Dr Isla Hodgson

Research Fellow

Biological and Environmental Sciences Stirling

Dr Isla Hodgson

Share a link

About me

Originally from Newcastle, I moved up to Scotland to study marine science in 2010. I completed my BSc and MSc at Aberdeen University, specialising in marine mammal behaviour and habitat use, spatial analysis and ecological modelling. I took various breaks in my studies to work as a conservation practitioner in South Africa, working as a guide and on various projects. It was here I was first introduced to conservation conflicts, after assisting the delivery of an Anatolian guard dog scheme to reduce incidences of retaliatory killing of cheetahs by local farmers. On return to the UK my dissertation work was then used as part of a conflict mitigation process to alleviate seal and salmon conflicts in Aberdeenshire. I began my PhD in 2015, looking at conservation conflicts and their management, and graduated in 2018. Following various jobs as a research assistant and consultant, I now work as a postdoctoral researcher on the ConFooBio project with Nils Bunnefeld.

Research

I am primarily interested in the human dimensions of conservation conflicts, and study their social and political aspects: relationships, power dynamics, and governance. However I am also interested in more global trends, looking at the common factors that cause conflicts to escalate, and how we may be able to model and predict occurrences. And lastly, how we may better integrate science with practical management in the field.

Outputs (10)

Outputs

Article

Månsson J, Eriksson L, Hodgson I, Elmberg J, Bunnefeld N, Hessel R, Johansson M, Liljebäck N, Nilsson L, Olsson C, Pärt T, Sandström C, Tombre I & Redpath SM (2023) Understanding and overcoming obstacles in adaptive management. Trends in Ecology & Evolution, 38 (1), pp. 55-71. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tree.2022.08.009


Article

Jones IL, Timoshenko A, Zuban I, Zhadan K, Cusack JJ, Duthie AB, Hodgson ID, Minderman J, Pozo RA, Whytock RC & Bunnefeld N (2022) Achieving international biodiversity targets: learning from local norms, values and actions regarding migratory waterfowl management in Kazakhstan. Journal of Applied Ecology, 59 (7), pp. 1911-1924. https://doi.org/10.1111/1365-2664.14198


Book Chapter

Hodgson ID, Cusack J, Jones I, Minderman J, Nilsson L, Pozo RA, Rakotonarivo OS & Bunnefeld N (2021) Building Peace to Save Nature: Multi-disciplinary Approaches to Managing Conflicts in Conservation. In: Underkoffler SC & Adams HR (eds.) Wildlife Biodiversity Conservation: Multidisciplinary and Forensic Approaches. Cham, Switzerland: Springer International Publishing, pp. 3-22. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-64682-0_1


Book Chapter

Lecuyer L, Alard D, Calla S, Coolsaet B, Fickel T, Heinsoo K, Henle K, Herzon I, Hodgson I, Quetier F, McCracken D, McMahon BJ, Melts I, Sands D & Skrimizea E (2021) Conflicts between agriculture and biodiversity conservation in Europe: Looking to the future by learning from the past. In: Bohan DA, Dumbrell AJ & Vanbergen AJ (eds.) Future of Agricultural Landscapes, Pt III. Advances in Ecological Research, 65. Amsterdam: Elsevier Academic Press Inc, pp. 3-56. https://doi.org/10.1016/bs.aecr.2021.10.005


Book Chapter

Skrimizea E, Lecuyer L, Bunnefeld N, Butler JRA, Fickel T, Hodgson I, Holtkamp C, Marzano M, Parra C, Pereira L, Petit S, Pound D, Rodríguez I, Ryan P & Staffler J (2020) Sustainable agriculture: Recognizing the potential of conflict as a positive driver for transformative change. In: Bohan DA & Vanbergen AJ (eds.) The Future of Agricultural Landscapes, Part I. Advances in Ecological Research, 63. London: Academic Press, pp. 255-311. https://doi.org/10.1016/bs.aecr.2020.08.003


Research Report

Hodgson ID, Redpath SM, Sandstrom C & Biggs D (2020) The State of Knowledge and Practice on Human-Wildlife Conflicts. O'Neill M (Editor) & Villat J (Editor) The Luc Hoffman Institute. Gland, Switzerland. https://luchoffmanninstitute.org/the-surprising-new-way-to-approach-human-wildlife-conflict-a-new-report/


Research programmes

Research centres/groups

Research themes