Jonathan Rahn

I have been a PhD student at the Department of Urban and Rural Development since autumn 2022. Previously, I completed a master’s in environmental history at Uppsala University. My background, however, is in the natural sciences and I originally studied physics, but after a few years I realized that what truly engages me are the major societal questions—how we as a society should respond to the climate crisis and the rapid loss of biodiversity. I therefore changed direction and am now a PhD student at a social science department with a focus on rural development. For me, research is not just about technology, but just as much about people’s experiences, collaboration, and the possibilities to create change together.

My research examines pathways toward sustainable forestry governance in Sweden, with a particular interest in how local initiatives can influence broader forest management practices in response to climate change and biodiversity challenges. Centered on the collaborative forestry experiment in Tiveden—a large-scale initiative experimenting with clear-cut-free forestry—I explore the conditions under which local stakeholders successfully negotiate sustainable forestry practices with institutional actors, such as the state-owned forestry company Sveaskog. This case study highlights the interaction between local innovation, administrative structures, and hybrid governance models in advancing environmentally sustainable practices.

Through qualitative and ethnographic research methods, I investigate how rural communities engage with and navigate modern forestry governance systems. My work underscores the importance, but also potential of integrating local experiences, experiments and innovations into broader policy frameworks. Additionally, I emphasize that transitioning to sustainable forestry involves not only policy or management decisions but also the practical, material aspects of implementing alternative forestry practices, including the development of appropriate tools, skills, and technical infrastructure.