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Cutting Edge Research

We work with students, professionals and universities from the UK and abroad, carrying out world-class, cutting-edge research, largely on farmland biodiversity, ecosystem services provided by wildlife and the future of sustainable food production. Our work spans the food chain, with projects ranging from sustainable land management to consumer attitudes to novel foods.

Marsh Fritillary Project

Bringing back the marsh fritillary butterfly to St Davids

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A Connected Peninsula

Part of a long-term plan to connect up wildlife habitat across the St Davids Peninsula and turn The Bug Farm into a nature reserve

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Some of our recent projects include…

Making space for wildlife in new buildings and during repairs to existing buildings

  • In-house review lead: Sarah Sharpe
  • View report

An Investigation into the movement of macro moths from marshy grassland habitat into intensive farmland

  • Academic institution: Swansea University
  • Academic collaborators: Dr Wendy Harris
  • Student: Imogen Cockwell
  • View report

Investigating the effectiveness of habitat creation by measuring invertebrate diversity on the St Davids peninsula

  • Academic institution: Aberystwyth University
  • Academic collaborators: Prof Gareth Griffith
  • Student: Dean Cain

Plastic-free and herbicide-free woodland establishment 

Bringing back the marsh fritillary butterfly to the St Davids peninsula 

  • Follow-on projects include: Connecting the Commons, Common Connections and A Connected Peninsula 
  • Partners: National Lottery Heritage Fund, Welsh Government, Natural Resources Wales (Nature Networks Fund & Local Places for Nature), the Pembrokeshire Nature Partnership, the National Trust, the Wildlife Trust of South and West Wales, PCNPA, HabitatInfo
  • View report

Exploring children’s changing perceptions of entomophagy

  • Academic institution: University of the West of England
  • Academic collaborators: Dr Verity Jones

The effect of arable field margin placement on beneficial invertebrates

  • Academic institution: University of Oxford
  • Academic collaborators: Professor Thomas Hesselberg, Professor Owen Lewis
  • Students: Alec Denny (MSc project), Lara Sarrionandia-Thomas (BA project)

Cross-pollination project: Revaluing pollinators through arts and science collaboration

  • Academic institutions: University of Wales Trinity Saint David, Aberystwyth University
  • Partners: National Botanic Garden of Wales, the Bumblebee Conservation Trust, Buglife

The application of an ecosystem services framework to estimate the economic value of dung beetles to the U.K. cattle industry

  • Academic institution: Aberystwyth University
  • Academic collaborators: Professor Mike Christie
  • Students: Dr Warwick Wainwright (MSc project)

Response of invertebrate communities to intensive management of improved pasture ecosystems

  • Academic institution: University of Oxford
  • Academic collaborator: Professor Owen Lewis
  • Students: Dr Paul Manning (DPhil project) – Rhodes Scholar

Soil structure and biological activity under contrasting farming methods of soybean in Brazil

  • Academic institution: Universidade Estadual de Maringá, Brazil
  • Academic collaborator: Professor Marcelo Augusto Batista

Factors affecting ecosystem service provision by dung-associated invertebrates

  • Academic institution: University of Oxford
  • Academic collaborator: Professor Owen Lewis
Publications