Hi! My name is Jesslyn, and I am in the second semester of my Master´s study within the ‘biodiversity, evolution and ecology’ specialization. I have always been fascinated by plants, and through my Bachelor´s study and subsequent years of work, I have also developed a strong interest for sustainable agriculture. Late last year, I got lucky and was offered the opportunity to work as a biologist for Bioretur as part of my Master´s study. I immediately thought of the BIO298 course and… why not? I could get new skills and relevant work experience, as well as the opportunity of finding out if we are good fit for each other for future employment. Win-win situation. Thankfully, bioCEED was positive about the idea and gave their approval!

So what is Bioretur and what do they do? Bioretur is a recent start-up establishment offering a solution to the problem of horse waste management. With the growing popularity of equestrian activities as hobby or sport, so does the number of horses in the Bergen Municipality. This means thousands of tonnes of horse waste generated every year, creating pollution problems (and unhappy neighbours) when stored or disposed of improperly. Strict regulations are therefore in place to avoid these problems, but with a lack of effective management options, the problems often persist.

Biopellets (Source: Biogroup)

Biostrø (Source: Biogroup)

Bioretur thus offer subscription into a horse waste management system whereby bedding material (biopellets/strø) made out of wheat straw is delivered to horse owners or stables, and later collected again after use. The horse waste is then processed at Bioretur´s facility at Indre Arna and turned into pelleted fertilizer to be sold further as a commercial product. This is where I come into the picture. I do not yet know in concrete the tasks I will be presented with, but I know for sure that I will finish this course with greater understanding of the potentials of horse waste as a valuable and sustainable resource. I hope I do get to put my green thumb to practice… and hang out a little bit with these guys.