Lead supervisor:
Dr Alice Goodenough 
Other supervisor(s):
- Prof Julie Urquhart
Start date: January 2026 (Part time)
Award: Collaborative
Subject Pathway:
Environmental Planning
Thematic Cluster:
Place, Environment and Development Cluster
In partnership with:
Important Trees: co-creating ways to recognise and protect their value
Trees provide a wealth of social, cultural and environmental benefits and play a significant role in shaping people's relationships with nature and place. Some individual trees can hold particularly high value and strong connections and meaning among people and communities - the loss of such trees can result in emotive cases (such as the illegal felling of the Sycamore Gap tree). In light of increasing threats (e.g. from climate change, development pressure, poor management, illegal felling) and recognition of the need for improved protection, this project explores how tree protection and designation mechanisms can most effectively and holistically interpret, reflect and protect trees of high importance. It will generate evidence to support decision-making for future protection and investigate the potential role of co-design of protection with communities.