Introduction
The following groups of people are, or have been, actively involved in the work of Conservation Evidence. This does not include the editorial board of the online Conservation Evidence Journal.
Contact us at: info@conservationevidence.com

Core team
William Sutherland
Miriam Rothschild Professor of Conservation Biology, University of Cambridge, established the idea and site and has been heavily involved since.
Dr Rebecca Smith
Conservation Evidence Manager, University of Cambridge. With previous useful experience as an ecological consultant and developing management plans for mammals for organisations including CapeNature, she initially worked with us on systematic reviews. Since 2011 she has worked on the Farmland Synopsis, produced the Amphibian Synopsis and has been the key person on many aspects of the work of Conservation Evidence, including What Works in Conservation.
Dr Lynn Dicks
University of Cambridge. With a useful background in both ecology and journalism, Lynn has played a key role in establishing many of the main methods such as the synopses and What Works in Conservation. She was the lead author of the Bee Synopsis and the Farmland Synopsis. As a researcher, Lynn works to get Conservation Evidence used in policy making, amongst other research areas.
Dr Andrew Bladon
University of Cambridge, joined the Conservation Evidence team in June 2019 following work with the RSPB. Andrew is working on the terrestrial and freshwater Invertebrates Synopsis.
Dr Harriet Downey
University of Cambridge, joined the Conservation Evidence team in June 2019, with experience as Head of Outreach, Engagement and Stakeholder Liaison for a project and from working with Wildlife Trusts. Harriet aims to understand how people use evidence, and works with conservation practitioners, policy makers and funders to get evidence more widely used to make conservation decision making more impactful and effective.
Dr Amelia Hood
University of Cambridge, joined the Conservation Evidence team in October 2019. Amelia is working on a systematic review of scientific evidence for sustainable agriculture (Cassava). Her PhD included testing practical management interventions for biodiversity in collaboration with the oil palm industry.
Dr Philip Martin
University of Cambridge, works on synthesising evidence relating to conservation management. He is currently synthesising evidence on the management of invasive plant species as part of the BioRISC project. He has previously produced the Shrubland and Heathland Synopsis, and worked on the Grassland and Mammal synopses. He has proviously worked for NGOs including IUCN, Birdlife and WCMC.
Dr Will Morgan
University of Cambridge, joined the Conservation Evidence team in April 2020. Will is working on the Reptile Synopsis. His PhD included reintroducing watervoles to an area in Scotland.
Dr Silviu Petrovan
University of Cambridge, joined the Conservation Evidence team in 2016. Previous roles include Head of Conservation at Froglife and working on captive-breeding and reintroduction projects as a qualified vet. He is now working on updating synopses, assessing evidence for interventions, and the production of What Works in Conservation.
Dr Katie Sainsbury
University of Cambridge, joined the Conservation Evidence team in July 2019. Katie is working on the Reptiles Synopsis. Her PhD included work on a species recovery programme. She also has experience working for a National Park Authority, with a Tanzanian NGO and in marketing and strategy for businesses.
Dr Ann Thornton
University of Cambridge, joined the Conservation Evidence team in August 2019. Ann is Managing Editor of our online Conservation Evidence Journal. Previous experience includes work with JNCC and as an ecological consultant.
Kate Willott
University of Cambridge, with useful editorial experience, joined the Conservation Evidence team in January 2019. She oversees the collation of evidence in our subject-wide literature database along with other work relating to the running of Conservation Evidence.
Team members currently working on specific projects
-
Khatija Alliji
Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science, is working on the Marine Fish Synopsis.
-
Dr Tatsuya Amano
University of Queensland (previously University of Cambridge), has been involved in the Conservation Evidence project as a statistical editor. He also runs the translatE project - Transcending Language Barriers to Environmental Sciences - which identifies non-English-language papers that tested the effectiveness of conservation interventions, assesses and compares the scientific knowledge that is available, and aims to understand how language barriers impede the application of science in decision making.
-
Chris Barrett
Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science, is working on the Marine Fish Synopsis.
-
Dr Anna Berthinussen
University of Leeds, is one of two main authors of the Bat Synopsis. She is currently producing the annual Bat Synopsis update and the synopsis for marine mammals.
-
Dr Sandro Bertolino
University of Turin, is overseeing the synopsis of the effectiveness of interventions to control selected invasive mammals.
-
Dr Min Chen
East China Normal University, extracted all the papers that tested interventions from 70 conservation and ecology journals up until 2014. She is currently coordinating the extraction of papers from Chinese language journals.
-
Alec Christie
University of Cambridge, joined the Conservation Evidence project as a PhD student in September 2017. Alec is investigating how we can rigorously weight studies that test conservation interventions based on their quality and relevance to practitioners and policy-makers. He also wants to help create decision-support tools that enhance the impact of the Conservation Evidence project.
-
Dr Ally Evans
Aberystwyth University, is working on a synopsis of evidence for the effectiveness of biodiversity enhancement on marine artificial structures.
-
Doug MacFarlane
University of Western Australia & University of Cambridge, is investigating the evidence for behaviour-change interventions that aim to reduce consumer demand for harmful products (e.g. cigarettes, alcohol, or stolen goods). This project is motivated by the need to inform efforts to reduce demand for illegal wildlife products such as elephant ivory, rhino horn, and bear bile.
-
Ros McIntyre
Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science, is working on the Marine Fish Synopsis.
-
Natasha Taylor
Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science, is working on the Marine Fish Synopsis.
-
Dr Nigel Taylor
Tour du Valat, produced the Peatland Synopsis and is now working on a synopsis of the effectiveness of conservation practices for other wetland habitats.
-
Dr Elena Tricarico
University of Turin, is working on the synopsis of the effectiveness of interventions to control selected invasive mammals.
-
Tom White
University of Cambridge, joined the Conservation Evidence project as a PhD student in September 2019. He is investigating the measurement of costs and cost-effectiveness in conservation.
Former team members
-
Dr Har’el Agra
Israel Institute of Technology, is the lead author of the Forest Synopsis.
-
Dr David Aldridge
University of Cambridge, is the lead author of the Control of Freshwater Invasive Species Synopsis and coordinated the assessment of chapters for What Works in Conservation.
-
Stephanie Aldridge
is a Director of Cambridge Environmental Consulting, UK and contributed to the Control of Freshwater Invasive Species Synopsis.
-
Professor John Altringham
University of Leeds, an international expert on bats oversaw the production of the Bat Synopsis and the chapter in What Works in Conservation.
-
Joscelyne Ashpole
(previously University of Cambridge) edited the Farmland Synopsis before publication. She then moved to the RSPB.
-
Professor Melanie Austen
Plymouth Marine Laboratory, oversaw the production of the Sustainable Aquaculture Synopsis.
-
Professor Richard Bardgett
University of Manchester, oversaw the production of the Soil Fertility Synopsis.
-
Professor Yohay Carmel
Technion - Israel Institute of Technology, oversaw and organised the Forest Synopsis.
-
Matt Child
(previously University of Cambridge), wrote summaries for the Bird Synopsis.
-
Dr Leo Clarke
School of Ocean Sciences, Bangor University, is one of the authors of the Marine Fish Synopsis.
-
Dr Juliana Danhardt
Lund University, wrote summaries for the Farmland Synopsis.
-
James Hutchison
(previously University of Cambridge) played a significant role in the production of the Natural Pest Control Synopsis. He then moved to the Joint Nature Conservation Committee.
-
Dr Katy James
Harper Adams University, created the systematic map for the Farmland Synopsis.
-
Aisla Jones
University of Bangor, is the lead author of the Sustainable Aquaculture Synopsis.
-
Annelie Jönsson
Lund University, wrote summaries for the Farmland Synopsis.
-
Dr Jessica Junker
Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, is the lead author of the Primate Synopsis.
-
Professor Michel Kaiser
University of Bangor, oversaw the production of the Sustainable Aquaculture Synopsis.
-
Dr Georgina Key
University of Manchester, is the lead author of the Soil Fertility Synopsis. She also coordinated the assessment of the synopsis for the chapter in What Works in Conservation.
-
Dr Anaelle Lemasson
Univerity of Plymouth (previously Joint Nature Conservation Committee, Paignton Zoo) is the lead author of the Subtidal Benthic Invertebrate Synopsis. She then contributed to a systematic map of evidence for the effectiveness of interventions relating to the management of captive animals.
-
Dr Nick Littlewood
Scotland's Rural College (previously University of Cambridge), is an author of the Terrestrial Mammal Synopsis.
-
Sarah Lockhart
(previously Duke University), wrote summaries about carnivores for the Mammal Synopsis.
-
Caitlin McCormack
(previously University of Cambridge) coordinated the assessment of the Natural Pest Control Synopsis and played a role in developing What Works in Conservation.
-
Dr Angela Mead
contributed to the Control of Freshwater Invasive Species and Sustainable Aquaculture Synopses.
-
Dr Helen Meredith
Institute of Zoology, Zoological Society of London, coordinated the assessment of the Amphibian Synopsis for the chapter in What Works in Conservation.
-
Dr Nibedita Mukherjee
was involved in promoting Conservation Evidence and researching means of making it more widely used.
-
Dr Nancy Ockendon
(previously University of Cambridge), participated in many aspects of the projects and played a key role in the creation of What Works in Conservation. Nancy was Managing Editor of the journal Conservation Evidence, and contributed towards the Grassland Synopsis.
-
Lisa Orth
Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, wrote summaries for the Primate Synopsis.
-
Dr Laura Pettit
Joint Nature Conservation Committee, is an author of the Subtidal Benthic Invertebrate Synopsis.
-
Professor Stuart Pimm
Duke University, was involved in overseeing and organising the carnivore work for the Mammal Synopsis.
-
Dr Rob Pople
(previously University of Cambridge) started the Bird Synopsis. He then moved to Birdlife International.
-
Dr Stephanie Prior
(previously University of Cambridge) extracted all the papers that tested interventions from the main conservation and ecology journals up until 2012.
-
Dr Nicola Randall
Harper Adams University, created the systematic map for the Farmland Synopsis.
-
Olivia Richardson
University of Leeds, is one of two main authors of the Bat Synopsis.
-
Rebecca J. Robertson
University of Leeds, summarised evidence for the Mediterranean Farmland Synopsis, conducted literature searches and then as administrator oversaw the collation of evidence in our subject-wide literature database along with other work relating to the running of Conservation Evidence.
-
Dr Ricardo Rocha
(previously University of Cambridge) summarized evidence relating to the control of aquatic invasive plants and worked on the Terrestrial Mammal Synopsis.
-
Dr Guy Rotem
Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, worked on the Reptile Synopsis.
-
Helen Scales
is an aquatic ecologist, author and researcher for Cambridge Environmental Consulting, UK and contributed to the Control of Freshwater Invasive Species Synopsis.
-
Rebecca Schoonover
(previously Duke University), wrote summaries about carnivores for the Terrestrial Mammal Synopsis.
-
Dr Gorm Shackelford
(previously University of Cambridge) produced the synopsis on Sustainable Agriculture in California and other Mediterranean climates. He also worked on developing a new website for evidence synthesis and meta-analysis (www.metadataset.com) in collaboration with Conservation Evidence and BioRISC (the Biosecurity Research Initiative at St Catharine’s, www.biorisc.com). This new website focuses on evidence for the effects of management practices on crops and invasive plants.
-
David Showler
(previously University of East Anglia), was involved with Conservation Evidence from the start until 2008. He is now an ecological consultant.
-
Susan Turpie
Natural Heritage Management Team, Scottish Government, wrote summaries for the Farmland Synopsis.
-
Dr Elizabeth Tyler
conducted literature searches and as administrator oversaw the collation of evidence in our subject-wide literature database along with other work relating to the running of Conservation Evidence.
-
Dr Jessica Walsh
Simon Fraser University, Canada, was a PhD student at the University of Cambridge who studied how evidence is used in practice, helped teach the Conservation Evidence training course, conducted the preliminary assessment of the Bird Synopsis, and has provided useful advice on implementing evidence-based practice.
-
Dr Maggie Watson
Charles Sturt University, is an author of the Reptile Synopsis being produced.
-
Dr Mike Whitfield
University of Lancaster, helped to develop the Soil Fertility Synopsis.
-
Dr Dave Williams
University of Leeds (previously University of Cambridge), wrote the majority of the Bird Synopsis and brought it to completion.
-
Elspeth Wilman
(previously Duke University), wrote summaries about carnivores for the Mammal Synopsis.
-
Dr Hugh Wright
(previously University of Cambridge) was the lead author of the Natural Pest Control Synopsis. He then moved to the Joint Nature Conservation Committee.
-
Dr Alexandra Zieritz
was a post-doctoral researcher at the University of Nottingham, Malaysia Campus, Malaysia and contributed to the Control of Freshwater Invasive Species Synopsis.
-
Dr Erasmus zu Ermgassen
(previously University of Cambridge) volunteered by writing summaries for the Bird Synopsis.