Ownership effect on benefits from woodland expansion
Carried out by: Forest Research/University of Edinburgh
Despite afforestation over the last 100 years, woodland cover in Scotland remains low in both a historical and European context. The Millennium Ecosystem Assessment provided evidence that over 60% of ecosystem services (ES) are currently being degraded/used unsustainably (MEA, 2005), and biodiversity loss continues, with over 18% of species and 33% of habitats thought to have been lost in Scotland (Hughes and Brookes, 2009). In addition, the challenge of climate change means that species are struggling to adapt, and there is increasing need for mitigation through carbon sequestration, with afforestation being seen as an important way to achieve this. At the same time, there is increasing debate over land reform in Scotland and the implementation of the Scottish Land Use Strategy which aims for responsible stewardship of Scotland’s natural resources to deliver more benefits to Scotland’s people (Scottish Government, 2011).
These challenges present an opportunity to evaluate the impact of previous woodland expansion on ES (Thomas et al. 2015), by assessing how ES vary in different contexts and what trade-offs exist between woodland and other land uses. The recent growth and improvement in methods to quantify ES (ES indicators) means that there is an excellent opportunity to make use of new tools for ES evaluation which have not been used before.
The following research questions will be addressed in the course of this four year PhD:
1. What has been the impact of woodland expansion on ES to date?
2. How do key woodland ES vary under different ownership and governance types?
3. What types of ownership and governance are most effective for achieving woodland expansion and provision of ES?
4. What are the synergies and trade-offs between woodland ES and ES from other land uses?
5. What are the most sustainable and resilient models of ownership and governance for achieving woodland expansion and provision of ES given alternative climate change and socio-economic scenarios?
Timescale: 2015-2019
SFT Funds Awarded: £24,897
SFT/FC Joint Bursary Award Scheme:. This project has received funding from the SFT/FC Joint Bursary Award.
Highlighted Projects
- Monitoring and managing genetic diversity in Sitka spruce 2018-2021
- Predicting impacts of extreme weather events in UK forests 2018-2021
- Studying a mycovirus from Dothistroma septosporum 2018-2020
- Using satellite imagery to improve Hylobius prediction 2017-2018
- Putting UK Bats on the map 2017-2019
- Improving Biodiversity in Lowland Planted Woodlands 2017-2020
- Mapping impacts of Phytophthora austrocedri in juniper 2017-2021
- Improving the understanding and management of Phoenix Trees 2016-2018
- The Ecology and Genetics of Native Scottish Crab Apple 2016-2018
- Development and Publication of Tree Work Guides 2016-2018
- Shaping the Future of Forestry 2016-2017
- Epidemiology of Phytophthora ramorum on Larix spp. and host responses to infection 2016-2019
- Woodland Planting and Natural Flood Management 2015-2019
- Silvicultural diversity and birds in Scots pine forests 2015-2016
- Ownership effect on benefits from woodland expansion 2015-2019
- Who Will Pay for Urban Forest Climate Regulation Services? 2015-2018
- Multi-taxa functional diversity in UK plantation forests Sept 2015-Dec 2019
- Emergent forest dynamics and natural flood management 2015-2016
- Mapping and Repositioning Forestry Skills for the 21st Century 2014-2020
- Can ecological restoration help build sustainable communities? 2013-2016
- How environment and gene flow shape adaptation in Scots pine 2013-2016
- Advanced Assessment of Minor G.B. Conifer species 2012-2016