Working with natural processes for woodland creation
This report presents ten key insights about working with natural processes for woodland creation that have emerged from our research.
Lead Author: Bianca Ambrose-Oji
Samuel Hughes
PhD
Samuel Hughes
PhDSpatial Scientist
Land use and ecosystem services (LUES)
Alice Holt
What Samuel does
Sam is an ecologist interested in community assembly after woodland creation, with a particular focus on understory plant communities. His current research explores how different woodland creation strategies affect the development of these communities alongside emergent ecosystem functions. This will help to inform decision makers on the best strategy for enhancing biodiversity and its benefits. Sam’s research uses a range of tools to achieve this aim, from remote sensing to individual based modelling.
Prior to joining Forest Research Sam completed a PhD at the University of Leeds. This explored how the spatial targeting of woodland creation can enhance biodiversity at local and landscape scales.
Other Publications
Hughes, S., Kunin, W., Watts, K. and Ziv, G., 2023. New woodlands created adjacent to existing woodlands grow faster, taller and have higher structural diversity than isolated counterparts. Restoration Ecology, p.e13889.
Hughes, S., Kunin, W., Ziv, G. and Watts, K., 2023. Spatial targeting of woodland creation can reduce the colonisation credit of woodland plants. Ecological Solutions and Evidence, 4(3), p.e12263.
Bauld, J., Guy, M., Hughes, S., Forster, J. and Watts, K., 2023. Assessing the use of natural colonization to create new forests within temperate agriculturally dominated landscapes. Restoration Ecology, p.e14004.