Proper management of these green spaces is crucial to protect wildlife. There is growing concern that recreational activities like hiking, running, cycling, dog walking, and horse riding may harm wildlife. For songbirds, this increased ‘disturbance’ can lead to changes in bird behaviour, nest abandonment, and reduced breeding success.
The University of Exeter will conduct a research project on recreational disturbance. Funded by SongBird Survival, this project will support a PhD studentship for three and a half years starting in September 2024. The team includes Dr. Sarah Crowley and Professor Stuart Bearhop.
The project will study the impact of recreational activities on woodland and shrubland songbirds. It combines ecology and social science to understand how to change people’s behaviour and to identify effective measures to reduce our impact on our local environment and our UK songbirds.
Project elements:
We hope that by better understanding how disturbances affect wildlife, we can continue to enjoy green spaces while also protecting our songbirds for future generations.
Sir David Attenborough said on birds:
"Now, we have taken over the earth and the sea and the sky, but with skill and care and knowledge, we can ensure that there is still a place on Earth for birds in all their beauty and variety. If we want to. And surely, we should."
Sarah gained her PhD from the University of Exeter in 2017, and worked as a postdoctoral researcher on the cats and their owners research project. Now she has progressed to become a senior lecturer at the University and supervises multiple students, including Gavin on the disturbance PhD project.
Gavin started his PhD research this autumn on recreational disturbances and songbirds, supervised by Dr. Sarah Crowley and Dr. Stuart Bearhop at the University of Exeter. The project aims to address the impacts of disturbances in woodland and shrubland habitats.
Banks, P.B. and Bryant, J.V. (2007) Four-legged friend or foe? Dog walking displaces native birds from natural areas. Biology Letters, 3(6), pp.611-613.
Comber, C. A., & Dayer, A. A. (2022). Understanding attitudes and norms of dog walkers to reduce disturbances to shorebirds. Human Dimensions of Wildlife, 27(3), 236-250.
Davis, C. A., Leslie Jr, D. M., Walter, W. D., & Graber, A. E. (2010). Mountain biking trail use affects reproductive success of nesting Golden-cheeked Warblers. The Wilson Journal of Ornithology, 122(3), 465-474.
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Kuwaczka, L. F., Mitterwallner, V., Audorff, V., & Steinbauer, M. J. (2023). Ecological impacts of (electrically assisted) mountain biking. Global Ecology and Conservation, e02475.
Ferguson, M. D., McIntosh, K., English, D. B., Ferguson, L. A., Barcelona, R., Giles, G., ... & Leberman, M. (2022). The Outdoor Renaissance: Assessing the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic upon outdoor recreation visitation, behaviours, and decision-making in New England’s national forests. Society & Natural Resources, 35(10), 1063-1082.
Larson, C. L., Reed, S. E., Merenlender, A. M., & Crooks, K. R. (2016). Effects of recreation on animals revealed as widespread through a global systematic review. PloS One, 11(12), e0167259.
Mallord, J. W., Dolman, P. M., Brown, A. F., & Sutherland, W. J. (2007). Linking recreational disturbance to population size in a ground‐nesting passerine. Journal of Applied Ecology, 44, 185-195.
Marzano, M., & Dandy, N. (2012). Recreationist behaviour in forests and the disturbance of wildlife. Biodiversity and Conservation, 21(11), 2967-2986.
Murison, G., Bullock, J. M., Underhill-Day, J., Langston, R., Brown, A. F., & Sutherland, W. J. (2007). Habitat type determines the effects of disturbance on the breeding productivity of the Dartford Warbler Sylvia undata. Ibis, 149, 16-26.
Steven, R., Pickering, C., & Castley, J. G. (2011). A review of the impacts of nature-based recreation on birds. Journal of environmental management, 92(10), 2287-2294.
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