Summary
Burnt ground on Baglan Mountain (Mynydd Dinas Block) overlooking M4 and Port Talbot, May 2009
View of Baglan Mountain burn showing proximity of fire spread to Corlannau and surrounding houses, May 2009
This two-year project seeks to address the issue of deliberately started wildfires in South Wales. This takes two strands, the exploration of motivations that drive people to set fires and the assessment and testing of methods currently used to prevent such behaviour.
The project utilises a mixture of methods including:
- Geospatial mapping
- Qualitative interviews
- Participant observation
- Questionnaires.
An action research perspective informs the research, with the researcher acting as a participant and facilitator as well as assuming a traditional research role.
Research objectives
- Review current literature on motivating factors for wildfire setting and current methods of tackling the problem
- Work towards an understanding of who sets fires in grass, scrub and forested land in South Wales and their motivations for doing so
- Engage with local communities as both a data gathering exercise and as a way of building connections between communities and organisations
- Forward proposals for new methods of tackling the problem of deliberately set fires that are based on quality sociological research.
Funders and partners
This Project is supported by Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service, South Wales Fire and Rescue Service and Forestry Commission Wales.
Forestry Commission policy
This project works towards fulfilling the objectives of Forestry Commission Wales as laid out in:
- Woodlands for Wales (PDF-3810K) published by the Welsh Assembly Government
- Our purpose and Direction (PDF-1240K) the Forestry Commission Wales corporate plan.
Status
This project began in January 2009 and is due for completion in January 2011. The scoping phase of the project is due to end in June 2009.
Contact
For further information please contact:
Matthew Jollands
Social and Economic Research Group
Coed y Cymoedd Forest District
Resolven
Neath
SA11 4DR
(Grwp Ymchwil Economaidd a Cymdeithasol
Rhanbarth Goedwigo Coed y Cymoedd
Resolfen
Castell-nedd
SA11 4DR)
Tel/Ffôn: 01633 580 251
Mobile/Symdol: 07771 806 182
Fax/Ffacs: 01639 710 200
Email/Ebost: matthew.jollands@forestry.gsi.gov.uk
