I have two distinct strands to my research. I am a plant ecologist by background and am always interested in plant ecological questions - with a particular focus on grassland conservation and restoration. I am engaged in restoring biodiversity to the Ridgeway National Trail and looking at how restoration efforts here could be a model for other restoration efforts along National Trails.
Second, I have been engaged in conservation in Seychelles for more than 10 years with the Seychelles Islands Foundation. They manage two World Heritage Sites: an endemic palm forest called the Vallee de Mai and Aldabra Atoll. Both sites face severe and significant threats. At the moment, we are planning to eradicate rats and cats from Aldabra, while the Vallee de Mai is threatened by invasive yellow crazy ants. Aldabra's coral is also under significant threat from rising temperatures causing bleaching. These topics offer exciting opportunities for PhD students to conduct applied research in areas of significant global importance.
Methodologies include: fieldwork, data analysis, modelling, -omics.
Qualification & experiences
PhD in plant ecology. Qualified teacher (PGCE). Previously supervised 11 Master's students and 14 PhD students.
