Knowledge exchange for sustainable tropical landscapes
Lead Research Organisation:
University of York
Department Name: Biology
Abstract
This project will build a KE network of stakeholders from academia, industry, policy, and conservation in order to translate NERC research findings into practice and policy for ensuring the sustainability of tropical agricultural landscapes under climate change.
Tropical landscapes perform multiple functions, including providing food, supporting the highest concentrations of biodiversity globally, and providing essential ecosystem services, including storing vast amounts of carbon within rainforests. All these functions impact globally and are under increasing pressure from human population growth. There is a large and growing body of scientific evidence to aid decision-making about the sustainable management of tropical landscapes, but this information is rarely available to decision makers and practitioners charged with developing and implementing best practice. The role of the KE fellow will be to bridge the gap between academia and other sectors to facilitate more informed decision-making. The development of sustainable tropical landscapes relies on multiple and diverse stakeholders, often with competing priorities, therefore the KE fellowship aims to provide a robust and consistent evidence-base across sectors.
The first phase of the fellowship will focus on improving sustainability of oil palm dominated landscapes in SE Asia. Oil palm is the world's primary source of vegetable oil, and SE Asia is responsible for 80% of global production. The fellow already has extensive technical knowledge of the subject from previous KE projects, and has developed a diverse network of contacts of important stakeholders, including: the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm oil (RSPO) - the certification body for sustainable palm oil, Unilever - the largest single user of palm oil globally, and Proforest - an NGO responsible for the development of the 'High Conservation Values' (HCV) process (see letters of support) .The fellow will use this existing knowledge and contacts to deliver targeted KE on urgent and emerging issues.
The second phase of the programme will expand the scope of KE to include new regions, crops and research topics to maximise the KE output from NERC-funded tropical research at York. The final phase of the project will place KE activities in the context of climate change to ensure the safeguarding of food security, natural resources and ecosystem services in the face of environmental change. It will also create a KE legacy, by putting in place mechanisms to ensure that KE continues to flow between academia and decision-makers beyond the lifetime of the project.
By delivering the four project objectives, the fellow will bridge the gap between academia, industry, government and NGOs. This approach will ensure the incorporation of NERC science into policy and practice, to achieve progress towards effectively balancing the multiple functions of tropical landscapes. KE activities will include building contacts through visits to stakeholders in the UK and in the focal tropical countries, and development and maintenance of effective communication tools. Two multi-sector workshops will highlight issues and challenges, while encouraging collaboration across sectors. Focus topics for KE will be identified for which the relevant scientific evidence will be synthesised and disseminated by the fellow in a variety of ways ranging from synthesis reports to podcasts. In addition, three secondments are planned. Each secondment will target a different sector and will enable the fellow to work closely with individual organisations to deliver scientific knowledge which is tailored according to targeted needs.
By these means the programme will facilitate more efficient uptake of scientific evidence into policy and practice, ultimately benefiting society through safeguarding food security, biodiversity and ecosystem services under a changing climate.
Tropical landscapes perform multiple functions, including providing food, supporting the highest concentrations of biodiversity globally, and providing essential ecosystem services, including storing vast amounts of carbon within rainforests. All these functions impact globally and are under increasing pressure from human population growth. There is a large and growing body of scientific evidence to aid decision-making about the sustainable management of tropical landscapes, but this information is rarely available to decision makers and practitioners charged with developing and implementing best practice. The role of the KE fellow will be to bridge the gap between academia and other sectors to facilitate more informed decision-making. The development of sustainable tropical landscapes relies on multiple and diverse stakeholders, often with competing priorities, therefore the KE fellowship aims to provide a robust and consistent evidence-base across sectors.
The first phase of the fellowship will focus on improving sustainability of oil palm dominated landscapes in SE Asia. Oil palm is the world's primary source of vegetable oil, and SE Asia is responsible for 80% of global production. The fellow already has extensive technical knowledge of the subject from previous KE projects, and has developed a diverse network of contacts of important stakeholders, including: the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm oil (RSPO) - the certification body for sustainable palm oil, Unilever - the largest single user of palm oil globally, and Proforest - an NGO responsible for the development of the 'High Conservation Values' (HCV) process (see letters of support) .The fellow will use this existing knowledge and contacts to deliver targeted KE on urgent and emerging issues.
The second phase of the programme will expand the scope of KE to include new regions, crops and research topics to maximise the KE output from NERC-funded tropical research at York. The final phase of the project will place KE activities in the context of climate change to ensure the safeguarding of food security, natural resources and ecosystem services in the face of environmental change. It will also create a KE legacy, by putting in place mechanisms to ensure that KE continues to flow between academia and decision-makers beyond the lifetime of the project.
By delivering the four project objectives, the fellow will bridge the gap between academia, industry, government and NGOs. This approach will ensure the incorporation of NERC science into policy and practice, to achieve progress towards effectively balancing the multiple functions of tropical landscapes. KE activities will include building contacts through visits to stakeholders in the UK and in the focal tropical countries, and development and maintenance of effective communication tools. Two multi-sector workshops will highlight issues and challenges, while encouraging collaboration across sectors. Focus topics for KE will be identified for which the relevant scientific evidence will be synthesised and disseminated by the fellow in a variety of ways ranging from synthesis reports to podcasts. In addition, three secondments are planned. Each secondment will target a different sector and will enable the fellow to work closely with individual organisations to deliver scientific knowledge which is tailored according to targeted needs.
By these means the programme will facilitate more efficient uptake of scientific evidence into policy and practice, ultimately benefiting society through safeguarding food security, biodiversity and ecosystem services under a changing climate.
Organisations
- University of York (Lead Research Organisation)
- Zoological Society of London (Collaboration)
- Wilmar International Limited (Collaboration)
- Indonesian Soil Research Institute (Collaboration)
- Lancaster University (Collaboration)
- Peat Restoration Agency (Collaboration)
- Jambi University (Collaboration)
- UNIVERSITY OF CAMBRIDGE (Collaboration)
- Greenpeace International (Collaboration)
- UNIVERSITY OF OXFORD (Collaboration)
- Wageningen University & Research (Collaboration)
- South East Asia Rainforest Research Programme (SEARRP) (Collaboration)
- UNIVERSITY OF ABERDEEN (Collaboration)
- Van Hall Larenstein University (Collaboration)
- UNIVERSITY OF KENT (Collaboration)
- UNIVERSITY OF YORK (Collaboration)
- UNIVERSITY OF LEEDS (Collaboration)
- UNIVERSITY OF LIVERPOOL (Collaboration)
- University of Oxford (Fellow)
People |
ORCID iD |
| Jennifer Lucey (Principal Investigator / Fellow) |
Publications
KL Yeong
(2016)
The Potential for Oil palm Landscapes to Support At Risk Species
Lucey J
(2017)
Reframing the evidence base for policy-relevance to increase impact: a case study on forest fragmentation in the oil palm sector
in Journal of Applied Ecology
Lucey J.M.
(2018)
Simplified riparian guidelines
Scriven SA
(2019)
Testing the benefits of conservation set-asides for improved habitat connectivity in tropical agricultural landscapes.
in The Journal of applied ecology
| Description | As a result of my knowledge exchange activities I conducted a new synthesis of fragmentation research in oil palm landscapes to develop a new set of recommendations for assessing viable forest patch size for land planning and designing new conservation set asides. Key findings were that 1) patches of less than a few tens of ha appear to have little biodiversity value as they contain similar numbers of species to the oil palm planted area, and structurally dominant dipterocarp trees fail to regenerate 2) patches of a few hundred of ha by contrast, support forest regeneration and biodiversity levels of around 60-70% of that found in continuous forest 3) very large tracts (10,000s ha) are required to maintain the full complement of forest species 4) forest quality improves the number of species supported for a patch of a given size. I also developed a knowledge exchange process which was successful in achieving impact, detailed in the publication below. |
| Exploitation Route | My KE fellowship has resulted in global, multi-sectoral impact to reduce deforestation in tropical commodities, in particular through uptake of the High Carbon Stock toolkit across sectors and recently into the Roundtable on Sustainable palm Oil. I won the Early Career NERC impact award in recognition of these achievements in 2018 and expect that it will form a REF impact case study in the upcoming REF assessment. |
| Sectors | Agriculture, Food and Drink,Environment |
| URL | http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/1365-2664.12845/abstract |
| Description | This is a knowledge exchange fellowship, therefore all activities are related to creating non-academic impacts from NERC science in other grant awards. See engagement activities section for details of activities and outcomes. So far in my fellowship highlights from my policy work include: I have ensured NERC science has been cited and influenced decision making in the High Carbon Stock Study and the High Carbon Stock Approach Toolkit. I coauthored chapter 5 of the toolkit which focuses on decisions around forest patch viability and conservation value. This tool kit is now being rolled out across millions of hectares of oil palm, rubber and pulp and paper plantations and contributing to reduced deforestation from these sectors. Some of the world's biggest agri-businesses and consumer goods companies have signed up to the scheme. The RSPO is considering incorporating it into its own Principles and Criteria which are currently under review. I have co-developed a forest integrity assessment tool for the High Conservation Value Assessors Licensing Scheme which was tested for robustness using NERC generated data- this tool is used by HCV assessors and is improving HCV assessment to increase sustainability of the oil palm industry through avoided habitat loss. I am now working with the HCV resource network to find funding to turn the tool into a phone application and to incorporate it formally into RSPO monitoring requirements. I have written official RSPO guidelines on the management and restoration of riparian reserves in oil palm plantations, utilising NERC scientific evidence and all members will be required to adhere to these guidelines. My KE fellowship has ensured continued funding for the SEnSOR programme from the RSPO for three years running. This funding currently totals 6 million Malaysian Ringitt. I have increased the reach of NERC science to decision makers in the oil palm industry through my science-for-policy briefs as part of the SEnSOR project, and through my collaboration with Zoological Society of London to improve content on their SPOTT website for the oil palm industry. My work on the Roundtable on sustainable palm oil Biodiversity working group and compensation task force has ensured that the evidence base (including NERC science) has influenced the development of evidence based compensation procedures and ensured the effectiveness of compensation project proposed by international oil palm growers. My KE fellowship has resulted in global, multi-sectoral impact to reduce deforestation in tropical commodities, in particular through uptake of the High Carbon Stock toolkit across sectors and recently into the Roundtable on Sustainable palm Oil. I won the Early Career NERC impact award in recognition of these achievements in 2018 and expect that it will form a REF impact case study in the upcoming REF assessment. |
| First Year Of Impact | 2018 |
| Sector | Agriculture, Food and Drink,Environment |
| Impact Types | Policy & public services |
| Description | Advisory on environmental criteria for devleoping theory of change and monitoring and evaluation exploratory exercise for RSPO |
| Geographic Reach | Multiple continents/international |
| Policy Influence Type | Participation in a guidance/advisory committee |
| Impact | My input and advice will contribute to the development of the RSPO's theory of Change and monitoring and evaluation system, ensuring that environmental aspects are adequately addressed, and monitoring is robust to detect change and improvement. |
| Description | Citation in HCS approach guidelines update |
| Geographic Reach | Multiple continents/international |
| Policy Influence Type | Citation in other policy documents |
| Impact | The HCS toolkit is being rolled out across millions of hectares of oil palm, pulp and paper, and rubber plantations and has been signed up to by some of the world's largest producers and consumer goods companies. The Roundtable on Sustainable palm oil are currently considering including it in their own Principles and Criteria which are in the review process |
| URL | http://www.highcarbonstock.org |
| Description | Development of RSPO Compensation procedures |
| Geographic Reach | Multiple continents/international |
| Policy Influence Type | Participation in a guidance/advisory committee |
| Impact | As a member of the Roundtable of Sustainable Palm oil (RSPO) Biodvierity and High COnservation Value Working group and RSPO Compensation task force, I was influential in developing the Compensation procedure- the procedure for companies who are out of compliance with RSPO standards due to histric land clearance without the appropriate environmental assessments. In particular I developed the priorities for compensation project section with SEARRP and BORA and personally drafted the section on the definition of "knowledge-based"- to ensure that the evidence base is drawn upon in every compensation project that is developed. This procedure is being used by all RSPO member companies who have compensation liability. |
| URL | http://www.rspo.org/key-documents/supplementary-materials |
| Description | Forest integrity assessment tool for HCV resource network |
| Geographic Reach | Asia |
| Policy Influence Type | Influenced training of practitioners or researchers |
| Impact | In collaboration with the HCV resource network, BORA and SEARRP we developed a Forest integrity assessment tool for High conservation value assessments and monitoring of Dipterocarp rainforest typical of SE Asia where there are pressures to convert to oil palm. The aim of the tool is to provide an easy to use survey assessment for non-experts to assess the quality of their forest areas to identifiy HCVs and also to monitor conservation set asides and projects. We tested the tool against detailed forest structure data from NERC funded projects to improve the robustness of the tool. This assessment is publicly accessible and approved for use by the HCV Assessors licensing scheme and companies or other organisations who need to assess the conservation value of SE Asian forest areas. I am currently working with the RSPO Management and monitoring team to incorporate it formally into procedural guidance |
| URL | https://www.hcvnetwork.org/resources/forest-integrity-assessment-tool |
| Description | HCV resource network consultation for risk mapping to developing simplified smallholder High conservation value process |
| Geographic Reach | Multiple continents/international |
| Policy Influence Type | Participation in a guidance/advisory committee |
| URL | http://www.hcvnetwork.org |
| Description | High Carbon Stock (HCS) toolkit |
| Geographic Reach | Multiple continents/international |
| Policy Influence Type | Citation in other policy documents |
| Impact | The High Carbon Stock approach which I co-authored and which uses my research to determine viable forest patch size to implement "no-deforestation policy has been so far used across multiple countries in Africa and SE Asia, and multiple sectors including palm oil, rubber, cocoa and pulp & paper. So far assessments have been undetaken over millions of ha, with over half a million ha set aside and protected as HCS forest, improving the sustainability of important global commodity crops. |
| URL | http://highcarbonstock.org/ |
| Description | High Carbon Stocks Plus (HCS+) Methodology |
| Geographic Reach | Asia |
| Policy Influence Type | Citation in other policy documents |
| URL | http://www.carbonstockstudy.com/ |
| Description | RSPO Simplified riparian guidelines |
| Geographic Reach | Multiple continents/international |
| Policy Influence Type | Influenced training of practitioners or researchers |
| Impact | The simplified guidelines for managing and restoring riparian reserves in oil palm plantations translate the scientific evidence base into accessible management prescriptions which will improve water quality, soil management and biodiversity levels in oil palm landscapes across the tropics. RSPO member growers will be required to follow these guidelines to obtain and retain certification |
| URL | https://www.rspo.org/key-documents/supplementary-materials |
| Description | RSPO compensation panel |
| Geographic Reach | Multiple continents/international |
| Policy Influence Type | Participation in a guidance/advisory committee |
| Impact | My recommendations and advice were adopted by three oil palm companies for the development and implementation of their compensation projects (conservation projects to compensate for historic land clearance) |
| Description | RSPO voted in new strengthened no- deforestation criterion referencing the HCS approach toolkit that my research helped to develop and I co-authored |
| Geographic Reach | Multiple continents/international |
| Policy Influence Type | Citation in other policy documents |
| Impact | The adoption of the new P&C including a No-deforestation policy delivered through the HCS approach toolkit will ensure more and larger areas of forest are conserved. RSPO has over 3000 members including many of the biggest palm oil growers and consumer goods companies. All companeis will be required to use the HCS toolkit for new plantings and acquisitions to set-aside forests in their concessions. This has benefits for biodiversity and ecosystem services including climate change mitigation and water quality. |
| URL | https://www.rspo.org/key-documents/certification/rspo-principles-and-criteria |
| Description | Report to RSPO Principles and Criteria review task force |
| Geographic Reach | Multiple continents/international |
| Policy Influence Type | Citation in other policy documents |
| URL | https://www.rspo.org/principles-and-criteria-review |
| Description | Newton Fund RCUK-DIPI-TRF-NAFOSTED Research Partnerships |
| Amount | £433,257 (GBP) |
| Organisation | Newton Fund |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 02/2017 |
| End | 01/2019 |
| Description | Principles and Criteria Review Consultancy |
| Amount | £10,778 (GBP) |
| Organisation | Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil |
| Sector | Private |
| Country | Malaysia |
| Start | 10/2017 |
| End | 10/2017 |
| Description | SEARRP SEnSOR programme |
| Amount | RM2,000,000 (MYR) |
| Organisation | Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil |
| Sector | Private |
| Country | Malaysia |
| Start | 09/2016 |
| End | 08/2017 |
| Description | SEARRP SEnSOR programme |
| Amount | RM2,000,000 (MYR) |
| Organisation | Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil |
| Sector | Private |
| Country | Malaysia |
| Start | 07/2018 |
| End | 06/2019 |
| Description | Collaboration with DICE on successful Newton grant for Early career workshop in Malaysia |
| Organisation | University of Kent |
| Department | Durrell Institute of Conservation and Ecology |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | I collaborated with Dr Matthew Struebig at DICE to put together an application to Newton to run an Early career research workshop with a strong Knowledge exchange element bringing together researchers from Malaysia and the UK working on oil palm and landscape sustainability. My contribution was to bring expertise in running successful multinational workshops, and developing the industry stakeholder component to ensure the workshop delivered on criteria for a strong focus on research impact development. We ran the 3 day workshop in Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia in November 2016. I led the third day in which I brought guest speakers from industry, NGOs and policy to speak to the Early careers researchers about their perspectives on how environmental research could be helpful in decision making and improving oil palm sustainability. I also ran a training session on how to create impact for your research as an early career researcher, and another session on stakeholder mapping. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Matthew Struebig at DICE is the grant holder, and led on the successful application. Matthew and colleagues at DICE ran a priority setting exercise for oil palm environmental research and a speed networking event. The priority setting exercise will be used to write a publication. |
| Impact | The key initial outcome is the success of the grant application Through the workshop we created networking opportunities to create links among early career researchers to form new collaborations between the UK and Malaysia The priority setting exercise will result in a publication in due course. |
| Start Year | 2016 |
| Description | High Carbon Stock Approach |
| Organisation | Greenpeace International |
| Country | Netherlands |
| Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
| PI Contribution | I co-authored one chapter and advised on another chapter of the High Carbon Stock Toolkit version 2. I was also on the scientific advisory committee enabling NERC research to impact on policy for zero deforestation (in particular, decision-making surrounding the conservation value and minimum viable size of forest fragments) by the oil palm, rubber and pulp and paper sectors. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Greenpeace led the development and implementation of the high carbon stock toolkit. |
| Impact | The high carbon stock approach is currently being rolled out across millions of hectares of concessions in the oil palm, pulp and paper, and rubber sectors. SOme of the world's largest oil palm grower (e.g. WIlmar intenrational, Sime Darby, Golden Agri Resources) and consumer goods companies (e.g. Unilever, Nestle) companies are signed up to the initiative. |
| Start Year | 2015 |
| Description | NERC Human Modified tropical Forests programme |
| Organisation | Lancaster University |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | As a result of my success in Knowledge Exchange with the oil palm industry I transferred my KE fellowship to the University of Oxford and I am now working with the NERC HMTF consortium to deliver knowledge exchange for their research outputs. I am looking to develop exciting new KE projects and activities with this diverse portfolio of research and experts to deliver impact. |
| Collaborator Contribution | University of Oxford Zoology department is now hosting me, and I will be able to access KE allocated funding associated with the HMTF project to deliver KE. The consortium outputs are providing important research relevant to the oil palm industry (in particular guidance on the management of riparian reserves and information about GHG fluxes from oil palm plantations and embedded conservation set asides) |
| Impact | I collaborated with researchers working on riparian reserves to develop simplified riparian guidelines for the Roundtable on sustainable palm oil. RSPO member growers will be required to abide by these guidelines to fulfil their sustainability obligations. |
| Start Year | 2017 |
| Description | NERC Human Modified tropical Forests programme |
| Organisation | University of Aberdeen |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | As a result of my success in Knowledge Exchange with the oil palm industry I transferred my KE fellowship to the University of Oxford and I am now working with the NERC HMTF consortium to deliver knowledge exchange for their research outputs. I am looking to develop exciting new KE projects and activities with this diverse portfolio of research and experts to deliver impact. |
| Collaborator Contribution | University of Oxford Zoology department is now hosting me, and I will be able to access KE allocated funding associated with the HMTF project to deliver KE. The consortium outputs are providing important research relevant to the oil palm industry (in particular guidance on the management of riparian reserves and information about GHG fluxes from oil palm plantations and embedded conservation set asides) |
| Impact | I collaborated with researchers working on riparian reserves to develop simplified riparian guidelines for the Roundtable on sustainable palm oil. RSPO member growers will be required to abide by these guidelines to fulfil their sustainability obligations. |
| Start Year | 2017 |
| Description | NERC Human Modified tropical Forests programme |
| Organisation | University of Cambridge |
| Department | Cambridge Stem Cell Institute |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | As a result of my success in Knowledge Exchange with the oil palm industry I transferred my KE fellowship to the University of Oxford and I am now working with the NERC HMTF consortium to deliver knowledge exchange for their research outputs. I am looking to develop exciting new KE projects and activities with this diverse portfolio of research and experts to deliver impact. |
| Collaborator Contribution | University of Oxford Zoology department is now hosting me, and I will be able to access KE allocated funding associated with the HMTF project to deliver KE. The consortium outputs are providing important research relevant to the oil palm industry (in particular guidance on the management of riparian reserves and information about GHG fluxes from oil palm plantations and embedded conservation set asides) |
| Impact | I collaborated with researchers working on riparian reserves to develop simplified riparian guidelines for the Roundtable on sustainable palm oil. RSPO member growers will be required to abide by these guidelines to fulfil their sustainability obligations. |
| Start Year | 2017 |
| Description | NERC Human Modified tropical Forests programme |
| Organisation | University of Kent |
| Department | School of Biosciences |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | As a result of my success in Knowledge Exchange with the oil palm industry I transferred my KE fellowship to the University of Oxford and I am now working with the NERC HMTF consortium to deliver knowledge exchange for their research outputs. I am looking to develop exciting new KE projects and activities with this diverse portfolio of research and experts to deliver impact. |
| Collaborator Contribution | University of Oxford Zoology department is now hosting me, and I will be able to access KE allocated funding associated with the HMTF project to deliver KE. The consortium outputs are providing important research relevant to the oil palm industry (in particular guidance on the management of riparian reserves and information about GHG fluxes from oil palm plantations and embedded conservation set asides) |
| Impact | I collaborated with researchers working on riparian reserves to develop simplified riparian guidelines for the Roundtable on sustainable palm oil. RSPO member growers will be required to abide by these guidelines to fulfil their sustainability obligations. |
| Start Year | 2017 |
| Description | NERC Human Modified tropical Forests programme |
| Organisation | University of Oxford |
| Department | Department of Plant Sciences |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | As a result of my success in Knowledge Exchange with the oil palm industry I transferred my KE fellowship to the University of Oxford and I am now working with the NERC HMTF consortium to deliver knowledge exchange for their research outputs. I am looking to develop exciting new KE projects and activities with this diverse portfolio of research and experts to deliver impact. |
| Collaborator Contribution | University of Oxford Zoology department is now hosting me, and I will be able to access KE allocated funding associated with the HMTF project to deliver KE. The consortium outputs are providing important research relevant to the oil palm industry (in particular guidance on the management of riparian reserves and information about GHG fluxes from oil palm plantations and embedded conservation set asides) |
| Impact | I collaborated with researchers working on riparian reserves to develop simplified riparian guidelines for the Roundtable on sustainable palm oil. RSPO member growers will be required to abide by these guidelines to fulfil their sustainability obligations. |
| Start Year | 2017 |
| Description | Newton Impacts of peat rewetting on oil palm smallholders |
| Organisation | Indonesian Soil Research Institute |
| Country | Indonesia |
| Sector | Public |
| PI Contribution | I provide knowledge exchange support and expertise on the oil palm industry. I made key introductions between UK and Indonesian academics essential for developing a successful Newton bid. |
| Collaborator Contribution | University of York provided local travel, subsistence and accommodation during launch workshop and scoping trip which led to new local collaborations in . The research will provide policy relevant NERC funded research for knowledge exchange. University of Leeds provides social and ecological expertise. Liverpool provides modelling expertise, ZSL provides Satellite analysis expertise, Jambi University and BRG provide botanical and policy expertise, Indonesian Soil Research Institute provides expertise on gas fluxes from Peat. |
| Impact | Project is initiated, PDRAs are in place and fieldwork is due to start imminently. The collaboration brings together social, ecological, geochemical and policy research and will deliver highly policy relevant outcomes in due course. |
| Start Year | 2017 |
| Description | Newton Impacts of peat rewetting on oil palm smallholders |
| Organisation | Jambi University |
| Country | Indonesia |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | I provide knowledge exchange support and expertise on the oil palm industry. I made key introductions between UK and Indonesian academics essential for developing a successful Newton bid. |
| Collaborator Contribution | University of York provided local travel, subsistence and accommodation during launch workshop and scoping trip which led to new local collaborations in . The research will provide policy relevant NERC funded research for knowledge exchange. University of Leeds provides social and ecological expertise. Liverpool provides modelling expertise, ZSL provides Satellite analysis expertise, Jambi University and BRG provide botanical and policy expertise, Indonesian Soil Research Institute provides expertise on gas fluxes from Peat. |
| Impact | Project is initiated, PDRAs are in place and fieldwork is due to start imminently. The collaboration brings together social, ecological, geochemical and policy research and will deliver highly policy relevant outcomes in due course. |
| Start Year | 2017 |
| Description | Newton Impacts of peat rewetting on oil palm smallholders |
| Organisation | Peat Restoration Agency |
| Country | Indonesia |
| Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
| PI Contribution | I provide knowledge exchange support and expertise on the oil palm industry. I made key introductions between UK and Indonesian academics essential for developing a successful Newton bid. |
| Collaborator Contribution | University of York provided local travel, subsistence and accommodation during launch workshop and scoping trip which led to new local collaborations in . The research will provide policy relevant NERC funded research for knowledge exchange. University of Leeds provides social and ecological expertise. Liverpool provides modelling expertise, ZSL provides Satellite analysis expertise, Jambi University and BRG provide botanical and policy expertise, Indonesian Soil Research Institute provides expertise on gas fluxes from Peat. |
| Impact | Project is initiated, PDRAs are in place and fieldwork is due to start imminently. The collaboration brings together social, ecological, geochemical and policy research and will deliver highly policy relevant outcomes in due course. |
| Start Year | 2017 |
| Description | Newton Impacts of peat rewetting on oil palm smallholders |
| Organisation | University of Leeds |
| Department | School of Earth and Environment |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | I provide knowledge exchange support and expertise on the oil palm industry. I made key introductions between UK and Indonesian academics essential for developing a successful Newton bid. |
| Collaborator Contribution | University of York provided local travel, subsistence and accommodation during launch workshop and scoping trip which led to new local collaborations in . The research will provide policy relevant NERC funded research for knowledge exchange. University of Leeds provides social and ecological expertise. Liverpool provides modelling expertise, ZSL provides Satellite analysis expertise, Jambi University and BRG provide botanical and policy expertise, Indonesian Soil Research Institute provides expertise on gas fluxes from Peat. |
| Impact | Project is initiated, PDRAs are in place and fieldwork is due to start imminently. The collaboration brings together social, ecological, geochemical and policy research and will deliver highly policy relevant outcomes in due course. |
| Start Year | 2017 |
| Description | Newton Impacts of peat rewetting on oil palm smallholders |
| Organisation | University of Liverpool |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | I provide knowledge exchange support and expertise on the oil palm industry. I made key introductions between UK and Indonesian academics essential for developing a successful Newton bid. |
| Collaborator Contribution | University of York provided local travel, subsistence and accommodation during launch workshop and scoping trip which led to new local collaborations in . The research will provide policy relevant NERC funded research for knowledge exchange. University of Leeds provides social and ecological expertise. Liverpool provides modelling expertise, ZSL provides Satellite analysis expertise, Jambi University and BRG provide botanical and policy expertise, Indonesian Soil Research Institute provides expertise on gas fluxes from Peat. |
| Impact | Project is initiated, PDRAs are in place and fieldwork is due to start imminently. The collaboration brings together social, ecological, geochemical and policy research and will deliver highly policy relevant outcomes in due course. |
| Start Year | 2017 |
| Description | Newton Impacts of peat rewetting on oil palm smallholders |
| Organisation | University of York |
| Department | Department of Biology |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | I provide knowledge exchange support and expertise on the oil palm industry. I made key introductions between UK and Indonesian academics essential for developing a successful Newton bid. |
| Collaborator Contribution | University of York provided local travel, subsistence and accommodation during launch workshop and scoping trip which led to new local collaborations in . The research will provide policy relevant NERC funded research for knowledge exchange. University of Leeds provides social and ecological expertise. Liverpool provides modelling expertise, ZSL provides Satellite analysis expertise, Jambi University and BRG provide botanical and policy expertise, Indonesian Soil Research Institute provides expertise on gas fluxes from Peat. |
| Impact | Project is initiated, PDRAs are in place and fieldwork is due to start imminently. The collaboration brings together social, ecological, geochemical and policy research and will deliver highly policy relevant outcomes in due course. |
| Start Year | 2017 |
| Description | Newton Impacts of peat rewetting on oil palm smallholders |
| Organisation | Zoological Society of London |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
| PI Contribution | I provide knowledge exchange support and expertise on the oil palm industry. I made key introductions between UK and Indonesian academics essential for developing a successful Newton bid. |
| Collaborator Contribution | University of York provided local travel, subsistence and accommodation during launch workshop and scoping trip which led to new local collaborations in . The research will provide policy relevant NERC funded research for knowledge exchange. University of Leeds provides social and ecological expertise. Liverpool provides modelling expertise, ZSL provides Satellite analysis expertise, Jambi University and BRG provide botanical and policy expertise, Indonesian Soil Research Institute provides expertise on gas fluxes from Peat. |
| Impact | Project is initiated, PDRAs are in place and fieldwork is due to start imminently. The collaboration brings together social, ecological, geochemical and policy research and will deliver highly policy relevant outcomes in due course. |
| Start Year | 2017 |
| Description | SEnSOR programme |
| Organisation | South East Asia Rainforest Research Programme (SEARRP) |
| Country | Malaysia |
| Sector | Multiple |
| PI Contribution | I am the Programme manager for the SEnSOR programme, an industry funded programme to test the impact of the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm oil. I manage the programme and overall research direction, and deliver the knowledge exchange activities to ensure impact for the research. I contribute to research project design for biodiversity and environmental components. |
| Collaborator Contribution | SEARRP facilitates the programme, holds the grant and liases with funders, and covers a percentage of my salary and expenses. York and Leeds lead the biodiversity research topic area The University of Wageningen leads the social topic area. Van Haal Larenstein University leads the Environment topic area. Wilmar international provide access to their plantations, accommodation, vehicles and field support for empirical data collection. |
| Impact | 1) Continued funding for research and knowledge exchange activities 2) changes in oil palm industry policy on the size and quality of conservation set asides (see www.highcarbonstock.org) 3) Maintaining and enhancing relations with the oil palm industry 4) An effective platform for knowledge exchange of NERC science 5) 14 science-for-policy documents and technical reports to date, with 1 published peer reviewed paper and 3 academic manuscripts in preparation |
| Start Year | 2015 |
| Description | SEnSOR programme |
| Organisation | University of Leeds |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | I am the Programme manager for the SEnSOR programme, an industry funded programme to test the impact of the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm oil. I manage the programme and overall research direction, and deliver the knowledge exchange activities to ensure impact for the research. I contribute to research project design for biodiversity and environmental components. |
| Collaborator Contribution | SEARRP facilitates the programme, holds the grant and liases with funders, and covers a percentage of my salary and expenses. York and Leeds lead the biodiversity research topic area The University of Wageningen leads the social topic area. Van Haal Larenstein University leads the Environment topic area. Wilmar international provide access to their plantations, accommodation, vehicles and field support for empirical data collection. |
| Impact | 1) Continued funding for research and knowledge exchange activities 2) changes in oil palm industry policy on the size and quality of conservation set asides (see www.highcarbonstock.org) 3) Maintaining and enhancing relations with the oil palm industry 4) An effective platform for knowledge exchange of NERC science 5) 14 science-for-policy documents and technical reports to date, with 1 published peer reviewed paper and 3 academic manuscripts in preparation |
| Start Year | 2015 |
| Description | SEnSOR programme |
| Organisation | University of York |
| Department | Centre for Health Economics (CHE) |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | I am the Programme manager for the SEnSOR programme, an industry funded programme to test the impact of the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm oil. I manage the programme and overall research direction, and deliver the knowledge exchange activities to ensure impact for the research. I contribute to research project design for biodiversity and environmental components. |
| Collaborator Contribution | SEARRP facilitates the programme, holds the grant and liases with funders, and covers a percentage of my salary and expenses. York and Leeds lead the biodiversity research topic area The University of Wageningen leads the social topic area. Van Haal Larenstein University leads the Environment topic area. Wilmar international provide access to their plantations, accommodation, vehicles and field support for empirical data collection. |
| Impact | 1) Continued funding for research and knowledge exchange activities 2) changes in oil palm industry policy on the size and quality of conservation set asides (see www.highcarbonstock.org) 3) Maintaining and enhancing relations with the oil palm industry 4) An effective platform for knowledge exchange of NERC science 5) 14 science-for-policy documents and technical reports to date, with 1 published peer reviewed paper and 3 academic manuscripts in preparation |
| Start Year | 2015 |
| Description | SEnSOR programme |
| Organisation | Van Hall Larenstein University |
| Country | Netherlands |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | I am the Programme manager for the SEnSOR programme, an industry funded programme to test the impact of the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm oil. I manage the programme and overall research direction, and deliver the knowledge exchange activities to ensure impact for the research. I contribute to research project design for biodiversity and environmental components. |
| Collaborator Contribution | SEARRP facilitates the programme, holds the grant and liases with funders, and covers a percentage of my salary and expenses. York and Leeds lead the biodiversity research topic area The University of Wageningen leads the social topic area. Van Haal Larenstein University leads the Environment topic area. Wilmar international provide access to their plantations, accommodation, vehicles and field support for empirical data collection. |
| Impact | 1) Continued funding for research and knowledge exchange activities 2) changes in oil palm industry policy on the size and quality of conservation set asides (see www.highcarbonstock.org) 3) Maintaining and enhancing relations with the oil palm industry 4) An effective platform for knowledge exchange of NERC science 5) 14 science-for-policy documents and technical reports to date, with 1 published peer reviewed paper and 3 academic manuscripts in preparation |
| Start Year | 2015 |
| Description | SEnSOR programme |
| Organisation | Wageningen University & Research |
| Country | Netherlands |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | I am the Programme manager for the SEnSOR programme, an industry funded programme to test the impact of the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm oil. I manage the programme and overall research direction, and deliver the knowledge exchange activities to ensure impact for the research. I contribute to research project design for biodiversity and environmental components. |
| Collaborator Contribution | SEARRP facilitates the programme, holds the grant and liases with funders, and covers a percentage of my salary and expenses. York and Leeds lead the biodiversity research topic area The University of Wageningen leads the social topic area. Van Haal Larenstein University leads the Environment topic area. Wilmar international provide access to their plantations, accommodation, vehicles and field support for empirical data collection. |
| Impact | 1) Continued funding for research and knowledge exchange activities 2) changes in oil palm industry policy on the size and quality of conservation set asides (see www.highcarbonstock.org) 3) Maintaining and enhancing relations with the oil palm industry 4) An effective platform for knowledge exchange of NERC science 5) 14 science-for-policy documents and technical reports to date, with 1 published peer reviewed paper and 3 academic manuscripts in preparation |
| Start Year | 2015 |
| Description | SEnSOR programme |
| Organisation | Wilmar International Limited |
| Country | Singapore |
| Sector | Private |
| PI Contribution | I am the Programme manager for the SEnSOR programme, an industry funded programme to test the impact of the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm oil. I manage the programme and overall research direction, and deliver the knowledge exchange activities to ensure impact for the research. I contribute to research project design for biodiversity and environmental components. |
| Collaborator Contribution | SEARRP facilitates the programme, holds the grant and liases with funders, and covers a percentage of my salary and expenses. York and Leeds lead the biodiversity research topic area The University of Wageningen leads the social topic area. Van Haal Larenstein University leads the Environment topic area. Wilmar international provide access to their plantations, accommodation, vehicles and field support for empirical data collection. |
| Impact | 1) Continued funding for research and knowledge exchange activities 2) changes in oil palm industry policy on the size and quality of conservation set asides (see www.highcarbonstock.org) 3) Maintaining and enhancing relations with the oil palm industry 4) An effective platform for knowledge exchange of NERC science 5) 14 science-for-policy documents and technical reports to date, with 1 published peer reviewed paper and 3 academic manuscripts in preparation |
| Start Year | 2015 |
| Description | : Science for policy paper on "Co-benefits for biodiversity and carbon in land planning decisions within oil palm landscapes" |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A magazine, newsletter or online publication |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | a science-for-policy brief which focused on aiding decision making for locations of new plantings and conservation set asides for oil palm by identifying areas with the highest levels of two key ecosystem services: biodiversity and carbon storage. The topic was decided based on the discussion and consultation with stakeholders that occurred during the activities of the first 6 months (Obj. 2) A 24 page report was released to the KE network and online (www.sensorproject.net/knowledgeexchange), publicised in a press release, and on twitter. I presented the report in a plenary session at the RSPO annual conference attended by ~800 delegates from industry, NGOs and research institutions, and at the Sabah Heart of Borneo conference where relevant government representatives (eg. Head of the Forestry department) were in attendance. The report was cited in the High carbon stocks + methdology- new guidelines for conserving high carbon stock forests in the oil palm industry committed to by a group of large oil palm grower and consumer goods companies. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2015 |
| URL | http://www.sensorproject.net/knowledge-exchange/ |
| Description | Article in Planet Earth Magazine |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Media (as a channel to the public) |
| Results and Impact | As a result of my Impact award I was interviewed by a journalist for Planet Earth Magazine, who wrote an article about my work |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |
| URL | https://nerc.ukri.org/planetearth/stories/1915/ |
| Description | Co-authoring Chapter 5 of the HCS approach |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Third sector organisations |
| Results and Impact | I am co-authoring Chapter 5 of the Reviewed guidelines of the High Carbon Stock Approach, to ensure that this new method of sustainable landplanning to avoid deforestation draws on the full scientific evidence base including citing NERC funded research. I am also on the advisory panel for Chapter 6 of the toolkit which provides a decision tree for decision makers on forest patch analysis base on the scientific evidence detailed in Chapter 5. These guidelines are signed up to by many of the largest oil palm producers and users including Nestle, Unilever, Wilmar, Sime Darby etc, and includes members within the rubber and pulp and paper industries, such as Michelin and Asia Pulp and Paper. This policy document has the potential to greatly improve land planning decisions and safe guard forest for more sustainable tropical agriculture among some of the most influential global companies. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017 |
| Description | Collaborative KE project with Zoological Society of London (ZSL) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Engagement focused website, blog or social media channel |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Third sector organisations |
| Results and Impact | A new sub project initiated this year in which I am working with ZSL to improve the information available on their Sustainable Palm oil Transparency Toolkit website which is influential in the oil palm industry because it ranks oil palm companies by their level of compliance and transparency with sustainability criteria. I provided the scientific evidence base for the supporting information provided by the website to help growers improve their ranking. In the first seven weeks that the web pages I contributed to went live, there were more than 11000 page views from over 3000 unique users. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016 |
| URL | http://www.sustainablepalmoil.org/spott/ |
| Description | Consultancy with RSPO 1st-31st October 2017 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | As a result of my ongoing engagement with the Roundtable on Sustainable palm oil I was commisioned to work on a report which synthesised the scientific evidence base for the impact of RSPO certification so far, and information that would contribute to the Principles and Criteria review currently ongoing. I worked closely with the impacts team at the RSPO secretariat to deliver a report that would be used by the P&C review task force to review and develop RSPO policy. In particular, I focused on the proposed zero deforestation policy. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017 |
| Description | Consultation with environmental NGOs on RSPO P&C review and oil palm sustainability priorities December 2017 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Third sector organisations |
| Results and Impact | I met with key representatives from WWF, FFI and ZSL involved with palm oil sustainability to discuss key priorities for conservation in the oil palm sector over the coming year. We plan to meet regularly to develop a coherent strategy for furthering evidence-based improvements to biodiversity conservation in the oil palm industry. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017 |
| Description | Development of Knowledge exchange network |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | Through networking activities I have developed a KE network of around 40 key stakeholder representatives in the Oil palm industry including RSPO, Unilever, Nestle, ZSL, WWF, Greenpeace, WIlmar International, Sime Darby etc. The aim is to create communication channels for disseminating science for improved policy making for sustainability within the industry. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2015 |
| Description | HCS Approach science advisor |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | The HCS approach is a different industry grouping to the HCS+ with similar aims to develop a methodology to identify and conserve areas of High Carbon stock in oil palm landscapes. The HCS approach is in the process of being revised and better aligned with HCS+ to create a single standard. I am on the advisory panel, providing relevant scientific evidence and comments to drafts and attend discussion meetings. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016,2017 |
| URL | http://highcarbonstock.org/ |
| Description | HCS+ study advisor |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | Made contacts with the study leads and companies involved in the project, provided scientific evidence, advice and comments on drafts and attended meetings to aid development of a process for identifying and conserving High Carbon stock forest in the oil palm context. Research was subsequently cited in HCS+ methodology which is signed up to be the Oil Palm Manifesto group- a group of some of the largest/ most influential comapnies in the industry including Uni lever and several growers. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2015 |
| Description | HCV (High Conservation Value) Assessors Licensing Scheme Webinar (Sept) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Following on from the workshop with Wilmar in the first half of the year, I was invited to give a webinar on the fragmentation synthesis to environmental consultants applying for the High Conservation value assessors licensing scheme to help them make decisions about HCV design in oil palm concessions. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2015 |
| Description | Heart of Borneo Conference- speaker |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
| Results and Impact | Spoke at the HEart of Borneo Conference about NERC research for improving biodviersity in oil palm landscapes. This is a key conference for reaching local Policy makers, scientists and NGOs in Borneo where the research is most relevant. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2015 |
| Description | High Conservation Value risk mapping consultation |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Third sector organisations |
| Results and Impact | The HCV resource network are conducting an HCV risk mapping exercise with the aim of simplifying the HCV process (the conservation set aside process for the Roundtable on Sustainable palm oil) to increase the uptake of smallholders into the scheme. (smallholders comprise roughly 40% of the palm oil growing industry but the RSPO has so far found it difficult to recruit them because of the complicated and expensive process they have to go thorugh to be certified). I was part of the risk mapping consultation process and gave advice (citing NERC research) to identify viable forest patches in the landscape worth conserving. The impact as that the HCV resourcenetwork developed their risk mapping scheme to include this advice, ensuring that viable forest patches were included as higher risk while non-viable and low conservation value patches could be considered for the simplified HCV scheme, allowing smallholders to proceed with development. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016 |
| URL | http://www.hcvnetwork.org |
| Description | Invited to be Biodiversity session speaker at the RSPO annual conference |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | I was invited to present my work on synthesizing forest fragmentation research to provide policy relevant information for the oil palm industry on conservation set-aside planning. This was followed by a panel discussion. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016 |
| URL | http://rt14.rspo.org |
| Description | Meeting with Proforest regarding RSPO P&C review 4th July |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | I met with Proforest who are facilitating the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm oil's five year review of their Principles and Criteria for Sustainability. We discussed the scientific evidence that was pertinent to discussions surrounding proposed inclusion of a zero deforestation policy. This enabled key scientific findings to be fed into the discussions within the review process. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017 |
| URL | https://www.rspo.org/principles-and-criteria-review |
| Description | Meetings with Wild Asia (Malaysian NGO) 7th April and 27th Nov |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Third sector organisations |
| Results and Impact | Meetings with the founder of Wild Asia resulted in an MOU which will allow us to conduct research on smallholder plantations working towards certification in SE Asia, and formally exchange scientific knowledge about best practice for oil palm smallholders. In future we hope to co-develop RSPO guidelines for smallholder best practice. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017 |
| URL | http://www.wildasia.org |
| Description | Multi stakeholder workshop in collaboration with Wilmar International |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | I organised, ran multi-sector workshop to present a synthesis of of research into impacts of fragmentation on biodiversity and ecosystem services in oil palm landsapes to coincide with the European RSPO (roundtable on sustainable palm oil) conference in Amsterdam on 4th June. Forty participants including NGOS(e.g. WWF, ZSL, Wetlands International), Growers (e.g. Sime Darby, Wilmar, Golden Veroluem), palm oil users (e.g. Unilever, Neste Oils), RSPO and consultants (e.g. Daemeter, Proforest, WRI) came for a day of presentations and discussion sessions about understanding and using the scientific information from the synthesis. Ongoing communications and activities as a result of the workshop engaged further influential stakeholders who have used the information in policy development. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2015 |
| URL | http://www.sensorproject.net/knowledge-exchange |
| Description | Newton peatlands project launch workshop, Jambi 21-24th Aug |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Inaugural workshop meeting with project partners for NERC Newton- DIPI peatlands project. Met with local academics, member of Indonesian research institutes and the government initiative to re-wet peatlands in Jambi Province, Sumatra (BRG). Developed good working partnerships for conducting policy-relevant research and creating knowledge exchange channels to ensure research translates into changes on the ground. Met with local smallholders where were will be conducting research. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017 |
| URL | https://peatproject.wordpress.com/ |
| Description | Oil palm company reconnaissance trip |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | I went to Indonesia to meet with one of the country's largest oil palm producers to discuss their management and monitoring of conservation set-asides in their plantations with the aim to co-develop a knowledge exchange and research programme. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |
| Description | Opinion piece for the Guardian |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Following my NERC impact award I was invited to write an opinion piece for the Guardian. To date it has been shared 577 times on social media. I received emails from a number of contacts in the oil palm industry to say they had read and enjoyed the piece. I was invited to visit an NGO that funds partnership development for protecting forests as a result of a key member getting in touch. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |
| URL | https://www.theguardian.com/education/2019/jan/15/to-save-the-rainforest-we-need-to-work-with-the-pa... |
| Description | RSPO Biodiversity and High Conservation Values Working Group meetings |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
| Results and Impact | I have an advisory seat in the Roundtable on sustainable Palm Oil's working group for developing policy on biodiversity. My involvement this year influenced the 5 year review of the Principles and criteria for sustainability set out by the RSPO, I advised on the development of management and monitoring protocols and on the scientific knowledge base for compensation projects by companies that are out of compliance with RSPO requirements for clearing of High Conservation Value forests. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016,2017,2018 |
| URL | http://www.rspo.org |
| Description | RSPO Biodiversity working grp |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | - I have a seat on the RSPO Biodiversity working group and Compensation Task Force, which enables me to build links, identify KE needs and contribute scientific information directly to inform RSPO policy and guidelines. I attend meetings at least twice a year. - Provided the official definition of "Knowledge-Based" for compensation project guidelines, which means that project proposals for compensating non-compliant RSPO's forest clearance will have to show they have consulted the scientific evidence base- thus creating an opening for KE. - provide expert scientific advice on biodiversity and ecology related issues. - The RSPO has over 2000 members, many of them oil palm growers and consumar goods companies, which are directly affected by policy which I influence in this position. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2014,2015,2016 |
| URL | http://www.rspo.org/ |
| Description | RSPO Monitoring and Evaluation advisor |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | I was the scientific advisor for the Round table on Sustainable Palm Oil's exploratory study into developing a Theory of Change and Monitoring and Evaluation framework. I worked with the consultant tasked with the study to investigate other certification standards and advise on specific issues in the oil palm industry. I also ran a world Cafe session at the RSPO annual conference to engage RSPO members and stakeholders in environmental issues athat need to be considered i the ToC and on scientific monitoring techniques needed to detect change for the M&E system. The RSPO went on to release a tender for the devleopment of the ToC based on the results of the preliminary study. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016 |
| Description | RSPO annual conference |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | I attended the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm oil annual conference in Bali in Nov 2017 to promote the research and science-for-policy outputs of the SEnSOR programme. This included arranging a speaker from our research team to talk in a pleanary session, manning a booth in the exhibition area, and networking with oil palm growers, consumer goods companies, investors and NGOs to talk about NERC research relevant to improving oil palm sustainability. As a result of this activity we have been approached by an oil palm company who wish to fund a research project on their estates. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017 |
| Description | RSPO compensation project evaluation panel scientific advisor |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | I am on several Compensation evaluation panels for the Roundtable on sustainable palm oil. This involves providing expert evaluationand recommendations on whether compensation project submitted by oil palm companies who are out of compliance with clearing forest are going to adequatley compensate, and be effective in their conservation aims. So far I have evaluated two compensation projects and my advice and recommendations have been incorporated into compensation projects which should have significant conservation impacts over the next 25 years. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2015,2016,2017 |
| URL | http://www.rspo.org/key-documents/supplementary-materials |
| Description | Research In Focus Public engagement event |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | I organised a 3D immersive experience and static exhibition alongside a lecture and drinks reception to engage the public on environmental research at the University of York and its impact in sustainable palm oil. I obtained new links with FERA and Permian Global, and received excellent feedback on the event as well as word of mouth from collaborators of students at other Northern Universities referencing the lecture in their exams. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016 |
| Description | Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil Technical Committee for Principles and Criteria review 2022 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | The RSPO reviews is principles and criteria for sustainability every 5 years. I am part of the technical committee comprising experts, NGOs, growers and consultants, (~24 members including from Malaysia, Indonesia and latin America- specific numbers from DAC listed countries not known) advising on wording, new scientific advancements to improve sustainability of the palm oil sector. I was able to contribute insights into management and monitoring of conservation set-asides, and identification of important conservation areas. RSPO is based in Malaysia, and has members internationally across oil palm growing regions including Latin America, Africa and SE Asia. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
| Description | SenSOR programme website |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Engagement focused website, blog or social media channel |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | I worked with a professional web designer to create an effective portal for all the science-for-policy reports produced by the SEnSOR programme: an industry-funded research and knowledge exchange programme generated through my KE fellowship and which I manage. Users including the Roundtable on Sustainable palm oil who funded the website development, oil palm growers, consumer goods companies and NGOs have reported on how easy and accessible the site and its content are. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017,2018 |
| URL | http://www.sensorproject.net |
| Description | Talk at conference for ACCE NERC DTP PhD students |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
| Results and Impact | I was invited to give a talk on my knowledge exchange fellowship, providing my own experiences, tips for early career researchers on increasing impact for their research and advice on applying for the NERC KE fellowship scheme. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016 |
| Description | Talk at the annual Roundtable on Sustainable palm oil conference |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | A gave a talk and was part of a panel discussion on the latest findings and policy recommendations on implications for forest conservation in smallholder landplanning decisions and how certification might affect this. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |
| URL | https://www.rt.rspo.org/s/ |
| Description | Wilmar Managers workshop |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | The fragmentation synthesis presented to RSPO stakeholders in June was presented this time targeting Wilmar's plantation managers to help them with day-to-day management of their HCVs (conservation set asides). The workshop included a half day field trip to visit the HCVs and talk about levels of degradation and management options. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2015 |