Carina Keskitalo

I work 20% at the Landscape Studies subject area at the Department of Forest Resource Management at SLU Umeå, and have my main employment as Professor of Political Science at the Department of Geography at Umeå University. I act as a strategic research support and deputy representative for the subject area of Landscape Studies.

My main focus is on environmental social science. From this perspective, since 2003, I have worked with climate change adaptation and was vice chair of the government's climate adaptation council during its first term.

In relation to climate change adaptation and forests, I have studied insect outbreaks and invasive species, and am also a member of two IUFRO groups, on climate change adaptation in forests and forest health. Part of this work was carried out within the Future Forests research programme, which was co-funded by MISTRA and for which I was one of the main applicants in the first application. I have also led research programmes within Mistra (Mistra Arctic Sustainable Development) that have included forests, and in landscape studies at SLU led a Formas strong research area PLURAL focused on the new forest owner.

I have also worked with research support to decision-makers as a member of the European Commission's Group of Chief Scientific Advisors and later in evaluations of the Commission's research center JRC.

At SLU I have amongst others led a FORMAS strong research programme on the new forest owners (PLURAL, 25 MSEK). Some of the information from this programme is included in the Northportal stakeholder portal (link below).