Understanding evolving wildfire risk and resilience in Scotland

This project will seek to improve the understanding of the evolving nature of wildfire risk in Scotland [1]. This topic will be studied in the particular context of understanding and improving wildfire resilience in natural capital sites (e.g. woodland creation, peatland restoration).

Through a mixed methods approach, this study will explore historic and predicted future wildfire trends in Scotland, alongside mapping and evaluating the key views and concerns of keys stakeholders including land managers, government bodies and the general public. This will seek to provide improved understanding of the overall risk profile at a national and regional level, as well as the evolving nature of wildfire resilience of landscapes throughout different stages of the restoration process and in response to different interventions (e.g. grazing, creation of firebreaks, rewetting etc.).

The project will include systematic review of existing UK-focused wildfire trend studies, along with a review of existing approaches to wildfire management in natural capital sites particularly in the UK. This will be followed by stakeholder view mapping to understand existing attitudes to wildfire risk across stakeholder groups and to produce a roadmap to provide a ranked indication of key priority areas for improved data collection, use and modelling tools to support wildfire risk assessment practices and allow evidence-based risk mitigation interventions to be implemented. This will be informed by existing data and additional survey data collection from both UoE and Ardtornish sites [2] and will draw on the land management expertise of these project partners, and the input of other key stakeholders to help shape the project focus.

[1] Wildfire risks to UK landscapes. UK Parliament POSTnote 717. (April 2024) https://researchbriefings.files.parliament.uk/documents/POST-PN-0717/POST-PN-0717.pdf

[2] Forest & Peatland Programme, The University of Edinburgh. [Online] https://sustainability.ed.ac.uk/operations/forest-peatland

The PhD student will be join a larger, existing cohort of PhD projects supported by the University’s Forests and Peatland Programme that aims to advance our understanding of the impacts, and monitoring and reporting

techniques, around woodland creation and peatland restoration initiatives, which are designed and managed to meet multiple objectives, across different sites in Scotland.

Support will also be provided by the multi-disciplinary research supervision team, and the student will also join a cohort of PhD students and Post-Doctoral Researchers at the internationally recognised Edinburgh Fire Research Centre. Relevant training will be provided however experience and/or willingness to combine a mix of computational modelling and lab/fieldwork is required

Essential:

A minimum 2.1 degree in Environmental Engineering, Geosciences, Environmental Science, Ecology or Other Relevant Subject. A Master’s degree in in Environmental Engineering, Geosciences, Environmental Science, Ecology or Other Relevant Subject.

The project is available to UK/International citizens. The candidate must meet the English qualification requirements as described at: Further information on English language requirements for EU/Overseas applicants.

· Experience and passion for collecting field data.

· Experience and enthusiasm for quantitative data analysis.

· Enthusiasm working with stakeholders and understanding different needs and perspectives

Desirable:

· A UK driving licence for field work.

· Experience in GIS and remote sensing techniques.

· A working knowledge of R/Python.

· Experience in interdisciplinary approaches, social science techniques.

UKRI level stipend for 3.5 years, home or overseas fees, £5k research costs (over the duration of the project).

Further information and other funding options.