Staff spotlight Sarah Buckingham

SENIOR ENVIRONMENTAL CONSULTANT

My specialities

• Soil carbon sequestration potential

• Greenhouse gas mitigation and removal strategies

• Regenerative agriculture applications and nature-based solutions to achieving net zero targets

After toying with a few different career ideas, I decided to do a BSc (Hons) Environmental Science degree as it captured my interests in science and nature and I’ve never looked back! I really enjoyed working on my undergraduate dissertation, looking at the impact of soil phosphorus loss on water quality. This led me to undertake a PhD studentship, as I wanted to learn more about the complex relationships between land management and ecosystem services.

I undertook a PhD with CEH Lancaster and Lancaster University looking at soil carbon dynamics in different soils and land use types. It was a great project, where I was lucky enough to travel around the Lake District monitoring grassland, forest and peatland sites, every fortnight, for a year. I really enjoyed seeing how different all our sites looked throughout the seasons and meeting many characters along the way!

Following my PhD, I was appointed as a researcher with SRUC’s crop and soils team in 2010, where I worked on many projects in relation to understanding soil carbon dynamics and sequestration potential, as well as assessing the impacts of agricultural management practices on soil health and greenhouse gas emissions (such as regenerative agricultural practices and nature-based solutions). I was also involved with MSc teaching, initially taking on a few lectures, which soon progressed to leading courses and finally taking on the role of programme director for MSc Soils and Sustainability (2018 –2022). I also volunteer with the British Soil Science Society Scottish Soil Discussion Group, where we try to arrange a few engagement and knowledge exchange events annually, which range from academic meetings, to school visits.

In November 2022 I transferred to SAC Consulting’s Environment Team and I began working in SAC Consulting. I have primarily been working on carbon management services - identifying greenhouse gas reduction and avoidance strategies in agricultural and food production systems. As we strive to achieve net zero targets during economically challenging times, it is vital to identify sustainable land management strategies that, not only contribute to climate change mitigation and ecosystem health, but also provide cost-effective improvements in terms of business efficiency and productivity. I’m looking forward to getting more involved with the many new and varied projects the Environment Team are involved with and I’m excited to see where this new role may take me.

As for the wider industry, If I was given one wish, it would be for more investment and for it to be available over longer time periods. There’s no ‘one size fits all’ approach for achieving net zero within agriculture and so long-term investments are needed to help develop bespoke strategies and to support the many different farm types we have in the agricultural sector.

Get in touch

sarah.buckingham@sac.co.uk