ONGOING PROJECTS
Oxford Biodiversity Network
The Oxford Biodiversity Network mobilises the University's expertise in science, technology, business and society. It is part of the Oxford Networks for the Environment (ONE) working together to find solutions to the complex, converging challenges of energy, water, and food security, climate change, and threats to biodiversity.
Nature Based Solutions Initiative
As technical and artistic director of the Nature Based Solutions Initiative, I work with a multidisciplinary team from Oxford University’s Zoology & School of Geography and the Environment departments, the International Institute for Environment and Development to translate science based evidence on nature based solutions to policy makers and a wider audience.
Global Ecosystems Monitoring network
I am currently coordinating the data gathering effort of the Global Ecosystem Monitoring network (GEM). GEM is an international effort to measure and understand forest ecosystem functions and traits, and how these will respond to climate change. The GEM network aims to capture both ecosystem-level properties and the functional composition of the community. The GEM team has collected extensive data on the carbon cycle of forests along the Andes to Amazon transect since 2009.
GEM-TRAIT will focus on the same plots along the elevational transect, with the overall goal to collect primary data on tree functional diversity. This ambitious field campaign will result in the first global dataset linking tropical tree diversity to ecosystem function.
GEM-TRAIT will focus on the same plots along the elevational transect, with the overall goal to collect primary data on tree functional diversity. This ambitious field campaign will result in the first global dataset linking tropical tree diversity to ecosystem function.
be COOL 4 climate
This is a collaboration between Oxford Climate Policy, the Environmental Change Institute, and the World Bank. The project explores the potential for social marketing and educational tools to generate behavioural changes on the basis of aspirations and values needed to combat climate change: beCOOL4climate.org
Oxford Biochar
I am the Founding Director of Oxford Biochar Ltd., a company that sells pure biochar sourced in the UK from sustainably managed forests.
The Big Biochar Experiment was the first large-scale experiment on the use of biochar in allotments and gardens. It aimed to gather quantitative data on above- and below-ground productivity, and qualitative data on plant and soil health of widely used fruit and vegetable varieties. These data, combined with existing information on weather and soil quality, were used to assess the effects of biochar on the productivity of plants across a range of soils. THe second phase of the experiment was launched with Coventry University and Organic Gardens in 2015. See Big Biochar Experiment for more information.
The Big Biochar Experiment was the first large-scale experiment on the use of biochar in allotments and gardens. It aimed to gather quantitative data on above- and below-ground productivity, and qualitative data on plant and soil health of widely used fruit and vegetable varieties. These data, combined with existing information on weather and soil quality, were used to assess the effects of biochar on the productivity of plants across a range of soils. THe second phase of the experiment was launched with Coventry University and Organic Gardens in 2015. See Big Biochar Experiment for more information.
