Forest and Peatland Updates: December

As part of the Learning, Teaching and Research (LTR) strategy, the Programme is creating new PhD opportunities to strengthen research and innovation. This began with the co-development of three PhD positions in partnership with academics from the University of Edinburgh and Forest Research. Each student is contributing to the Programme’s aims by advancing monitoring approaches for carbon, biodiversity, and social impact in relation to woodland creation and peatland restoration.

The PhD students are based in different colleges, showcasing excellent cross-college collaboration and joint supervision across a wide team of experts. They’ve already made strong progress, completing fieldwork across multiple Programme sites. 

Forest Research [External]

A day in the life: the PhDs informing our climate and nature efforts | Edinburgh Impact

The Forests and Peatlands sites represent a valuable resource for teaching and research, for academics at the University of Edinburgh and beyond. 

A key benefit for research grants application is the University’s early investment into high-quality baseline data collection through detailed surveys at both the woodland creation and peatland sites. This foundational data supports future research proposals, particularly in areas where such baseline information is often missing.  

The Forest and Peatland Programme sites create a unique setting for learning, providing students the chance to experience the programme first-hand while deepening their understanding of natural processes and the socio-cultural connections to these landscapes. Student fieldwork activities could generate data that can inform land management decisions, turning learning experiences into a valuable resource for practice as well as education and research.

This year, undergraduate students on the ‘Ecological Measurement’ course in the School of Geosciences, led by Dr Claudia Colesie, experienced the benefit of a Living Lab opportunity by working on the Forest and Peatland Programme site; Barvick Burn Wood. Students collected valuable baseline plant survey data from the area, where woodland creation is soon to take place.  

Hear from the students themselves about the learning and teaching benefits of this trip, and the importance of outdoor learning.

The sites are not only of value to those studying ecology or the natural sciences; the Forest Partnerships Programme also offers rich opportunities for the social sciences, arts, humanities, and more. This was evident in another course, from the School of Social and Political Science that will now include visits to Drumbrae Forest and peatland sites as part of its annual field course programme. 

Undergraduate students from the course ‘Case studies in Sustainable Development’, led by Dr Ronan Bolton, were particularly interested in understanding how the Programme fits within the wider national policy landscape, as well as the University’s own policies and commitments. Following a lecture from team members the previous day, students visited the site on 1^st October, accompanied by our community ranger, and learned more about how the Programme is helping to deliver on these broader policy objectives in practice. 

On 1^st July 2025 a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between the University of Edinburgh and our Forest and Peatland partner, Kinloch Community Woodlands. This marks a significant milestone and stands as a strong testament to the shared commitment of both parties to work together and further develop opportunities for collaboration around knowledge exchange, research, and practical learning opportunities on site. 

The partnership will not only create new avenues for students and academics but also help inform and support the ongoing land management of the site. We aim to establish additional MoUs with interested Programme partners to strengthen collaboration and shared learning. 

Kinloch Woodland SCIO

A recent visit to Ardtornish, involving staff and students, helped generate new ideas and excitement around the possibilities for collaboration in learning, teaching, and research. 

The 11,000-hectare site offers a wealth of opportunities from peatland restoration to woodland creation and other nature recovery initiatives already underway to community benefits and history. The visit, held at the 27-29^th October, brought together 11 members from the University of Edinburgh and the Ardtornish team to share aspirations, provide progress updates, and brainstorm ideas for future collaboration. 

Ardtornish