News

A recent paper published in the journal Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment, co-authored by Jonathan Timperley, the CRI's Prof Edgar Turner, and Dr Michael Pahskevich, describes how oil palm farming methods in Liberia affect arthropod diversity, and suggests strategies to protect these key animals and help ensure the long-term sustainability of t…

Insects are the dominant animal life-form on our planet and an essential part of our ecosystems. Yet, despite reports of catastrophic insect declines and potentially imminent ‘insectageddon’, the global state of insect biodiversity remains unclear due in part to a massive lack of data.A study published this week in the journal, Science, led by UKCE…

AI can do in seconds what might take a team of experts a year. This is why we must harness it to reverse the damage we’ve done to the planet.An opinion piece by Anil Madhavapeddy, Professor of Planetary Computing in the Department of Computer Science and Technology, as a part of Shaping AI for everyone at the University of Cambridge.We need to act …

A major review of over 67,000 animal species has found that while the natural world continues to face a biodiversity crisis, targeted conservation efforts are helping bring many species back from the brink of extinction. The study draws on data from the IUCN Red List, the world’s largest database of species conservation status. The researchers say …

A new study published in Royal Society Open Science reveals the significant potential of leveraging existing systematic evidence databases to mitigate hazards in the global food system. The research was led by Dr David Willer and Dr Silviu O Petrovan, who are based in the Department of Zoology and the Conservation Research Institute, with a team fr…

The Conservation Research Instiute's  Professor Ed Turner and Professor Lynn Dicks attended the 7th International Conference on Oil Palm and the Environment, in Bali, Indonesia in February. The theme of the conference was 'Oil palm agro-ecological transformation: towards climate- and nature-positive agriculture'.This conference is an important plat…

Marina Melanidis awarded King Charles III Coronation MedalGeography and CRI PhD student Marina Melanidis has been awarded the prestigious King Charles III Coronation Medal for her "significant contribution to Canada or to a particular province, territory, region or community of Canada, or have made an outstanding achievement abroad that brings cred…

Birds across Eastern England's arable landscapes are thriving on solar farms managed with nature in mind. Research by scientists from the RSPB and University of Cambridge as part of the Centre for Landscape Regeneration has found that UK solar farms managed for nature could benefit birds, including threatened species like Corn Buntings, Greenfinche…

A new study carried out by Julián Tijerín-Triviño (Universidad de Alcala) during a visit with Dr Emily Lines (Department of Geography and CRI) has found that climate change is threatening the ability of European forests to sequester carbon.Using forest survey data from the 1990s to 2020 from >13,900 plots in Mediterranean, temperate and boreal regi…

A recent paper published in the journal Science, co-authored by Prof Andrew Balmford and other members of the Dept of Zoology’s Conservation Science Group, calls on the global community to recognise that rewilding productive farmland or forestry in industrialised nations may do more harm than good on a planetary scale.Exploratory analysis by the te…

Experts say a focus on re-wetting our parched peat would significantly dampen down the UK’s fire-driven carbon emissions and help mitigate against climate changeA new study led by the University of Cambridge has revealed that as our springs and summers get hotter and drier, the UK wildfire season is being stretched and intensified. More fires, taki…

Lynn Dicks appeared in a panel session at the Oxford Farming Conference on 10th January, discussing Nature Friendly Farming from a business and sustainability perspective.  "Unlocking the Business Potential of Nature of Friendly Farming":https://www.ofc.org.uk/video/rspb-unlocking-business-potential-nature-friendly-farmingThe panel:Chair: Beccy Spe…

Researchers have released 'GreenLens', a free app that uses AI to measure the diameter of tree trunks. It works with a high degree of accuracy – yet runs on a cheap, second-hand Android phone. The GreenLens app is aimed at anyone with an interest in protecting and restoring forests, from governments and NGOs to landowners and environmental scientis…

Prof. Bill Sutherland CBE FRS has collected a prestigious prize in recognition of his pioneering contributions to conservation science. He was awarded the International Cosmos Prize at a ceremony in Japan last term. Professor Sutherland, who is a member of the Conservation Research Institute and Director of Research at the University of Cambridge’s…

Rachael Garrett, Moran Professor of Conservation and Development at the Department of Geography and Director of the Conservation Research Institute, has joined the Joint Committee of the UK's Joint Nature Conservation Committee (JNCC) as an independent member. This is a public appointment made through an application and competition.JNCC is the only…