Identifying new woodland owner types: what is driving new woodland ownership and what advice and guidance would facilitate delivery of multiple benefi

The project aims to explore what types of new woodland owners (e.g. farmers, pension funds etc.) are emerging in England and Wales and what their motivations for woodland management are, as a result of new types of drivers for woodland planting, such as incentives or carbon markets, and how these might be different to existing woodland owner typologies. It will also investigate the knowledge needs of these new owners and whether they are being adequately addressed through existing advisory and guidance mechanisms. Outcomes of the project will provide evidence to support Defra (and its delivery bodies) and Natural Resources Wales to provide appropriate advisory services that best support new owners to manage their new woodlands for multiple benefits. The student will also undertake a 3-month placement at Defra in the first year of the PhD, undertaking an evidence review informed by Defra's trees and woodlands research and development priority needs.