Photographs are by or courtesy of: Matt Berry, courtesy of Butterfly Conservation, Steven Bond / , Matt Jessop, Ilya Maclean, Juliet Osborne, Tim Pestridge, Quest UAV / University of Exeter, South West Water, Charles Tyler and Matthew Witt. Thank you to Enys Gardens, the Housel Bay Hotel and the Porthleven Harbour and Dock Company for support in sourcing the images in this publication.

Inside front cover photograph: True-colour satellite image of Cornwall, UK PLANETOBSERVER/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY

Environment and Sustainability Institute University of Exeter Penryn Cornwall TR10 9EZ

+44 (0)1326 259490 [email protected] www.exeter.ac.uk/esi

Find us on Facebook and Twitter:

www.facebook.com/exeteruniesi

www.twitter.com/uniofexeteresi

If you require this publication in a different format, please contact [email protected] Working together A guide to research at the Environment and Sustainability Institute

Printed on Cocoon Offset (100% recycled) using vegetable based inks. 2013 ESI 017 “At the Environment and Sustainability Institute we’re using Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly as a living laboratory to explore issues with a wider Welcome global impact. The region’s peninsular nature, the interactions between marine and terrestrial environments, local expertise in renewables, and the population dynamic make it an incredibly rich location for research.” Professor Kevin J Gaston Director of the Environment and Sustainability Institute, University of Exeter Professor Kevin J Gaston Director of the Environment and Sustainability Institute At the University of Exeter Penryn Campus, we have built To date we have attracted external research funding in excess a world-class research institute dedicated to finding cutting- of £7 million. edge solutions to complex problems of environmental change – the Environment and Sustainability Institute (ESI). This brochure provides not only an introduction to our Much of our work is embedded within Cornwall and the Isles impressive international team and their different backgrounds of Scilly but its impact is far wider and of practical, national but also describes how we’re actively working in partnership. and international application. We are collaborating with businesses, stakeholders, commercial investors, and local, national, and regional The difficulties faced by humankind are so diverse and deep- support providers to help translate research and expertise seated that they require a collaborative and groundbreaking into innovative business practices, products and services. The approach involving experts from a wide range of ESI Business Network currently has over 400 members and backgrounds. Some of the solutions we envisage will be we have assisted more than 300 businesses. technological or related to land use, and others will depend on a change in human behaviour. Most will involve varying Of course, a publication like this can only ever hope to be combinations of all three. This is why, at the ESI, our research a snapshot in time. We are growing quickly so by the time is interdisciplinary across three interrelated themes: Clean you read this there will no doubt be additional new faces and technologies, Natural environment, and Social science and innovative research projects. Our website will better reflect sustainability. these changes. See: www.exeter.ac.uk/esi True-colour satellite image of the county of Cornwall in southwest England, Great Britain. North is at top. Land’s End (at lower left) and Lizard Point (at bottom left) are respectively the westernmost and southernmost parts of the English Our interests may be varied, and expertise broad but We are a dedicated and passionate team and I am proud mainland. Cornwall is largely rural and has a patchwork of fields, upper centre is everything we do is linked by a common thread of working to work alongside my colleagues to undertake research of Bodmin Moor (dark green). At upper left is the Celtic Sea, whilst at lower right the English Channel. Image taken by the Landsat-5 satellite. together and thinking differently. The calibre of our critical importance in a spirit of creativity, collaboration, and PLANETOBSERVER/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY researchers and value of our approach are already recognised. rigour.

01 www.exeter.ac.uk/esi www.exeter.ac.uk/esi 021 Matt and Kirsten discuss remote data collection Interdisciplinary technologies at Porthleven Harbour, Cornwall. research

Interdisciplinary research is at the core of the Dr Matthew Witt and Dr Kirsten Abernethy understand Environment and Sustainability Institute. We the high expectations we place on our ocean resources and the know that by working together, researchers tensions these can create. from different backgrounds and with different perspectives can solve problems where the In the summer months, Dr Matthew Witt may be found in the waters solutions are beyond the scope of a single around the UK tracking basking sharks, along with collaborators from subject. Scottish Natural Heritage. He is developing research expertise in remote data collection technologies and is currently working with external partners Our researchers, when collaborating with to plan for the sustainable management of the sea, particularly in light of the businesses, international research partners human pressures from commercial fishing and renewable energy extraction. and knowledgeable practitioners, are Dr Kirsten Abernethy studies marine fisheries and coastal communities, uniquely placed to deliver creative solutions and is interested in understanding how fishing-dependent communities to problems of environmental change. The adapt to environmental, economic and social change, and the incentives challenges being addressed within the ESI are behind moving towards more sustainable fishing practices. Her work has global in scale and the solutions relevant across “The issues we research in fisheries and included research in the Cornish fishing industry and community-based the world. However, we are developing them sustainability are complex and contextual, resource governance in the Solomon Islands. in partnership with Cornish businesses and for but are nearly always a mix of the the direct benefit of the regional economy. social and ecological. To find solutions, Matthew and Kirsten are mutually interested in understanding not only the benefits we derive from the oceans but also what we need to do scientists need to have a problem-focused Here we feature a selection of our researchers to manage this important resource for the future. Matthew’s technical and interdisciplinary approach which from a wide range of academic backgrounds expertise in remote data collection and Kirsten’s in community decision fundamentally requires collaboration who collectively demonstrate the type of making and co-management are both essential to solving problems such between natural and social sciences.” interdisciplinary research we are proud to lead. as the design of cross-boundary marine protected areas and effective site placement of sometimes conflicting human activities. They aim to reconcile Dr Kirsten Abernethy ecological, economic and social objectives. Lecturer in Environmental Social Science

03 www.exeter.ac.uk/esi/research www.exeter.ac.uk/esi/research 04 Interdisciplinary research

CONTINUED

“It will be great for us to work Professors Robbie McDonald and Tapas Mallick share an interest with companies to develop win- in identifying win-wins for cost effective management and biodiversity wins, where operational efficiency enhancement of solar parks. is increased, costs are equivalent, or even reduced, but biodiversity Professor Tapas Mallick leads solar energy activities within the Environment and can be enhanced. The Environment Sustainability Institute. Alongside his research team, he is currently developing an and Sustainability Institute’s innovative and highly efficient, semi-transparent photovoltaic solar panel. unique interdisciplinary approach means that ecologists sit alongside Professor Robbie McDonald is interested in wildlife and in resolving engineers, sitting alongside a business human-wildlife conflict. His current research projects are varied, ranging from the science, policy and practical implications of bovine tuberculosis (TB) in badgers to liaison team, all designed to enhance the impacts and management of invasive species. the impact of our research.” In recent years, planning permission for hundreds of ground-based solar parks has Professor Robbie McDonald been granted with many awaiting construction. Commercial operators require Chair in Natural Environment solar parks which are secure and where vegetation can be prevented from shading panels, while regulators require that negative impacts on the environment are minimised and/or mitigated. Such needs may appear to be in conflict.

Robbie and Tapas are combining their interests and expertise to explore win- win practices for the cost effective management and biodiversity enhancement of solar parks, and to provide guidance to commercial operators and regulators. Their research will include determining current best practice and creating a demonstration project to show how cost effective site management options could address the need for reducing shade and maintaining security of solar parks while Tapas and Robbie consider the impact of vegetation at the base of photovoltaic solar panels on the increasing biodiversity. University of Exeter Penryn Campus, Cornwall.

05 www.exeter.ac.uk/esi/research www.exeter.ac.uk/esi/research 06 Interdisciplinary research CONTINUED

“Study of people’s attachments to Professor Kevin J Gaston and Dr Caitlin DeSilvey are working specific places and the value they together to better understand and measure the cultural benefits attribute to different landscapes is humans derive from nature. highly relevant for an understanding of cultural ecosystem services. It The measurement and valuation techniques applied to many ecosystem goods can be challenging, however, for and services, including water, food, and physical resources, are already well qualitative social scientists to find established. However, ways to quantitatively value cultural ecosystem services, common ground with researchers such as the wellbeing humans derive from spending time in beautiful natural who focus primarily on quantitative spaces, are less well understood. measures. Professor Kevin J Gaston is highly experienced at applying quantitative methods to study ecosystem goods and services, land-use strategies, the scaling In the Environment and Sustainability of biodiversity and the ecology of urban environments. Institute, we have an exciting opportunity to bring together Dr Caitlin DeSilvey, a member of the Expert Panel informing the ongoing work different disciplinary perspectives of the UK National Ecosystem Assessment (UK NEA), brings to this research a and develop collaborative research humanities perspective grounded in qualitative approaches. Caitlin is interested methods that can respond to this in the cultural aspects of environmental change and uses creative methods to challenge.” understand and interpret how people value different landscapes.

Dr Caitlin DeSilvey Together, Kevin and Caitlin are bridging the divide between traditionally different Senior Lecturer in Environmental research approaches. This innovative work has the potential to inform and solve Social Science diverse problems associated with subjects ranging from urban planning and design of the built environment to conservation and land-use. The first research paper produced as a result of this collaboration has been published.

Kevin and Caitlin discuss the landscape at Enys Gardens, Penryn, Cornwall.

07 www.exeter.ac.uk/esi/research www.exeter.ac.uk/esi/research 08 Stuart and Ilya watch a seal swimming in Housel Bay, Interdisciplinary research The Lizard Peninsular, Cornwall. CONTINUED

“The complex natural world around us is the life support system upon Professor Stuart Townley and Dr Ilya Maclean which humans depend. There are share an interest in using dynamic mathematical and many threats to this system, and to predictive models to map biodiversity, and to explore alleviate these we need to know the species population and evolution. causes, symptoms and cures. Dr Ilya Maclean is an ecologist and uses The Lizard This can only be achieved by Peninsular in Cornwall as an outdoor laboratory for his bridging traditional disciplines work, exploring the effects of environmental threats such as climate change on wetland species. His research is applied and by combining empirical and and enables him to advise organisations such as Natural modelling work, and a range England on priorities for conservation action. of qualitative and quantitative approaches.” Professor Stuart Townley is a mathematician and researches the relationships which exist between things. Dr Ilya Maclean While his interests span biological and engineering Lecturer in Natural Environment systems, his expertise is of significant value to the study of ecosystems, and understanding how these might change in the future.

By providing a physical space (with outstanding facilities and resources) within which researchers from different disciplines can work together, and in partnership with local business, the Environment and Sustainability Institute is maximising the potential for our team to achieve genuinely innovative research outcomes.

09 www.exeter.ac.uk/esi/research www.exeter.ac.uk/esi/research 10 Meet our researchers

Dr Kirsten Dr Karen Professor Dr Chris Dr Caitlin Professor Abernethy Anderson Katrina Bryan DeSilvey Kevin J Brown Gaston Lecturer in Senior Lecturer Lecturer in Senior Environmental in Natural Chair in Social Sustainable Lecturer in Chair in Social Science Environment Science Mining Environmental Biodiversity and and Minerals Social Science Conservation Resourcing

I am an interdisciplinary scientist My research centres on using I am an environmental social scientist, I study the world’s smallest miners. I am a geographer whose research I lead basic, strategic and applied looking at marine fisheries and coastal remote sensing as a tool for assessing specialising in environmental change, As a microbiologist, I investigate explores the cultural significance of research in environmental science, communities. I am broadly interested landscapes, particularly soils, development, vulnerability and microbial populations which bio-mine material change. I use visual imagery with particular emphases at present in understanding the incentives behind vegetation and peatlands. As a way of resilience. My research focuses on for valuable metals. My research looks and story-telling to engage people in including common ecology, sustainable practices, particularly given understanding ecological structures how individuals and societies at these populations’ structures and imagining changing environments and ecosystem goods and services, the social and economic contexts, I develop special analysis techniques understand and respond to change, interactions, and at how to influence places, and look to patterns from the land use strategies, and urban and global challenges such as climate – including unmanned aerial vehicles and their different capacities for their actions. Other projects have past to try to understand what the ecology. I am interested in exploiting change. My research combines – to model land surface processes adaptation and transformation. focused on e-waste bio-treatment and future might bring. I am also interested technological advances to improve multiple perspectives to understand and to monitor soil structure for land I am committed to interdisciplinary groundwater recovery. in how things age over time, and in environmental monitoring and in patterns of marine resource use and degradation assessment. This also research on sustainability and have the value of repair and mending skills to identifying win-win opportunities for decision-making at different levels. means developing 3D virtual models led international research teams to extend the lives of worn objects reducing environmental pressures and Most recently, I have been investigating both to engage local communities and examine environmental change and and encourage more sustainable use improving regional economies. the community co-management of to help visualise future change. poverty alleviation in developing of resources. marine resources in the Solomon countries. Islands.

Discipline Geography, College of Life Discipline Geography, College of Life Discipline Geography, College of Life Discipline , College Discipline Geography, College of Life Discipline Biosciences, College of Life and Environmental Sciences and Environmental Sciences and Environmental Sciences of Engineering, Mathematics and and Environmental Sciences and Environmental Sciences Physical Sciences

11 www.exeter.ac.uk/esi/people www.exeter.ac.uk/esi/people 12 Meet our researchers CONTINUED

Professor Dr Ilya Professor Dr Markus Professor Dr Juliet Bernd Maclean Robbie Mueller Tapas Mallick Osborne Lottermoser Lecturer McDonald Lecturer Chair in Clean Senior Lecturer Chair in in Natural Chair in Natural in Applied Technologies in Natural Environmental Environment Environment Mathematics (Renewable Energy) Environment Geochemistry

My research looks at the consequences I am an applied ecologist whose I am interested in mammal ecology My research addresses mathematical I lead solar energy activities within the My research looks at how of growing resource use and research explores how species and small carnivores in particular, systems and control theory and their Environment and Sustainability Institute. and plants interact within the investigates disturbances due to threatened by water shortage respond having previously studied the biology applications within marine engineering, My research focus is applied solar environment, and their role in the unnatural pollutants. I work as part to environmental threats, for example of the weasel family. My research renewable energy and systems energy and, with my research team, provision of ecosystem services. My of the Environment and Sustainability climate change and habitat loss. My has included looking at the science, biology. My academic work includes I look at bridging the urban and rural work includes the study of Institute’s interdisciplinary team on work aims to predict and understand policy and practical implications of developing the Applied Mathematics energy divide through solar energy and pest regulation in crops. I am trace metal transfer processes in the effects of climate change on bovine tuberculosis (TB) in badgers, programmes for both undergraduate implementation. I am particularly particularly interested in conserving terrestrial landscapes. I am the lead wetland species on Cornwall’s Lizard and the impacts and management of and postgraduate taught students at interested in teaching advanced solar and promoting bee populations, and for a joint research project with the Peninsula. I am particularly interested invasive species. I hope to develop a the Penryn Campus, with a focus on energy engineering and heat transfer protecting and promoting wild flower University of Tasmania to improve in using my research results to identify programme of applied, interdisciplinary interdisciplinary applications and in for renewable energy systems. and crop pollination. To achieve this, understanding of the environmental priorities for conservation action and work that will help Cornwall, the South close liaison with my colleagues. I work closely with beekeepers and liabilities and risks associated with help species cope with changes to their West, and the UK to develop in a conservation organisations. mining operations. habitats. sustainable way. I lead the University’s partnership with the National Wildlife Management Centre as part of a Wildlife Research Co-operative.

Discipline Geology, College of Engineering, Discipline Biosciences, College of Life Discipline Biosciences, College of Life Discipline Mathematics, College of Discipline Renewable Energy, College of Discipline Biosciences, College of Life Mathematics and Physical Sciences and Environmental Sciences and Environmental Sciences Engineering, Mathematics and Engineering, Mathematics and and Environmental Sciences Physical Sciences Physical Sciences

13 www.exeter.ac.uk/esi/people www.exeter.ac.uk/esi/people 14 Meet our researchers CONTINUED

Dr Clare Professor Dr Amber Dr Stephen Dr Matthew Dr Xiaoyu Saunders Stuart Teacher Votier Witt Yan Senior Townley Research Senior Lecturer Lecturer Lecturer Lecturer in Chair in Fellow in Natural in Natural in Clean Environmental Applied Environment Environment Technology/ Politics Mathematics Renewable Energy

My areas of research expertise are I am particularly interested in dynamical I am a biologist who sees research as a I am an ornithologist, focusing largely My research focuses on marine I am an engineer whose research social movements and protest, systems and control: the study of things way to solve problems. I am particularly on marine birds. My research revolves ecology, looking specifically at the looks at joining up sustainable energy climate and energy politics, and social (biological and engineering) which interested in the biology of wildlife, around trying to understand how distribution and behaviour of turtles, systems and low carbon transport networks. I am involved with several interact and evolve in time and can be and I look closely at genes to gain an global change impacts upon seabirds, sharks and other mobile marine technologies, such as electric vehicles. interdisciplinary projects, ranging from managed and optimised. I’ve been the understanding of how animals adapt to and use these results to inform species. Acquiring this knowledge is I plan for current and future energy exploring why protesters take to Chair in Applied Mathematics at the their changing environment. My research conservation priorities and solutions. often challenging so my work uses a supply and analyse the environmental the streets, to investigating whether ESI since June 2011 and have led the helps make biologically-informed wildlife To achieve this requires research at the wide range of technologies, including and economical viability of these local energy saving initiatives can help introduction of the Mathematics and management decisions. Much of my individual, population and ecosystem satellite tracking and acoustic technologies. I am particularly householders reduce their energy the Environment programme, which work centres on the impacts of climate level, involving a wide variety of detection. I am especially interested interested in the potential use of demand. I measure the extent to addresses questions relating to climate change, disease and overfishing on wild analytical tools and approaches. in using large sets of data to assess alternative fuels. which a variety of organisations, change and our – and the natural world’s populations, and establishes how wild the effects of human activities on including industry lobby groups, – response and reaction to it. populations adapt to these pressures. I marine ecosystems. influence climate change policies. collaborate with policy makers to ensure that my research is used to directly address problems for conservation and sustainability.

Discipline Politics, College of Social Sciences Discipline Mathematics, College of Discipline Biosciences, College of Life Discipline Biosciences, College of Life Discipline Biosciences, College of Life Discipline Renewable Energy, College of and International Studies Engineering, Mathematics and and Environmental Sciences and Environmental Sciences and Environmental Sciences Engineering, Mathematics and Physical Sciences Physical Sciences

15 www.exeter.ac.uk/esi/people www.exeter.ac.uk/esi/people 16 Meet our researchers CONTINUED Working with businesses

Working in partnership with business in Our Business Network already consists of over Dr Gabriel Latest appointment Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly, the Environment 400 businesses. Yvon- Durocher Dr David Benson and Sustainability Institute (ESI) is enabling the necessary transition from resource- Working with the ESI can help businesses to: Lecturer Lecturer in Environmental Social Science in Natural intensive economic growth to a more resilient, • gain access to the latest research and thinking to build a Environment environmentally-sustainable economy. competitive edge; • receive support to develop collaborative research projects; We have an experienced and knowledgeable • develop new products, processes, strategies or patents; I explore the effects of environmental I am an interdisciplinary social scientist with a background in environmental business-facing team facilitating this change. • utilise specialist business mentoring and start-up assistance; change on the structure of ecological studies. I have a particular interest in how society and the environment Our Knowledge Exchange Managers are enabling • access our business networks and networking communities (which are groups of can be governed to achieve greater sustainability. I conduct comparative research collaborations between ESI academic opportunities; actually or potentially interacting national research into: the integration of environmental concerns into experts and businesses. Alongside them, our • facilitate collaborations with other organisations; species living in the same place). government fiscal cycles; the development of the green economy in EU • access research facilities and equipment; I am mainly interested in understanding states; collaboration between stakeholders in catchment management; UK specialist Business Mentors are supporting • benefit from student and graduate placements. how structure and variables interact to climate policy; and also the potential environmental impacts of algal bio- enterprises in the environmental goods and determine changes at the ecosystem fuels production and their regulation. services sector that have potential to grow into Projects can be: scale. I have developed a predictive new markets. Together, the team are forming • long or short-term; ‘tool box’ to forecast how these partnerships with businesses, stakeholders, • developed with bespoke objectives in mind. ecological communities may be commercial investors, and local, national and disrupted in a world increasingly regional support providers to help translate The ESI supports and works with a range of organisations dominated by humans. research and expertise into innovative business including businesses, charities, social enterprises and practices, products and services. community groups with a direct interest in our research themes, and which wish to inform and be a part of a developing and relevant research agenda.

Discipline Biosciences, College of Life Discipline Politics, College of Social Sciences and Environmental Sciences and International Studies Please contact the Knowledge Exchange Team at: [email protected]

17 www.exeter.ac.uk/esi/people www.exeter.ac.uk/esi/business 18