Ellie’s research focuses on modelling species distributions and population ecology to assess opportunities for conservation action for protected species, and to inform the management of species with negative impacts for forestry. She uses a variety of techniques, including Bayesian population modelling, to assess population parameters, and the habitat and climate factors which are driving changes. This can then inform evidence-based management decisions.
Ellie joined Forest Research in 2023, focusing on modelling pine marten populations, and their dispersal from translocation areas. She also assisted with photometric analyses to assess tree canopy damage from various sources including grey squirrels.
She now works across several projects including:
- Assessing spatial patterns in deer and boar density
- Modelling lichen dispersal in temperate rainforests
- Assessing the ecological feasibility of rewilding projects
- Developing protocols and analyses to monitor deer and boar abundance using drones
- Assessing the impacts of habitat management on protected species
Before joining Forest Research, she completed her PhD at the University of Exeter studying the population ecology and conservation of hazel dormice. She has a background in small mammal ecology and monitoring.
ResearchGate: Ellie Scopes
Affiliations
- University of Exeter
- Member of British Ecological Society
- Member of the Martes Working Group
- Member of the Mammal Society
- Committee member of Cornwall Mammal Group
Ellie Scopes
BA (Hons), MRes, PhD
Spatial Scientist - Population Modeller
Land use and ecosystem services (LUES)
FC Head Office
Coldharbour Lane
Bristol BS16 1EJ
Peer reviewed journal articles
Scopes, E. R., MacPherson, J., Wright, P. G. R., McNicol, C. M., Kingscott-Edmunds, J., Ham, C., Kerecsenyi, N., Guy, M., & Bellamy, C. C. (2025). Validating habitat suitability models for pine marten (Martes martes) reintroductions to England and Wales. Journal of Applied Ecology, 00, 1–11. https://doi.org/10.1111/1365-2664.70160
Burgar, J., Yaeger, S., Anderson, E., Brainerd, S., Chabaud, N., Cotey, S. R., … Scopes, E. R., … & Spencer, W. D. (2025) A path towards the conservation and recovery of Guloninae species worldwide. Stacks Journal. https://doi.org/10.60102/stacks-25007
Armitage, C., Bennie, J. J., Scopes, E. R., Liptrot, K., White, I., Al-Fulaij, N., & McDonald, R. A. (2025). Environmental and population correlates of variation in short torpor use by wild hazel dormice (Muscardinus avellanarius). Oecologia, 207(6), 97. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00442-025-05730-3
Scopes, E. R., Broome, A., Walsh, K., Bennie, J. J. & McDonald, R. A. (2024). Conservation implications of hibernation in mammals. Mammal Review. https://doi.org/10.1111/mam.12346
Scopes, E. R., Bennie, J. J., Broome, A., Walsh, K. & McDonald, R. A. (2024). Variation in hazel dormouse (Muscardinus avellanarius) presence in hedge and scrub habitats. Ecological Solutions and Evidence, 5:2 https://doi.org/10.1002/2688-8319.12329
Scopes, E. R., Goodwin, C. E. D., Al-Fulaij, N., White, I., Langton, S., Walsh, K., Broome, A., & McDonald, R. A. (2023). Shifting baselines for species in chronic decline and assessment of conservation status. Are hazel dormice Muscardinus avellanarius Endangered? Ecological Solutions and Evidence, 4, e12206. https://doi.org/10.1002/2688-8319.12206