research

Simon Bell

PhD,F.I.C.For, M.L.I.

Forester, Landscape Architect and Author

Curriculum Vitae

Publications

Research

Services

Research

As Associate Director, OPENspace Research Centre, Simon is engaged in a number of research areas.

1. Local use of woodlands in Central Scotland. This project, funded by the Forestry Commission, sought to discover the motivational factors about peoples uses of woodlands near towns. Using focus groups, structured questionnaires and observation of activities in woodlands as well as investigating the characteristics of the woodlands themselves, guidance for managers was developed. Simon worked as part of a team and coordinated the project and the final report. The results were published in 2004.

2. Modelling of airflow through semi-permable objects. This projects, funded for 3 years through the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council was undertaken together with Dr Fan Wang of Heriot Watt University. It seeks to model airflow through trees so that, together with the airflow models around buildings, it will be possible to optimise the placing of trees in built spaces for shelter and wind modification.

3. The social value of nature in the East Midlands.This was a project undertaken for English Nature, to explore the relationships people have with different types of green space. This included focus groups and a questionnaire survey. The results were published in January 2004.

4. Landscape change, landscape perception and the Latvian countryside. This project was funded by the British Academy and involved working with Latvian researchers. The project included focus groups, a questionnaire survey and analysis of landscape change in several rural areas in Latvia. Simon's PhD was based on the paperspublished from this project.

5. COST Action E33 Forest Recreation and Nature Tourism. This European funded project to enable networking amongst expertd from throughout Europe. Simon was the chair of this action, which started in 2004 and ran for 4 years, finishing in June 2008.

6. Research mapping project for the Department of Communities and Local Government. This project was meta-research anfd involved exploring research on green and public space according to different space types and fresearch themes in order to look for gaps. A searchable database was also developed.

7. COST Action E39 Trees, woods and human health and well-being. This is another Cost action that started in 2004 and was completed in 2008. Simon was on one of the working groups looking at physical and mental health.

8. COST Action E42 Valuable broadleaved trees. This third Cost action also started in 2004 and was completed in 2008. Simon was leader of a working group on environmental impacts.

9. Access to the Countryside by Deaf Visitors. This is a research project carried out for Scottish Natural Heritage, exploring the difficulties experienced by deaf people and developing recommendations for improved practice.

10. PLUREL. This is a large EU-funded integrated project, part of the EU 6th framework of research, running for 4 years from January 2007. Simon and colleagues are working on several aspects including quality iof life indicators. More information can be found at www.plurel.net

11. Access to forests by disabled people. This was a project for the Forestry Commission which looked a a number of aspects of recreation access, knowledge by managers, the requirements of legislation and good practice.

Research prior to OPENspace

As Chief Landscape Architect for the Forestry Commission, Simon was involved in research from the point of view of commissioning work from other researchers. Several projects have been completed which Simon continued to look after after he left the Forestry Commission:

1.Evaluating the potential of applied landscape ecology for forest design.

This is building on the work started in the USA and Canada, testing how it might apply to British conditions. The work has involved researchers at the Forest Research Agency and has supported 2 PhD studentships. Two study areas have been used, Glen Affric in Scotland, where modelling of landscape scale potential natural forest patterns and processes is being undertaken, and the PhD in forest ecological modelling is based at the University of Stirling. The second area is Sherwood Forest in England, where landscape ecology and social perceptions are being combined in a GIS based object-orientated modelling programme by a PhD student at the University of Nottingham. A book presenting the results was published in late 2003.

2. Public participation in forest landscape planning

This project, called "Crossplan", is funded by the European Union within the Northern Periphery Programme, under Article 10 of the ERDF. it takes place in cooperation with researchers in Finland, Sweden and Norway. Study areas have been used and different approaches to public participation tested as a piece of action research. The project commenced in March 1999 and finishes in September 2001. A publication covering the project as a whole, comparing each country's work was produced in 2001 while a number of national publications also emerged, that for Scotland being published in 2003.

3. Applied Landscape Ecological Planning in Latvia

This project, funded by the British Foreigh and Commonwealth Office and managed by the Forestry Commission, aims to test the application of landscape ecological principles. A study area, the district of Taurene, was chosen and a workshop led by Simon Bell presented in Riga in Latvia in October 2000. From this the applicability is being evaluated and a publication in Latvian and English is in preparation.

4. Valuing non-market benefits of forestry. The Forestry Commission is undertaking a wide ranging project to evaluate all benefits of forestry. Simon was involved in the area of landscape, helping to develop a series of scenarios to be tested using a choice experiment (CE)

	Simon Bell PhD,F.I.C.For, M.L.I. Forester, Landscape Architect and Author
Curriculum Vitae Publications Research Services	Research As Associate Director, OPENspace Research Centre, Simon is engaged in a number of research areas. 1. Local use of woodlands in Central Scotland. This project, funded by the Forestry Commission, sought to discover the motivational factors about peoples uses of woodlands near towns. Using focus groups, structured questionnaires and observation of activities in woodlands as well as investigating the characteristics of the woodlands themselves, guidance for managers was developed. Simon worked as part of a team and coordinated the project and the final report. The results were published in 2004. 2. Modelling of airflow through semi-permable objects. This projects, funded for 3 years through the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council was undertaken together with Dr Fan Wang of Heriot Watt University. It seeks to model airflow through trees so that, together with the airflow models around buildings, it will be possible to optimise the placing of trees in built spaces for shelter and wind modification. 3. The social value of nature in the East Midlands.This was a project undertaken for English Nature, to explore the relationships people have with different types of green space. This included focus groups and a questionnaire survey. The results were published in January 2004. 4. Landscape change, landscape perception and the Latvian countryside. This project was funded by the British Academy and involved working with Latvian researchers. The project included focus groups, a questionnaire survey and analysis of landscape change in several rural areas in Latvia. Simon's PhD was based on the paperspublished from this project. 5. COST Action E33 Forest Recreation and Nature Tourism. This European funded project to enable networking amongst expertd from throughout Europe. Simon was the chair of this action, which started in 2004 and ran for 4 years, finishing in June 2008. 6. Research mapping project for the Department of Communities and Local Government. This project was meta-research anfd involved exploring research on green and public space according to different space types and fresearch themes in order to look for gaps. A searchable database was also developed. 7. COST Action E39 Trees, woods and human health and well-being. This is another Cost action that started in 2004 and was completed in 2008. Simon was on one of the working groups looking at physical and mental health. 8. COST Action E42 Valuable broadleaved trees. This third Cost action also started in 2004 and was completed in 2008. Simon was leader of a working group on environmental impacts. 9. Access to the Countryside by Deaf Visitors. This is a research project carried out for Scottish Natural Heritage, exploring the difficulties experienced by deaf people and developing recommendations for improved practice. 10. PLUREL. This is a large EU-funded integrated project, part of the EU 6th framework of research, running for 4 years from January 2007. Simon and colleagues are working on several aspects including quality iof life indicators. More information can be found at www.plurel.net 11. Access to forests by disabled people. This was a project for the Forestry Commission which looked a a number of aspects of recreation access, knowledge by managers, the requirements of legislation and good practice. Research prior to OPENspace As Chief Landscape Architect for the Forestry Commission, Simon was involved in research from the point of view of commissioning work from other researchers. Several projects have been completed which Simon continued to look after after he left the Forestry Commission: 1.Evaluating the potential of applied landscape ecology for forest design. This is building on the work started in the USA and Canada, testing how it might apply to British conditions. The work has involved researchers at the Forest Research Agency and has supported 2 PhD studentships. Two study areas have been used, Glen Affric in Scotland, where modelling of landscape scale potential natural forest patterns and processes is being undertaken, and the PhD in forest ecological modelling is based at the University of Stirling. The second area is Sherwood Forest in England, where landscape ecology and social perceptions are being combined in a GIS based object-orientated modelling programme by a PhD student at the University of Nottingham. A book presenting the results was published in late 2003. 2. Public participation in forest landscape planning This project, called "Crossplan", is funded by the European Union within the Northern Periphery Programme, under Article 10 of the ERDF. it takes place in cooperation with researchers in Finland, Sweden and Norway. Study areas have been used and different approaches to public participation tested as a piece of action research. The project commenced in March 1999 and finishes in September 2001. A publication covering the project as a whole, comparing each country's work was produced in 2001 while a number of national publications also emerged, that for Scotland being published in 2003. 3. Applied Landscape Ecological Planning in Latvia This project, funded by the British Foreigh and Commonwealth Office and managed by the Forestry Commission, aims to test the application of landscape ecological principles. A study area, the district of Taurene, was chosen and a workshop led by Simon Bell presented in Riga in Latvia in October 2000. From this the applicability is being evaluated and a publication in Latvian and English is in preparation. 4. Valuing non-market benefits of forestry. The Forestry Commission is undertaking a wide ranging project to evaluate all benefits of forestry. Simon was involved in the area of landscape, helping to develop a series of scenarios to be tested using a choice experiment (CE)