MSCA Expressions of Interest 2016
Scientific supervisor Cristina Montiel Molina
Contact email crismont@ucm.es
Research group
Forest Geography, Policy and Socioeconomics
Department Regional Geographical Analysis and Physical Geography
Faculty / Institute Faculty of Geography and History
Description of the research group
The UCM Research Group “Forest Geography, Policy and Socioeconomics” (GIPSF) has a well-defined interdisciplinary character (Geography, Environmental Sciences, Social and Political Sciences). Humanly induced forest landscape changes and the relations established between forest ecosystems and societies throughout time, particularly regarding wildfires, are one of the lines of investigation of the Research Group. The UCM Research Group has developed an intense international activity, based on the collaboration within scientific research networks (COST Action, International Association of Mediterranean Forests, EFI, IUFRO, IUCN) and on several European projects (6FP, 7FP, H2020). It is worthy to mention its participation and coordination responsibility in the Integrated European Project «An innovative approach of integrated wildland fire management. Regulating the wildfire problem by the wise use of fire: solving the FIRE PARADOX» (2006-2010), and in the FORESTERRA ERA-NET Networking Action «Global Change Impacts on Wildland Fire Behaviour and Uses in Mediterranean Forest Ecosystems towards a <wall less> Mediterranean Wildland Fire Laboratory / MedWildFireLab» (2014-2017).
Research topic
The main research lines proposed, on the topic of SOCIAL ASPECTS OF WILDLAND FIRES and FIRE SCENARIOS, are the following:
– Territorial trends and assessment of land-use changes: detection and analysis of land-cover and land-use changes, namely in mountain areas regarding rural development topics and in territories at risk, such as wildland-urban interfaces regarding wildfires.
– Landscape character from the spatial analysis at different scales (regional and local scales) and from interactions between them (multiscale analysis): It provides territorial contextualisation of forest management and identifies the response of driving forces in the different landscape patterns.
– Fire use practices and wildfire causes: Reconstruction of historical fire regimes (s. XVII-XX) and analysis of the use of fire within traditional rural systems, prior to the institutionalisation of fire defence and fire exclusion policies; and relationship between fire use for management purposes and wildfire causes.
– Public policies analysis and development of policy instruments: Prospective analysis of the key forest policy and management options for the participatory landscape management scenario in the context of socio-economic changes; critical analysis of governance mechanisms used to face sustainable forest management in different scenarios (abandoned rural areas, metropolitan forests, productive woodlands).
Research area
Social Sciences and Humanities (SOC)
Application: documents requested
– Curriculum Vitae
– Letter of motivation
Application: deadline
2016-07-15