Diana Laarmann

Diana Laarmann is an Associate Professor of Forest Management and Forest Management at the Estonian University of Life Sciences, Institute of Forestry and Engineering, within the Chair of Forest and Land Management and Forest Industry. She has been in this position since 2020, having previously served as a Docent (2015-2020), Researcher (2010-2015), and Project Manager (2006-2010) at the same institution.

Her research focuses on forest management, forest ecology, forest restoration, forest ecosystem monitoring, biodiversity conservation, and forest structure analysis, with particular expertise in hemiboreal forests. Dr. Laarmann's work examines restoration techniques of naturalness and the impact of thinning regimes on natural diversity of stands. She has contributed significantly to understanding forest ecosystem dynamics through long-term monitoring using the Estonian Network of Forest Research Plots.

Dr. Laarmann's recent publications demonstrate her active engagement in global forest research, with contributions to high-impact journals including Nature, Nature Communications, and Global Ecology and Biogeography. Her research spans from local Estonian forest studies to global analyses of forest biodiversity, structure, and carbon dynamics. She has been particularly active in collaborative international research projects examining forest structure, biodiversity patterns, and responses to management practices across different forest types worldwide.

• Estonian University of Life Sciences Raefondi preemia (2015)
• III prize in national student research competition in bio- and environmental sciences, doctoral level (2014)

Dr. Laarmann serves on several important professional committees, including as a member of the Research Council of the State Forest Management Centre (since 2024), the Global Forest Biodiversity Initiative (since 2017), the Society for Ecological Restoration International (since 2012), and previously on the Metsahoiu Sihtasutus Council (2007-2024). Her extensive publication record demonstrates her significant contributions to advancing knowledge in forest science and management.

She has completed numerous professional development programs related to forest management, project management, and higher education teaching methods, demonstrating her commitment to maintaining expertise in both research and educational aspects of her field.