IBERS Researcher Strengthens International Collaboration on Grassland Sustainability in Canada

Dr Hannah Vallin

02 October 2025

Dr Hannah Vallin, an early career researcher at IBERS, Aberystwyth University, has returned from a strategic research visit to the University of Alberta, Canada, supported by the Stapledon Memorial Trust.

The two-week visit (7–22 June 2025) provided a valuable opportunity to collaborate with Professor James Cahill and his team on the “Climate Action Through Grazing” (CAT-G) project, a major initiative tackling climate change through sustainable grassland management. The project aims to restore Canada’s critically endangered prairie grasslands and increase soil carbon storage by 32.5 million metric tonnes, supporting the country’s net zero target by 2050.

Much like IBERS’ own research programmes in grassland ecology and livestock sustainability, the CAT-G project demonstrates how carefully managed grazing can help store carbon in soils, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and maintain biodiversity. Dr Vallin contributed her expertise in DNA metabarcoding, nitrogen cycling, and rhizosphere microbiomes, while gaining first-hand experience of large-scale field trials and advanced monitoring technologies for cattle feed efficiency and methane emissions.

The fellowship has already laid the foundation for future collaborations between the two institutes, with plans to integrate DNA metabarcoding as a complementary tool for monitoring herbivore diets and grassland species composition, compare nitrogen-cycling genes across UK and Canadian grazing systems, co-develop a methodological framework to support long-term grassland research, and create opportunities for staff and student exchanges.

Dr Vallin commented:

“This was an incredibly rewarding and inspiring experience. Working directly with the Canadian team broadened my perspective on grassland research and opened new opportunities for international collaboration. Grasslands are globally significant carbon sinks and biodiversity hotspots, and it is vital we develop land management strategies that support both environmental sustainability and agricultural productivity.”

partnerships, and research that links agricultural resilience with environmental stewardship. By connecting Welsh expertise with global networks, IBERS continues to play a leading role in developing climate-smart solutions for land use and food security.