Dr Flurina Wartmann

Biography

• since August 2022: Senior Lecturer in Human Geography, Geography and Environment, University of Aberdeen
• June 2023 - August 2024 (80%): Researcher on Landscape Aesthetics at Oxford University's Leverhulme Centre for Nature Recovery
• since June 2023: Fellow of the Higher Education Academy / Advance HE (FHEA)
• August 2022 - present: Senior Lecturer in Human Geography, Geography and Environment, University of Aberdeen
• July 2020-July 2022: Lecturer Human Geography, Geography and Environment, University of Aberdeen
• 2018 - 2020 PostDoc at the Swiss Federal Research Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape on further developing the Swiss Landscape Monitoring Programme for the Federal Office of the Environment
• 2017 -2018 PostDoc at the Institute of Geography, School of Geosciences, University of Edinburgh, UK. Project on mapping tranquillity as a landscape quality in a Scottish national park using interviews and social media data. Funded by SNSF.
• 2016 -2017: PostDoc at the Geography Department, University of Zurich, Switzerland. Project on combining quantitative and qualitative methods for assessing cultural landscape values from bottom-up descriptions. Funded by the cogito foundation.
• 2012 -2016: PhD in Geography at the University of Zurich. Title: From Space to Place in the Bolivian Amazon – Representing Landscape Perceptions with Ethnographic and GIS Approaches.
• 2009-2012 Certificate of Advanced Studies (CAS) in Development and Cooperation at nadel, ETH Zurich, Switzerland
• 2009-2012 Programme Coordination at the NGO Biovision Foundation: coordination and monitoring of sustainable development projects in East Africa
• 2009 Master in Geographic Information Science at the University of Zurich, Switzerland

Research Overview

Broadly, my research interests revolve around the relationship between society and nature, and addressing questions of social and environmental justice in nature conservation, protected area management, and rewilding. I am furthermore interested in developing holistic methods for landscape assessment, cultural landscape values and sense of place and their integration in sustainable landscape planning (particularly in a UK and Swiss context).

In my research I use interdisciplinary approaches and a variety of data sources, including interviews, public surveys, social media photographs, and digitised text sources (e.g. hiking blogs) that I anlyse using qualitative and quantitative approaches.

I have also worked on developing interdisciplinary approaches for mapping tranquillity. This research was featured in the Geovisualisation blog by the Royal Geographical Society. 

Current Research

I am researching how landscape aesthetics enable and constrain nature recovery and rewilding in the UK and have recently conducted research at the Leverhulme Centre for Nature Recovery, University of Oxford.

Furthermore, I am currently supervising a QUADRAT DTP funded PhD on decision-making in rewilding and ecological restoration in the UK and a QUADRAT DTP PhD on the cultural ecosystem services of beaver-modified landscapes in the UK and Central/Northern Europe.

I also collaborate nationally and internationally on a range of projects on human-nature relations and cultural landscape values related to a socially just and ecologically meaningful way to address the biodiversity crisis.

Teaching Responsibilities

I teach on nature-society relations, rewilding/nature recovery and social aspects of conservation across undergraduate and Master's level (see course list).

Supervision

I am interested to supervise students pursuing UG/PG and PhD dissertations on a range of topics, including, but not limited to: cultural landscape values, integrated landscape assessments, use and perception of urban green spaces, public attitudes on landscape change, rewilding, and conservation.

I was student-nominated as best undergraduate dissertation supervisor in 2022 and as best PhD supervisor in 2024.

PhD theses:

• Webb, Steph (ongoing): Cultural ecosystem services of beaver-modified landscapes - a cross-cultural comparison. Main supervisor. Co-supervisors: Dr. Alan Law, Freshwater Ecology, University of Stirling, Prof. Dr. David Anderson, Anthropology, UoA.
• Cary, Emma (ongoing): Factors influencing decision-making for rewilding and ecological restoration projects. Main supervisor. Co-supervisors: Prof. Xavier Lambin, Ecology (School of Biological Sciences, UoA), and Dr. Paul Caplat (Biological Sciences, Queen’s University Belfast)
• Bär, Manuel (2022): Capturing Perceived Everyday Lived Landscapes through Gamification and Active Crowdsourcing. Geocomputation Group, Geography Department, University of Zurich. Committee member. Main supervisor: Prof. R. Purves.
• Komossa, F. (2020): Outdoor Recreationists and Where To Find Them: Quantifying Outdoor Recreation Preferences In European Landscapes. PhD Thesis. Environmental Geography, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam. Co-supervisor.

Recent Master dissertations:

• Isaac, D.I.(2023): Retrofitting green infrastructure into areas of existing housing in deprived areas of Aberdeen City. MSc in Sustainability Transitions, University of Aberdeen. Main supervisor.
• Baghel, P. (2022): Challenges for Sustainability Transitions in the Scottish Wedding Industry. Dissertation for MSc in Sustainability Transition, University of Aberdeen. Main supervisor.
• D’Aloia – Thompson, M. (2022): Waste management challenges in transition towards a circular economy – Case of Malawi with recommendation of a waste analysis and characterization study in Area 24, Lilongwe. Dissertation for MSc Sustainability Transitions, University of Aberdeen. Main supervisor.
• Fulop, A. (2022): Aberdeenshire Council: An assessment of resource demand and opportunities for circularity. Dissertation for MSc Sustainability Transitions, University of Aberdeen. Main supervisor.
• Mills, F. (2022): Funding Scottish rewilding: an assessment of current and future funding sources utilised by open-ended ecological restoration projects. Dissertation for MSc Land Economy, University of Aberdeen. Main supervisor.
• McLennan, C. (2021): Perceptions of the Eurasian beaver (Castor fiber) reintroductions in Scotland. Dissertation for the Master in Land Economy, University of Aberdeen. Main supervisor.
• Cumming, S. (2021): Investigating the relationship between new entrants to agriculture and diversification: a focus on Scotland's agritourism. Dissertation for the Mater in Land Economy, University of Aberdeen. Main supervisor.

Recent Undergraduate dissertations:

• Pickering, K. (2024): Analysis of stakeholder attitudes and media regarding a recently designated Marine Protected Area near the Isle of Skye. MA in Geography, University of Aberdeen. Main supervisor.
• Cross, A. (2024): Perception of the proposed Aberdeen Beachfront development and its effects on sense of place. MA in Geography, University of Aberdeen. Main supervisor.
• Trebo S. (2023): Human-wildlife conflict: Attitudes on wolf conservation management in South Tyrol (Italy). Dissertation for BSc in Geography, University of Aberdeen. Main supervisor.
• Cox Ellames J. (2023): Perceptions of ecological impacts and potential management strategies of the Eurasian beaver (Castor fiber) in the Tayside catchment, Scotland. Dissertation for MA in Geography, University of Aberdeen. Main supervisor.
• Robbie Moody (2023): Assessing the quality and accessibility of Urban Green Spaces in Glasgow, Scotland. Dissertation for MA in Geography, University of Aberdeen. Main supervisor.
• Rory Shaw (2023): Attitudes Towards Electric Vehicle Adoption in Aberdeenshire and City. Dissertation for MA in Geography, University of Aberdeen. Main supervisor.
• Ogg, G. (2022): Spatially analysing the use of aesthetic terminology in historical accounts of Loch Lomond and the Trossachs. Dissertation for MA in Geography, University of Aberdeen. Main supervisor.
• Ritchie, E. (2022): Investigating sense of place experienced in greenspace locations on the Deeside Way. Dissertation for MA in Geography, University of Aberdeen. Main Supervisor. 
• McReal, C. (2022): Sense of place and use of outdoor spaces in Dundee: Investigating Covid-19’s impact. Dissertation for MA in Geography, University of Aberdeen. Main supervisor. 
• Smith, J.A. (2021): The role of green spaces in Aberdeen City during an ongoing pandemic. Dissertation for MA in Geography, University of Aberdeen. Main supervisor.
• Leafstedt, E. (2021): Identity, Sustainability, and the Growth Machine - Discourse Analysis of Urban redevelopment– A Case Study of the 2015 Aberdeen City Centre Masterplan. Dissertation for MA in Geography, University of Aberdeen. Main supervisor.