari Boger

3. Experiences
After arranging "Fascination of Plants Day" for the first time, we are happy as to have put in
place a nice arrangement filling the University park with people who seemed to enjoy themselves.
We have had some experience and have the following recommendations if repeated:
A. Project Structure
It was not enough time at hand for the National Coordinator to coordinate well enough at
Campus early. We started with the planning, but lacked implementation force before we had
extra hands in March. Next year people will know more about the arrangement and probably be
more helpful than this first time.
We recommend a specific and structured project next time by having a local coordinator in place
much earlier than this year. Then we will:
- Invite the participation and involve level of management early (before Christmas) to put the
event on the agenda early
- Have an implementation plan with deadlines from start (early February) for all people involved
- Secure contribution from Communications Department's as it is important for audience and
advertising effect
B. Student Helpers and Logistics
- It worked well with the signs to parking and info at the GG-hall with the distribution of
programs in the parking, at the bus stop (UMB) and the Agricultural Museum.
- Students enrolled to service after advertisement on central bulletin boards, especially effective
was the announcement of need for student helpers using the student web portal Athene.
-A total of 14 students were hired and are paid for working during FoPDay, it was an appropriate
number. In addition, there were 9 students from the course “Småplanteproduksjon” in practice
working with plant sale at SKP.
C. The arrangements
Event Descriptions and details of the program should be in place earlier (at least 1 1/2 weeks
before the event) so it can make in tips to the press, press release and on Web sites earlier. This
time the main features of the program was described earlier (1 May on posters and on the web),
but details was not ready before Tuesday 15 May. In addition, some presentation titles should
have been more audience-friendly title (eg ". Fremavl") and some tours would be better described
with a meeting point and defined time (eg. "Korsmo weed garden" and "crops of weeds").
Hopefully, multiple departments at UMB involved in this positive event if it happens again.
D. Plan for the advertising and media coverage
The project coordinator has worked a lot with advertising and media, and has also worked
extensively with the Department of Communications with advertising posters, signs, a local
webpage (www.umb.no/plantday12 ) and program. Due to the absence of Department of
Communication the week before the 18th and lack of time there was made no:
- Internal news prior to the event

4. - No big press release for the day/event (only tip to press)
E. The potential for student recruitment was nor exploited this year due to lack of time, but this
should be done next time.
Conclusion
All those involved are happy with the arrangement and the head of IPM, Øystein Johnsen,
supports a continuation of this arrangement.
The people involved
Trine Hvoslef-Eide, Cecilie Mathiesen, Odd Arne Rognli, Corinna S. Clewing, Roar Moe, Birgitte
Mosveen, Stein Valsø, Linda Vesterlund, Nina Sæther Forests Lars Dalen, Helge Sjursen, Silje
Roksti, Gry Skjeseth, Kari Boger, Karsten Jørgensen, Day Guttormsen, Cristel Munster and
Marianne Thorsen Gonzalez
Press and publicity
http://www.umb.no/plantday12, http://www.plantday12.eu
http://www.umb.no/forsiden/artikkel/yrende-liv-pa-plantedagen
Ås avis:
We got a nice piece in the local newspaper on the importance of GM tools for plant science:
http://www.aasavis.no/nyheter/article6066358.ece,
http://www.aasavis.no/bildeserier/article6066369.ece
Østlandets Blad:
http://www.oblad.no/nyheter/dyrket-frem-billig-tobakk-1.7315470
Appendix
1. Advertising posters (4 different versions of the same text to grab attention)
2. The program for the day