Andrew David Harold Stratton

My PhD is rooted in two EU projects. The first aims to construct a research and innovation agenda for forest-based value chains in Europe. My component evaluates the general public’s expectations and perception of the forest-based sector. To do this, I am conducting a literature review, focus groups, and interviews across Europe, and am designing and distributing a statistically representative survey to forest-owners in at least 20 European countries.

The second project broadly investigates the potential of climate-smart rewilding for ecological restoration across Europe, while I work more specifically with European societal views of forestry and of rewilding, respectively.  I zoom in on a case study in the Tatras Mountains, where there is a cross-border national park in Poland and Slovakia that consists of mountainous primary forests. This case is of particular interest, as extensive natural disturbances have prompted discussions on forest management and recovery options and have contributed to tensions between private landowners and conservationists. For this, I am conducting a choice experiment to elicit societal values around rewilding actions and outcomes.

Understanding how society values forests and rewilding is important for how we make decisions about important and complex issues such as climate change mitigation and biodiversity protection. My work contributes directly to governance and decision-making regarding Europe’s forest use for multiple ecosystem services and to the broader scientific literature about how society values environmental goods.

I feel there is a really fantastic work environment and culture of openness at IFRO; I engage with senior researchers and other PhDs daily. Additionally, my work allows me to expand my network outside of IFRO in a very collaborative way because I work within two large EU projects. This has meant that I get to partner with a myriad of research organizations, industry partners, and NGOs. My experience is not unique, as I know many of my PhD colleagues are also working on exciting projects that allow them to connect with organizations within Denmark, across Europe, and elsewhere.

I am driven by the idea that we as researchers have an opportunity to bridge the gap between theory and application. I like the idea that we can provide insights, methods, and tools to help practitioners and policy makers make decisions grounded in the scientific method that have broader sociological value. As an additional perk, it is awesome that we get to learn for a living.