Chloe focuses on developing spatial models and indicators of ecosystem services and species distributions. This research identifies socio-ecological drivers at local to landscape scales, helping us to us better understand how and why the functioning and use of habitats varies across space and time. The mapped outputs inform evidence-based spatial planning decisions and the prioritisation of resources in an effort to protect or restore ecosystems that benefit society and provide habitats for species.
Chloe joined Forest Research in 2013. Her research focuses on modelling and mapping the wide range of benefits that woodlands, wooded landscapes, and other greenspace provide to people and wildlife. She previously co-developed the ecosystem services mapping toolkit, EcoServ-GIS, at Durham Wildlife Trust and has a PhD on habitat suitability modelling for bats from the University of Leeds.
Affiliations
- Southampton University Visiting Fellow
- ESCom Scotland Knowledge and Decision Support process area co-lead
- Edinburgh Consortium for Giant Panda Conservation and Forest Landscape Restoration
- International Association of Landscape Ecologists UK committee
- Bat Conservation Trust’s Woodland Advisory Group
- British Ecological Society Scottish Policy Group committee member
- Ecosystem Services Partnership member
Chloe Bellamy
BSc, PhD
Spatial Scientist
Land use and ecosystem services (LUES)
NRS
Northern Research Station
Bush Estate
Roslin
Scotland
Related Research
Research
AWDev: Ancient Woodland and Development Impacts
Ancient woodlands provide some of Great Britain’s most biodiverse and culturally significant habitats. Current planning policy aims to protect these ‘irreplaceable’ habitats from the direct and indirect impacts of nearby development. However, assessing the potential impact of development on nearby habitats is complex and impeded by evidence gaps. Our aim is to deliver evidence to underpin future policy, practice, and industry guidance critical to safeguarding ancient woodlands whilst supporting responsible development and woodland use.
Status
current
Research
The FOrest Biodiversity Index (FOBI) project
Forest Research, Forestry and Land Scotland and Forestry England have co-developed an evidence based, repeatable approach for assessing the biodiversity potential of the National Forest Estate. Several extent, condition, connectivity and diversity metrics are measured and aggregated into a Combined Biodiversity Index. An online, interactive tool allows users to explore mapped scores.
Status
completed
Themes
Land Use and Ecosystem Services
The research aims to increase our understanding of how woodlands and wooded landscapes provide a diverse range of ecosystem services (ES), and to help policymakers, forest managers and planners understand and assess how the specific placement and management of woodlands affects ES delivery at various scales.
SCALEFORES: Scaling Rules For Ecosystem Service Mapping
We are working with Southampton University and the Centre for Ecology and Hydrology to develop and test novel modelling frameworks to explore the drivers of ecosystem services at different spatial scales in order to predict and map their delivery.
Putting UK woodland bats on the map
We are working with Bat Conservation Trust to develop and trial a national citizen science field survey scheme and species distribution modelling framework for UK woodland bats.
Strathard: a landscape to live, work and play
This project developed more sustainable and resilient land and water management plans in Strathard by taking an ecosystems approach that considered the wider impacts and benefits of a range of management plans on ecosystem services, the landscape and communities living there.
Related Publications
Publication
Factsheet: Climate change and biodiversity
More biodiverse woodlands are better able to resist or adapt to threats, such as climate change. This enhanced resilience supports the continuity of woodlands and the ecosystem services they provide. Biodiversity is the variation at different levels of biological organisation - the genes within a species; the species within a community; and the diversity between communities and ecosystems.
Published
Themes
Publication
ESCom 2020 workshop: Scotland's National Ecological Network - progress and practicalities
Summary of a workshop for researchers, policymakers and practitioners to discuss the progress and practicalities of developing a National Ecological Network in Scotland. Embedded in this approach to more sustainable land use is the need to take stock of progress towards regional and national ecological networks to increase resilience into the future.
Published
Forest damage by deer depends on cross‐scale interactions between climate, deer density and landscape structure
This journal paper investigates the factors that drive deer damage to woodlands using the National Forest Inventory sample square data. We found that the likelihood of damage to trees depends on cross-scale interactions between climate, deer density and landscape structure. The complex interactive effects uncovered are difficult to interpret. We therefore provide an interactive Deer Damage Tool for practitioners to visualize how afforestation is likely to influence the probability of deer damage in different forests and regions across Britain.
A sequential multi-level framework to improve habitat suitability modelling
We provide a sequential framework for improved multi-scale habitat suitability modelling or species distribution modelling. We apply it to the lesser horseshoe bat in Britain to demonstrate its improved accuracy and ecological inference.
Predicting hedgehog mortality risks on British roads using habitat suitability modelling
An analysis of citizen science hedgehog roadkill data has revealed why, when and where vehicle-hedgehog collisions are most likely to occur. The approach involved a multi-scale habitat suitability model. Suburban areas with mixtures of urban and grassland were found to be roadkill hotspots.
UK landscape ecology: trends and perspectives from the first 25 years of ialeUK
With 2017 marking the 25th anniversary of the founding of the UK chapter of the International Association for Landscape Ecology (ialeUK), current members of its organising committee set out to examine the content of past ialeUK conferences and, with input from past ialeUK contributors, reflect on what observed patterns might mean for shaping future landscape research.
Knowledge sharing, problem-solving and professional development in a Scottish Ecosystem Services Community of Practice
This paper describes the benefits and challenges associated with developing and maintaining ESCom Scotland, a community of researchers, policymakers, practitioners and others involved in natural resource management in Scotland. Based on our experience, we provide ten recommendations to help others implement similar communities of practice.
An analytical framework for spatially targeted management of natural capital
A major sustainability challenge is determining where to target management to enhance natural capital and the ecosystem services it provides. Achieving this understanding is difficult, given that the effects of most actions vary according to wider environmental conditions; and this context dependency is typically poorly understood. Here, we describe an analytical framework that helps meet […]
Niches for species: a multi-species model to guide woodland management
To protect biodiversity in the face of environmental change, there is a need to designate and manage areas of habitat for rare and threatened species. However, to identify the right areas usually requires detailed data on species distributions. Reliable data for rare and protected species are sparse as many species are cryptic and under-recorded. The […]
Other Research
Responsibilities
- Models and Methods work area lead for the Land Use and Ecosystem Services Science Group
- Forest Research NRS Science Seminar Committee
Current projects
- SCALEFORES: co-developing multiscale ecosystem service models with partners at Southampton University and the Centre for Ecology and Hydrology
- National Forest Estate Biodiversity Index: an evidence based, transparent and repeatable approach for assessing the biodiversity potential of the Public Forest Estate, co-developed with Forestry & Land Scotland and Forestry England.
- Future Proofing Plant Health:Future Proofing Plant Health developing and improving a series of national extent, diversity, condition, and connectivity indicators to support work towards the Tree Health Resilience Strategy (THRS) environmental goals.
- Ancient Woodland Buffer project: investigating the impact of development on ancient woodland condition using National Forest Inventory survey data.
Recently completed projects
- GREEN SURGE: developing and applying methods to map urban green infrastructure features and biodiversity indicators for Edinburgh and other European cities, with a focus on urban pollinators
- Strathard: A landscape to live work and play: developing and applying methods to quantify and map the benefits and challenges of the Strathard landscape as part of this multi-agency partnership project
- SPAtial Decisions for Ecosystem Services (SPADES): Research and spatial modelling to support the creation of an ecosystem services decision support tool for developers and local authorities with funding from Innovate UK and eCountability
- Putting UK bats on the map: working with the Bat Conservation Trust to trial a woodland bat survey methodology and to develop an ensemble habitat suitability modelling framework designed to uncover drivers of UK woodland bat distributions at local, regional and national scales.
Peer reviewed journal articles
Peer reviewed papers
Wright, P. G. R., Bellamy, C., Hamilton, P. B., Schofield, H., Finch, D., & Mathews, F. (2021). Characterising the relationship between suitable habitat and gene flow for Myotis bechsteinii and Eptesicus serotinus in Britain. Landscape Ecology, 1-10.
Spake, R., Bellamy, C., Gill, R., Watts, K., Wilson, T., Ditchburn, B. and Eigenbrod, F. (2020) Forest damage by deer depends on cross‐scale interactions between climate, deer density and landscape structure. Journal of Applied Ecology. https://doi.org/10.1111/1365-2664.13622.
Bellamy, C., Boughey, K., Hawkins, C., Reveley, S., Spake, R., Williams, C. and Altringham, J. (2020) A sequential multi-level framework to improve habitat suitability modelling. Landscape Ecology. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10980-020-00987-w
Wright PGR, Coomber FG, Bellamy CC, Perkins SE, Mathews F. (2020) Predicting hedgehog mortality risks on British roads using habitat suitability modelling. PeerJ 7:e8154 https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.8154
Young, C., Bellamy, C., Burton, V., Griffiths, G., Metzger, M.J., Neumann, J., Porter, J. and Millington, J.D., (2019). UK landscape ecology: trends and perspectives from the first 25 years of ialeUK. Landscape Ecology. DOI: 10.1007/s10980-019-00945-1
Broome, A., Bellamy, C., Rattey, A., Ray, D., Quine, C.P. and Park, K.J. (2019) Niches for Species, a multi-species model to guide woodland management: An example based on Scotland’s native woodlands. Ecological Indicators, 103: 410-424. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolind.2019.04.021
Metzger, M.J., Dick, J., Gardner, A., Bellamy, C., Blackstock, K., Brown, C., Chisholm, R., Cochrane, P., Drewitt, J., Gimona, A., Hester, A., Mathieson, S., Nijnik, M., McVittie, A., Petr, M., Smith, R., Smith, M. (2019) Knowledge sharing, problem-solving and professional development in a Scottish Ecosystem Services Community of Practice. Reg Environ Change. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10113-019-01537-0.
Spake, R, Bellamy C, Graham L, Watts K, Wilson T, Norton L, Wood C, Schmucki R, Bullock J, Eigenbrod F (2019) An analytical framework for spatially targeted management of natural capital. Nature Sustainability 2: 90–97.
Palomo I, Willemen L, Drakou E, Burkhard B, Crossman N, Bellamy C, Burkhard K, Campagne CS, Dangol A, Franke J, Kulczyk S, Le Clec’h S, Malak DA, Muñoz L, Narusevicius V, Ottoy S, Roelens J, Sing L, Thomas A, Van Meerbeek K, Verweij P (2018) Practical solutions for bottlenecks in ecosystem services mapping. One Ecosystem 3: e20713.
Bellamy, C.C., van der Jagt, A.P., Barbour, S., Smith, M. and Moseley, D., (2017) A spatial framework for targeting urban planning for pollinators and people with local stakeholders: A route to healthy, blossoming communities? Environmental Research, 158, pp.255-268.
Sarkki, S., Jokinen, M., Nijnik, M., Zahvoyska, L., Abraham, E. M., Alados, C. L., Bellamy C., Bratanova-Dontcheva, S., Grunewald, K., Kollar, J., Krajčí, J., Kyriazopoulos, A. P., La Porta, N., Monteiro, A. T., Munoz-Rojas, J., Parpan, T., Sing, L., Smith, M., Sutinen, M-L., Tolvanen A., Zhyla, T. (2017) Social equity in governance of ecosystem services: synthesis from European treeline areas. Climate Research (Special 34).
Watts, K., Fuentes-Montemayor, E., Macgregor, N. A., Peredo-Alvarez, V., Ferryman, M., Bellamy, C., Brown, N. and Park, K. J. (2016) Using historical woodland creation to construct a long-term, large-scale natural experiment: the WrEN project. Ecol Evol. DOI:c10.1002/ece3.2066.
Bellamy C, Altringham J (2015) Predicting Species Distributions Using Record Centre Data: Multi-Scale Modelling of Habitat Suitability for Bat Roosts. PLoS ONE 10(6): e0128440. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0128440.
Stevenson-Holt CD, Watts K, Bellamy CC, Nevin OT, Ramsey AD (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. PLoS ONE 9(11): e112119. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0112119.
Bellamy, C., Scott, C., & Altringham, J. (2013). Multiscale, presence-only habitat suitability models: fine-resolution maps for eight bat species. Journal of Applied Ecology, 50(4), 892–901.
FC and FR publications and other reports
Berthinussen, A., Bellamy, C. & Altringham, JD., (2021) Habitat Suitability Modelling for breeding lapwing (Vanellus vanellus) within the Northern Upland Chain Local Nature Partnership area. Report for the Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority.
Berthinussen, A., Bellamy, C. & Altringham, JD., (2020) Habitat suitability modelling for ten species of conservation concern within Nidderdale AONB. The Wild Watch. Final project report
Angers-Blondin, S., Pimblett, J., Bellamy, C., Rouquette, J., Holt, A., Varley, M., Bowe, C. (2020) EcoservR: a natural capital mapping tool for measuring public goods. ELM Test and Trial 074. Report to Defra, September 2020.
Watts, K., Bellamy, C., Cottrell., J, Barsoum, N. (2020) Climate change and biodiversity: can biodiversity help our woodlands in a changing climate? Forest Research Climate Change Factsheet.
Bellamy, CC, Hester, A, Metzger, MJ (2020) Scotland’s National Ecological Network: progress and practicalities. Workshop Report.
Ditchburn, B., Bellamy, C., Wilson, T., Steel, P., Henderson, L., Kirby, K. (2020). “NFI woodland ecological condition in Great Britain: Methodology”, Forestry Commission National Forest Inventory, Edinburgh.
Berthinussen, A., Bellamy, C., Altringham, J.D. (2018) “Habitat Suitability Modelling Preliminary report 2017–2018”, report for Nidderdale Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty by Conservation First.
Broome, A., Rattey, A., Bellamy C., (2018), Niches for Species, a multi-species model to guide woodland management. Forestry Commission Research Note FCRN035.
Bellamy, C., Barsoum, N., Cottrell, J. and Watts, K. (2018)Encouraging biodiversity at multiple scales in support of resilient woodlands. Forestry Commission Research Note FCRN 033.
Winn, J.P., Bellamy, C.C. & Fisher, T. 2018. EcoServ-GIS: a toolkit for mapping ecosystem services. Scottish Natural Heritage Research Report No. 954.
Blogs, newsletters & other online content
Bellamy & Peden (2021) An interactive web tool for exploring the NFI Woodland Ecological Condition statistics (R Shiny App)
Bellamy (2021) Scottish Policy Group committee member spotlight: written interview with Dr Chloe Bellamy
Bellamy & Rattey (2018) ‘Story Map – harnessing the power of maps’ Forest Research News, February 2018.
Bellamy et al. (2017) Mapping predicted supply, demand and use of urban cultural ecosystem services in support of green infrastructure planning. Poster presentation for GREEN SURGE conference, Malmӧ, September 2017.
Bellamy et al. (2017) Urban greenspace – space for nature and people? Notes from the ESCom Scotland – BES Scottish Policy Group Pie and a Pint.
van der Jagt, A. P. N., Bellamy, C., Mackenzie, I., Alexander, L. (2017) People, pollinators and pooled resources. Chartered Forester, Spring 2017.
Bellamy, C. (2017) My Scottish parliamentary shadowing experience: juggling everything from beavers to toxic waste. British Ecological Society.
Bellamy, C. (2017) What every scientist should know about influencing policy. Forest Research.
Bellamy, C. & van der Jagt, A. P. N. (2016) Forest Research and GREEN SURGE launch survey to gather information about the benefits of Edinburgh’s greenspaces. ESCom Scotland.
Ratcliffe, C. & Bellamy, C. (2016) Applying an ecosystems approach in Strathard – a landscape to live, work & play. ESCom Scotland.
Bellamy, C. (2015) Accounting for Edinburgh’s urban ecosystem services: a walk in the park? ESCom Scotland.
Bellamy, C. & Winn, J. (2013) EcoServ-GIS Version 1 (England only): A Wildlife Trust toolkit for mapping multiple ecosystem services.
Thesis
Bellamy, C. (2011) Predictive modelling of bat-habitat relationships on different spatial scales. University of Leeds PhD thesis.