Fritha West

The aim of my PhD project is to conduct transdisciplinary research exploring the feasibility, acceptability, and value of tree species restoration to different stakeholder groups. This will involve exploring the collective memory of selected tree species (elm and ash) in the British landscape and assessing how values, cultural heritage and place attachments are, or would be, impacted by their loss. During the later stages of this work, I will seek to:

• Map awareness of, and attitudes towards, different restoration approaches and social/economic/ecological factors influencing risk perceptions and acceptability of methods (e.g. resistant genotypes) in different contexts.
• Understand land manager perspectives on restoring ‘lost/losing/will lose’ species using elm and another tree species as examples.
• Assess what information is needed for effective policy and land manager decision-making on restoration choices now and in the future, particularly in the context of forest and woodland creation and expansion.