The Centre for Land, Environment and People (LEaP) will foster inter-disciplinary Research, among Lincoln University academics and external partners, within seven research themes. The seven themes are:
- Changing landscape
- Climate change, peak oil and society
- Environmental management & planning
- Global justice and environmental policy
- Human dimensions of fisheries and aquaculture
- Leisure, activity & well-being
- Tourism, business and community
Each of these themes encompasses areas of existing or emerging expertise among Lincoln University researchers.
"We see LEaP as a network for sharing and creating knowledge and a way of enhancing the economic, environmental and social stability of communities in New Zealand and elsewhere," says the Director of the new centre, Associate Professor Susanne Becken.
"A particular focus will be to improve our understanding of local - global change interactions by motivating and engaging stakeholders to participate in 'making a difference."
"The success of the Centre will depend very much on what everyone makes of it," says Associate Professor Becken.
Associate Professor Becken is a tourism specialist with particular interests in the issues of oil consumption and international travel and the impact of climate change on tourism. The Deputy Director is Professor of Landscape Architecture Simon Swaffield.
Visit http://www.lincoln.ac.nz/Research-Centres/LEaP/ to find out more.