Dr Roger Auster

Office hours

Please email in advance to request an appointment.

 

In term two, bookable office hours are available on:

  • Tuesdays, 1.30-2.30pm, In Person*
  • Fridays, 1.30-2.30pm, Online

 

Please note, there will be no office hours on Friday 21st or Tuesday 25th March as I will be away with the final year field course to Freiburg.

About me
Roger is a Lecturer in Environmental Social Science, based in the Centre for Resilience in Environment, Water and Waste. His research specialisms are in the human dimensions of species reintroduction, environmental resilience, and nature-based solutions.

Roger has extensive research experience in the human dimensions of reintroductions, most notable Eurasian beaver (Castor fiber) reintroduction in England - including studies of potential opportunities, conflicts, and societal views of beaver reintroduction and management. Roger was primary contributor of social science for the nationally recognised River Otter Beaver Trial as a member of the Science & Evidence Forum, which collaboratively produced the final Science & Evidence Report. He also completed a research project for Natural England capturing lessons from adaptive Beaver Management Groups in Devon, and more recently has undertaken social feasibility studies on a pine marten reintroduction, and the possibility of reintroducing wildcats in the south-west.

Drawing on this experience, Roger defined the concept of Renewed Coexistence as "...coexistence that is specifically associated with a reintroduced species, thereby one which was present in the landscape historically, but which will likely be a ‘new’ presence for the humans living in the locality post-release".

Roger also led an EU Interreg funded work package to develop a model for the engagement of communities and stakeholders in coastal adaptation and landscape change projects, learning from the Lower Otter Restoration Project (Devon, UK) and Saâne Territorial Project (Normandy, France). The work package was part of the wider EU Interreg Cross-Channel 'Promoting Adaptation to Changing Coasts' initiative, which as a whole was a €27million project to develop a transferable model for coastal adaptation and to influence policy makers at national and EU level.

He enjoys outdoor swimming.


Qualifications

PhD: Renewed Coexistence: Human dimensions of reintroducing Eurasian beaver (Castor fiber) into England

MSc Conservation Science & Policy

BSc (Hons) Zoology

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