I would like to thank the British Society of Soil Science (BSSS) for the Early Career Travel Grant that allowed me to attend the UK Wildfire 2024 Conference in Aberdeen.
This event was significant for my PhD research, which concerns wildfire behavior and soil impacts in the UK. The conference was the perfect stage to present my research and share my findings with a diverse group of professionals, including academics, land managers, and other key stakeholders. Topics covered during the conference have included the most recent advances in wildfire risk assessment, climate change impacts on fire regimes, fire technologies, policy frameworks, and community preparedness.
The most important key message of the conference was the importance of considering the social context and human geography of each specific situation, as well as shifting efforts, in an economic sense, to prevention activities rather than suppression. Here, I had the opportunity to present the results of my research through a poster presentation. It focused on a forest fire in the Roaches Nature Reserve (Peak District National Park) with the goal of exploring tree responses and soil changes to this ecological upheaval. It was a great opportunity to receive constructive feedback from experts. This was one of the key aspects because, as a finishing PhD student, the opportunity to connect with professionals and researchers in various fields has been instrumental in exploring possible collaborations.
In addition to the professional and academic value of the conference, my visit to Aberdeen was also an unexpected and very enjoyable personal experience. It was my first time in Scotland and I was impressed by the natural beauty of the region, with its beautiful coastal landscapes and historic architecture. I particularly enjoyed visiting the coastal area and the historic centre of Aberdeen, as well as trying some of the Scottish specialities.
I am overall very satisfied with this experience and I must thank the support of BSSS once again because with its financial support made all this possible.
