Navigating nature recovery landscapes: towards equitable and effective outcomes for planet and people
ESRC Grand Union Doctoral Training Partnership (DTP) collaborative doctoral studentship.
The School of Geography and the Environment at the University of Oxford with Oxford Local Nature Partnership
SUPERVISORS
Dr Mark Hirons, University of Oxford
TBC co-supervision
PROJECT OVERVIEW
Growing interest in the restoration and recovery of nature is reflected in the proliferation of international, national and local institutions designed to facilitate investment and action on nature recovery (1). There growing awareness that co-ordinating activities and developing coherent plans at a landscape scales presents a significant challenge to both effective and equitable approaches to nature recovery (2). Local Nature Partnerships (LNPs) have emerged as a key mechanism for facilitating landscape and regional-level planning regarding nature activities. This project involves collaboration with the Oxfordshire Local Nature Partnership (OLNP) to conduct research that aims to provide an enhanced understanding of the trade-offs, synergies and collaborations among actors, and how they might be more effectively and equitably navigated.
While the precise focus of the project will depend on the student involved, it is likely that research questions in this project may include engaging issues related to: how different groups understand and pursue equitable nature recovery, and how this is reflected in their strategies; How trade-offs and synergies between nature related policies shape patterns of inclusion and exclusion in nature recovery, and how LNPs help navigate competing priorities.
It is envisaged that the studentship will engage with concepts of environmental justice, polycentric and relational governance and their intersection with theories of power. Methodologically, the collaboration with the ONLP network is key for delivering the multi-stakeholder work this research entails. The student will likely conduct mixed methods social science research, which may include: in-depth interviews, organisational ethnographic work, documentary and policy analysis, focus groups and participatory mapping and arts-based methods with community groups. Therefore, a student with a strong social science background and experience in these methods and approaches would be particularly well suited to the project.
PARTNERHIP
The Oxfordshire Local Nature Partnership (OLNP) is an organisation of key partners working together to radically enhance nature, its positive impact on our climate and the priority it is given, helping to make Oxfordshire a county where people and nature thrive. Working across the three main threads of scope of nature finance, nature recovery, and nature and health, OLNP works across stakeholders and scales in an integrated and interdisciplinary way to secure nature’s recovery through: local landscape recovery projects; supporting development of the new Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) framework to ensure it brings local benefits; promoting environmental land management including through engagement with farmer clusters; and working with Oxfordshire County Council and stakeholders to help deliver the Local Nature Recovery Strategy (LNRS) for Oxfordshire.
The student will be able to access the rich network under the umbrella of the Partnership. Particularly relevant will be the multi-stakeholder and interdisciplinary sub-groups ‘People and Nature’ and ‘Policy and Nature’, and the ‘inclusive nature recovery’. Furthermore, OLNP will be able to facilitate co-production of the research with a wide range of stakeholders including: informal community groups (both in urban and rural areas); local and national NGOs; local and national governmental agencies bodies (e.g. Oxfordshire County Council and DEFRA); and private corporates (e.g. 3Keel consultancy). Exactly which groups will be involved will depend on the relevance of these parties to the research questions, methodology, and collaborative scopes to support OLNP delivering its support to the student.
OLNP will explore opportunities to integrate the student’s research findings, and guidance stemming from it, in on-going work on inclusive and equitable nature recovery. OLNP will also leverage its communications and outreach expertise to share the findings of this research and the resulting recommendations, both to the public, and to strategic partners that could benefit both within Oxfordshire and nationally
STUDENTSHIP DETAILS
The PhD studentship will be funded by the Grand Union DTP for an expected 3.5 years from October 2025. The award length offered may differ depending on the candidate’s prior training and how they meet ESRC training requirements.
Information about Grand Union DTP ESRC studentships and eligibility can be found on the Grand Union DTP website.
APPLICATION DEADLINE
12:00 midday UK time on 28th January 2025
HOW TO APPLY
To apply for the studentship, you must submit an application to study for a DPhil in Geography and the Environment at the University of Oxford. Details about applying can be found via https://www.ox.ac.uk/admissions/graduate/courses/dphil-geography-and-environment. Your application should include a research proposal that indicates how your proposed research would engage with the core elements of this project if you were offered the studentship. Your proposal may draw on the description of the research detailed above.
In addition you must complete a Grand Union DTP Application Form and upload it, together with your graduate application form. Please ensure you also select 'ESRC Grand Union DTP Studentships in Social Sciences' in the University of Oxford scholarships section of the University's graduate application form.
The admissions process is in two parts: applications will be assessed by the institution and the selected candidate will then be assessed as part of the applicant pool for ESRC Grand Union DTP funding.
QUERIES
Queries about the studentship should be addressed to: Dr Mark Hirons (mark.hirons@ouce.ox.ac.uk)
