Research

Purpose

The purpose of the Trust as designated by its registration (17th.August 217) in the Charity Commission register of charities  is:

"1. To advance education in the subjects of horticulture and conservation in particular but not exclusively by means of: making videos; specialist library; public literature; research; mentoring; websites; placements . 2. Such charitable purposes for the public benefit as are exclusively charitable according to the laws of England and Wales as the trustees may from time to time determine" 

 

Thus additional to its charitable and educational work in other arenas and by other methods the Trust is also engaged in the arena of research, evidence gathering analysis, etc to assist promulgation of its provisions according to its Mission Statement.

Objectives

This research will provide a variety of research:

Documents.   Information for videos.   Guidance for students.   Evidence for further investigations.  Educational protocols.  Background material for study courses and workshops. Pedagogy. 

 

Research Volunteers

The Trust is now linked with students at 7 UK Universities:

Bath.  Bristol.  Oxford.  Southampton. West of England. Bath Spa. Bournemouth.

They undertake research in 16 categories (each of several subjects) in Conservation, Climate Change, Wildlife, Habitats. This also has the advantage of strengthening their skills with regards to aspects of their degree courses, as well as providing references and testimonials for job applications  and enhanced study accomplishment status.

And of course their work will enhance public education and awareness at a time of critical need for the survival of our planet and all species including our own.

 

Conservation Research Topics

The Trust is undertaking research in a  wide range of topics in the arena of conservation, climate change, habitats, pollution etc. Our student volunteers at the universities above are helping with this valuable work by writing documents.  Although ever expanding the current subjects and categories are as follows:

(A) Mitigation measures.             (B) Renewable energy advantages/impacts.           (C) Re-wilding.                         (D) Landscape restoring/protection/wildlife enhancement.        (E) Threats to species. Extinction. Climate Change.     (F) Individual species/threats/decline.     (G) Damage to migration routes/breeding.                  (H)  Well being & nature. Housing etc.   (I) Loss/damage of Habitats/special landscapes.     (J) Pollution .    (K)Circular Economy.  (L) Landscape/Environment  (M) Landscape re-wilding (N) Pollution Costs (O) Oceans & Waterways  (P) Landscape & Economy Impacts

 

(A) Mitigation Measures

(In each case will examine the impact, necessity,  off-sets)

  1.  2. Housing.  3. Industry.   4. Business parks.   5. New roads.   6.Non urbanisation of rural lanes. 7. Post pandemic: moratorium on new roads?  8. Pubic transport options/networking. 9. Railroad expansion options. 10. Improvement if all electric   etc transport. 11. Reducing commuting: effects on energy/landscape/roads & measures & human advantages 12. Building materials via straw etc. 13. Change to local food supplies. 14. Change to local employment. 15. Local dial a bus public transport.


(B):  Renewabale Energy: advantages/impacts 

Hydro/streams.    2. Hydro/estuaries/seabed.   3. Ground source heat. 4. Wind.  5. Solar farms in agricultural land.  6. Solar - car parks/offices, etc.  7. Hydrogen.  8.  What wildlife groups thinks of solar farms. 9. Solar farms: advantages/impacts.  10.  Future of energy: off grid communities. 10. Energy via waste burn (Germany).  11. House heating via effective insulation. 12. “Islands of the Future”  film (Netflix?) resumé of islands which have developed own systems.  13. Biomass: pros/cons

 

(C) Rewilding

(Usually meaning bringing back species which had been hunted to extinction in the UK.  But can also mean  flora and fauna)

  1.  Lynx.   2. Wolf.   3. Beaver.4.Crane.   5.Bison.  6. Boar. 7.Stork. 8 Back breeding. 9.Key stone species. 10. White-tailed eagle . 11. Red squirrel. 12. rewilding: How & Why

(D) Landscape restoring/protection/wildlife enhancement

  1. Value of hedges.  2. Loss of hedgerows.  3. Trees/flooding/habitats. Guerrilla gardening.   5. Roadside verges meadows.  6. Restoring streams.  7.Beaver dams.  8.Mitigation proposals for new housing.  9. Re-afforestation.  10.  Standing water. 11. Sunken Lanes.  12.Wildlife auditing/biological records.  13.Wetlands.  14. Assessment govt new farming reform.  15.  Foreign conservation innovations. 16.National Parks  17. Restoring/recreating special habitats.

 

(E) Threats/decline of species. Extinction. Climate Change 

  1. Sources % of co2    2. Human dependence on what we damage.   Soil erosion/soil fertility.  4. Pesticides. 5.Plastic.  6. Noise. 7. Carbon usage- coal.  8. Carbon usage.  9. Nuclear power. 10. Increase in meat consumption/cattle rearing: problems & unsustainability? 11. Hunting & trophy hunting & poaching. 12. Illegal trade in species. 13. Raptor persecution from grouse & pheasant business.

 

(F) Individual species/threats/decline       

  1. Badgers.  2. Bees.  3. Solitary bees.  4. Hedgehogs.   5. Frogs.  6. Newts.7. Butterflies.  8. Birds.  9. Insects. 10.Harvest mouse.  11. Dormouse.  12.Dragon flies etc.  13.  UK species declines/threats overall pattern last 75 years.  14. Introduced species (e.g. mink; puma escapees etc) 15. UK Endangered species.


(G) Damage to migration routes/breeding conditions

  1.  2. Wind farms??  4. Housing.  5. Rail.  6. Industry.  7. Agriculture. 8. Straightening .  water courses.  9. Hunting sports.  10. Destruction of hedges. 11. Clearing of waterside verges/flora/fauna.


(H) Well being & nature. Housing.     

  1. Trees/woods/gardens air quality. Policies for Neighbourhood Plans. 3. Greening car-parks & town roads. 4. Greening town buildings.  5. Zero-carbon housing.  6.New building & green spaces.  7.  Protecting the night sky/light pollution. 8.Options for green roofs.  9. Options for the zero carbon home. 10. Effects on mental health & improved behaviour from nearness to green space/nature. 11. City gardens/wildlife spaces.  12.Home solar and wind: diy? 13. Threats/impact on health from fossil fuels & costs.  14. Changing to local employment. 15. Nature deficit disorder (phenomenon of children spending less and less time outdoors; associated behavioural effects ;detrimental impacts of disconnection from nature)

 

(I) Loss/damage of Habitats/special landscapes

  1. Hedges.  2. Copses. 3. Water meadows. 4.Meandering water courses.  5.Moors. 6. Peat extraction.  7. Extraction from water courses.  8. Pollution of water courses.  9. Damage from tourism. 10 Damage from agriculture?

 

(J ) Pollution

  1. P 2. Pesticides. 3. Atomic. 3.Radiation. 4. Sound. 5.Light. 6. Coal. 7.Gas.  8. Landfill. Fossil fuels. 9. Natural resources depletion. 10.Water courses pollutants.  11. Soil pollutants. 12. Air

 

(K) Circular Economy

  1. Designing our waste  2. re-use/recycling. Regenerating natural systems,4. Longer lasting products.  5, Designing out pollution. 6. Energy without waste/pollution 7. Domestic up-cycling  

 

(L)  Landscape/Environment Problems      

  1. Flooding- building on flood plains/water meadows.   2. De-afforestation.  3. Creeping urbanisation.  4. Failure to use brownfield sites. 5.Landfill.  6. Straightening/killing water courses.  7. Flooding decrease of trees/hedges. 8. Past damage from the Common Agricultural Policy. 9. Unnecessary intrusive man made structure.  10. Ring roads as a means to increase urbanisation. 11. Hedgerow destruction.  13. Prairie fields. 14. Wonky veg.  15. City & community farms.16. Costs of Urbanisation

 

(M)  Rewilding- Landscape     

  1. Connectivity.  2. Peatlands.  3. Wetlands.   4. Moors.   5. Tidal lagoons.  6. Natural flooding.  7. Restoring streams etc.  8. Beaver dams/water.  9. Standing water.  10. Core wilderness areas (restricted human access) & buffer areas. 11. Wildlife corridors. 12. Enhancing decomposers (worms, fungi etc).  13. Domestic proxy (Domesticated breeds used to replicate ecological services of wild animals, e.g. Tamworth pigs for role of wild boar). 12. Ecological remediation (Removal of pollution/contaminants e.g.soils, ground/surface water, sediments) . 13. Passive rewilding/land abandonment. 14.Pleistocene rewilding (Active rewilding to recreate functioning ecosystems as they existed in the Pleistocene, using proxy species where necessary).  15.Scrub. 16. Three C’s Model. 17. Urban rewilding.18. Hedges. 19. Upland trees/woods. 20. Restoring river meanders.

 

(N) Pollution Costs

1 Human body invasive pollutants (incl. via food we eat).   2. Sound pollution threats to other creature 3. Night light pollution threats to other creature 4. Costs of domestic/household waste & pollution. 5. Hidden costs of oil/gas/coal/atomic energy.  6. Waste dumping.  7. Oceanic dumping/pollution.  8. Carcinogens in processed/factory farmed meats/rise in cancers. 9. Plastic nano particles in drinking water.  10 Costs of clean up & disposals of atomic & coal energy.  11. Polar ice cap loss & unleashing of  viruses/bacteria previously buried

 

(O) Oceans & Waterways  

  1. Waste dumping.  2. Hunting.   3. Nano & micro plastics.  4. Litter.  5. Over fishing/factory fishing.   6. Ice sheets.  7. Nitrates run-off.   8. Chemicals.  9. Species extinction & endangered.  10. Loss of habitats.   11. Factory pollution.  12. Nuclear waste & dumping.  13. Oil.   14. Sewerage.  15. Water extraction.  16. Gulf stream.  17. Oxygen depletion.  18. Ocean levels. 19. Algae & related problems.  20. Coral reefs.

 

(P) Landscape and Economy  & Health Impacts

  1. Desert advance.   2. Deforestation.  3. Top soil loss.   4.  Flooding.  5. Loss of farmland. 6. Famine. 7. Species depletion though desertification/deforestation.  8. Ethnic genocide through landscape exploitation. 9. Rise of viruses due to encroachment on species habitat. 10.Community decline/collapse due to land exhaustion/destruction. 11. Decline of oxygen replenishment. 12. Sperm count drop/human infertility.

 

Wildife & Habitats

Similarly the charity is undertaking research in the arena of wildlife and habitats. This applies especially to individual domestic gardens and to community possibilities.  Our student volunteers at the universities above are helping with this valuable work by writing documents.  Although ever expanding the current subjects and categories are as follows:

Categories

(A). Species.  (B). How to Make Animal Homes.  (C). Soil.  (D). Planting.  (E). Water. (F). Feeding/Foraging Routes/Wildlife Corridors. (G). Conservation for children. (H). Recycling/Renewables.  (I). Wild space/Habitats.  (J). Wildlife & Organic Gardening. (K). Community Projects.

(A) Species

  1. Hedgehogs 2. Frogs.  Bugs. 3. Butterflies.  4. Dragonflies/Damsel flies. 5. Newts.  6. Birds. 7.  Moles. 9. Badgers. 10. Mice/voiles/shrews. 11. Bees. 12. Slow worms.

 

B):  How T Make Animal Homes

  1.  Bug hotels.  2. Bird boxes.  3. Hedgehog house. 4. Bat boxes.  5.

 

(C) Soil

  1. Worms and soil fertility. 2. Pesticides.  3. Nitrates.  4. Compost/fertiliser.  5. Leaf-mould.  6. Phosphor. 7. Erosion.

 

(D) Planting

  1. Pollinating plants. 2. All year round blooms for well being  & animals.  3. Sympathetic or companion planting. 4. Crop rotation.  5. Non pesticide bloom protection

 

(E) Water

 1.Wetland areas. 2. Upward ecology of water in gardens.  3. Ponds. 4. Flowing water.  5. Waterfalls.

 

(F) Feeding/Foraging Routes/Wildlife Corridors

  1. Helping wildlife corridors.  2. Gaps in fences.  3. Importance of gardens to wildlife.   4. Gardens & wildlife corridors. 5.Community Gardens. 6. Food for garden creatures

 

(G) Conservation For Children

  1. Wildlife gardening for children. 2. Children’s own patch. 3. Nature watch games.  4. Craft.

 

(H) Recycling/Renewables

  1. Grey water from house waste.  2. Water butts.  3. Kitchen waste.  4. How to go off grid. 5. Ways of reducing your carbon footprint.  6. DIY renewable energy. 7. Composting.   8.Gardens as carbon sinks

 

I) Wild Spaces & Habitats

  1. Rock garden & species.  2.Care about 'weeds': daisies/buttercups etc. 3. Decaying wood
    4. Making a hedge for wildlife.5. Wild areas.   
      J)Wildlife & Organic Gardening
  2. Garden wild-flower projects.   2. Flower rich lawns.   3. Hibernation- how to help
  3. Attracting wildlife to your garden.  5.Gardens & priority conservation species   6. Dangers for wildlife in your garden. 7. Gardens & Conservation- overlooked.  8.Gardens as a resource for wildlife.  9. Gardens: physical chemical environment.

 

(K) Community Projects

  1. Moderating garden Areas to enhance attraction/survival for:  (any range of species taking your fancy).2. Community /Neighbourhood action/ projects to encourage/protect wildlife.
  2. Your house & outbuildings for wildlife.4. Guerrilla gardening for wildlife.
  3. Surveying & using abandoned spaces for wildlife.
  4. Cooperating with your local farming & helping him improve wildlife habitat/survival.
  5. Contacting your local council Highways Dept. with plans for wildlife habitat enhancement.8. How schools can help wildlife habitats.
  6. Roofs for habitats.10. Recycling disused materials for wildlife.

11.The local church, shops, light industrial buildings: what opportunities do such sites offer?



©Stephen Ben Cox 2021

 

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