Background

I am an environmental social scientist with an interest in governance and management of natural resources. My work focuses on using qualitative methods to understand stakeholder systems and behaviours in relation to policy implementation and decision-making. I am keen to understand how natural environments can be managed sustainably, equitably and democratically. My current work focuses on sustainable delivery of grassland management and policies across Europe, as well as research-policy knowledge exchange for landscape decisions in the UK. 

Prior to joining the Centre for Rural Economy, I have worked as a researcher for the James Hutton Institute, Aberdeen, exploring ideas of integration in relation to delivery of water policy goals in Europe, as well as the way policy instruments in Scotland interact to shape the management of soil, water and biodiversity.  

Qualifications

PhD in Geography (Collaborative water management in the UK) from Durham University. 

MRes in Geography from Durham University.

BSc (Hons) in Physical Geography also from Durham University.  
 

Research

I am currently working as a Research Associate for the SUPER-G project, which aims to co-develop sustainable permanent grassland systems and policies with farmers and policy makers across Europe that will be effective in optimising productivity, whilst supporting biodiversity and delivering a number of other public goods and services. SUPER-G is a 5-year (2018 - 2023), multi-actor project under the Horizon 2020 SFS-27-2017 call. The SUPER-G consortium is made up of 20 project partners and will involve 20 farm networks and 17 experimental platforms and field experiments across 5 biogeographical regions in Europe. 

I am working on using qualitative social science approaches to assess socio-economic aspects of grassland systems and management, analyse and develop sustainable policy options, and work with stakeholders to maximise impact through knowledge exchange. 

I am also a policy impact research fellow funded by the Landscape Decisions Programme "Towards a new framework for using land assets". My research explores the question "What drives effective knowledge exchange between policy and research communities for landscape decisions?". 

Publications

• Articles

  • Mack G, El Benni N, Sporri M, Huguenin-Elie O, Tindale S, Hunter E, Newell Price P, Frewer LJ. Perceived feasibility of sward management options in permanent grassland of Alpine regions and expected effects on delivery of ecosystem services. Environment, Development and Sustainability 2024, 26, 4579-4601.
  • Tindale S, VicarioModrono V, GallardoCobos R, Hunter E, Miskolc S, NewellPrice P, SánchezZamora P, Sonnevelt M, Ojo M, McInnes K, Frewer LJ. Citizen perceptions and values associated with ecosystem services from European grassland landscapes. Land Use Policy 2023, 127, 106574.
  • Hilaire J, Tindale S, Jones G, Pingarron-Cardenas G, Bacnik K, Ojo M, Frewer LJ. Risk perception associated with an emerging agri-food risk in Europe: plant viruses in agriculture. Agriculture and Food Security 2022, 11, 21.
  • Rust NA, Rehackova L, Naab F, Abrams A, Hughes C, Merkle BG, Clark B, Tindale S. What does the UK public want farmland to look like?. Land Use Policy 2021, 106, 105445.
  • Novo P, Blackstock K, Byg A, Creaney R, Juárez-Bourke A, Maxwell J, Tindale S, Waylen K. Policy Instruments for Environmental Public Goods: Interdependencies and Hybridity. Land Use Policy 2021, 107, 104709.
  • Waylen KA, Blackstock KL, Tindale SJ, Juárez-Bourke A. Governing Integration: Insights from Integrating Implementation of European Water Policies. Water 2019, 11(3), 598.
  • Smetanová A, Paton E, Maynard C, Tindale S, Fernández-Getino A, Marqués Pérez MJ, Bracken L, Le Bissonnais Y, Keesstra S. Stakeholders’ Perception of the Relevance of Water and Sediment Connectivity in Water and Land Management. Land Degradation and Development 2018, 29(6), 1833-1844.

• Reports

  • Hunter E, Quatrini S, Lieberher E, Tindale S, Sanchez Zamora P, Gallardo Cobos R, Miskolci S, Johansson C, Nybom J, Cano Vergara B, Elliot J, Newell Price P, Frewer L. The effectiveness of policies promoting sustainable permanent grasslands across five European countries (representing five biogeographic regions): Mapping, understanding, and key stakeholder perceptions. Newcastle University, 2020. WP4, Deliverable 4.1c, SUPER-G (Sustainable Permanent Grassland Systems and Policies), EC Project Number 774124-2.
  • Tindale S, Hunter E, Sanchez Zamora P, Gallardo R, Cano Vergara B, Newell-Price P, Elings M, Elliot J, Miskolci S, Frewer L. Review of facilitators of, and barriers to, adoption and choice of permanent grassland management options to deliver ecosystem services. Newcastle University. WP4, Deliverable 4.1a, SUPER-G (Sustainable Permanent Grassland Systems and Policies), EC Project Number 774124-2, 2019.