51cg

People

Dr Emma Cary

Dr Emma Cary
Dr Emma Cary
Dr Emma Cary

MCIEEM

Honorary Research Fellow

51cg
Email Address
emma.cary@abdn.ac.uk
School/Department
School of Geosciences





Biography

Social scientist with research interests in biodiversity conservation, environmental policy and interdisciplinary collaborations to improve conservation outcomes.

I have a PhD in environmental decision-making from the Department of Geography & Environment, 51cg. I was previously a Nuffield Parliamentary Fellow, bridging scientific research and policymaking. 

Qualifications

  • PhD Geography 
    2025 - 51cg 

    Decision-making in rewilding, restoration and nature recovery 

External Memberships

 

Latest Publications

  • Making the Transition Work: The Hidden Labour of Nature-Recovery Farming

    Hawkins, A., Glentworth, J., Cary, E., Bennett, E., Hammond, C., Webb, S.
    Environmental Management: Economics and Policy
    Contributions to Journals: Articles
    • [ONLINE] DOI:

  • Evidence for nature recovery

    Day, S., Wentworth, J., Cary, E.
    Contributions to Specialist Publications: Reports
    • [ONLINE] DOI:

  • Digital nature in the AI era: how human and AI-generated representations shape future visions of rewilding

    Wartmann, F., Cary, E.
    People and Nature, vol. 8, no. 4, pp. 919-934
    Contributions to Journals: Articles
    • [ONLINE] DOI:
    • [OPEN ACCESS]

  • Guerrilla rewilding: urgent protest or dangerous gamble? Who is releasing lynx and beavers into the countryside? And what impact is it having on ecosystems?

    Glentworth, J., Cary, E., Gilchrist, A., Thornhill, I.
    Biologist, vol. 73
    Contributions to Specialist Publications: Articles
    • [ONLINE]

  • Integrating people and place into policy: recognising cultural values of nature and lived places for Biodiversity Net Gain

    Wartmann, F., Cary, E.
    Commissioned by The British Academy. The British Academy. 31 pages
    Books and Reports: Commissioned Reports
    • [ONLINE] DOI:
    • [OPEN ACCESS]

View My Publications

Prizes and Awards

Winner of the SAGES Graduate School '' under the Transformations in Society and Environmental Policy Theme

Research

Research Overview

My research concentrates on using social science to improve biodiversity and conservation outcomes. I am interested in diverse interactions between people and nature, including decisions around how land is used and managed.

My research interests include:

  • investigating how knowledge is produced and used in environmental decision-making processes
  • understanding local conditions in restoration, rewilding and nature recovery initiatives 
  • exploring the socio-cultural aspects of human-wildlife coexistence, including the diverse ways in which people understand, interact with and value nature.

I also have an interest in science-policy-society interactions.

 

 

Research Areas

Geography and Environment

View Research Area

Research Specialisms

  • Social Sciences
  • Biodiversity Conservation
  • Environmental Geography
  • Environmental Management
  • Applied Social Science

Our research specialisms are based on the Higher Education Classification of Subjects (HECoS) which is , published under the licence.

Current Research

2024 - 2026 Nature Recovery Farming: Supporting the Transition

This project is led by , working with farmers and other land managers in South Yorkshire and the Peak District to understand their experiences of accessing funding for land management that supports nature’s recovery.

Past Research

2022 - 2025 Understanding stakeholder decision-making for ecological restoration, rewilding and nature recovery initiatives

This project investigated environmental decision-making processes in ecological restoration, rewilding and nature recovery projects. Funded by via QUADRAT DTP.

Knowledge Exchange

I was previously a Nuffield Parliamentary Fellow in the Parliamentary Office of Science and Technology, bridging scientific research and policymaking.

Outputs from my fellowship are available .

Funding and Grants

2025 - British Academy, 'Place-sensitive understandings of nature recovery in the UK', contributing to the Academy's public policy theme on

2024 - Nuffield Foundation POST Fellowship,

2023 - SAGES Small Grant

2022 - NERC QUADRAT studentship, 51cg

2022 - NERC PANORAMA studentship, University of Leeds (declined)

Publications

Page 1 of 1 Results 1 to 15 of 15

  • Making the Transition Work: The Hidden Labour of Nature-Recovery Farming

    Hawkins, A., Glentworth, J., Cary, E., Bennett, E., Hammond, C., Webb, S.
    Environmental Management: Economics and Policy
    Contributions to Journals: Articles
    • [ONLINE] DOI:

  • Evidence for nature recovery

    Day, S., Wentworth, J., Cary, E.
    Contributions to Specialist Publications: Reports
    • [ONLINE] DOI:

  • Digital nature in the AI era: how human and AI-generated representations shape future visions of rewilding

    Wartmann, F., Cary, E.
    People and Nature, vol. 8, no. 4, pp. 919-934
    Contributions to Journals: Articles
    • [ONLINE] DOI:
    • [OPEN ACCESS]

  • Guerrilla rewilding: urgent protest or dangerous gamble? Who is releasing lynx and beavers into the countryside? And what impact is it having on ecosystems?

    Glentworth, J., Cary, E., Gilchrist, A., Thornhill, I.
    Biologist, vol. 73
    Contributions to Specialist Publications: Articles
    • [ONLINE]

  • Integrating people and place into policy: recognising cultural values of nature and lived places for Biodiversity Net Gain

    Wartmann, F., Cary, E.
    Commissioned by The British Academy. The British Academy. 31 pages
    Books and Reports: Commissioned Reports
    • [ONLINE] DOI:
    • [OPEN ACCESS]

  • Sally Hawkins, Ian Convery, Steve Carver and Rene Beyers (eds.), ‘Routledge Handbook of Rewilding’

    Cary, E., Wartmann, F.
    Journal for the Study of Religion, Nature and Culture, vol. 19, no. 1-2, pp. 1-2
    Contributions to Journals: Reviews of Books, Films and Articles
    • [ONLINE] DOI:
    • [OPEN ACCESS]

  • Can we learn from the UK’s guerrilla rewilding movement?

    Glentworth, J., Cary, E., Gilchrist, A., Thornhill, I.
    Oryx, vol. 59, no. 5, pp. 592 - 602
    Contributions to Journals: Articles
    • [ONLINE] DOI:
    • [OPEN ACCESS]
    • [ONLINE]

  • Five critical questions we should ask of rewilding projects—And that social science can help us answer

    Cary, E., Jones, K., Thomas, V., Brieghel, S., Payo-Payo, A., Wartmann, F.
    People and Nature, vol. 7, no. 9, pp. 2119-2135
    Contributions to Journals: Articles
    • [ONLINE] DOI:
    • [OPEN ACCESS]

  • Housing: demographic and environmental trends

    Webb, L., Cary, E.
    Working Papers: Working Papers
    • [ONLINE] DOI:

  • Understanding decision-making in British restoration and rewilding initiatives: a science-driven or selective approach?

    Cary, E., Wartmann, F.
    Rethinking Wild Europe: European Perspectives on Wilderness, Rewilding and Biodiversity Conservation, pp. 5
    Contributions to Conferences: Abstracts
    • [ONLINE]
    • [ONLINE]

  • Children's wellbeing in schools

    Cary, E., Webb, L.
    UK Parliament
    Books and Reports: Commissioned Reports
    • [ONLINE] DOI:
    • [OPEN ACCESS]
    • [ONLINE]

  • Emotions shape attitudes towards wolf conservation management in the Italian Alps

    Trebo, S., Cary, E., Wartmann, F.
    European Journal of Wildlife Research, vol. 71, 7
    Contributions to Journals: Articles
    • [ONLINE] DOI:
    • [OPEN ACCESS]

  • Rewilding in the British policy landscape: A qualitative analysis of policy documents related to rewilding

    Cary, E., Wartmann, F.
    Scottish Geographical Journal, vol. 141, no. 1-2, pp. 113-138
    Contributions to Journals: Articles
    • [ONLINE] DOI:
    • [OPEN ACCESS]
    • [ONLINE]

  • Rewilding concepts, policy and practice: investigating knowledge integration and decision-making in British rewilding initiatives

    Cary, E.
    Wild Scotland: Interdisciplinary perspectives on the challenges and opportunities of rewilding
    Contributions to Conferences: Abstracts

  • Exploring knowledge production and integration in UK rewilding initiatives

    Cary, E., Wartmann, F.
    The XXIXth European Society for Rural Sociology Congress, pp. 483
    Contributions to Conferences: Abstracts
    • [ONLINE]

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