Dr Claire Holt, PhD

Biography

Claire completed her PhD in modelling ecological networks and dispersal in the grey squirrel in 2012 from Lancaster University. The three year PhD project was funded by Forestry Commission GB and the National School of Forestry at the University of Cumbria. The research used a combination of landscape computer modelling within GIS, DNA sequence analysis and GPS and radio telemetry. Claire continued assessing modelling techniques for invasive forest pests as a Post-Doctoral research fellow at the University of Cumbria, funded by Forestry Commission GB. Current research interests are in invasive species, pest species, utlising modelling techniques and conservation genetics. Claire has been lecturing for the last 10 years and is currently programme lead for Fdsc Forestry, BSc(Hons) Forest Management and BSc(Hons) Forestry (Top Up) and lecturers in Forest Health and Protection, Wildlife Management and Research Methods. 

Qualifications and memberships

Qualifications

- PhD in Conservation Biology (Lancaster University, 2012)

- PgC in Teaching and Learning for Higher Education (University of Cumbria, 2017)

Memberships

- British Ecological Society

- Society of Conservation Biology

- Mammals Trust

Academic and research interests

Conservation of British mammals, Red and grey squirrel population dynamics, Invasive species management, Conservation Biology, Landscape Ecology, Landscape Genetics and Forest Health.

Current projects include:

Red squirrel genetics

Deer behaviour

Castor - Treescapes https://www.uktreescapes.org/projects/castor/

Research supervision

Current PhD student supervision

Amy Bradley -  Developing an innovative technique for peatland assessment, pre and post restoration.

Hannah Field - Can place-based decision making be used to protect the natural resources and local communities?

Steve Hewitt - Habitat fidelity, ecology, and biogeography of Diptera on exposed riverine sediments.

Completed PhD

Dr Sara Iversen - Investigating stakeholder perceptions of woodland expansion in the uplands of Cumbria. Project is funded by the National School of Forestry at the University of Cumbria and the Forestry Commission.

 

Publications

Peer-reviewed papers

 

 

• Iversen, S.V., van der Velden, N., Convery, I., Mansfield, L., Kjeldsen, C., Havrregaard Thorsoe, M., Holt, C.D.S. 2023. Impacts of woodland planting on nature-based recreational tourism in upland England - A case study. Landscape and Urban Planning 230: 104587.
• Iversen, S.V., van der Velden, N., Convery, I., Mansfield, L., Holt, C.D.S. 2022. Why understanding stakeholder perspectives and emotions is important in upland woodland creation- A case study from Cumbria,UK. Land Use Policy 114: 105929.
• Holt, C.D.S., Nevin, O.T., Smith, D., and Convery I. 2018. Environmental niche overlap between snow leopard and four prey species in Kazakhstan. Ecological Informatics 48: 97-103.
• Stevenson-Holt, C.D. and Sinclair, W. 2015. Assessing the geographic origin of the invasive grey squirrel using DNA sequencing: Implications for management strategies. Global Ecology and Conservation 3: 21-27.
• Stevenson-Holt, C.D., Watts, K., Bellamy, C.C., Nevin, O.T., Ramsey, A.D. 2014 Defining landscape resistance values in least-cost connectivity models for the invasive grey squirrel: A comparison of approaches using expert-opinion and habitat suitability modelling. PlosOne 9(11): 1-11.
• Stevenson, C.D., Ferryman, M., Nevin, O.T., Ramsey, A.D., Bailey, S, and Watts, K. (2013). Using GPS telemetry to validate least-cost modelling of gray squirrel (Sciurus carolinensis) movement within a fragmented landscape. Ecology and Evolution 3 (7): 2350-2361.
• Stevenson, C.D., Watts, K., Nevin, O.T., Ramsey, A.D., and Bailey, S (2013). Modelling ecological networks and dispersal in grey squirrels. Research Note FCRN014, Forestry Commission, Edinburgh.
• Stevenson, C.D., Ramsey, A.D., Nevin, O.T. and W. Sinclair (2012). Assessing grey squirrel dispersal patterns within the landscape using DNA sequence variation. Landscape Research.

Reports

• Stevenson, C.D. (2012) Modelling ecological networks and dispersal in the grey squirrel Sciurus carolinensis. PhD Thesis, Lancaster University.
• Stevenson, C.D. (2008) Modelling red squirrel population viability under a range of landscape scenarios in fragmented woodland ecosystem on the Solway Plain, Cumbria, UK. Peoples Trust for Endangered Species report. Centre for Wildlife Conservation, University of Cumbria.

Conference Presentations

• Stevenson, C.D., Nevin, O.T. Watts, K.; Ramsey, A.D. & Bailey, S. (2012). Sequence variation and GPS telemetry validation of least cost modelling for the invasive grey squirrel Sciurus carolinensis. Invited Symposium presentation. 3rd European Congress of Conservation Biology, Glasgow, UK, 28 Aug -1 Sep 2012.
• Stevenson, C.D., Nevin, O.T., Watts, K.; Ramsey, A.D. & Bailey, S. (2011). Modelling ecological networks and dispersal in the grey squirrel. Oral presentation. British Ecological Society Annual Meeting, Sheffield, UK, 12 -14 September 2011.
• Stevenson, C.D.; Nevin, O.T.; Ramsey, A.D., Watts, K. & Bailey, S. (2009) A validation of a behaviourally-informed landscape model using historical observations of species invasion. Poster presentation. 2nd European Congress of Conservation Biology, Prague, Czech Republic, 1- 5 September 2009.
• Stevenson, C.D.; Moseley, D.G.; Ramsey, A.D. & Nevin, O.T. (2008) Modeling red squirrel population viability under a range of landscape scenarios in a fragmented woodland ecosystem on the Solway Plain, Cumbria, UK. Poster presentation. 22nd Annual Meeting of the Society for Conservation Biology, Chattanooga, Tennessee, USA, 13 - 17 July 2008.

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