NEWS Six researchers at Umeå University will receive SEK 38 million in grants from the Marianne and Marcus Wallenberg Foundation and the Marcus and Amalia Wallenberg Memorial Fund for humanities and social science research with forestry relevance. Almost half of the thirteen projects approved are going to Umeå University, which demonstrates the university's strength and breadth in this field.
Thomas Olofsson, Deputy Vice-Chancellor with responsibility for research. Photo: Hans Karlsson
“The Swedish forestry issue has largely relied on research in natural sciences and technology, but forestry is really a social and humanistic issue, which is why this call for proposals is both relevant and innovative. And the fact that we have six projects included in this forward-looking initiative is a really good indication of the breadth of our research in this area,” says Thomas Olofsson, Deputy Vice-Chancellor with responsibility for research.
Louise Eriksson, docent in psychology and researcher in environmental psychology, will receive a grant of six million Swedish kronor for a project that, in short, will investigate acceptance of climate-adapted forest management.
Louise Eriksson, docent in psychology and researcher in environmental psychology. Photo: Mattaias Pettersson
“Since forest management can provoke strong reactions and even lead to conflicts between different interests and different groups, it is important to understand the role that the social context plays in our attitudes to how forests are managed. This is particularly important when forest management is changing to meet major challenges such as climate change. These funds give us the opportunity to develop our understanding of how social processes contribute to shaping people's attitudes to forest management. They also help to strengthen expertise in environmental psychological perspectives on the management of natural resources,” says Louise Eriksson, docent in psychology and researcher in environmental psychology.
Daniel Nylén, docent and associate professor at Department of Informatics, has been awarded a grant of seven million Swedish kronor for a project that will examine how all the data collected about forests is actually presented and to whom.
Daniel Nylén, a docent and associate professor at Department of Informatics. Photo: Hans Karlsson
"Today, there is an enormous amount of data about Swedish forests. Thanks to satellites, drones and other digital technologies, the condition of the forest can be mapped in ways that were not previously possible. This information is crucial for forest planning, harvesting and logistics. At the same time, the digital systems used today are difficult for non-experts to use, and both data and models are often based on the priorities of large players. This is unfortunate, as it can make it difficult for a number of actors to influence decisions, despite the high level of digital maturity in Sweden. Digitalisation has created new opportunities, but also challenges. This is what we want to take a closer look at in the project,” explains Daniel Nylén, a docent and associate professor at Department of Informatics.
All research projects at Umeå University that are awarded funding:
Louise Eriksson, docent in psychology and researcher in environmental psychology, receives a grant of SEK 6 million for the project: Bridging the Gaps: Social Dynamics in Climate-Adapted Forest Management.
Britt-Inger Keisu, Associate professor at Department of Sociology, receives a grant of SEK 7 million for the project: Changing Northern Landscapes: Forestry and Reindeer Husbandry in Sweden.
Camilla Sandström, Professor at Department of Political Science, receives a grant of SEK 8 million for the project: Changing Northern Landscapes: Forestry and Reindeer Husbandry in Sweden.
Daniel Nylén, docent and associate professor at Department of Informatics, receives a grant of SEK 7 million for the project: One Forest, Many Voices: Leveraging Digital Forestry to Promote Environmental Justice.
Erland Mårald, Professor at Department of Historical, Philosophical and Religious Studies, receives a grant of SEK 5 million for the project: Forests of Emotions: Merging Historical and Philosophical Perspectives to Understand the Role of Emotions in Forest Debates.
Janina Priebe, Associate professor at Department of Historical, Philosophical and Religious Studies, receives a grant of SEK 5 million for the project: Optimized trees: The intersection of scientific knowledge and public discourse in the transition from natural to artificial methods of tree improvement.
