Dr Christopher Bousfield

I am a postdoctoral fellow at the University of Sheffield, having studied for a PhD that focused on sustainable timber harvesting in tropical forests at the University of Sheffield and investigated the future of forestry for my post-doc based at the Centre at University of Cambridge. I am broadly interested in the conservation of forest ecosystems, and my current research focuses on the threat of climate change to forests and the ecosystem services they provide, such as timber, carbon and biodiversity.

I’m particularly interested in the growing threat of wildfire to forests. My previous research has found widespread global losses of timber producing forests through wildfires this century, with annual losses growing year on year. Our other research also suggests climate change will exacerbate land conflict between timber and food production in the future. This research highlights the range of threats global timber production faces this century, and the urgent need to start incorporating wood security into future planning.