Tree health
Chris holds a BSc (Hons) in Animal Biology from Nottingham Trent University, an MRes in Ecology and Environmental Biology from the University of Glasgow, and a PhD from the University of Edinburgh, where he employed DNA metabarcoding techniques to analyse the diet and rumen microbiome of roe deer (Capreolus capreolus) across Scotland. His PhD research has since been published in the European Journal of Wildlife Research, and he continues to contribute to deer ecology research.
Now a Forest Pathologist within the Tree Health Diagnostic and Advisory Service at Forest Research (NRS), Chris manages TreeAlert enquiries, supports tree health diagnostics, and undertakes associated laboratory work. Beyond his advisory role, he applies his expertise in bioinformatics and molecular analysis across collaborative projects with research groups throughout Forest Research and partner institutions.
Christopher is part of the Tree Health Diagnostic and Advisory Service, providing an effective, efficient and impartial disease diagnostic and advisory service on tree health matters across Britain.
Gresham, A., Grainger, M., Guy, M., Bellamy, C., Rattey, A., Shannon, G., St John, F. A. V., Ward, A. I., Cini, E., Eigenbrod, F., Barton, O., Gill, R., Hirst, C., et al. (2026). iDeer: A decision-support tool for managing deer alongside woodland creation. EcoEvoRxiv [Preprint]. https://doi.org/10.32942/X28H3D
Hirst, C., Gill, R., Ogden, R. et al. (2026). Characterising the dietary patterns of the European Roe Deer across biogeographical regions. European Journal of Wildlife Research, 72, 6. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10344-025-02038-8
Hirst, C. M. (2025). Seasonal and spatial dynamics of the diet and rumen microbiome of roe deer in Scotland [PhD thesis]. University of Edinburgh.
Ferraro, K. M., & Hirst, C. (2024). Missing carcasses, lost nutrients: Quantifying nutrient losses from deer culling practices in Scotland. Ecological Solutions and Evidence, 5, e12356. https://doi.org/10.1002/2688-8319.12356 [Awarded Georgina Mace Prize 2024]
Hirst, C. (2021). Deer in a Changing Climate: How do wild deer affect carbon sequestration in Scottish woodlands? ClimateXChange.
