Øystein Aas

I am a professor of nature conservation and management with an interdisciplinary and applied background trained in social sciences (Ph.D.) and ecology (M.Sc.). I have worked with several  topics such as management of protected areas, human- wildlife interactions, wild salmon conservation, conflicts about and consequences of renewable energy projects, and outdoor recreation and nature-based tourism. Impact assessments and how such decision-support systems are organized and administered is another topic I have studied. I have been particularly interested in understanding people's behavior in nature, behaviors that are undesirable and cause damage to natural values, as well as behaviors that provide positive benefits for both nature and society. I teach several courses at MINA and have course responsibility for REIS320 Visitor Management. I am also currently leading an EU MSCA project titled "Visitor monitoring and management in protected and recreational areas: new challenges, novel solutions for the Anthropocene" (VIMAS). See separate website for the project.