Professor Marc Metzger worked with Earth Fellow Alys Daniels-Creasey to understand the knowledge needs for practitioners of woodland creation.
Image by Sam Di Risio
Bridging the Gap for Woodland Restoration
Edinburgh Earth Initiative’s Earth Fellows programme enables University of Edinburgh researchers to further their climate and environment research aims with the support of a postgraduate student intern. In 2025 Professor Marc Metzger worked with Earth Fellow Alys Daniels-Creasey to understand the knowledge needs for practitioners of woodland creation.
The project grew out of the realisation that woodland research often does not align with the practical realities on the ground. Initial discussions with the Woodland Trust led to an Earth Fellowship funded through the Centre for Sustainable Forests and Landscapes (CSFL), aiming to make research more accessible and actionable for environmental NGOs working on woodland creation in Scotland.
Collecting insights from practitioners
The Earth Fellow, Alys, played a key role in facilitating this research initiative. Together with environmental NGOs such as Trees for Life, Borders Forest Trust, and Future Woodlands Scotland, she developed a survey to capture the knowledge needs of practitioners. Distributed widely through networks and social media, the survey’s responses guided semi-structured interviews that informed a workshop to reflect on the findings. This process culminated in a report detailing priorities and challenges, promoting enhanced collaboration between NGOs and researchers.
Earth Fellows bring skills and momentum
Alys’s involvement significantly advanced the research objectives. She brought both academic rigour and a strong interest in the practical aspects of sustainable land management in Scotland. Her efforts resulted in strong engagement and participation, and she presented at an Edinburgh Forests and Landscapes seminar to an audience of over 80 network members, sparking further action. The NGOs were very keen to continue this work and are now engaging with research funders to address knowledge gaps, and plans are underway for an event with Forest Research to explore new collaborative opportunities.
Effective support from Edinburgh Earth Initiative
Support from Edinburgh Earth Initiative (EEI) was integral throughout the project. EEI streamlined the recruitment process and managed administrative tasks, allowing the project team to focus on the research. By running the project through the Earth Fellows programme, CSFL strengthened its alignment with the University’s broader mission and increased its visibility.
The Earth Fellows programme demonstrates how targeted internships can deliver substantial research impact, bridging gaps between academia and practical environmental work. By providing skilled support, the programme ensures that research insights are effectively translated into sustainable, real-world solutions.
Why get involved?
“It’s a really great opportunity if you have something focused that can lead to some important insights or the basis for a paper or report. But also, if you want to make connections and share something with the wider non-academic community. It’s difficult to carve out the time in your own work day, but if you can find an Earth Fellow who works with you, they can achieve a lot.” – Prof Marc Metzger
Interested in hosting an Earth Fellow?
Get in touch with Earth Fellows programme manager Chloe Francis (chloe.francis@ed.ac.uk) to discuss your project. Or look out for our annual call for project proposals in April 2026.
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