Biography
I am a PGR based in the School of Biology at the University of Leeds. I am working with Dr Alastair Ward investigating building consensus in red deer management in the English Lake District. I previously completed my Masters by research in Biological Sciences by studying the ecology and mechanics of deer impacts in Yorkshire from 2017-2019. Further, I completed my Undergraduate in Zoology at the University of Hull between 2014-2017. I am a keen rugby supporter, and former player, and have refereed both codes of rugby since 2007. I also enjoy skiing, reading, travelling, and country rambles looking for wildlife. Before starting my PhD, I was a lecturer of animal science for the Royal Agricultural University.
Qualifications
2017 – 2019: Master of Science, by research, in Biological Sciences from the University of Hull
2014 – 2017: Undergraduate BSc (Hons) in Zoology from the University of Hull
Research Interests
I am interested in the ecology of terrestrial mammals, animal behaviour, adaptive wildlife management, human-wildlife conflicts, and both the biology and psychology of conservation. Within this, I am interested in the role of stakeholders in conservation action and decision making.
Teaching interests
I am interested in teaching the mechanics of practical wildlife management strategies and how methods are decided, communicated, and enacted upon by conservation biologists. I also favour active teaching strategies for undergraduate statistics and a hands-on approach (through dissections and workshops) for teaching comparative anatomy and physiology.
Project Title
Reconciling lethal control of an iconic native species (red deer Cervus elaphus) with nature conservation in a multiple-use landscape
Supervisors
- Dr Alastair I. Ward
- Dr Steven Sait
- Dr Charlotte Hopkins (University of Hull)
- Professor Rory Putman (University of Glasgow)
Funding
Panorama NERC DTP, 2021
Project outline
In this project we will use the Lake District red deer (Cervus elaphus) populations as a case study to develop a model for stakeholder engagement with the purpose of gaining consensus among stakeholders in the management of a renewable natural resource at the landscape-scale. To accomplish this, we will define the source of the problems between the red deer population and the stakeholder community and describe the nature of the problem, including the balance of costs and benefits among the stakeholder community. Further to that, we will need to identify the information needed to effectively manage the problems identified, produce a framework for consensus-building in management decisions, and then implement the framework with the intention of achieving consensus amongst the stakeholders.
The aims and objectives of this project will be achieved by adopting a mixed-methods approach, which straddles the natural-social science interface. This will require answering a series of biological and social science questions by undertaking measurements of quantities of natural factors (including environmental impact, camera trapping and GPS collars) and through stakeholder elicitation.
This project is being supported by the National Trust, United Utilities, and Natural England.