Meistaraprófsvörn: Pride and prejudice and forestry. Perceptions of afforestation in Icelandic communities

Á næstunni fara fram varnir meistaranema við Háskólasetur Vestfjarða. Viðfangsefnin eru fjölbreytt og áhugaverð og eru nemendurnir frá bæði sjávarbyggðafræði og haf-og strandsvæðastjórnun. Varnirnar eru öllum aðgengilegar í gegnum hlekki sem finna má hér fyrir neðan en einnig er öllum velkomið að mæta á varnirnar sem fram fara í Háskólasetri Vestfjarða, Ísafirði.

Miðvikudagur 17. apríl kl 10:00

Nemandi: Laurent Trottier 
Titill ritgerðar: Pride and prejudice and forestry: Perceptions of afforestation in Icelandic communities
Námsleið: Sjávarbyggðafræði
Útdráttur: In a globally changing climate, more and more solutions are implemented to counteract the adverse effects of rising temperatures and environmental degradation. Iceland is no different, with an increase in afforestation projects resulting in a growth of forested areas from 1% to 2% in the last years. The increase in afforestation projects has broughtconsequences both positive and negative on aspects related to these projects. While literature has examined, to a various extent, many sides to afforestation and indeed, forestry in Iceland, studies pertaining to the social impacts of forestry in Iceland are left too little explored. In that sense, this thesis examines the perceptions of individuals, both from local communities in the north and east of Iceland, and in various professional fields related to forestry and environmental management. It furthermore ponders on how these perceptions impact the development of afforestation projects in Iceland and what is the potential of afforestation as a development tool in Icelandic coastal communities. Interviews conducted revealed various perceptions of afforestation and forestry in Iceland, ranging from emotionally charged responses to various degrees of attachment to the Icelandic landscape. These responses are intertwined with the notions of sheep grazing, carbon sequestration forestry and invasive flora species. Concepts of conflict, social acceptability and social license are explored related to these fields, with the introduction of various salient archetypical projects in a good practice perspective. With a prospective growth of various types of forestry practices in Iceland, such as carbon sequestration and landscape restoration, the consideration of various stakeholders, both local and professional, is essential for further collaborative and transparent development of such afforestation projects.

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