Katrin Prager

Honorary Associate
E: katrin.prager@hutton.ac.uk
T: +44 (0)344 928 5428 (*)
Katrin Prager is an interdisciplinary social scientist with a background in landscape planning, environmental management, and participatory agri-environmental policy making. She is a Honorary Associate and former leader of the Social, Economic and Geographical Sciences Group (SEGS) department. Her work centres on the human dimensions of land management and the environmental consequences of land use on landscape, soils, biodiversity and water. She uses mixed-method approaches (qualitative and quantitative) to understand problems around landscape management and governance at different scales and the links between policies and actions on the ground.

Research

Katrin’s research interests relate to the interaction between social and ecological systems, institutions and governance in landscape and environmental management, as well as land manager attitudes and behaviour. Research interests include:

  • community engagement in natural resource management and rural development
  • participatory processes in agri-environmental policy making and implementation
  • adoption of soil and water conservation practices
  • citizen science and knowledge exchange.

Her blogs include Children as Researchers, an inventory of agricultural advisory services, researcher-practitioner discussion group (HLUEDG), and measuring interdisciplinarity.

Ongoing and recent projects

  • The development of co-creative capacity for addressing socio-environmental problems (2016-2017) – funded by SESYNC (Socio-Environmental Synthesis Center, USA), lead: Allison Metz (National Implementation Research Network, North Carolina)
  • DeerUnit – Delimiting functional management units for partially migratory deer populations (2014-2018). I coordinate the workpackage on incentives and barriers to collaborative, cross-boundary deer management.
  • PRO AKIS – Prospects for Farmers’ Support: Advisory Services in European AKIS (2012-2015). See also the Research brief on AKIS in the UK.
  • Scottish Government Strategic Research Programme funded research (2011-2016):
    • Theme 3 “Land use” – in particular 3.6 Understanding land managers’ attitudes and behaviour towards the management of environmental assets and responding to climate change
    • Theme 8 “Vibrant rural communities” –  in particular 8.2 Governance and decision making for community empowerment in rural communities.

Past research

Publications

Journals

Prior to appointment

  • Compton, E.; Prager, K.; Beeton, R.J.S. (2009) Landcare bowling alone: Finding a future in the “fourth” phase., In: Contested Country: Local and Regional Environmental Management in Australia (eds. M.B. Lane, C. Robinson and B. Taylor). CSIRO Publishing, Melbourne, pp147-160.
  • Gay, S.H.; Louwagie, G.; Sammeth, F.; Ratinger, T.; Marechal, B.; Prosperi, P.; Rusco, E.; Terres, J.; van der Velde, M.; Baldock, D.; Bowyer, C.; Cooper, T.; Fenn, I.; Hagemann, N.; Prager, K.; Heyn, N.; Schuler, J. (2009) Final report on the project – Sustainable Agriculture and Soil Conservation (SoCo)., European Commission, Luxembourg.
  • Prager, K.; Freese, J. (2009) Stakeholder involvement in agri-environmental policy making – Learning from a local- and a state-level approach in Germany., Journal of Environmental Management, 90, 1154-1167.
  • Prager, K. (2009) Landschaftspflege durch Verbände in Australien und Deutschland – Landcare in Australia and Germany – Comparison of the landcare groups and Landschaftspflegeverbande., Naturschutz und Landschaftsplanung, 41, 89-96.
  • Prager, K.; Hagemann, N.; Helming, K.; Heyn, N.; Sattler, C.; Schuler, J.; Zander, P. (2008) Case Study Report Uckermark, Germany. WP2 – Case studies on soil/ land management and policy measures., WP2 – Case Studies on Soil/ Land Management and Policy Measures. SoCo Project.
  • Prager, K.; Nagel, U.J. (2008) Participatory decision-making on agri-environmental programmes – A case study from Sachsen-Anhalt (Germany)., Land Use Policy 25, 106-115.
  • Hauesler, S.; Prager, K.; Nagel, U.J. (2007) Interessenvertretung im Agrarumweltbereich – Fallstudie Brandenburg., SUTRA-Working Paper 12, Humboldt University, Berlin, (DFG-Forschergruppe 497).
  • Prager, K. (2007) Communication processes in agri-environmental policy development and decision making., Series Kommunikation und Beratung 75. Weikersheim, Margraf.
  • Thiessen, S.; Prager, K.; Nagel, U.J. (2006) Mitwirkung von Umweltverbaenden an der Gestaltung von Agrarumweltprogrammen auf Ebene der Bundeslaender., SUTRA-Working Paper 11. Humboldt University, Berlin, (DFG-Forschergruppe 497).
  • Prager, K.; Nagel, U.J. (2005) Kommunikationsbeziehungen der Amter fur Landwirtschaft und Flurneuordnung im Bereich der Agrarumweltprogramme. Fallstudie Sachsen-Anhalt., SUTRA-Working Paper 7, Humboldt University, Berlin, (DFG-Forschergruppe 497).
  • Prager, K.; Nagel, U.J. (2004) Communication processes in agro-environmental policy development and decision-making. Case study Sachsen-Anhalt., SUTRA-Working Paper 2, Humboldt University, Berlin, (DFG-Forschergruppe 497).
  • Nagel, U.J.; Aenis, T.; Dosch, A.; Prager, K.; Toussaint, V. (2004) Zur wirkungsanalyse transdisziplinarer forschung., Ein Untersuchungskonzept der Nachhaltigkeit des Landnutzungsprojektes GRANO. Weikersheim, Margraf.
  • Prager, K. (2002) Akzeptanz von Mabnahmen zur Umsetzung einer umweltschonenden Landbewirtschaftung bei Landwirten und Beratern in Brandenburg., Series Kommunikation und Beratung 48. Weikersheim, Margraf.

Books

Reports

Conference papers

  • Prager, K. (2017) Generating actionable knowledge through a transdisciplinary process: the pros and cons of visual research methods., XXVII European Society for Rural Sociology (ESRS) Conference, Krakow, Poland, 24-27 July 2017. Book of Abstracts, pp160-161.
  • Prager, K. (2016) Using mental models to understand soil management., British Society of Soil Science Annual Meeting, Reading, UK, 7-8 September 2016.
  • Prager, K. (2016) Exploring agro-ecology through mental models., International Rural Sociology Association (IRSA) World Congress, Toronto, Canada, 10-14 August 2016.
  • Madureira, L.; Knierim, A.; Ferreira, D.; Prager, K.; Boenning, K.; Caggiano, M. (2016) Agricultural networks across EU: What are the key features to enhance farmers’ ability to learn and to innovate in cooperation with other actors?, 12th European International Farming Systems Association (IFSA) Symposium, Harper Adams University, UK, 12-15 July 2016.
  • Prager, K. (2014) Sustainable landscape management – the view from the grassroots., International Sustainable Farming Systems Symposium, Berlin, Germany, 1-4 April 2014.
  • Prager, K.; Creaney, R.; Loreno-Arribas, A. (2014) Advisory services in the United Kingdom: exploring ‘fit for purpose’ criteria., International Sustainable Farming Systems Symposium, Berlin, Germany, 1-4 April 2014.
  • Knierim, A.; Boenning, K.; Caggiano, M.; Cristovao, A.; Koehnen, T.; Dirimanova, V.; Labarthe, P.; Ndah, T.; Prager, K. (2014) Advisory services within national AKIS – concepts and empirical evidence from selected EU member states., International Sustainable Farming Systems Symposium, Berlin, Germany, 1-4 April 2014.
  • Prager, K. (2013) Evaluating rural policy effectiveness : an evaluation framework., European Society of Rural Sociology Congress, Florence, Italy, 29 July – 1 August 2013.
  • Prager, K. (2013) Assessing the contribution of agri-environmental collaboratives to sustainable landscape management., European Society of Rural Sociology Congress, Florence, Italy, 29 July – 1 August 2013.
  • Prager, K. (2013) Linking research and practice., Enhancing Protection of Soil Resources: Interdisciplinary Research and Implementation of Research Results, GEWISOLA Conference (German Society for Social and Economic Sciences in Agriculture), Berlin, Germany, 25-27 September 2013.
  • Louwagie, G.; Hubertus Gay, S.; Sammeth, F.; Ratinger, T.; Kutter, T.; Schuler, J.; Zander, P.; Helming, K.; Prager,K.; Hagedorn, K. (2012) Soil conservation in EU agriculture: Interaction between policy measures and farming practices to reach soil quality., EUROSOIL 2012, Soil Science for the Benefit of Mankind and Environment, 4th International Congress of the European Confederation of Soil Science Societies (ECSSS), Bari, Italy, 2-6 July 2012. Oral presentation
  • Prager, K. (2012) Using indicators in collaborative landscape management., 18th Annual International Sustainable Development Research Conference, People, Progress and Environmental Protection, University of Hull, 24-26 June 2012. Abstract.
  • Prager, K.; Hagemann, N. (2012) The implementation of soil conservation policies in Brandenburg (Germany) – Deficits and policy recommendations., EUROSOIL 2012, Soil Science for the Benefit of Mankind and Environment, 4th International Congress of the European Confederation of Soil Science Societies (ECSSS), Bari, Italy, 2-6 July 2012; also Convenor for round table: “Soil conservation policies in Europe”
  • Prager, K. (2012) Encouraging collaboration for the provision of ecosystem services at a landscape scale, Joint SAC/SEPA Biennial Conference in association with Forest Research, The James Hutton Institute and Scottish Natural Heritage “Agriculture and the Environment IX: Valuing Ecosystems: Policy, Economic and Management Interactions”, Edinburgh, 3-4 April 2012.
  • Macleod, C.J.A.; Black, H.I.J.; Brown, K.; Blackstock, K.L.; Dawson, J.J.C.; Holmes, B.; Langan, S.J.; Marshall, K.; Martin-Ortega, J.; Munoz-Rojas, J.; Morris, S.; Prager, K.; Rivington, M.; Waylen, K.; Vinten, A.J.A.; Gordon, I.J. (2011) What is required for greater levels of interdisciplinary science in a research institute?, 6th International Conference on Environmental Future: Interdisciplinary Progress in Environmental Science and Management, Newcastle, UK, 18-22 July 2011.
  • Prager, K. (2011) Using and sharing social research in school., CRFR (Centre for Research on Families and Relationships) 10th Anniversary National Conference, John McIntyre Conference Centre,
    University of Edinburgh, 30 November 2011.
  • Prager, K. (2011) Landcare groups in Germany – rural governance or implementation tool?, Royal Geographical Society with IBG Annual International Conference 2011, Session on Sustainability, Land and Power, Convenors Keith Halfacree and Rob McMorran, RGS-IBG, London, 31 August – 2 September 2011.
  • Prager, K. (2011) The resilience of the social system as a component of social-ecological systems., Nordic Environmental Social Science Conference, 10th, Stockholm, Sweden, 14-16 June 2011. Workshop 10 – Landscape dynamics and sustainable resource use: On theories, concepts and methodological tools for integrative studies of human society and nature.
  • Prager, K. (2010) Encouraging collaboration for the provision of ecosystem services across multiple scales., Presentation at the International Workshop “Challenges for a Systemic Environmental Monitoring and Adequate Indicators”, Italo-German Centre for European Excellency, Villa Vigoni, Italy, 7-10, October 2010.
  • Prager, K.; Prazan, J.; Penov, I. (2010) Soil conservation in transition countries – the role of institutions., International Society of Ecological Economics (ISEE) Advancing Sustainability in a Time of Crisis, Oldenburg/Bremen, Germany, 22-25 August 2010, pp137.
  • Prager, K.; Posthumus, H. (2010) Adopting sustainable soil management – the role of socio-economic factors., Annual International Sustainable Development Research Conference, 16th, “Sustainable Agriculture”, The Kadoorie Institute, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China, 30 May – 1 June, 2010. ISBN 978-988-18934-1-3
  • Prager, K. (2010) Collective efforts to manage cultural landscapes., International Workshop “Social-Ecological Resilience of Cultural Landscapes”, Berlin, Germany, 15-16 June 2010.

Conference posters

  • Prager, K.; PRO AKIS Team. (2015) PRO AKIS – final conference., Prospects for Farmers’ Support: Advisory Services in European AKIS (PRO AKIS), Final Conference, University Foundation, Brussels, 19-20 May 2015.
  • Prager, K.; McKee, A. (2014) Co-construction of ‘problem’ and ‘solution’ with policy makers., Royal Geographic Society Annual International Conference 2014, Royal Holloway, University of London, London, 28 August 2014.
  • Prager, K.; Kania, J.; Sutherland, L-A. (2014) AKIS diagram for the United Kingdom., PRO AKIS Regional Workshop, Copenhagen, Denmark, 17-19 February 2014. (Poster)
  • Prager, K.; Kania, J.; Sutherland, L-A. (2014) AKIS diagram for the Republic of Ireland., PROAKIS Regional Workshop, Copenhagen, Denmark, 17-19 February 2014.
  • Prager, K. (2012) Assessing the contribution of collaboratives in sustainable landscape management., XIII World Congress of Rural Sociology, Lisbon, Portugal, 29 July – 4 August 2012. Abstract.