Assoc Prof Doug Warner
The UK has a diverse range of unique and important natural habitats. Agricultural practices, such as cultivation of the land, use of fertilisers and intensive livestock production, release greenhouse gas emissions and have a direct impact on the biodiversity of the landscape.
Enabling farm managers to reduce emissions and promote biodiversity
Doug’s research evaluates different farming systems throughout the production cycle to calculate their overall individual carbon footprint. This data is available to land managers to make better informed decisions about how to reduce emissions and protect local biodiversity in their land management. Doug and his colleagues have also created decision support tools for farmers to calculate their greenhouse emissions and carbon sequestration potential.
The Agriculture and Environment Research Unit’s work has informed policymakers and organisations such as Natural England and the National Trust about how farming can better benefit biodiversity and minimise the greenhouse gas emissions in the UK through targeted implementation of initiatives such as Environmental Stewardship.
Doug’s current research is looking at cluster farms as part of an EU-wide project to explore how neighbouring farms working together can help protect biodiversity and important habitats within the farmed landscape. The research will create a decision support tool to assist farm managers operating within clusters in targeting areas of their farm that can benefit biodiversity.
Partnering with Herts
Doug’s work is part of the University of Hertfordshire’s Centre for Climate Change Research (3CR). The centre brings together over 50 academic and research staff from all our Schools of Study to research one of the most urgent global issues affecting society.
The Centre for Climate Change Research collaborates with national and local government organisations, industry, research institutions and other universities here in the UK and internationally. Get in touch to discuss partnering with us to help power research into climate change challenges and solutions.
Associate Professor Doug Warner is a Researcher in the Agriculture and Environment Research Unit.
