How Do You Like Your Woods?

Released: 27 February 2008

A virtual woodland landscape will be created at The Hub in Edinburgh on Saturday 15th March in order to discover how the public what features of woodlands they value most. The event, “How do you like your woods?” is part of the ESRC Festival of Social Science, and organised by Edinburgh and Aberdeen Universities. Using a unique mobile virtual landscape developed by the Macaulay Institute, participants will be able to investigate the effect of different approaches to landscape management on the appearance of woodland. For example, changes the extent to which deer numbers are controlled through culling will influence the structure of the woodland and affect how it absorbs carbon from the atmosphere or provides a crop of timber. On the other hand, how would different approaches to timber extraction affect the public’s use of woodland as a pleasant environment for walking the dog or for hurtling about on a mountain bike?

The Macaulay Institute’s Dr Justin Irvine, who is organising the event, said: “Woods are increasingly important for people, wildlife and timber production and are very much shaped by these factors. Land-use policies have promoted the planting of trees so that the amount of woodland is set to expand over the next 20 years. “We are extremely interested in people’s views on woodland landscapes and want to find out what they like about woodlands and the features which they value.

“The Virtual Landscape Theatre will allow people to consider whether attractive landscape views are compatible with other woodland management. We hope to determine the various issues which alter people’s perceptions and compare the differentiating opinions held by both rural and urban populations.”

View pdf flyer for the event - How do you like your woods?

The event will run at The Hub between 9.00am and 5.00pm. Group sessions can be booked by calling 0131 651 4747 or email: forum@genomicsnetwork.ac.uk 

ENDS

For further information contact Clare de Mowbray

Note to Editors:

• The Festival of Social Science is organised by the Economic and Social Research Council, and runs from March 7th to 16th, alongside National Science and Engineering Week. It celebrates some of the very best British social science research, as well as highlighting the ways in which social science makes a difference to everyday lives
• The Macaulay Institute is the premier land use research institute in the UK. Two hundred and seventy staff are based at the Macaulay Institute at Craigiebuckler in Aberdeen. The Macaulay Institute aims to be an international leader in research on the use of rural land resources for the benefit of people and the environment and is involved in research across the globe; from Scotland to Chile and China. More about the Macaulay Institute can be found at www.macaulay.ac.uk. 
• Press releases detailing some of the varied events are available at www.esrcfestival.ac.uk or for more information please contact the ESRC Press Office on 01793 413032 or via e-mail esrcpressoffice@esrc.ac.uk