Rona M. Pitman, BSc, PhD

Forest Ecologist, Centre for Forestry and Climate Change

Rona followed her BSc (Geography with Geology) at Hull university with four years of study in the Sub-department of Quaternary studies, Botany School, Cambridge, resulting in a PhD thesis entitled ‘Pollen transport and deposition in Oakdale, North Yorkshire’.

A period abroad in the Far East was followed by a research post in the Climatic Research Unit, University of East Anglia, and an NERC post doctoral award to work on lowland Heath ecology with Kings College, London.

During the following ten years teaching Environmental Science at degree level at Sussex, and King Alfreds College, Winchester, she investigated the potential of using composted bracken as a peat substitute. This work, based in the New Forest, was completed with the support of Forest Research, and she transferred to a full time ecologists post at Forest Research in 1998.

Current role

Forest Ecologist, Centre for Forestry and Climate Change

• Responsibilities for woodland plant ecological surveys in the long term monitoring networks across southern Britain, and interpretation of data.
• Initiation of new research on woodland soils and forest age, effects of harvesting treatments on restoration sites, and potential use of wood ash to counteract soil acidification.
• Management of litterfall sampling from forest plots across British Isles.
• Ecological surveyor and data analyst based on Alice Holt Forest.

Current programmes

• Intensive long term monitoring of forest ecosystems
• Linking defoliation by Tortrix with tree growth and tree nutrient status 
• Environmental Change Network
• Soil sustainability
  • Brash treatment effects on lowland soils - organising scientist for soil analyses and natural regeneration recording
  • Wood ash use in forestry - organising scientist for new experimental applications to PAWS (plantations on ancient woodland sites) and SRC (short rotation coppice) sites.

Affiliations and achievements

• South Downs Conservation Board Heathland Forum member
• British Ecological Society member

Research areas

• The use of wood ash in restoration following soil acidification under conifers
• The effect of brash and mulch on soil qualities and natural regeneration
• Ground flora and soil changes in broadleaf woodland
• Bracken growth and its use as a compost(horticulture) and as biomass fuel

---

Main recent publications

Pitman, R. M. (2006). Wood ash use in forestry- a review of the environmental impacts. Forestry 79, 563-588.

Pitman, R.M and Vanguelova, E. (2006). The influence of soil properties and stand age on forest soil biodiversity. Forest Research Annual Report, Highlight1

Kennedy, F. and R. Pitman (2004). Factors affecting the nitrogen status of soils and ground flora in Beech woodlands . Forest Ecology and Management 198: 1-14

Pitman, R and Webber, J. (1998).  Bracken as a peat alternative. Information Note , Forest Research Farnham

Pitman R. (1995).  Bracken compost: a substitute for peat? In: (R.T. Smith and J.Taylor, eds) Bracken: an environmental issue pp 191-196 Leeds University

Potter, D.M. and Pitman, R.M. (1995). The extraction and characterisation of carcinogens from Bracken and the effect of composting. In ( Smith, R.T. and Taylor, J.A. eds) Bracken: An Environmental Issue.pp110-115  Leeds Uni.

Internal Reports

Pitman, R. (2005).  Interim Report on the effects of harvesting residues on natural regeneration at the PAWS site, Tugley, Chiddingfold.
 
Pitman, R. (2004). The soils of Upper Friston Forest, East Sussex. Internal Report for Forest Enterprise, SE District

Pitman R.and Broadmeadow, M. (2001).  Leaf area, biomass and physiological parameterisation of ground vegetation of lowland oak woodland. Internal Report to PPD, Forestry Commission Edinburg

Broadmeadow, M.S.J., Pitman, R.M., Jackson, S.B., Randle, T.J., Durrant, D.W.H. (2000). Upgrading the level II protocol for physiological modelling of cause-effect relationships: A pilot study. Final report for EC project No. 98.60.UK.003.0. Forestry Commission, UK.