Senior researcher
Doctor of Science (Technology)
Contact information
E-mail: firstname.lastname@syke.fi
Tel: +358 295 251 361
Finnish Environment Institute (Syke)
Societal change
Politics of knowledge
Postal address: Latokartanonkaari 11, 00790 Helsinki, Finland
Twitter: @LehtorantaVirpi
Background and current work duties
I started my career in the Water Resources Unit of the Finnish Environment Institute Syke in 1997. My role of expertise on water and watercourse restoration methods broadened soon to entail coordinating duties of regional environmental centers regarding lake and river restoration activities. My interest on these themes gradually expanded to assessment of restoration benefits which gave me a topic of my licentiate and doctoral thesis (Aalto University 2013, 2023). During the last ten years my current work duties in our multidisciplinary work group have focused on valuing and monetizing the benefits of changes in the surface water. That is, I’m very familiar with managing and carrying out surveys to the public and doing statistical analyses from the data.
Research interests
- Economic valuation of non-market goods (ecosystem services)
- Environmental management and its monetary benefits
- Quantitative research process and survey research
- Statistical analysis and modelling
Projects, ongoing or recently ended
- Tackling agricultural phosphorus load by soil amendments (GYPREG)
- Public science for sustainable living environments - PUBS project Karkki – Public Science (ymparisto.fi)
- Securing biodiversity, functional integrity and ecosystem services in DRYing riVER networks
- Maanparannusaineiden yhteiskäytön mahdollisuudet - kiertotaloutta ja maanhoitoa (AIN3)
Publications
I have written several professional and scientific articles. In addition, I have prepared popular presentations and articles for the public, researchers and experts.