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Chair of Forest and Environmental Policy

Faculty of Environment and Natural Resources

Chair of Forest and Environmental Policy

Abkürzung der Fakultät für Umwelt und Natürliche Ressourcen "unr" in der Farbe sand auf grünem, kreisförmigen Hintergrund

We carry out research and academic education within the field of forest and environmental policy. Our work is placed in applied social sciences covering forest-, climate-, water- and nature conservation policy at different policy levels. We are in particular interested in issues relevant for different political sectors, such as sustainability or bioeconomy.

Latest News

Job announcement

Application for PhD position open until January 20, 2026.

The Cluster of Excellence „Future Forests – Adapting complex social-ecological forest systems to global change“ of the University of Freiburg (Germany) invites applications for a broad set of PhD. At the chair Forest and Environmental Policy we announce a PhD position in the project “Decision-making practices in the case of anticipated disturbances: following institutionalized structures in forest Social-Ecological Systems governance” (instDMP).
We are seeking candidates who hold a Master’s degree (or equivalent) in Political or Social Sciences, Sociology, Human Geography, Environmental Governance, Anthropology, or a closely related field with a strong interest in forest-human relationship; or in Forest Sciences with a strong focus on societal and political perspectives. Applying a qualitative and co-production-oriented methodology in the Upper Rhine and Black Forest region, the PhD project will investigate decision-making practices in forest risk management “following institutions”.
For questions, contact sylvia.kruse@ifp.uni-freiburg.de. 
Deadline: January 20, 2026

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Project Update

DIANA project – Understanding forest ownership and shaping future options

Within the research project DIANA – “In Dialogue for New Opportunities for Forest Owners”, a
subproject at the Chair of Forest and Environmental Policy explores the diversity of forest ownership in Baden-Württemberg and ways to strengthen the options for action of current and future forest owners. Building on a state-wide survey, the DIANA team will organise four workshops in different districts of Baden-Württemberg in March 2026. These meetings offer a trusting space for forest owners to reflect on their situation, share experiences and explore perspectives for the future of their forests. More information on objectives, workshop dates and registration is available on the DIANA project website in German.

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Dissertation

Successful PhD Defence by Laila Berning

We warmly congratulate Laila Berning on the successful defense of her dissertation titled “EU Politics of Regulating Transnational Forest and Agricultural Commodity Supply Chains for Legality and Sustainability”. The dissertation was supervised by Prof. Daniela Kleinschmit (UFR) and Prof. Rachael Garrett (University of Cambridge) and makes an important contribution by highlighting the political complexity of the EU Deforestation Regulation process.

In her work, Laila highlights the role of different ideational and material factors in driving EU policy change or stability. The EUDR serves as an emblematic case study for analysing the increasing role of public regulation in global environmental governance and the unilateral turn in EU trade policy.

We are deeply impressed by Laila’s work and proudly wish her all the best for her future academic and professional path!

Research

Our research focuses and current projects

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Teaching

Our courses and information about theses

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Team

Overview of our team members

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Research on forest and environmental policy at the University of Freiburg – now also available as a podcast!

In the “Forest & Environmental Policy Podcast” by the Chair of Forest and Environmental Policy, doctoral students and post-docs share insights about their research and the projects they are working on. Listen to the episodes to find out about the diverse topics related to forest and environmental policy.

Subscribe to our podcast to never miss a new episode!

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Screenshot des Forest & Environmental Policy Podcasts