Social research and services

 

Social Science research into forestry

Sustainable Development emphasises the need to consider social, as well as economic and environmental concerns in forestry. Social issues are therefore a fundamental part of Sustainable Forest Management.

The Social and Economic Research Group was recently established within Forest Research to develop understanding of:

• How forests and woodlands contribute to society
• How forestry affects people’s lives.

We are involved in developing and taking forward a range of innovative Social Science research programmes and are at the leading edge in the advancement of knowledge on the role of woodlands in contemporary society.

Research programmes

Social research contributes to programmes within:

• Climate change
• People, trees and woodlands
• Sustainable forest management.

Individual but inter-related programmes include:

• Application of the Forestry Commission’s Race Equality Scheme in relation to woodland
• Collaborative frameworks in land management: a case-study of wild deer in Britain
• Continuous cover forestry: social dimensions 
• Cydcoed evaluation programme
• Economic integration of urban consumers demand and rural forestry production
• Economy and livelihoods
• Education and learning
• Evaluation of the economic and social value of ‘Forestry for People’ in Scotland 
• Forests for recreation and nature tourism (FORREC)
• Forests, trees and human health and well-being
• Governance and public involvement in forest planning
• Health and well-being
• Monitoring and evaluation of the social impacts of trees and woodlands
• Non-timber forest products
• Peri-urban deer project
• Public access, recreation and tourism
• Remediation of coal ash disposal sites (RECOAL)
• Rural development
• Social and cultural values of woods
• Sustainability impact assessment tools for multifunctional land use (SENSOR)
• Urban forestry
• Visualization tools for public participation in managing landscape change (VISULANDS)

Services

The Social and Economic Research Group provide a range of social research services to the forestry sector including:

• Advice on the design and conduct of social research
• Research project design and management
• Advice on social issues in forestry
• Evaluation of social programmes.

Recent achievements

• Seminar to develop understanding of the role of social science research in forestry
• Conference, on Social Science Research into Woodlands and the Natural Environment.
• Consultations in Scotland, England and Wales exploring the connections between woodlands and the natural environment and public health and well-being.
• The publication of a tool box on public involvement in forest and woodland planning.

Publications

Social research publications

Contact

Social science expertise within Forest Research is centred in the Social and Economic Research Group in the Environmental and Human Sciences Division.

For further information contact:

Anna Lawrence
Forest Research
Alice Holt Lodge
Farnham
Surrey GU10 4LH

Tel: 01420 526223
Fax: 01420 520558
Email: anna.lawrence@forestry.gsi.gov.uk