MR JASPER KENTER The University of Aberdeen School Of Biological Sciences Research PG pref jasper.kenter@abdn.ac.uk pref Tel + 44 1224 274165 (ACES) / 274424 (Oceanlab) Fax + 44 1224 274402 Post: Oceanlab, Main Street, Newburgh, Scotland, AB41 6AA Email: jasper.kenter@abdn.ac.uk Follow @JasperKenter

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Biography

My main interests lie in ecological and environmental economics, as I am pursuing a PhD at the Aberdeen Centre for Environmental Sustainability (ACES) and Oceanlab, the University of Aberdeen’s marine science research institute. I am also project manager for the UK National Ecosystem Assessment Shared Values working group and jointly leading and administrating the BRIDGE project within the NERC Valuing Nature Network. I teach at the University of St Andrews as a visting lecturer on the Sustainable Development program. Finally, I am a board member of the European Society for Ecological Economics.

I have a BSc (1st class hons) in Countryside Conservation from Aberystwyth University, where I also developed a background in environmental valuation. For my ongoing cross-disciplinary research in the Solomon Islands on environmental values, I have received prizes from the European Society for Ecological Economics, the Society for Conservation Biology, and the Geographical Field Group. Before moving to the UK, I worked as an environmental campaigner in the Netherlands, Iceland and elsewhere.

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Research Interests

• Monetary and non-monetary valuation of biodiversity and ecosystem services, particularly deliberative valuation
• Shared and social values of nature
• The relationship between environmental values and behaviour
• Participatory action research
• System dynamics and mediated modelling
• Social learning
• Local impacts of globalisation on natural and social capital
• Environmental ethics
• The relationship between environment, spirituality and wellbeing
• Sustainable international development

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Current Research

My cross-disciplinary PhD focuses on developing novel participatory and deliberative methods for monetary valuation of ecosystem services. I am working with the RSPB on valuing coastal ecosystem services in the Firth of Forth (north of Edinburgh). My other case study is on coastal tropical rainforest services in the Solomon Islands, where my research links into wider issues in relation to sustainable development, rainforest conservation and the impacts of economic globalisation.

The NEA Shared, Cultural and Plural Values project (funded by Defra/NERC/ESRC/AHRC) aims to establish a clear understanding of shared values in the context of valuing nature and provide a means to assess these for decision-making at multiple scales. Its focus is on developing effective monetary and non-monetary deliberative valuation methods that account for shared, plural and cultural values of the environment; and on delivering empirical results that contrast shared values with individual values elicited through conventional non-deliberative valuation techniques. Case studies will deliver practical, widely transferable methods for assessing shared values and provide empirical evidence that clarifies the relationship between individual, aggregated individual and shared values; and the role of deliberation and social learning in shaping shared values. These will include a local, terrestrial project appraisal case study and a national scale marine case study.

The Value of UK marine protected areas is one of the main case studies of the NEA project. Working with the Marine Conservation Society, British Sub-Aqua Club and the Angling Trust, we are looking at the monetary and non-monetary values of divers and sea anglers for over 150 potential MPA sites across England and Scotland feeding directly into the English and Scottish decision-making processes. We are using a two stage approach, first assessing individual values using an elaborate online survey and then assessing shared values using deliberative monetary valuation and multi-criteria analysis non-monetary valuation workshops.

VNN Bridge, a one year scoping project part of the NERC Valuing Nature Network, is investigating two questions around the science-policy interface: How should valuation be improved if valuation evidence is to be more effectively integrated into decision-making; and what are the obstacles that limit uptake of valuation evidence by decision-makers and what research is needed to address these? In terms of the supply of valuation evidence, we are focusing particularly on two areas which lie in my main interest: understanding social values in relation to the environment; and the potential for deliberative, participatory and social learning approaches to improve the quality and legitimacy of environmental valuation.

Recently I also contributed to an SWT/IUCN-commissioned review (led by R Artz, James Hutton Institute) on the implications of a changing climate on lowland raised bogs in Scotland, working on costs and benefits of different scenarios in carbon terms, and to the VNN Stocks and Flows project (led by L Jones, CEH Bangor).

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Collaborations

I am leading the NEA Shared Values project jointly with Mark Reed (Birmingham City); the management team also includes Liz O'Brien (Forest Research) and Katherine Irvine (De Montford University). Our Aberdeen team includes Niels Jobstvogt, Ros Bryce, Althea Davies, Audrey Verna, Rosie McDonald and Michelle Pinard (all at ACES/Biological Sciences), and Verity Watson and Mandy Ryan (both Health Economics).

I am jointly leading BRIDGE with Mike Christie (Aberystwyth) and Duncan Russell (Exeter), the core management team also includes Ioan Fazey and Andrew Jordan (UEA).

My PhD Supervisors include Michelle Pinard (ACES and Biological Sciences, Aberdeen), Mark Reed (Birmingham City University), Mandy Ryan (Health Economics, Aberdeen) and Ioan Fazey (Geography, St Andrews).

I am also collaborating with a number of PhD students at the Aberdeen Institute of Medical Sciences on a flagship doctoral leadership training program funded by the Medical Research Council.

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Research Grants

• 2012-13 Reed, M., (PI), Kenter, J. (Project manager; lead proposal writing and brought the team together), Fazey, I. (Co-I), Brady, E. (Co-I) O’Brien, L. (Co-I), Christie, M. (Co-I), Cooper, N. (Co-I), Church, A., (Co-I), Everard, M. (Co-I), Fish, R. (Co-I), Hockley, N. (Co-I), Holland, A. (Co-I), Irvine, K. (Co-I), Ravenscroft, N. (Co-I), Ryan, M. (Co-I), Waylen, K. (Co-I). National Ecosystem Assessment: Shared, cultural and plural values. DEFRA/NERC/EHRC/AHRC (£200k).
• 2011-12 Christie, M. (PI), Kenter, J. (Co-I & project manager), Russel, D. (Co-I), Fazey, I. (Co-I), Jordan, A. (Co-I) and others (Co-I). BRIDGE: bridging the gap between the supply of and demand for valuation evidence. NERC (£50k) through Valuing Nature Network. Jointly led proposal writing and brought team together with Christie and Russel.
• 2010-14 NERC full PhD Studentship
• Various small grants including Geographical Field Group Award (Dudley Stamp Memorial Fund) (£500, 2012); Sir Maitland Mackie award (£267, 2012) WAC Travel award (£500, 2009 and 2011); Royal Economic Society Conference presenter grant (£200, 2011); XminusY grant for employing research assistants (£400, 2009).

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Teaching Responsibilities

University of St Andrews 2011-2013:

• Visiting lecturer on SD2002 Sustainable Development: Social and Economic Topics (responsible for lecture series on environmental and ecological economics).

University of Aberdeen 2012-2013:

Lecturing:

• EK5506 Ecology and Society (MSc)
• SX1504 Natural World (6th Century module)
• SX1012 Sustainable International Development (6th Century module) (on development economics)
• BI1508 Ecology and environmental science (1st year) (on ecosystem services)

 

Past responsibilities:

University of Aberdeen 2011-2012:

Tutoring or demonstrating:

• SX1504 Natural World (6th Century module)
• CLSM Graduate school - More Advanced Statistics (PhD students)
• BI5009 Experimental Design and Analyses (MSc/MRes)

University of Aberdeen 2010 - 2011:

Lecturing:

• ZO4537 Conservation and global change (4th year)

Tutoring or demonstrating:

• ZO3303 Animal population ecology (3rd year)
• BI2505 Conservation biology (2nd year)
• BI1508 Ecology and environmental science (1st year)

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External Responsibilities

• Board member / student representative for the European Society for Ecological Economics (ESEE)
• Reviewer for Conservation Biology, Marine Ecology Progress Series, Journal of Ethnobiology and Ethnomedicine and Wetlands.

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Admin Responsibilities

• Coordinator ACES informal seminar program
• Research postgraduate convenor for College of Life Sciences and Medicine.
• Member of:
  • Aberdeen University Senate
  • Research ethics and governance committee
  • CLSM college council and postgraduate committee
  • AUSA Education Committee
  • Joint AUSA/UCU PG & casualised working group (chair)
  • School of Biological Sciences Staff Student Liaison Committee for research postgraduates

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Publications

Peer-reviewed journals

• Fazey, I., Pettorelli, N., Kenter, J.O., Wagatora, D., Schuett, D. (2011) Vulnerability and maladaptation in Makira, Solomon Islands. Global Environmental Change 21 (4), 1275-1289. DOI 10.1016/j.gloenvcha.2011.07.006.
• Kenter, J.O., Hyde, T., Christie, M., Fazey, I. (2011). The importance of deliberation in valuing ecosystem services – evidence from the Solomon Islands. Global Environmental Change21 (2), 505-521. DOI 10.1016/j.gloenvcha.2011.01.001.
• Christie, M., Fazey, I., Cooper, R., Hyde, T., Kenter, J.O. (2012). An Evaluation of Monetary and Non-monetary Techniques for Assessing the Importance of Biodiversity to People in Developing Countries. Ecological Economics 83, 69-80
• Reed, M.S., Kenter, J.O., Bonn, A., Broad, K., Burgess, P., Fazey, I.R., Fraser, E.D.G., Hubacek, K.,, Nainggolan, D., Roberts, P., Quinn, C.H., Stringer, L.C., Thorpe, S., Walton, D.D.,, Ravera, F., Redpath, S. (in press) Participatory Scenario Development for Environmental Management: A Methodological Framework. Journal of Environmental Management.

Reports

• Artz, R.R.E., Donnelly, D., Cuthbert, A., Evans, C., Smart, S., Reed, M., Kenter, J. and Clark, J. (2012) Review of the Implications of a Changing Climate on the Lowland Raised Bog Condition in Scotland. Report to the IUCN Peatland Committee & the Scottish Wildlife Trust. James Hutton Institute, Aberdeen.

Invited presentations

• Kenter, J.O. (2013 forthcoming) Opening speech for ESEE 2013 Summer School, University of Reims, France.
• Kenter, J.O. (2012) Valuing the Inner Forth landscape - interactions between society, environment and economy. Forth Estuary Conference, Rosyth, 12 Jan 2012.
• Kenter, J.O. (2012 forthcoming) Interactions between ecosystem services, culture, change and wellbeing: a case study from the Solomon Islands. Conservation and human wellbeing: Integrating local voices into natural resource management. Zoological Society of London, London, 10-12-2012. 

Other conference papers and presentations

• Kenter, J.O., Davies, T. Fazey, I. (2012) The importance of understanding system dynamics for community resilience and sustainability: a case study from the Solomon Islands. Ecocultures conference, Colchester, April 18-19.
• Kenter, J.O., Fazey, I., Davies, T. (2011) The dynamics of cash cropping, culture and conflict in Kahua, Solomon Islands. ACES Conservation Conflicts Conference, Aberdeen, 19-24 August 2011.
• Davies, T., Kenter, J.O., Fazey, I. (2011) Poverty and ecosystem services: a case-study from the Solomon Islands. ACES Conservation Conflicts Conference, Aberdeen, 19-24 August 2011.
• Kenter, J.O. (2011) Towards interdisciplinarity in valuing nature - environmental values in ethics, psychology, traditional knowledge and economics. European Society for Ecological Economics Summer School, Bogazici University, Istanbul, 11-14 June 2011.
• Kenter, J.O., Fazey, I., Christie, M., Hyde, T. (2011) The importance of deliberation in valuing ecosystem services in developing countries - evidence from the Solomon Islands.

• Applied Environmental Economics Conference, Royal Society, London, 4th March 2011. 
• Environment Camp, University of Stirling, March 31st - April 1st, 2011 
• European Society for Ecological Economics Conference, Istanbul, 14-17 June 2011.

Magazines and professional publications

• Kenter, J.O. (2011). Finding nature's value in the South Pacific. AU Science Magazine, Autumn 2011.

• Kenter, J.O. (2011) Advancing sustainability in a time of crisis, Stapledon Society Bulletin8, 26-27.

• McGinlay, J., Kenter, J.O., Davies, A. (2011). Crossing disciplines for conservation. Bulletin of the British Ecological Society, March 2011.

• Kenter, J.O. (2010) Environmental values and resource change in Kahua, Solomon Islands, Stapledon Society Bulletin, 7, 14-23.

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Awards and prizes

• Geographical Field Group award, Dudley Stamp Memorial Fund, 2012
• Best student paper, European Society for Ecological Economics, 2011
• 1st Student spotlight award for best student research, Society for Conservation Biology Europe section, 2011
• Stapledon prize for best honours student in the Institute of Biological, Environmental and Rural Sciences, Aberystwyth University, 2010.

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