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Centre for Research on Environment, Society and Space

The Centre for Research on Environment, Society and Space (CRESS) is a major research centre based at Cardiff University.

It replaces the Centre for Rural Environment and Society (CRES), which was established in 2004 to develop a growing volume of rural and environmental research within the University.

CRESS is concerned to bring together environmental and social research themes in respect to rural areas, making connections between natural, social, cultural, economic and political processes within rural spaces.

Aims

The Centre aims to develop significant programmes of research and international collaborative working, as well as PhD and Masters courses around rural and environmental themes.

Research

We have a multi-disciplinary focus, with researchers drawn from human geography, planning, sociology and landscape ecology. Expertise is provided across a broad range of research themes, including:

  • rural society and culture
  • rural economy
  • the sustainability of rural environments
  • rural and environmental governance
  • environmental justice and rural welfare
  • rural housing and services
  • agri-food systems
  • ethical consumption

Projects

Funded research programmes and projects to the value of £2.3 million have been directed by members of CRESS.

Project nameFundedInvestigator(s)
UK collaborative centre for Housing Evidence (CaCHE)ESRC, £401,137Dr P Mackie, Dr S Orford
Shaping inter-species connectedness: Training cultures and the emergence of new forms of human-animal relationsLeverhulme Trust, £99,647Professor M Miele, H Smith
Anaerobic digestion plants in rural Wales: social-spatial diffusion of technology, social acceptance and energy transitionSêr Cymru II - COFUND, £161,821.30Dr S Martinat, Professor R Cowell
A long-pending Indian question: Consequences of agribusiness expansion and ambiguous national borders for the Guarani- Kaiowás in Mato Grosso do Sul (Brazil)British Academy Newton Fund, £72,975Dr A Ioris
Agro-cultural frontiers and the Amazon: contested histories, new alterities and emerging culturesAHRC, £48,576Dr A Ioris
SUSPLACEEU-Commission, £449,165Professor T Marsden
Strengthening animal production and health through the immune responseEU-Commission, £265,435Dr G Enticott
A new literary geography: Establishing a digital atlas of Wales and its borderlandsAHRC, Literature Wales, £477,232Professor J Anderson, Dr S Orford
Place-based systems thinking in developing healthy future Malaysian citiesBritish Council, £59,996Professor T Marsden, Professor D Fone, Dr Yi Gong
Development of research framework programmeCanal and River Trust, £120,000Professor T Marsden, Dr H Pitt
Standards and the circular economyESRC, Panalpina, £3,000Dr A Flynn
Resilience in groundwater supply systems: Integrating resource-based approaches with agency, behaviour and choice in West Africa (RIGSS)Natural Environment Research Council, £88,011 Professor G Bristow
Green infrastructure for healthier citizens: promoting networks and learning between Indonesia and MalaysiaESRC IAA, £3,091Dr A Flynn, Dr A Frank
Novel approaches of employing green infrastructure (GI) to enhance urban sustainabilityInstitute of International Education, £18303Dr A Flynn, Dr A Frank, Professor C Tweed, Dr W Jabi

Publications

Events

Visit the School of Geography and Planning events page if you're interested in similar topics.

Past events

Sustainable and responsive environments: Green space planning for health and well-being

This event featured a presentation by Dr Mick Lennon (University College Dublin) regarding on-going work that seeks to address an identified need for a conceptually-informed way for user-responsive green space planning for health and well-being.

Dr Alan Netherwood (Netherwood Sustainable Futures) and Cardiff University researchers involved in health and green infrastructure research (School of Geography and Planning) provided critical comments and reflections highlighting links of Dr Lennon’s study with other initiatives such as those by the Welsh Office for Future Generations and the Well-being Act.

Brexit and the future of food and farming

This event examined the impacts and possible future scenarios arising from Brexit in the food and farming sectors. Since June 2016, the process of leaving the EU has highlighted the complex ways the farming and food sectors are connected to Europe through markets, regulation and policy.

Brexit will require new systems of rural development, agricultural subsidies and ecosystem services, and new rules to address the sector's reliance on overseas labour.

Schools

School of Geography and Planning

We are a multi-disciplinary applied human geography and urban studies school.

Next steps

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Research that matters

Our research makes a difference to people’s lives as we work across disciplines to tackle major challenges facing society, the economy and our environment.

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Postgraduate research

Our research degrees give the opportunity to investigate a specific topic in depth among field-leading researchers.

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Our research impact

Our research case studies highlight some of the areas where we deliver positive research impact.