Fully Funded PhD in Urban Forestry, Ecology, and Nature Recovery at Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh and University of Stirling
Fully funded PhD opportunity in
urban forestry, ecology, biodiversity conservation, and nature-based solutions
at the
Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh
in partnership with the
University of Stirling
.
The project, titled
Plants with Purpose: Enhancing the Role of Scotland's Urban Forest for Landscape-scale Nature Recovery
, focuses on how Scotland’s urban trees, woodlands, and green infrastructure can support biodiversity, ecological connectivity, and large-scale nature recovery. A key aim is to help establish an
Urban Forest Observatory for Scotland
and generate evidence for resilient ecological networks in urban landscapes.
The successful PhD student will work across multiple methods and themes, including
GIS and spatial analysis
,
multi-taxa biodiversity monitoring
,
experimental conservation and horticultural research
, and
stakeholder engagement
using
Living Lab
approaches. This is a collaborative research environment spanning research, policy, and practice.
Applicants should have a background in
Ecology
,
Biological Sciences
,
Conservation Biology
,
Forestry
, or a related discipline, with an interest in bridging science and policy. The post is advertised as a
fully funded PhD studentship
.
Supervisors named in the post are
Dr Emma Bush
,
Dr Elisa Fuentes-Montemayor
,
Prof Kirsty Park
, and
Caitlyn Johnstone
.
Deadline:
6 August 2026.
How to apply:
Use the FindAPhD application link provided in the post. Informal inquiries are encouraged.
