Region Värmland has granted SEK 1.2 million to CSR for the project “Forests as resources and opportunities in regional development.” This two-year project commences at the start of 2019. The aim is to contribute knowledge that can be used to further develop skills in the regional innovation system for transition to a sustainable forest-based bioeconomy.
Climate and environmental changes increase the demands on forestry resources at the same time as more actors and concerns are competing for the same resources. The increased demand for forest-based biomass could affect biodiversity and the environment at local and regional levels.
“There is increased discussion in which different concerned are pitted against each other – land ownership, forestry, leisure and environmental values. Therefore researchers, businesses, public agencies and civil actors have to work together to manage the transition to a more sustainable society. In this project we will also do international comparative studies,” says Margareta Dahlström, professor of Human Geography, director of CRS, and manager of the new research project.
This new research project is a continuation of earlier projects that have indicated a need for further knowledge on the opportunities and challenges of the forest-based bioeconomy. This project will involve more extensive collaboration with traditional actors in the innovation system, such as companies, clusters, higher education institutions and other research institutes. The project will also involve more actors, including outdoor associations, district societies and other civil actors. CRS’s new postdoctoral researcher, Diana Morales-Arcila, will be working on the project from 1 January 2019. Karlstad University co-funds the project, which has a total budget of SEK 2.5 million.
There is already a well-developed partnership with the cluster organisation Paper Province and the Interreg-funded project Ingoskog – Innovation for green transition in the forest.
The “Forests as resources and opportunities in regional development” project is part of the Academy for Smart Specialisation, a partnership between Karlstad University and Region Värmland for the period 2016–2020.
