Research
My research focusses on the development of integrated economic and environmental models to better understand land use and management decisions and their environmental and socioeconomic effects. My research expertise includes economic valuation of ecosystem services and natural capital, and their integration into ecosystem accounting and economic decision analysis frameworks. I am especially interested in the quantification and analysis of trade-offs and synergies in the provision of private and public good and services.
I am member of the Steering Committe of various natural capital accounting related projects (INCASE, TEEBAgrifood framework applied to 7 countries, Scottish Natural Capital Account, I am also member of the International Union of Forest Research Organizations (IUFRO) Task Force on Forests and Water Interactions, and was member in the past of the IUFRO Global Forest Expert Panel on Forests and Water.
Past research
After finishing my PhD I was part of the scientific team of a large regional project aimed at developing an integrated Ecosystem Accounting System applied to forest landscapes in Spain, after which I was granted a Marie Curie Intra-European Post-doctoral Fellowship at the Grantham Research Institute on Climate Change and The Environment of the London School of Economics and Political Sciences. Before joining the James Hutton Institute, I was a Postdoctoral researcher at the Department of Environmental Social Sciences (Environmental Economics cluster) of the Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology (eawag).
Publications
Journals
- Ovando, P.; Castellazzi, M.; Baggio-Compagnucci, A.; Hewitt, R.J.; Gimona, A. (2025) Feasibility of woodland expansion for carbon offsetting in Scotland revisited, Forest Policy and Economics, 174, 103481.
- Baggio, A.; Ovando, P.; Hewitt, R.; Canullo, R.; Gimona, A. (2022) Barking up the wrong tree? Can forest expansion help meet climate goals?, Environmental Science & Policy, 136, 237-249
- Atkinson, G; Ovando, P. (2022) Distributional issues in natural capital accounting: An application to land ownership and ecosystem services in Scotland, Environmental and Resource Economics, 81, 215-241
- Abdul-Salam, Y.; Ovando, P.; Roberts, D. (2021) Understanding the economic barriers to the adoption of agroforestry: A Real Options analysis, Journal of Environmental Management, 302(A), Art. 113995
- Campos, P.; Oviedo, J.L.; Álvarez, A.; Ovando, P.; Mesa, B.; Caparros, A. (2020) Measuring environmental incomes beyond standard national and ecosystem accounting frameworks: testing and comparing the agroforestry accounting system in a holm oak dehesa case study in Andalusia-Spain., Land Use Policy, 99, Article No. 104984.
- Campos, P.; Alvarez, A.; Oviedo, J.L.; Mesa, B.; Caparros, A.; Ovando, P. (2020) Environmental incomes: Refined standard and extended accounts applied to cork oak open woodlands in Andalusia, Spain., Ecological Indicators, 117, Article No. 106551.
- Ovando, P.; Speich, M. (2020) Optimal Harvesting Decision Paths When Timber and Water Have an Economic Value in Uneven Forests, Forests, 11(9), art.903
- Campos, P.; Álvarez, A.; Oviedo, J.L.; Ovando, P.; Mesa, B.; Caparros, A. (2020) Refined systems of national accounts and experimental ecosystem accounting versus the simplified agroforestry accounting system: testing in Andalusian Holm oak open woodlands., Forests, 11(4), art.393
- Campos, P.; Alvarez, A.; Oviedo, J.L.; Ovando, P.; Mesa, B.; Caparrós, A. (2020) Income and ecosystem service comparisons of refined national and agroforestry accounting frameworks: application to Holm Oak open woodlands in Andalusia, Spain., Forests, 11, Article No. 185.
- Engel, S.; Ovando, P. (2019) Guest editorial special issue on payments for forest watershed services., Water Resources and Economics, 28, Article No. 100153.
- Creed, I.F.; Jones, J.J.; Archer, E.; Claassen, M.; Ellison, D.; McNulty, S.G.; Van Noordwijk, M.; Vira, B.; Wei, X.; Bishop, K.; Blanco, J.A.; Gush, M.; Gyawali, D.; Jobbágy, E.; Lara, A.; Little, C.; Martin-Ortega, J.; Mukherji, A.; Murdiyarso, D.; Ovando Pol, P.; Sullivan, C.A.; Xu, J. (2019) Managing forests for both downstream and downwind water., Frontiers in Forests and Global Change, 2, Article No.64.
- Ovando P.; Beguería S.; Campos, P. (2019) Carbon sequestration or water yield? The effect of payments for ecosystem services on forest management decisions in Mediterranean forests., Water Resources and Economics, 28, Article No. 100119.
- Campos, P.; Caparros, A.; Oviedo, J.L.; Ovando, P.; Alvarez-Farizo, B.; Diaz-Balteiro, L.; Carranza, J.; Begueria, S.; Diaz, M.; Herruzo, A.C.; Martinez-Pena, F.; Solino, M.; Alvarez, A.; Martinez-Jauregui, M.; Pasalodos-Tato, M.; de Frutos, P.; Aldea, J.; Almazan, E.; Concepcion, E.D.; Mesa, B.; Romero, C.; Serrano-Notivoli, R.; Fernandez, C.; Torres-Porras, J.; Montero, G. (2019) Bridging the gap between national and ecosystem accounting application
in Andalusian Forests, Spain., Ecological Economics, 157, 218-236.
- Ovando, P.; Brouwer, R. (2019) A review of economic approaches modeling the complex interactions
between forest management and watershed services., Forest Policy and Economics, 100, 164-176.
Prior to appointment
- Classen, M.; Vira, B.; Xu, J.; Gyawali, D.; Martin-Ortega, J.; Ovando, P.; Creed, I.F.; Ellison, D.; McNulty, S.G.; Archer, E.; Sullivan, C.A. (2018) Current and future perspectives on forest-water goods and services., In: Creed, I.F. & van Noordwijk, M. (eds.). Forest and Water on a Changing Planet: Vulnerability, Adaptation and Governance Opportunities. A Global Assessment Report. IUFRO World Series Volume 38. Vienna, Austria, pp101-118.
- Ovando, P.; Caparrós, A.; Diaz-Balteiro, L.; Pasalodos, M.; Beguería, S.; Oviedo, J.L.; Montero, G.; Campos, P. (2017) Spatial valuation of forests’ environmental assets. An application to Andalusian silvopastoral farms., Land Economics, 93, 87-108.
- Ovando, P.; Campos, P.; Oviedo, J.L.; Caparrós, A. (2016) Ecosystem accounting for measuring total income in private and public agroforestry farms., Forest Policy and Economics, 71, 43-51.
- Ovando, P.; Campos, P.; Oviedo, J.L.; Montero, G. (2010) Private net benefits from afforesting marginal crop and shrublands with cork oaks in Spain., Forest Science, 56, 567-577.
- Caparrós, A.; Cerdá, E.; Ovando, P.; Campos, P. (2010) Carbon sequestration with reforestations and biodiversity-scenic values., Environmental and Resources Economics, 45. 49-72.
Technical / contract reports
- Stewart, G.B.; Glendell, M.; McMorran, R.; Troldborg, M.; Gagkas, Z.; Ovando, P.; Roberts, M.; Maynard, C.; Williams, A.; Clay, G.; Reed, M.S. (2021) Uplandia: making better policy in complex upland systems., Defra and Natural England Report, 68pp.
- Nisbet, T.; Andreucci, M.B.; De Vreese, R.; Hóghom, L.; Kay, S.; Kelly-Quinn, M.; Lyubenova, M.I.; Ovando, P.; Quinteiro, P.; Pérez Silos, I.; Valatin, G. (2021) Forest for water services: a step-by-step guide for payment schemes., User Manual 2021, Payments for Ecosystems Services, Forest Research, Surrey, 24pp.
- Ovando, P. (2021) Natural capital accounting approaches for land-based activities., Report on the James Hutton Institute, MDT Fellowship Webpage, February 2021, 76pp.
- Neilson, R.; Lilly, A.; Aitkenhead, M.; Artz, R.R.E.; Baggaley, N.; Giles, M.E.; Holland, J.; Loades, K.; Ovando Pol, P.; Rivington, M.; Roberts, M.; Yeluripati, J. (2020) Measuring the vulnerability of Scottish soils to a changing climate., ClimateXChange Report, 42pp.
- Atkinson, G.; Ovando, P. (2020) Distributional issues in natural capital accounting: An application to land ownership and ecosystem services in Scotland., Centre for Climate Change Economics and Policy Working Paper No. 382 and Grantham Research Institute on Climate Change and the Environment Working Paper No. 354. London School of Economics and Political Science, London, 38pp.
- Ovando, P. (2020) Application of the natural capital protocol at Glensaugh Farm., Report on James Hutton Institute webpage, 76pp.
Conference papers
- Martino, S.; Roberts, M.; Wooldridge, T.; Ovando Pol, P.; Moulliot, F.; Pernice, U.; Ortega, M.; Velea, R.; Laterza, R.; Moreira, B. (2022) Developing an Integrated Capitals Approach to Understanding Wildfire Vulnerability. Preliminary Considerations from a Literature Review, IX INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON FOREST FIRE RESEARCH & 17th International Wildland Fire Safety Summit, 11 – 18 November 2022, Coimbra, Portugal
- Wang, C.; Gimona, A.; Miller, D.; Wilkinson, M.; Ovando, P.; Wilkins , B.; Jiang, Y. (2022) Bringing more exploration and interaction to scenario modeling and data visualisation through 3D GIS and Virtual Reality, 30th Annual Geographical Information Science Research UK (GISRUK), 5th – 8th April 2022, Liverpool, United Kingdom
- Wang, C.; Gimona, A.; Miller, D.; Wilkinson, M.; Ovando, P.; Wilkins , B.; Jiang, Y. (2022) Bringing more exploration and interaction to scenario modeling and data visualisation through 3D GIS and Virtual Reality, 30th Annual Geographical Information Science Research UK (GISRUK), 5th – 8th April 2022, Liverpool, United Kingdom
- Ovando, P.; Speich, M. (2020) Optimal harvesting decision paths when timber and water have an economic value in uneven forest., 25th Annual Conference of the European Association of Environmental and Resource Economists (EAERE) Online Conference, Berlin, 23 June – 3 July 2020.
- Ovando. P.; Speich. M. (2020) Optimal harvesting decision paths when timber and water have an economic value in uneven forests, 25th European Association of Environmental and Resource Economists (EARE) Annual Conference, Berlin, 24-27 June 2020.
- Ovando, P.; Atkinson, G. (2020) Distributional issues in natural capital accounting: an application to landownership and ecosystem services in Scotland., European Association of Environmental and Resource Economist Conference (EAERE), Berlin, Germany, 24-27 June 2020.
- Ovando, P.; Rodríguez-Lucatero, C.; Olivera, M.; Atkinson, G. (2019) Forest management and natural capital with an application to Mediterranean silvopastoral systems. , 24th Annual Conference of the European Association of Environmental and Resource Economists (EAERE), Manchester, UK, 26-29 June 2019.
- Ovando, P.; Beguería, S.; Campos, P. (2018) Carbon sequestration or water yield? The effect of payments for ecosystem services on forest management decisions in Mediterranean forests., Spanish – Portuguese Association of Environmental and Natural Resources Economist (AERNA) 2018 Congress, Madrid, Spain. 3-5 September 2018.
- Ovando, P.; Speich, M. (2018) Optimal harvesting decision paths when timber and water have an economic value., ESP Regional Conference 2018. Ecosystem Services in a Changing World: Moving from theory to practice, San Sebastian, Spain, 15-19 October 2018.
Conference posters / abstracts
- Glendell, M.; Pawar, S.; Halliday, S.; Ovando, P. (2023) Evaluating Scotland’s future drought risk using the standardised precipitation and evapotranspiration index (SPEI) under UKCP18 scenarios, conference poster
- Glendell, M.; Pawar, S.; Halliday, S.; Ovando, P. (2023) Risks of Droughts and their Impacts on the Water Quality of Scottish Private Water Supplies, EGU General Assembly, 23-28 April 2023, Vienna, Austria
- Pawar, S.; Glendell, M.; Ovando Pol, P.; Halliday, S. (2023) Risks of droughts and their impacts on the water quality of Scottish Private Water Supplies, European Geosciences Union, 23-28 April 2023, Vienna
- Martino, S.; Rugani, B.; Begg, G.; Ovando Pol, P.; Ndlovu, T.; Petucco, C.; Petucco, C.; McHugh, N.; Simmons , A. (2022) Integrating Natural Capital in socioecological farm systems for gaining sustainability and wellbeing in EU farm clusters, Electronic booklet of the 4th ESP Europe Conference, 10-14 October 2022, Heraklion, Crete
- Martino, S.; Begg, G.; Ndlovu, T.; Rugani , B.; Petucco , C.; Ovando Pol, P.; McHugh, M.; Simmons, A. (2022) Integrating Natural Capital into socioecological farm systems for gaining sustainability and wellbeing in EU farm clusters, Hutton Annual Research Symposium 2022, 24 November 2022, Altens Hotel, Aberdeen.
- Atkinson, G.; Ovando, P. (2020) Distributional issues in natural capital accounting: an application to land ownership and ecosystem services in Scotland., 25th European Association of Environmental and Resource Economists (EAERE) Annual Conference, Berlin, Online, 24-27 June 2020. (Abstract)
- Ovando, P. (2019) MDT 2019 Lecture poster., 42nd T.B. Macaulay Lecture, Our Dynamic Earth, Edinburgh, 2 October 2019. Poster presentation.
- Ovando, P.; Baggio-Compagnucci, A.; Gimona, A. (2019) Forests for low carbon agriculture
Is woodland expansion an economically efficient alternative for
offsetting livestock farming GHG emissions?, The James Hutton Institute Annual Research Symposium, Dundee, 7 November 2019. (Poster)
- Ovando Pol, P. (2019) Integrating natural capital approaches into land-based business decision-making., 42nd TB Macaulay Lecture, Dynamic Earth, Edinburgh, 2 October 2019. (Poster)
- Ovando, P. (2018) Combining forces: links between the natural capital protocol applied to land-based business and sub-regional ecosystem accounts., 41st T.B. Macaulay Lecture, Our Dynamic Earth, Edinburgh, 3 October 2018. Poster presentation.
- Ovando, P. (2018) Combining forces: Links between the Natural Capital Protocol applied to land-based business and sub-regional ecosystem accounts., Macaulay Lecture, 2018, Edinburgh, 3 October 2018. Poster Session.
- Accastelo, C.J.; Abildtrup, M.B.; Andreucci, B.; Blagojevic, A.; Chikalanov, A.; El Mokaddem, J.; Fiqueron, S.; Garcia, M.; Gonzalez-Sanchis, C.; Giupponi, A.; Japelj, L.; Keca, D.; Little, M.; Lyubenova, T.; Nisbet, P.; Ovando, A.; Ovando, P.; Paletto, C.; Petucco, S.; Posavec, B. (2018) Assessing the cost-effectiveness of payments to woodland owners for water services., ESP Regional Conference 2018. Ecosystem Services in a Changing World: Moving from Theory to Practice, San Sebastian, Spain, 15-19 October 2018.
