Understanding social, economic, and environmental benefits and trade-offs to support land use change for carbon and biodiversity in Scotland

Understanding social, economic, and environmental benefits and trade-offs to support land use change for carbon and biodiversity in Scotland 

Summary

To support land use change for carbon and biodiversity in Scotland, this PhD project will work with local stakeholders to increase understanding of the social, economic, and environmental benefits and trade-offs of changing land management.

Project background

Climate change and biodiversity loss require land to be managed differently, but conflicting interests and views make it difficult to agree where and how change should take place (1). In Scotland, the need for changes in land use and management is recognised in national policy, including the Land Use Strategy, yet polarised views about woodland expansion, rewilding and renewable energy frequently make headlines. Nevertheless, recent research has identified common ground for an integrated living and working landscape that provides jobs, mitigates climate change and improves ecosystem health (2, 3). Translating this shared vision into actual improved land use will require a coordinated place-based approach where communities are included in decisions about land use (4, 5). 

The Galloway and Southern Ayrshire UNSECO Biosphere was established to encourage collaboration to create a better future for people and nature. Recent research identified support for a common vision, but attempts to discuss specific land use changes in communities were difficult (5). The challenge is now to develop approaches that bring together local stakeholders to understand different perspectives, discuss benefits and trade-offs and identify opportunities for a just transition to more sustainable land use in the region.

Research questions

RQ1: What are the most informative ways to explain the social, economic, and environmental benefits and trade-offs of land use change for carbon and biodiversity to rural stakeholders?

RQ2: Does open access to information and data about benefits and trade-offs reduce local tensions and objections to land use change?

RQ3: Can insights into benefits and trade-offs improve land use change governance and decision-making?

Methodology

This highly collaborative project aims for scientifically robust outcomes that are useful, usable and used. This will be achieved by co-design and testing approaches with a range of stakeholders, with full support from the supervisory team and their colleagues. An initial review will identify potential methodologies to understand social, economic and environmental trade-offs of land use and land management change. Participatory methods will then be developed to understand the most appropriate approach to understand benefits and trade-offs in the Biosphere (RQ1). Spatial modelling using existing and potentially new models will allow a range of mutually agreed indicators to be quantified and mapped, and trade-offs between different benefits/disbenefits to be highlighted and discussed (RQ2). The usefulness of the resulting ‘opportunity maps’ will then be tested within at least one case-study area to understand how land use change governance and decision-making can benefit from the previous research (RQ3). 

Year Activities1Research planning and design, research skills courses. Literature review. Understanding national and local context. Stakeholder mapping and first stakeholder engagement. Data collection. National and regional workshop and conference attendance. 2Data collection. Ecological, social and economic indicator selection and development. Spatial modelling and initial trade-off analyses. International conference attendance. 3Supporting case-study with trade-off analysis and opportunity mapping to implement land management and land use change. Write up the thesis. 

Training

A comprehensive training programme will be provided comprising both specialist scientific training and generic transferable and professional skills, such as science communication, stakeholder engagement and organisational planning. Spatial analysis and modelling training is available at the University of Edinburgh and will be complemented by the placements at Forest Research and the Biosphere. The student will benefit from inclusion in conservation and policy networks and will be encouraged to attend relevant national and international meetings. 

Requirements

This project would suit a student with an interdisciplinary background with a strong interest in stakeholder engagement, along with a desire to develop cross-disciplinary skills in landscape ecology and spatial analysis. Experience in spatial analysis is desirable. 

Application Process

Please apply through the E4 DTP website