Tim Howson
- Email: gytrh@leeds.ac.uk
- Thesis title: The hydrology, hydrochemistry and aquatic carbon flux associated with forest-to-bog restoration
- Supervisors: Professor Joseph Holden, Professor Pippa Chapman
Profile
PROJECT BACKGROUND
Since the 1940s and 50s, large scale afforestation in Great Britain has been one of the most marked land use changes in natural peatland landscapes through the planting of non-native coniferous trees (Curtis et al., 2014, Reed et al., 2009). In the 1960s, this was accelerated by the development of improved cultivation and ploughing techniques which have been responsible for significant habitat loss and degradation of the peat (Anderson and Peace, 2017). The UK Forestry Standard now discourages establishing new forestry on land with a peat depth greater than 50 cm and restoration work at designated sites is actively promoted.
The decision to restore previously afforested peatlands resulted from recognition of the biodiversity value of the former landscapes in their pristine state, and the important role they play in regulating climate change (Anderson et al., 2016). Future policies on how to proceed require careful evaluation of the ecosystem services the different land uses offer in order to make informed decisions based on scientific evidence. At present not all the evidence is available and many of the forests are reaching maturity which creates added pressure on the research community to provide the evidence base to shape future policy (Anderson et al., 2016).
AIMS
This project aims to fill important knowledge gaps in quantifying differences in the hydrology and hydrochemistry between pristine, afforested and restored-formerly-afforested peatlands to assess the water regulatory ecosystem services they deliver. It is important to establish the implications for flood risk, drinking water provisions and water quality that may affect aquatic biota. Jointly funded by Forest Research and the University of Leeds, the study will expand on current monitoring of surface water quality at restoration sites in Scotland, by providing new information on the porewater chemistry, runoff and the physical and chemical properties of the peat for the different land uses.
FUNDING
Joint funded by UOL and Forest Research.
FOREST RESEARCH SUPERVISORS
Dr Nadeem Shah - Forest Research
Russell Anderson - Forest Research
RELEVANT WORK EXPERIENCE
· Conservation Works Officer, Moors for the Future 2011 – 2017
· Overseeing peatland conservation works
· GIS mapping / analysing field data
· Ensuring operations meet health and safety requirements
· Liaising with stakeholders, contractors, partner organisations and the public
· Ecological / Hydrological surveys
· Site inspections
Other...
2007 – 2008 - Direct mail - Senior Software Developer
2000 – 2007 - Localisation / translation - Senior Software Developer
1998 – 2000 - Payroll solutions - Software Developer
1996 – 1998 - Image systems - Software Developer
EDUCATION
MSc Conservation & Land Management – Merit, Bangor University 2010
MSc Computing, Bradford University 1996
BSc (Hons) Measurement, Instrumentation, Printing & Photographic Technology - 2:1, Manchester Metropolitan University
RESEARCH GROUPS AND INSTITUTES
Research interests
GIS; remote sensing; hydrology; hydrochemistry; computing.