We are pleased to announce that Prof. Dr. Christine Fürst has been appointed Editor-in-Chief of Land (ISSN 2073-445X, IF 3.395, CiteScore 3.0).

Prof. Dr. Christine Fürst is by training a forest scientist (LMU Munich, 1998) and obtained her Ph.D. as Dr. rer. silv. at TU Dresden in 2010. Since 2005, she has specialized in social–ecological systems research and since 2007, in an interdisciplinary process, she has developed an integrated land use change modeling and impact assessment software platform, GISCAME. In 2013, she passed her habilitation at the University of Bonn with venia legendi in natural resource management. In 2015, she moved to the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Institute for Meteorology and Climate Research, Atmospheric Environmental Research; and then, in 2016, moved, first as interim, and later as full professor for Sustainable Landscape Development, to Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg. Christine funded the European Land-Use Institute in 2011 and established the European Nodal Office of GLP in 2012. She is currently engaged in the scientific board of the Ecosystem Service Partnership and she is the lead author of the IPBES regional assessments, ECA region for chapters 5 and 6. From 2015 to 2019, she was president of the International Association of Landscape Ecology and is now past-president until 2023. Christine served in the context of Future Earth and in the development team of the Food–Energy–Water Nexus Knowledge Action Network. Her main research interests currently lie in integrative landscape modeling and impact assessment by means of a system of systems and in participatory decision processes in urban and regional spatial planning. Her regional research focus lies beyond Europe, in West Africa and Latin America.

The following is a short Q&A with Prof. Dr. Christine Fürst:

1. What do you like about being the Editor-in-Chief of Land? How would you like to develop Land?

It is an opportunity to accompany the community of land system scientists and develop a platform for publications in this field. I have a passion for co-developing the philosophy and concepts of publications so that emerging inter- and transdisciplinary publication trends can find better reflection through innovative publication formats. It is also a good chance to cooperate with all the colleagues, the section editors, and manifold members of the editorial board to exchange and enhance our understanding of the key challenges and future thematic areas where land system sciences can contribute to solving societal and environmental challenges.

2. Is Open Access popular among land scientists? What might your response be to Open Access skeptics?

I think Open Access has become more and more the publication model, particularly since the research funders require the accessibility of the publications, which is not given in no-open access models. Accessibility also increases awareness and, thus, the impact of published research, which makes it more rewarding. Additionally, it contributes to fairness toward scientists in developing countries who otherwise would not have access to recent knowledge. As long as publication fees are reasonable for all the publisher's work at the back-end and, if needed, support is provided to young scholars or scholars from developing countries, it is the best model to share knowledge globally.

We warmly welcome Prof. Dr. Christine Fürst as our Editor-in-Chief and look forward to her valuable input for the continued success of Land.

Land Editorial Office