Sustainable management of natural resources: adopting a collaborative approach

The sustainable management of natural resources (SNMR) is increasingly dependent upon the collaborative engagement of multiple stakeholders. Within Wales, the Wellbeing for Future Generations Act (2015) and the Environment Act (2016) are central to guiding such a collaborative approach. Both Acts prioritise multi-stakeholder engagement as a central organizing principle for the sustainable governance of the natural resource base of Wales at a local as well as national level. The active engagement of a full range of public, private and third sector organisations, but also individual local residents, supports the building of resourceful and resilient communities across both urban and rural settings. A collaborative and place-based approach to natural resource management is capable of producing multiple cross-cutting benefits. Realizing these returns is, however, far from straight forward and by no means guaranteed.

This study will investigate the ways in which collaborative forms of natural resource planning, management and ownership are currently being pursued in Wales and with what effect. It will review the contribution of place-based initiatives to building sustainable, resourceful and resilient relationships between community residents and their surrounding natural resource base. Specifically this will include investigating the role and impact of formal practices, schemes and models of shared management and ownership, but also more informal arrangements, as well as intangible feelings, beliefs and forms of attachment associated with a shared sense of natural resource ownership.

The doctoral candidate will be recruited by the Centre for Agroecology, Water and Resilience (CAWR), Coventry University. Established in 2014, CAWR represents a multi-million research investment by Coventry University. It is comprised of a multi-disciplinary team of 50 staff and 35 doctoral students. CAWR’s research develops and integrates new knowledge on the environmental, socio-cultural and economic dimensions of agro-ecological and hydrological processes, systems and practices, as well as on the pivotal role that communities play in developing resourcefulness and resilience. Research at CAWR encompasses a wide range of disciplines, philosophies, and methodologies.

Doctoral students are an integral part of the CAWR research community. They are regularly invited to participate in CAWR’s thematic group meetings, guest seminars and general staff meetings - thus gaining access to research expertise and mentoring beyond the immediate supervisory team. Our ethos is for PGRs to be fully integrated into the CAWR community and this allows them to gather insight into work culture, practices and norms by working alongside researchers and other professional services staff at the Centre.

Entry criteria for applicants to PHD (standard)
• A minimum of a 2:1 first degree in a relevant discipline/subject area with a minimum 60% mark in the Project element or equivalent with a minimum 60% overall module average.
In the event of a first degree classification of less than 2:1, a Masters Degree in a relevant subject area will be considered as an equivalent. The Masters must have been attained with overall marks at minimum merit level (60%). In addition, the dissertation or equivalent element in the Masters must also have been attained with a mark at minimum merit level (60%).
or
• a taught Masters degree in a relevant discipline, involving a dissertation of standard length written in English in the relevant subject area with a minimum of a merit profile: 60% overall module average and a minimum of a 60% dissertation mark
PLUS
• the potential to engage in innovative research and to complete the PhD within a three-year period of study
• a minimum of English language proficiency (IELTS overall minimum score of 7.0 with a minimum of 6.5 in each component)
In all cases the most recent and highest qualification attained will be that utilised for assessment purposes

Additional items
Essential
• a degree in human geography, sociology, politics, planning, or related social science discipline
• knowledge and/or experience of collaborative approaches to sustainable resource management
• knowledge and experience of qualitative research methods
• knowledge of the UK and/or Wales policy context

Desirable
• a valid UK driving licence

How to apply
Application form, full supporting documentation, and covering letter, plus a 2000-word proposal addressing the research theme

The successful candidate would need to be available from April 2017, enrolment onto the PhD programme would commence May 8th 2017 (standard university term date)

Interview dates: Late February/early March (date to be confirmed – applications will be short-listed as soon as possible with short listed candidates given a minimum of 1-week notice for interview. Interviews will be conducted by skype)

Full-Time – maximum term of three years 6 months