Masters by Research (MRes) Studentship Supported by the Environment Agency (EA)
(9 February 2012)
Improving public engagement in ecosystems service based environmental management
The project is about understanding people's relationship with the natural environment and the values they place on it. The overall aim of the research project is to evaluate different approaches for engagement of local stakeholders in order to ensure shared / common understanding and ownership of problems and their solutions within the Lower Wear catchment.
This will be carried out through the following objectives:
- Review current understanding and guidance for participatory approaches to research and decision making.
- Evaluate existing approaches to public engagement in relation to flood risk management and identify the potential to apply these to catchment management, with a focus on the capacity and skills required to mainstream these.
- Identify the range of river user groups, including those not currently engaged with the pilot, along with their interests in the catchment. This will assist in identifying the benefits groups derive from the catchment and how these may potentially change due to interventions.
- Identify an approach and toolkit that will assist in applying participatory approaches to support the Lower Wear Pilot.
- Assist in planning and implementation of at least one session using participatory approaches within the Wear Pilot area and undertake an evaluation of this session to measure the success of the approach.
- Feedback insights and developments in understanding gleaned from applying participatory approaches to develop the capacity of the Lower Wear Pilot during the current phase of funding.
Deadline for applications: 9th March, 2012.
For further details please visit the Masters by Research page.