Dr. Jan Dick

My research is largely focuses on science underpinning the management, conservation and restoration of landscapes. Latterly I have investigated landscapes through the lens of natural capital, ecosystem services and nature based solutions. I am particularly interested in methods for assessing natural capital and ecosystem services and the wider policy implications which stem from these investigations. My major research interests include:

Ecosystem service models and tools; including empirical, mechanistic and narrative tools.

Linking natural capital and ecosystem service research to policy 

Stakeholder engagement in temperate, tropical and arctic environments

I have over 40 years experience working on the science underpinning the conservation and restoration of landscapes in tropical, temperate and sub-arctic landscapes. My early career as a tree physiologist focused on the provision of trees in landscapes both for production and conservation purposes, but my later work has considered ecosystems more holistically. Since the turn of the century my work has concentrated on assessing ecosystems using robust numerical tool boxes initially from the ecological perspective researching plant functional types and latterly including social and economic aspects linking through to policy.

To date I have authored over 100 scientific papers, contract reports and popular articles. I have led and participated in international research projects in Europe; Asia, (Malaysia, Indonesia, Vietnam); Central and South America (Costa Rica, Mexico, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua and Brazil) and Africa (Sierra Leone, Kenya, Mali, and Uganda).  I have reviewed proposals and projects for Darwin Initiative and Joint Research Programmes of Department of International Development; and reviewed manuscripts for a range of international journals including: New Phytologist, Tree Physiology, Forest Ecology and Management, International Forestry Review, Agroforestry Systems and New Zealand Journal of Crop and Horticultural Science, Agriculture, Ecosystems and Environment, Ecosystem Services.