vibrant communities
April 4, 2022
Dr Mike Rivington, a senior scientist within the James Hutton Institute’s Information and Computational Sciences department, has contributed evidence to a session of the Rural Affairs, Islands and Natural Environment Committee of the...
March 3, 2022
New research by James Hutton Institute scientists and partner organisations explores the use of sustainable farming practices in Scotland and how these support long-term land productivity and resilience amongst agricultural businesses.
February 2, 2022
Dr Mike Rivington, a senior scientist within the James Hutton Institute’s Information and Computational Sciences department, has contributed evidence to a session of the Rural Affairs, Islands and Natural Environment Committee of the...
January 1, 2022
The James Hutton Institute has joined Angus Council, Agrico UK, Arbikie Distillery and SoilEssentials Ltd in signing a letter of intent to develop a Centre for Agricultural Sustainable Innovation (CASI) headquartered in Forfar, Angus.
The CASI...
October 10, 2021
Hutton experts give evidence to parliamentary session on challenges facing Scotland’s islands (News)
Dr Ruth Wilson and Dr Jonathan Hopkins, social scientists within the James Hutton Institute’s Social, Economic and Geographical Sciences department, have contributed evidence to a session of the Rural Affairs, Islands and Natural...
August 8, 2021
Large-scale conservation work across the Dee catchment has been given the green light thanks to a major cash injection of over half a million pounds. A variety of projects comprising floodplain restoration, woodland expansion and peatland...
July 7, 2021
New social research conducted by the James Hutton Institute for the Scottish Government’s National Islands Plan paints a mixed picture of life in Scotland’s islands: while most respondents rate their local environment very highly and...
July 7, 2021
Scientists from all over the world have come together in the 6th Forum Carpaticum to present their research and discuss the sustainable development of the Carpathian region and mountain areas more generally. The event was organised online by the...
June 6, 2021
The James Hutton Institute is delighted to support one of seven Climate Beacons that are taking shape across Scotland in the run-up to and beyond the COP26 UN Climate Change Conference that’s happening in Glasgow this November.
April 4, 2021
Environmental and agricultural research at centre of new Hutton-Utah State University partnership (News)
A partnership agreement has been signed between Utah State University and the James Hutton Institute to promote cooperation in agricultural and environmental research, with emphasis on climate change issues.
The agreement was signed by...
March 3, 2021
The COVID-19 pandemic has required many people to adapt their lifestyles and livelihoods to mitigate the spread and impact of the virus. A new report by SEFARI researchers at the James Hutton Institute and Scotland’s Rural College (SRUC)...
February 2, 2021
How can we produce a Europe that is spatially and socially just? Is it possible to discuss cohesion and territorial development policy without considering localities and local experiences? The RELOCAL policy conference (15th March) will focus on...
February 2, 2021
What are the lessons we can all learn from land reform in Scotland, and what are the challenges still faced by our rural communities? Dr Annie McKee, a social researcher at the James Hutton Institute, will tackle these and other questions during...
December 12, 2020
The James Hutton Institute has been awarded funding from the Scottish Government’s Community and Renewable Energy Scheme (CARES) to undertake a feasibility study for a green-hydrogen-powered farming community around its Glensaugh farm....
October 10, 2020
How is population decline affecting island communities? What opportunities are there for sustainable economic development on Scotland’s islands? These questions, and many others, are at the heart of research being carried out by social...
October 10, 2020
Supporting the next generation of new and young farmers is critical to the sustainability of agriculture in Scotland and across Europe, but how can we encourage young people to see farming as a future and worthwhile career?
This question will...
September 9, 2020
Mountains cover 22% of the world's land surface and are home to about 915 million people. In Europe, mountain ranges cover 36% of the European area and play an essential role in the provision of public and private goods. Despite their...
June 6, 2020
The International Association for People-environment Studies (IAPS), currently presided by Dr Tony Craig, head of our Social, Economic and Geographical Sciences department, begins its conference today. The conference theme, “Running out of...
November 11, 2019
Research by agricultural scientists in Scotland and beyond has shown that intercropping, i.e. growing two or more crop species together in ‘plant teams’, can improve agricultural sustainability by stabilising or increasing crop yields...
November 11, 2019
A report published by the Expert Advisory Group on Migration and Population says that immigration schemes can be an ‘immediate and direct’ way to tackle depopulation in Scotland and warns of a fall in Scotland’s working-age...
October 10, 2019
A new report commissioned by the Centre of Expertise for Waters (CREW) estimates that the restoration of native oyster beds in Scotland has the potential to give a £3.5m boost to the UK economy and create jobs in some of the most...
October 10, 2019
A blog created in celebration of Deeside’s wildlife, and Inspired by the BBC’s ‘Watches’ series has been launched by the Dee Catchment Partnership. “DeeWatch”, aims to encourage locals to explore Deeside by...
July 7, 2019
Two projects aimed at restoring biodiversity in the River Dee catchment will receive more than £350,000 from a new competitive national fund from Scottish Natural Heritage. The Aberdeenshire projects were selected alongside 12 others across...
April 4, 2019
In urbanised European societies, the role of forests in providing commodities, welfare, health and other social benefits is easily forgotten. But not in Aberdeen: the Granite City has been awarded the title of European Forest City for 2019 by the...
March 3, 2019
An eight-year-old campaigner, a social media whizz kid, a budding nature detective and several keen camera trappers have all been recognised as 2019 Young Wildlife Champions by the North East Scotland Biodiversity Partnership, in a drive to...
March 3, 2019
Post-Brexit immigration proposals may have considerable impact on Scotland, expert panel finds (News)
A report published by the Expert Advisory Group on Migration and Population has shown that post-Brexit migration policy proposals put forward by the UK Government are likely to increase the demographic challenges faced by Scotland’s...
December 12, 2018
UnderStories - Storying woodland use, management and expansion in the Cairngorms National Park (Project)
What is the story with woodlands in the Cairngorms National Park? Or should we say, what are the stories, as there are many threads of stories of actual, former or speculative woodlands weaving in and out that make this area what it...
May 5, 2018
The science of the James Hutton Institute continues to attract the interest of the media. This time, Professor Derek Stewart and Dr Andrew Copus were featured in recent BBC programmes, in which they discussed research on the nutritional qualities...
March 3, 2016
Scotland will remain at the forefront of ground-breaking advances in farming and food production as a result of continued Scottish Government funding for scientific research, Rural Affairs Secretary Richard Lochhead has said.
More than £...
March 3, 2016
Is the land-based sector in North East Scotland resilient enough to face future challenges? This question, along with many others, is at the centre of a report commissioned by the North East Scotland Agricultural Advisory Group (NESAAG) and...
January 1, 2016
A new study from researchers at the James Hutton Institute, the University of Aberdeen, the Rowett Institute of Nutrition and Health and the Alpen-Adria University in Vienna shows that the UK’s food self-sufficiency has decreased...
November 11, 2015
SEGS research notes and reports (Research Page)
Researchers in SEGS often create a short research notes or briefings, to communicate the findings of research projects. Please click on the titles below to view a selection of research notes and briefings.
August 8, 2015
How can people in rural areas thrive during times of rapid, transformational change? How can rural Europe cope with the many pressures arising from globalisation, migration, deregulation and the effects of neoliberal policies? Over 400 social...
June 6, 2015
A free, open source modelling platform that seeks to become a vibrant network of agricultural greenhouse gas researchers, model developers and students has been launched on World Environment 2015.
January 1, 2015
Workshops (Research Page)
Scotland’s peat bogs - rural community perceptions on Lewis (PDF File: 5,798KB)
January 1, 2015
RURALREIN (Project)
Reindeer herding and commodification of the outfields in Southern Sami areas- Challenges to established rights and practices (RURALREIN)
December 12, 2014
The Scottish Food Security Alliance-Crops (SFSA-C), a collaborative venture between the University of Aberdeen, the James Hutton Institute and the University of Dundee, has been awarded prestigious funding to research the global links between...
December 12, 2014
The value of community-owned renewables to local economies was the focus of a presentation made by Professor Deb Roberts from the James Hutton Institute at Community Energy Scotland’s 2014 conference, which was opened by Fergus Ewing,...
August 8, 2014
Publications and Knowledge Exchange
Project outputs include a number of papers in scientific journals, conferences, and events for stakeholders. Examples of such outputs follow:
June 6, 2014
The future of Scotland’s national drink is being boosted by scientists at the James Hutton Institute. Their work across many fronts aims to ensure the sustainability and continued success of Scotch whisky, one of the world’s best-...
January 1, 2014
Vibrant Rural Communities workshop (Research Page)
A workshop was held at Birnam Arts and Conference Centre on 20 November 2013 to provide an update on research being conducted as part of the Vibrant Rural Communities theme of the Food, Land and People Strategic Research programme, funded by...
December 12, 2013
HUNTing for Sustainability (Project)
Project aim
The overall goal of the project ‘Hunting for Sustainability’ was to assess the social, cultural, economic and ecological functions and impacts of hunting across a broad range of contexts in Europe and Africa. Funding was...
December 12, 2013
Sustainable Estates for the 21st Century (Project)
The overall aim of the project was to align upland estate management in Scotland with the concept of sustainability. Funding was provided by the Henry Angest Foundation and it ran from 2007-2011.
Project Objectives
The...
December 12, 2013
The aim of this project was to develop technology to maximise personal and social interaction between older adults with chronic pain and their health and social care providers. Funding was provided by the
Research Councils UK (RCUK) and it...
December 12, 2013
Project aim
The aim of this project was to explore the relationship between green space and human health using a range of methods and disciplinary approaches at different scales. It was funded by the Scottish Government and ran from 2009-2012.
December 12, 2013
The aim of TESS is to investigate the role of community-based transition initiatives in fostering a more low-carbon and sustainable Europe. TESS is a European Union project funded under the Seventh Framework Programme, and...
December 12, 2013
Project aim
Orkney Community Empowerment Project (OrkCEmP) is part of the RESAS Theme 8 (Work Package 8.2) work on 'Governance and Decision-making for community empowerment in rural communities', running from 2011-2016. It aims to...
December 12, 2013
Foodscapes (Project)
Project aim
Foodscapes aims to explore how arts intervention and cultural engagement can help address social and economic exclusion, food poverty, and sustainability. It has been funded by the Arts and Humanities Research Council/Economic and...
December 12, 2013
Despite the emerging emphasis on the roles that (local) communities can play in public service reform and attempts to ‘empower’ communities (or allow them to ‘empower themselves’) in rural areas, the tensions or synergies...
December 12, 2013
Gender, green space and wellbeing (Project)
Project aim
This project aims to understand the relationship between gender, wellbeing and greenspace. It is funded through the Scottish Government and runs from 2011 until 2016. It is part of the RESAS Theme 8 WP8.3 work on ‘...
July 7, 2013
The LandscapePartners Project (Project)
This research project aimed to identify, analyse and assess the contribution of multi-stakeholder partnerships to the sustainable management of rural landscapes and to the well-being of communities in three European countries. In addition, the...
October 10, 2012
Project background
February 2, 2012
COMET-LA was a project coordinated by the University of Cordoba and funded under the European Commission Framework Programme 7. The acronym stands for “COmmunity-based Management of EnvironmenTal challenges in Latin America”. The...
