Solving problems using research

The GWCT's research seeks to address and solve problems.

GWCT research continues to inform Government policy as well as those managing the land.

The Review reports on and showcases some of the research work undertaken by the GWCT’s research department and with others over the last 12 months.

The GWCT’s research is very applied, meaning it seeks to address problems such as the recovery of declining species or problems arising from intensive management. For many researchers, an end point is the publication of their work in peer-reviewed scientific journals. GWCT scientists also strive to do this but, for us, this is not an end point but the start of a second phase during which we strive to get our research discussed in policy forums and among those managing land. In this Review, arable farmers will benefit from our work on Barley Yellow Dwarf Virus (see page 14), no-till cultivation and attempts to hold phosphate fertiliser on the land where it can be taken up by crop plants and not released to watercourses where it causes problems (see page 24).

We continue to take research into policy. Dr Jonathan Reynolds’ article on page 36 is taken from our submission to Defra on invasive non-native species and hopefully, reflects our understanding of how wildlife conservation can co-exist with current land management priorities. We also continue carrying out fundamental research on the conservation of our game species. Our work on mountain hare, capercaillie, woodcock and red grouse demonstrate this (see pages 50 and 62-73).

Our commitment to training the next generation of wildlife conservation scientists continues. In 2019 two PhD studies were successfully defended and two more PhD theses were submitted for examination in early 2020. Congratulations to Chris Heward (woodcock) and Jessica Marsh (freshwater ecology of salmonids) and fingers crossed for the others. The first GWCT-supervised PhD study was successfully defended in 1980. In 2020 we will see the 97th thesis produced, creeping ever closer to the 100 milestone. Nick Sotherton, Director of Research

Researchers monitoring bats and their use of agri-environment schemes. © GWCT