Date: Tuesday 26 November 2013
Time: 18:00 (17.40 for refreshments)
Location: Manchester Metropolitan University, C0.14, John Dalton Building, Chester Street, Manchester, M1 5GD
Professor Piers Forster, Professor of Physical Climate Change, Institute for Climate and Atmospheric Science,
University of Leeds.
Title: Hot off the Press: What’s new in Climate Science?
Abstract:
For over 20 years, the Intergovernmental Panel for Climate Change (IPCC) has provided assessments of climate change research. The IPCC’s First Assessment Report in 1990 played a decisive role in leading to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), and the second assessment report led to the Kyoto Protocol signing in 1997. After the publication of the forth assessment report in 2007, the IPCC was joint recipient of the Nobel Peace prize. The physical science part of the Fifth Assessment Report, will be released at the end of September 2013. This will provide an update of knowledge related to climate change including information on: recent climate change, the carbon cycle and sea-level rise. It will also produce a set of updated climate projections out until 2100. Piers Forster was one of the lead authors of this report and of past reports. He also helped write the summary for policy makers that will be signed off at a 10 day meeting in Stockholm in September by the World’s governments. He will present his own take on the report, answering questions on the state of climate science and its policy implications.
Friday 22 November 2013
Monday 18 November 2013
Have some nice cakes for charity !!
Hello everyone,
I would like to invite you all to a bake-off in aid of the Disasters Emergency Committee's Philippine Typhoon Appeal. Lesley and Martin have kindly offered to fill Mary Berry and Phil Hollywood's shoes for the day and vote on the best cake! The bake-off will take place from 1-2 pm in the common room on the 4th floor, Wednesday the 27th November - Extended to 3pm for MSc Students to buy leftover cakes during their coffee hour. We will provide tea and coffee (although please bring your mug!) and all donations will be gratefully received! If you cannot bake, then please come along to taste all the wonderful cakes!
Let the baking commence!
Cheers,
Beth Roberts
PhD Student
I would like to invite you all to a bake-off in aid of the Disasters Emergency Committee's Philippine Typhoon Appeal. Lesley and Martin have kindly offered to fill Mary Berry and Phil Hollywood's shoes for the day and vote on the best cake! The bake-off will take place from 1-2 pm in the common room on the 4th floor, Wednesday the 27th November - Extended to 3pm for MSc Students to buy leftover cakes during their coffee hour. We will provide tea and coffee (although please bring your mug!) and all donations will be gratefully received! If you cannot bake, then please come along to taste all the wonderful cakes!
Let the baking commence!
Cheers,
Beth Roberts
PhD Student
Tuesday 12 November 2013
EMSD Praised in The Guardian by Alumni
Hi all,
There was a nice article in the Guardian a few days ago, by Lucy Barrett (a recent EMSD MSc graduate) praising the MSc course and revealing how useful it has been to get her ideal job:
Click HERE to view the article.
In particular, the article said:
"Lucy, now 23, chose the MSc in environmental management and sustainable development at Manchester Metropolitan University (MMU). She also did her first degree at MMU, but says she would have chosen it anyway because of the university's good reputation in the field and the fact the course included a work-based placement and project.
While on her placement with the Stockport Homes housing association, Lucy won an award in a national competition for her work to persuade local residents and companies to recycle waste."
Not only did she receive several job offers, she also landed a post with the Environment Agency (EA), the public body that turned her down when she first applied because she had no work experience. "When I graduated with a geography degree, I applied for several jobs, but no one was interested," she says. "I began to realise that having a postgraduate degree is more of a requirement than something extra on the CV."
There was a nice article in the Guardian a few days ago, by Lucy Barrett (a recent EMSD MSc graduate) praising the MSc course and revealing how useful it has been to get her ideal job:
Click HERE to view the article.
In particular, the article said:
"Lucy, now 23, chose the MSc in environmental management and sustainable development at Manchester Metropolitan University (MMU). She also did her first degree at MMU, but says she would have chosen it anyway because of the university's good reputation in the field and the fact the course included a work-based placement and project.
While on her placement with the Stockport Homes housing association, Lucy won an award in a national competition for her work to persuade local residents and companies to recycle waste."
Not only did she receive several job offers, she also landed a post with the Environment Agency (EA), the public body that turned her down when she first applied because she had no work experience. "When I graduated with a geography degree, I applied for several jobs, but no one was interested," she says. "I began to realise that having a postgraduate degree is more of a requirement than something extra on the CV."
Thursday 17 October 2013
Research Seminar (VERY suitable for EMSD)
Please note below details of a timely seminar, following recent publication of the IPCC 5th assessment WG1 report, that will be given by Professor Richard Bardgett (University of Manchester) next Tuesday (22/10) between 1-2 pm in SB2.10, Sandra Burslem Building.
Going underground: plant functional traits, soil microbial feedbacks and climate change
Professor Richard D Bardgett
Faculty of Life Sciences, Michael Smith Building, The University of Manchester, Oxford Road, Manchester M13 9PT.
Human activities are rapidly changing the world’s ecosystems. The most obvious human impact is through the conversion of land for agriculture, but terrestrial ecosystems are also affected by other global change phenomena, including climate change. This has led to a groundswell of research aimed at improving understanding of the impact of global changes on biodiversity and ecosystem function, and on management strategies to mitigate them. Whilst this topic has received much attention, scientists have only recently become aware that understanding the consequences of global change for ecosystem functioning requires consideration of interactions between plant and soil communities. This is because the impact of global changes on the functioning of terrestrial ecosystems is often indirect: they operate via changes aboveground that cascade belowground to the soil biological community, which drives biogeochemical processes and feedbacks to the Earth’s climate system. In this talk, I will discuss recent research that shows how a plant trait-based approach can be used to improve understanding of the way that changes in plant community structure impact on soil microbial communities and the processes that they drive, and to better understand the consequences of global change for ecosystem functioning.
(Host: Dr. Robin Sen)
Please note that a campus map is available HERE
Going underground: plant functional traits, soil microbial feedbacks and climate change
Professor Richard D Bardgett
Faculty of Life Sciences, Michael Smith Building, The University of Manchester, Oxford Road, Manchester M13 9PT.
Human activities are rapidly changing the world’s ecosystems. The most obvious human impact is through the conversion of land for agriculture, but terrestrial ecosystems are also affected by other global change phenomena, including climate change. This has led to a groundswell of research aimed at improving understanding of the impact of global changes on biodiversity and ecosystem function, and on management strategies to mitigate them. Whilst this topic has received much attention, scientists have only recently become aware that understanding the consequences of global change for ecosystem functioning requires consideration of interactions between plant and soil communities. This is because the impact of global changes on the functioning of terrestrial ecosystems is often indirect: they operate via changes aboveground that cascade belowground to the soil biological community, which drives biogeochemical processes and feedbacks to the Earth’s climate system. In this talk, I will discuss recent research that shows how a plant trait-based approach can be used to improve understanding of the way that changes in plant community structure impact on soil microbial communities and the processes that they drive, and to better understand the consequences of global change for ecosystem functioning.
(Host: Dr. Robin Sen)
Please note that a campus map is available HERE
Monday 14 October 2013
Research Seminar
Tomorrow's (15/10/13) speaker is Phil Hughes His talk is entitled:
Timing of glaciation during the last glacial cycle: evaluating the concept of a global 'Last Glacial Maximum' and the abstract is below.
Seminars are in room 2.10, Sandra Burslem Building, Tuesdays at 1.00 pm
ABSTRACT
It has long been known that mountain glaciers and continental ice sheets around the globe reached their respective maximum extent at different times during the last glacial cycle, often well before the global Last Glacial Maximum (LGM; c. 23–19 ka), which is formally defined by peaks in global sea-level and marine oxygen isotope records. However, there is increasing evidence from around the world that it was not only mountain glaciers which were asynchronous with the global LGM but also some regions of the large continental glaciers. The Barents–Kara Ice Sheet in northern Eurasia together with a majority of ice masses throughout Asia and Australasia reached their maximum early in the last glacial cycle, a few thousand years before the global LGM period. The East Antarctic Ice Sheet also reached its maximum extent several millennia before the global LGM. In numerous mountainous regions at high-, mid- and low-latitudes across the world, glaciers reached their maximum extent before Marine Isotope Stage (MIS) 2, in MIS 5, 4 and 3. This is in contrast to most sectors of the Laurentide Ice Sheet, the Cordilleran Ice Sheet, the SE sector of the Fennoscandinavian Ice Sheet and the Alpine Ice Sheet in central Europe, which appear to have reached their maximum close to the global LGM in MIS 2. The diachronous maximum extents of both mountain glaciers and continental ice sheets during the last glacial cycle, means that the term and acronym Last Glacial Maximum (LGM) has limited chronostratigraphical meaning when correlating glacial deposits and landforms.
Timing of glaciation during the last glacial cycle: evaluating the concept of a global 'Last Glacial Maximum' and the abstract is below.
Seminars are in room 2.10, Sandra Burslem Building, Tuesdays at 1.00 pm
ABSTRACT
It has long been known that mountain glaciers and continental ice sheets around the globe reached their respective maximum extent at different times during the last glacial cycle, often well before the global Last Glacial Maximum (LGM; c. 23–19 ka), which is formally defined by peaks in global sea-level and marine oxygen isotope records. However, there is increasing evidence from around the world that it was not only mountain glaciers which were asynchronous with the global LGM but also some regions of the large continental glaciers. The Barents–Kara Ice Sheet in northern Eurasia together with a majority of ice masses throughout Asia and Australasia reached their maximum early in the last glacial cycle, a few thousand years before the global LGM period. The East Antarctic Ice Sheet also reached its maximum extent several millennia before the global LGM. In numerous mountainous regions at high-, mid- and low-latitudes across the world, glaciers reached their maximum extent before Marine Isotope Stage (MIS) 2, in MIS 5, 4 and 3. This is in contrast to most sectors of the Laurentide Ice Sheet, the Cordilleran Ice Sheet, the SE sector of the Fennoscandinavian Ice Sheet and the Alpine Ice Sheet in central Europe, which appear to have reached their maximum close to the global LGM in MIS 2. The diachronous maximum extents of both mountain glaciers and continental ice sheets during the last glacial cycle, means that the term and acronym Last Glacial Maximum (LGM) has limited chronostratigraphical meaning when correlating glacial deposits and landforms.
Monday 7 October 2013
Student Reps: Please communicate with them
Hi all,
Your student Reps this year are:
Peter Lawrence (EMSD)
PETER.LAWRENCE@stu.mmu.ac.uk and
Catherine Van Russelt (EMSD)
CATHERINE.E.VAN-RUSSELT@stu.mmu.ac.uk
They cover all the courses currently running (EMSD/EMB/SA)
Please communicate any issues you may have for raising at the next Staff-Student Liaison meeting. These can be problems or sources of annoyance...as well as things you have liked or would want more of.
Thanks
Mark
Your student Reps this year are:
Peter Lawrence (EMSD)
PETER.LAWRENCE@stu.mmu.ac.uk and
Catherine Van Russelt (EMSD)
CATHERINE.E.VAN-RUSSELT@stu.mmu.ac.uk
They cover all the courses currently running (EMSD/EMB/SA)
Please communicate any issues you may have for raising at the next Staff-Student Liaison meeting. These can be problems or sources of annoyance...as well as things you have liked or would want more of.
Thanks
Mark
Friday 4 October 2013
Royal Meteorological Society talk
Date: Tuesday 8 October 2013
Time: 18:00 (17.40 for refreshments)
Location: Manchester Metropolitan University, C0.14, John Dalton Building, Oxford Road, Manchester, M15 6BH
signs will be up inside the building on the day to direct you to room T0.03
SPEAKER: Dr James Allan, University of Manchester and National Centre for Atmospheric Science
Title: Atmospheric particulates and climate: Big effects, big uncertainties
Abstract:
Aerosols, or particulates, in the atmosphere are known to have a major effect on climate, but they are also very poorly understood. They are both naturally occurring and caused by human activities and their effects depend on many properties such as what they are made of, how big they are, how many there are and where in the atmosphere they are. This talk will focus on efforts to measure these aerosols and their effects such that we can understand them better and make more accurate predictions of climate change. Proposed methods of utilising aerosols to offset global warming will also be discussed.
As always, the meeting is free and open to all without registration.
We look forward to seeing you there.
Regards,
Mike Bennett
Time: 18:00 (17.40 for refreshments)
Location: Manchester Metropolitan University, C0.14, John Dalton Building, Oxford Road, Manchester, M15 6BH
signs will be up inside the building on the day to direct you to room T0.03
SPEAKER: Dr James Allan, University of Manchester and National Centre for Atmospheric Science
Title: Atmospheric particulates and climate: Big effects, big uncertainties
Abstract:
Aerosols, or particulates, in the atmosphere are known to have a major effect on climate, but they are also very poorly understood. They are both naturally occurring and caused by human activities and their effects depend on many properties such as what they are made of, how big they are, how many there are and where in the atmosphere they are. This talk will focus on efforts to measure these aerosols and their effects such that we can understand them better and make more accurate predictions of climate change. Proposed methods of utilising aerosols to offset global warming will also be discussed.
As always, the meeting is free and open to all without registration.
We look forward to seeing you there.
Regards,
Mike Bennett
Saturday 28 September 2013
Course Reps Needed
Hi everyone,
I am looking for volunteers to be Course Representatives for:
ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT AND SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT
ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT AND BUSINESS and
SUSTAINABLE AVIATION
If you could please email me (m.cresswell@mmu.ac.uk) expressing your interest BEFORE this coming Wednesday 2nd October...if more than one person shows an interest, we can have a quick vote on Wednesday during the 3pm coffee break.
More information is available from the Student's Union website:
I am looking for volunteers to be Course Representatives for:
ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT AND SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT
ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT AND BUSINESS and
SUSTAINABLE AVIATION
If you could please email me (m.cresswell@mmu.ac.uk) expressing your interest BEFORE this coming Wednesday 2nd October...if more than one person shows an interest, we can have a quick vote on Wednesday during the 3pm coffee break.
More information is available from the Student's Union website:
Tuesday 24 September 2013
ATTENTION: Writing-Up Students Submitting
ASSIGNMENT: A2: MSc Thesis (90% of Unit Total)
As identified in the assignment cover sheet, you must submit two bound copies of your thesis and an electronic copy on CD by Friday 27th September 2013.
Submit your bound copies via either
i) the Faculty Assessment Posting Boxes near the JD Student Hub, or
ii) by post to: Dr SR Hoon, Manchester Metropolitan University, John Dalton Building, Chester Street, Manchester, M1 5GD, UK. If you are posting your theses please inform me by e-mail. They must be post marked no later than Friday 27th 2013 and sent first class to arrive by Monday 30th September 2013.
Note:
Unless you have applied for an extension due to extenuating circumstances and this is, or has been, granted late submission is likely to result in your assessment being deferred to the following MSc Examination Board in June 2014 and your work capped at 50%.
All other details such as word length and format are given in the MSc Thesis Preparation Guide. This has been available as a pdf on Moodle since last September.
Best wishes,
Steve
As identified in the assignment cover sheet, you must submit two bound copies of your thesis and an electronic copy on CD by Friday 27th September 2013.
Submit your bound copies via either
i) the Faculty Assessment Posting Boxes near the JD Student Hub, or
ii) by post to: Dr SR Hoon, Manchester Metropolitan University, John Dalton Building, Chester Street, Manchester, M1 5GD, UK. If you are posting your theses please inform me by e-mail. They must be post marked no later than Friday 27th 2013 and sent first class to arrive by Monday 30th September 2013.
Note:
Unless you have applied for an extension due to extenuating circumstances and this is, or has been, granted late submission is likely to result in your assessment being deferred to the following MSc Examination Board in June 2014 and your work capped at 50%.
All other details such as word length and format are given in the MSc Thesis Preparation Guide. This has been available as a pdf on Moodle since last September.
Best wishes,
Steve
Monday 23 September 2013
Welcome !
Welcome to all new students starting with us in 2013 - 2014. If you are a FT student, your first lecture is in Room E145 at 12pm with Dr Mike Bennett. If you are a PT student, your first lecture is at 1pm in Room E221 with Dr Kosta Tzoulas Please check and make sure the units you expect to see are visible to you on Moodle - if not, please contact me ASAP.
Good Luck
Mark Cresswell (m.cresswell@mmu.ac.uk)
EGS Postgraduate Programme Leader.
Good Luck
Mark Cresswell (m.cresswell@mmu.ac.uk)
EGS Postgraduate Programme Leader.
Thursday 20 June 2013
Exciting opportunity to get involved....
Please contact Callum if you need further details:
Dear All,
The Airports Commission has announced its Public Evidence Sessions which will take place in Manchester on 9th July and London on 10th July. Further details can be found
via the link below.
At
each session we have capacity to seat a considerable number of people
in the public gallery and as part of each session there will be an
opportunity for some stakeholders in the gallery
to make statements on the issues being discussed for the record.
Please email me if you wish to attend either or both sessions.
David
David Elvy
Communications Manager
Airports Commission
020 7227 5343
07748 760404
Job vacancy notice
Hi all
We are looking to fill the position of Manager Environmental Affairs (Job Ref: MEA/ST/25083) and would be grateful if you could forward the below to any names or organisations which might help us widen the usual net. All applications should go through the listed link - and we also hope to include an ad in Open Sky, due out in early July.
Hopefully you will be working with this person soon.
Regards
Will Löfberg
Vice President International, Government and Environment Affairs
P.O. Box 686
T +971 4 708 3595
Dubai, United Arab Emirates
F +971 4 286 4046
emirates.com
Position: Manager Environmental Affairs
Job Reference: MEA/ST/25083
Posted: 19 Jun '13 • Closing: 09 Jul '13
Department: Commercial
Company / Division: Emirates Airline
Location: Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Tomorrow you could be living in dynamic Dubai and earning a tax-free salary with global benefits. Starting with two aircraft and a handful of enthusiastic people, we have grown at a phenomenal rate. We are now one of the fastest growing airlines in the world, flying to over 125 destinations across 6 continents.
We are looking for people to join our global family of over 54,000 people from 160 nationalities across a diverse range of disciplines. If you are a high performer, seeking unparalleled career opportunities, join the Emirates team and help us create the future of travel.
The Position: To develop, implement and manage our environmental policies and positions as they relate to the operations of the Emirates Group. This involves work on all environment linked internal and corporate policies, performance reporting, stakeholder relationships, UAE/global regulatory policy challenges - as well as helping to advance Emirates position and interests on matters such as emission trading schemes, airline industry initiatives and environmental taxation. You will be responsible for ensuring the Emirates Group remains a leader in terms of its environmental performance and development of eco-efficient initiatives.
Job accountabilities linked to other objective areas:
• Refinement, evolution and implementation of Emirates? environmental policy.
• Help Emirates become an environmental leader in our region and internationally on key issues.
• Lead and facilitate departments across the Group to ensure leading edge environmental performance and improvement - including fuel efficiency, emission reductions, utility efficiency and recycling projects.
• Responsibility for our environmental reporting schedule, government/authority requirements and overall transparency/messaging in this area.
• Proactive and reactive management of relevant international and local environmental issues relating to air passenger and cargo transport and advise EK's management on their impact on Emirates' current and future plans.
• Manage a team of specialists and other dept analysts to support all company environment policies and initiatives.
Develop, drive and implement a communication/activation plan for the department?s environmental initiatives, both internally and externally.
• Development of matrix of key environmental affairs stakeholders and management of this matrix and associated relationships.
Source valuable intelligence and analysis of environmental policy and political/regulatory developments.
• To participate and advance the Emirates agenda at relevant industry forums and associations such as IATA, AACO, IACO etc.
Salary & Benefits: We offer an attractive tax-free salary, paid in Dirhams, the local currency of the UAE. The Dirham is linked to the Special Drawing Right of the International Monetary Fund and it has been held constant against the US dollar since the end of 1980 at a mid-rate of approximately US$1="Dh3.66." Besides generous travel benefits normally associated with an airline, this managerial role also has excellent leave and health care packages, accommodation, power and water paid for, along with transport benefits, life insurance and other employee benefits making the role attractive to high performers. By viewing the 'Dubai Lifestyle' section in the careers website you can also consider the many benefits of Dubai as a location to live and work in
Experience and Qualifications:
Qualifications:
• Graduate or Postgraduate (12+3 or equivalent).
• Ideally this degree is in environment/science, engineering, economics or public policy.
Experience/Knowledge:
• 5-7 years relevant experience in government, industry or in a relevant sector.
• Evidence of specific environmental experience (regulator, aviation/transport company or NGO)
• International experience and expertise, as well as skills in coalition building/working group activation.
• Practical experience, understanding and exposure to the aviation industry and its environmental policies/challenges.
Ability/skills:
• Strong technical and critical thinking ability.
• Superior oral and written communication skills.
• Influence and negotiation.
• Excellent inter-personal skills.
To Apply:
To express your interest in the above vacancy please apply on-line by clicking below, and complete our application form. We will then consider your application and contact you should we wish to shortlist you for an interview. Should you not receive an invitation for an interview within 5 weeks please assume that on this occasion you have been unsuccessful. We will retain your details for 12 months unless advised otherwise and re-consider you for future opportunities as they arise. Please also note that if you are not shortlisted you can also update your application at anytime and apply for other opportunities. Thank you for your interest in a career with the Emirates Group
https://ekgrpapplications.emirates.com/Careersonlineapps/JOB_VACANCIES/JobVacancies.aspx?Keyword=environment&Location=&Department=
.
We are looking to fill the position of Manager Environmental Affairs (Job Ref: MEA/ST/25083) and would be grateful if you could forward the below to any names or organisations which might help us widen the usual net. All applications should go through the listed link - and we also hope to include an ad in Open Sky, due out in early July.
Hopefully you will be working with this person soon.
Regards
Will Löfberg
Vice President International, Government and Environment Affairs
P.O. Box 686
T +971 4 708 3595
Dubai, United Arab Emirates
F +971 4 286 4046
emirates.com
Position: Manager Environmental Affairs
Job Reference: MEA/ST/25083
Posted: 19 Jun '13 • Closing: 09 Jul '13
Department: Commercial
Company / Division: Emirates Airline
Location: Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Tomorrow you could be living in dynamic Dubai and earning a tax-free salary with global benefits. Starting with two aircraft and a handful of enthusiastic people, we have grown at a phenomenal rate. We are now one of the fastest growing airlines in the world, flying to over 125 destinations across 6 continents.
We are looking for people to join our global family of over 54,000 people from 160 nationalities across a diverse range of disciplines. If you are a high performer, seeking unparalleled career opportunities, join the Emirates team and help us create the future of travel.
The Position: To develop, implement and manage our environmental policies and positions as they relate to the operations of the Emirates Group. This involves work on all environment linked internal and corporate policies, performance reporting, stakeholder relationships, UAE/global regulatory policy challenges - as well as helping to advance Emirates position and interests on matters such as emission trading schemes, airline industry initiatives and environmental taxation. You will be responsible for ensuring the Emirates Group remains a leader in terms of its environmental performance and development of eco-efficient initiatives.
Job accountabilities linked to other objective areas:
• Refinement, evolution and implementation of Emirates? environmental policy.
• Help Emirates become an environmental leader in our region and internationally on key issues.
• Lead and facilitate departments across the Group to ensure leading edge environmental performance and improvement - including fuel efficiency, emission reductions, utility efficiency and recycling projects.
• Responsibility for our environmental reporting schedule, government/authority requirements and overall transparency/messaging in this area.
• Proactive and reactive management of relevant international and local environmental issues relating to air passenger and cargo transport and advise EK's management on their impact on Emirates' current and future plans.
• Manage a team of specialists and other dept analysts to support all company environment policies and initiatives.
Develop, drive and implement a communication/activation plan for the department?s environmental initiatives, both internally and externally.
• Development of matrix of key environmental affairs stakeholders and management of this matrix and associated relationships.
Source valuable intelligence and analysis of environmental policy and political/regulatory developments.
• To participate and advance the Emirates agenda at relevant industry forums and associations such as IATA, AACO, IACO etc.
Salary & Benefits: We offer an attractive tax-free salary, paid in Dirhams, the local currency of the UAE. The Dirham is linked to the Special Drawing Right of the International Monetary Fund and it has been held constant against the US dollar since the end of 1980 at a mid-rate of approximately US$1="Dh3.66." Besides generous travel benefits normally associated with an airline, this managerial role also has excellent leave and health care packages, accommodation, power and water paid for, along with transport benefits, life insurance and other employee benefits making the role attractive to high performers. By viewing the 'Dubai Lifestyle' section in the careers website you can also consider the many benefits of Dubai as a location to live and work in
Experience and Qualifications:
Qualifications:
• Graduate or Postgraduate (12+3 or equivalent).
• Ideally this degree is in environment/science, engineering, economics or public policy.
Experience/Knowledge:
• 5-7 years relevant experience in government, industry or in a relevant sector.
• Evidence of specific environmental experience (regulator, aviation/transport company or NGO)
• International experience and expertise, as well as skills in coalition building/working group activation.
• Practical experience, understanding and exposure to the aviation industry and its environmental policies/challenges.
Ability/skills:
• Strong technical and critical thinking ability.
• Superior oral and written communication skills.
• Influence and negotiation.
• Excellent inter-personal skills.
To Apply:
To express your interest in the above vacancy please apply on-line by clicking below, and complete our application form. We will then consider your application and contact you should we wish to shortlist you for an interview. Should you not receive an invitation for an interview within 5 weeks please assume that on this occasion you have been unsuccessful. We will retain your details for 12 months unless advised otherwise and re-consider you for future opportunities as they arise. Please also note that if you are not shortlisted you can also update your application at anytime and apply for other opportunities. Thank you for your interest in a career with the Emirates Group
https://ekgrpapplications.emirates.com/Careersonlineapps/JOB_VACANCIES/JobVacancies.aspx?Keyword=environment&Location=&Department=
.
Tuesday 4 June 2013
Research Seminar - TODAY !
Date: Tuesday 4 June 2013
Time: 18:00 (17.40 for refreshments)
Location: Manchester Metropolitan University, T0.03, John Dalton Building, Chester Street, Manchester, M1 5GD
Speaker: Prof Roy Harrison, University of Birmingham and National Centre for Atmospheric Science
Title: A Perspective on Air Pollution over the Past 50 Years or so.
Abstract:
The main driver for abatement of local air pollution is the avoidance of adverse impacts on human health. The history of air pollution control in the UK over the past 50 years or so is one of considerable success, but nonetheless air pollution still ranks highly as a cause of disease and premature mortality both in the UK and internationally, and much remains to be done. This talk will map some of the progress in air pollution abatement and will highlight pollutants which have emerged as problems whilst others have reduced in importance. The latest evidence from the recent World Health Organisation review of the health effects of air pollutants will be briefly described.
The author’s research is primarily concerned with airborne particulate matter, from nanoparticles through to coarse aerosols. This remains the pollutant causing the biggest impact on public health. Recent research findings will be used to illustrate the many problems which still remain in the quest to reduce concentrations of airborne particles to more acceptable levels.
As always, the meeting is free and open to all without registration.
We look forward to seeing you there.
Regards,
Mike Bennett
Time: 18:00 (17.40 for refreshments)
Location: Manchester Metropolitan University, T0.03, John Dalton Building, Chester Street, Manchester, M1 5GD
Speaker: Prof Roy Harrison, University of Birmingham and National Centre for Atmospheric Science
Title: A Perspective on Air Pollution over the Past 50 Years or so.
Abstract:
The main driver for abatement of local air pollution is the avoidance of adverse impacts on human health. The history of air pollution control in the UK over the past 50 years or so is one of considerable success, but nonetheless air pollution still ranks highly as a cause of disease and premature mortality both in the UK and internationally, and much remains to be done. This talk will map some of the progress in air pollution abatement and will highlight pollutants which have emerged as problems whilst others have reduced in importance. The latest evidence from the recent World Health Organisation review of the health effects of air pollutants will be briefly described.
The author’s research is primarily concerned with airborne particulate matter, from nanoparticles through to coarse aerosols. This remains the pollutant causing the biggest impact on public health. Recent research findings will be used to illustrate the many problems which still remain in the quest to reduce concentrations of airborne particles to more acceptable levels.
As always, the meeting is free and open to all without registration.
We look forward to seeing you there.
Regards,
Mike Bennett
Wednesday 1 May 2013
ROOM CHANGE : EG7519
Hi everyone,
Apologies to those who found our usual room of E317 was being used for examinations earlier today. I have now spoken to the timetabling people and the room we hastily moved to around the corner (E322) has now been allocated as the new room until the course ends in two weeks time. Please go to E322 from now on.
Thanks
Mark
Apologies to those who found our usual room of E317 was being used for examinations earlier today. I have now spoken to the timetabling people and the room we hastily moved to around the corner (E322) has now been allocated as the new room until the course ends in two weeks time. Please go to E322 from now on.
Thanks
Mark
Monday 22 April 2013
Second half of EG7519 This Week
Hi all,
The last four weeks of the last unit starts this week....Sustainability and Global Systems:
This second 4-week block is being taught by Prof. Callum Thomas
Same venue and times as last term:
Wednesday
1 – 3pm
E317
Thanks
Mark
The last four weeks of the last unit starts this week....Sustainability and Global Systems:
This second 4-week block is being taught by Prof. Callum Thomas
Same venue and times as last term:
Wednesday
1 – 3pm
E317
Thanks
Mark
Wednesday 17 April 2013
Postgraduate Taught Experience Survey 2013
Hi all,
Some (not all of you) will have received an email from the university - asking you to participate in the 2013 PTES. This is a survey that allows you to communicate your feelings and views on the course you are studying (separate from the unit surveys). Not all of you are necessarily eligible (e.g. if undertaking reassessments from last year or some overseas destinations etc) so don't panic if you didn't get an email. I would like to encourage you to participate in the survey if you have received the invitation to do so.
Thanks
Mark
Some (not all of you) will have received an email from the university - asking you to participate in the 2013 PTES. This is a survey that allows you to communicate your feelings and views on the course you are studying (separate from the unit surveys). Not all of you are necessarily eligible (e.g. if undertaking reassessments from last year or some overseas destinations etc) so don't panic if you didn't get an email. I would like to encourage you to participate in the survey if you have received the invitation to do so.
Thanks
Mark
Tuesday 19 March 2013
Conference Monday 25th March
Ecological Monitoring for Habitat Management
A reminder of the Masters conference on next Monday 25th March. A really good programme in Ecology and Environmental Science.
All welcome but lunch provided only for Countryside Management MSc students.Please register with Dr Francis Brearley ( F.Q.Brearley@mmu.ac.uk )Venue: Sandra Burslem Building, Rooms 2.05 and 2.10. All Saints Campus
Monday 25th March 2013
09.45 Arrive and tea/coffee
10.10 Welcome and Chair
Simon Caporn
10.15 The Thinking Behind the Environmental Change Network (ECN): Measuring the
Causes and Consequences of Environmental Change
Don Monteith (Centre for Ecology and Hydrology)
10.45 Nitrogen Deposition Impacts on UK Plant Communities
Richard Payne (University of Stirling)
11.15 The Acid Waters Monitoring Network
Clair Gray (Queen Mary, University of London)
11.45
What Can We Do With Long-Term Plant Data?
Sarah Whild (Manchester Metropolitan University, Shrewsbury Office)
12.15 General Discussion
12.30 Lunch and MSc course poster viewing
1.30
From Grey to Green - The Importance of Recording Wildlife
Matt Holker (Greater Manchester Ecology Unit)
2.00 Size Matters! Monitoring Change at the Landscape Scale - The SCaMP Experience
Peter Worrall (Penny Anderson Associates)
3.00 General Discussion
3.15 End
Thursday 14 March 2013
EGS Seminar – Tuesday 19th March 2013
Tuesday 19th March 2013, Room E419, 4th floor, John Dalton East Building, from 1.00-2.00pm.
Sphagnum in the Southern Pennines
Angus Rosenburgh, MMU
The blanket bogs of the Southern Pennines are the most degraded peatlands in the UK. A history of industrial pollution, poor land management and wildfire has devastated these upland ecosystems. Sensitive species were all but eradicated from these areas, and in the most severe cases, all vegetation was lost leaving large areas of bare and actively eroding peat. Over the last 50 years or so, conditions have steadily improved: reduced industrial activity, tighter emission regulations and environmental stewardship subsidies are all significant factors.
Sphagnum is a keystone species, providing the very fabric and functioning of these blanket bogs. Its susceptibility to pollution led to widespread decline over a landscape it once dominated. Amid the improving environmental conditions of recent decades, there has been a notable increase in both Sphagnum cover and diversity.
This work aims to characterise the differences between conditions of the degraded blanket peats of the Southern Pennines and those of more pristine mires from across the UK, identifying those biogeochemical factors that influence the vegetation, and integrating this into current and on-going restoration works.
Sphagnum in the Southern Pennines
Angus Rosenburgh, MMU
The blanket bogs of the Southern Pennines are the most degraded peatlands in the UK. A history of industrial pollution, poor land management and wildfire has devastated these upland ecosystems. Sensitive species were all but eradicated from these areas, and in the most severe cases, all vegetation was lost leaving large areas of bare and actively eroding peat. Over the last 50 years or so, conditions have steadily improved: reduced industrial activity, tighter emission regulations and environmental stewardship subsidies are all significant factors.
Sphagnum is a keystone species, providing the very fabric and functioning of these blanket bogs. Its susceptibility to pollution led to widespread decline over a landscape it once dominated. Amid the improving environmental conditions of recent decades, there has been a notable increase in both Sphagnum cover and diversity.
This work aims to characterise the differences between conditions of the degraded blanket peats of the Southern Pennines and those of more pristine mires from across the UK, identifying those biogeochemical factors that influence the vegetation, and integrating this into current and on-going restoration works.
Thursday 7 March 2013
EGS Seminar – Tuesday 12th March 2013
Tuesday
12th March 2013, Room E419, 4th floor, John Dalton East
Building, from 1.00-2.00pm.
Can Rock Slope Failure Clusters Detect Concentrated Erosion of Bedrock in Mountain Areas?
David Jarman, Mountain Landform Research
A near-complete inventory of all significant bedrock mass movements (RSFs) in the British mountain ranges confirms the tendency to clustering and sparsity across similar terrains and lithologies already mapped for Larger RSFs in the Highlands. A finer grain view identifies additional smaller clusters of comparable character. After rejecting previous explanations for RSF incidence, the best association is with glacial breaches of main and secondary watersheds, implying recent concentrated erosion of bedrock (CEB); some other CEB contexts are discussed.
The key research issue is to construct a model of all the stresses acting on a mountain slope, in order to factor in the effects of bulk erosion possibly hundreds of metres deep. However this is proving intractable. A case study in Glen Roy provides the first geodetic evidence of rebound in a glacial breach, which may provoke development of a retrospective model.
Monday 4 March 2013
Project Placement with Kosta This Week
Hi all,
For those of you involved in a placement opportunity as part of your MSc project.....Kosta can speak to you in E402 at 3:30pm this Wednesday. Unfortunately, we cannot use the E402 coffee room at 3pm as it is in use for undergraduate Visit Day activities...but it should be free at 3:30pm. There may even be some leftover sandwiches and cakes for you !!
Thanks
Mark
For those of you involved in a placement opportunity as part of your MSc project.....Kosta can speak to you in E402 at 3:30pm this Wednesday. Unfortunately, we cannot use the E402 coffee room at 3pm as it is in use for undergraduate Visit Day activities...but it should be free at 3:30pm. There may even be some leftover sandwiches and cakes for you !!
Thanks
Mark
Monday 25 February 2013
EG7519 Starts this week
Hi all,
Sustainability and Global Systems (EG7519) starts this week:
1-3pm in room E317
Material is already up on Moodle now.
This is my unit (which I share with Callum)...so I am expecting good attendance !
See you at 1pm
Mark
Sustainability and Global Systems (EG7519) starts this week:
1-3pm in room E317
Material is already up on Moodle now.
This is my unit (which I share with Callum)...so I am expecting good attendance !
See you at 1pm
Mark
Wednesday 20 February 2013
MSc Project Dissertation: SUPERVISORS
Hi All,
Based on the topics you have chosen to pursue for your MSc dissertation, I have now allocated you supervisors. This list has been discussed and agreed amongst the various staff involved and is thus final.
Please download the list (PDF) >HERE<
I would advise you to contact your supervisor in the next week or so - introduce yourself and your topic ideas. Contact email addresses can be found in your student handbook...also available online here:
http://www.ukscience.org/pg/academic-resources/
Or... the MMU staff search facility here:
http://www.mmu.ac.uk/staff/
For discussions about your placement - please contact Kosta....but don't be too hasty....many of you still haven't completed the taught part of the course yet...so concentrate on the Dissertation topic details over the next few weeks.
Thanks
Mark
Based on the topics you have chosen to pursue for your MSc dissertation, I have now allocated you supervisors. This list has been discussed and agreed amongst the various staff involved and is thus final.
Please download the list (PDF) >HERE<
I would advise you to contact your supervisor in the next week or so - introduce yourself and your topic ideas. Contact email addresses can be found in your student handbook...also available online here:
http://www.ukscience.org/pg/academic-resources/
Or... the MMU staff search facility here:
http://www.mmu.ac.uk/staff/
For discussions about your placement - please contact Kosta....but don't be too hasty....many of you still haven't completed the taught part of the course yet...so concentrate on the Dissertation topic details over the next few weeks.
Thanks
Mark
Tuesday 12 February 2013
Staff-Student Liaison Meeting
Hi all,
The next staff-student liaison meeting will take place next week - on Wednesday 20th February.
If you have any issues you want raising at that meeting, please communicate these issues (positive or negative) to your Course Rep:
EMSD/EMB/SA : Michael Stiff (MICHAEL.STIFF@stu.mmu.ac.uk )
GIS : Francis Gasana (FRANCIS.GASANA@stu.mmu.ac.uk )
CM : Ruji Surjan (rujjs@yahoo.co.uk)
Thanks
Mark
The next staff-student liaison meeting will take place next week - on Wednesday 20th February.
If you have any issues you want raising at that meeting, please communicate these issues (positive or negative) to your Course Rep:
EMSD/EMB/SA : Michael Stiff (MICHAEL.STIFF@stu.mmu.ac.uk )
GIS : Francis Gasana (FRANCIS.GASANA@stu.mmu.ac.uk )
CM : Ruji Surjan (rujjs@yahoo.co.uk)
Thanks
Mark
Thursday 7 February 2013
EGS Seminar – Tuesday 12th February 2013
Tuesday
12th February 2013, Room E419, 4th floor, John Dalton East
Building, from 1.00-2.00pm.
New Developments in Flood Flow Measurement: Improving the
Estimation of Risk
Andrew Black, University of Dundee
Methods of estimating flood flows in watercourses date back at least as far as the late 19th C with the rational method of Kuichling (1889). Given the massive growth in river flow monitoring and the development of hydrological science since that time, it is frustrating that the estimation of flood risks remains subject to high levels of uncertainty. The value of robust estimates of flood risk relates to an increasing diversity of applications, especially in the face of climate change and its likely effects.
The data to underpin any site-specific estimate of flood risk may be specific to the watercourse in question, or may be transferred from so-called donor catchments, or both. However, contemporary methods of risk estimation in the UK struggle to make the most of the information available from ungauged watercourses which experience rare flood events, while rare events at gauged sites are often surrounded by issues of highly uncertain data.
This presentation looks at the use of hydro-acoustic, hydraulic and radar methods for assessing peak flows in a range of catchment settings, and examines the contribution they can make to improving the estimates of flood risk for high event magnitudes.
Friday 1 February 2013
Royal Meteorological Society talk
Date: Tuesday 5 February 2013
Time: 18:00 (17.40 for refreshments)
Location: Manchester Metropolitan University, T0.03
SPEAKER: Vladimir Jankovic, Centre for the History of Science, Technology and Medicine
Title: Where is the Weather: Urban and Social Scales in the History of Atmospheric Sciences
Historians of science usually argue that the development of modern atmospheric research can be seen as a result of advances in physical, chemical, and mathematical representation of large-scale meteorological phenomena. The emergence of modern atmospheric sciences is thus often seen as a replacement of the descriptive and place-specific approach to weather with an increasingly theoretical, hemispheric and numerically oriented research. Contributing to this shift is the internationalisation and growth of observation networks, standardization of units and measurement techniques, trans-national exchange of weather information, technologies of communication, military-oriented research, air transport and the rise of numerical forecasting.
However, as a result of this, agricultural, forest, urban and indoor meteorologies have received relatively little attention to date, as have microclimatology, air pollution meteorology and the study of atmospheric turbulence. In this paper I wish to explore the benefits of recovering the history of small-scale research in atmospheric sciences and explain how urban air pollution meteorology in particular can be shown to epitomize the relevance of local- and applied investigations into the non-free atmospheres. Furthermore, I wish particularly to emphasize how such investigations shaped the recognition of the 'anthropogenic' changes as a key concept in contemporary environmental sciences.
See http://www.rmets.org/events/tbc-3 for details and a map.
As always, the meeting is free and open to all without registration.
We look forward to seeing you there.
Regards,
Mike Bennett
Time: 18:00 (17.40 for refreshments)
Location: Manchester Metropolitan University, T0.03
SPEAKER: Vladimir Jankovic, Centre for the History of Science, Technology and Medicine
Title: Where is the Weather: Urban and Social Scales in the History of Atmospheric Sciences
Historians of science usually argue that the development of modern atmospheric research can be seen as a result of advances in physical, chemical, and mathematical representation of large-scale meteorological phenomena. The emergence of modern atmospheric sciences is thus often seen as a replacement of the descriptive and place-specific approach to weather with an increasingly theoretical, hemispheric and numerically oriented research. Contributing to this shift is the internationalisation and growth of observation networks, standardization of units and measurement techniques, trans-national exchange of weather information, technologies of communication, military-oriented research, air transport and the rise of numerical forecasting.
However, as a result of this, agricultural, forest, urban and indoor meteorologies have received relatively little attention to date, as have microclimatology, air pollution meteorology and the study of atmospheric turbulence. In this paper I wish to explore the benefits of recovering the history of small-scale research in atmospheric sciences and explain how urban air pollution meteorology in particular can be shown to epitomize the relevance of local- and applied investigations into the non-free atmospheres. Furthermore, I wish particularly to emphasize how such investigations shaped the recognition of the 'anthropogenic' changes as a key concept in contemporary environmental sciences.
See http://www.rmets.org/events/tbc-3 for details and a map.
As always, the meeting is free and open to all without registration.
We look forward to seeing you there.
Regards,
Mike Bennett
Monday 28 January 2013
English Language Services for International students
ELSIS can offer courses and one-to-one writing consultations . See their timetable for details of where and when.
For more details, contact a.picot@mmu.ac.uk for further information.
For more details, contact a.picot@mmu.ac.uk for further information.
EGS Seminar – Tuesday 29th January 2013
Tuesday 29th January 2013, Room E419, 4th floor, John Dalton East Building, from 1.00-2.00pm.
Integrating Ecology and Human Health
Konstantinos Tzoulas, MMU
Urbanisation has led to specialisation within ecology and to a renewed focus on health promotion. Health promotion focuses on creating the social, economic, and environmental conditions which promote health. Urban ecology studies the species, habitats and ecosystems within and surrounding cities. Both disciplines emphasize an important role of ecosystems in promoting human health. How could the contributions of urban ecology to health promotion be identified, quantified and managed? What are the key opportunities for and barriers to integrating these two disciplines? This presentation aims to provide an overview of the conceptual, theoretical and practical links between urban ecology and health promotion. This overview is based on five research projects that used literature and best practice reviews, conceptual modelling, the delphi technique, non-participant observation and bibliometric and content analysis. The outcomes of this research included a conceptual framework; an international research agenda; an understanding of naturalistic urban landscapes; and conceptual maps of practical initiatives and of disciplines involved in linking urban ecology and health promotion. These outcomes contribute to understanding the links between social and ecological systems and between ecosystem and human health. However, there is need for further research in overcoming the barriers to inter- trans- and multi- disciplinary integration.
Integrating Ecology and Human Health
Konstantinos Tzoulas, MMU
Urbanisation has led to specialisation within ecology and to a renewed focus on health promotion. Health promotion focuses on creating the social, economic, and environmental conditions which promote health. Urban ecology studies the species, habitats and ecosystems within and surrounding cities. Both disciplines emphasize an important role of ecosystems in promoting human health. How could the contributions of urban ecology to health promotion be identified, quantified and managed? What are the key opportunities for and barriers to integrating these two disciplines? This presentation aims to provide an overview of the conceptual, theoretical and practical links between urban ecology and health promotion. This overview is based on five research projects that used literature and best practice reviews, conceptual modelling, the delphi technique, non-participant observation and bibliometric and content analysis. The outcomes of this research included a conceptual framework; an international research agenda; an understanding of naturalistic urban landscapes; and conceptual maps of practical initiatives and of disciplines involved in linking urban ecology and health promotion. These outcomes contribute to understanding the links between social and ecological systems and between ecosystem and human health. However, there is need for further research in overcoming the barriers to inter- trans- and multi- disciplinary integration.
Thursday 24 January 2013
FT Student Progress Tutorials
Hi Everyone,
All full-time MSc students are required to attend a face-to-face Progress Tutorial this term. The purpose of the tutorial is to:
The tutorial will take place either with myself, or Dr Kosta Tzoulas – the schedule of slots allocated to each of you is available to download >HERE< as a PDF document (and emailed to you as a Word Document).
All these tutorials will take place on Wednesday 6th February – in the morning, between 9am and 11:40am. Please make arrangements to attend your designated slot in the next couple of weeks to ensure you attend. Please also arrive slightly early, so you can start your slot on time – we cannot afford to run over as you all have a lecture at 12pm. Your tutorial will last for 20 minutes.
Please note that one of the key issues to be discussed is your preferred MSc project dissertation topic. You need to spend some time thinking about this over the next couple of weeks as it determines who we allocate to supervise you (we try and match a staff member with a similar research area) and it will help with the process of finding a placement (if you wish to go on placement – which is optional).
We look forward to seeing you on the 6th.
Mark
All full-time MSc students are required to attend a face-to-face Progress Tutorial this term. The purpose of the tutorial is to:
- Review your marks and discuss any potential academic issues
- Review your attendance at lectures – and general engagement (e.g attendance at departmental research seminars and other events)
- Determine if we will let you go on placement during your project dissertation – or if it would be better for you to undertake a ‘traditional’ MSc project on campus
- Discuss and hopefully ascertain your preferred choice of MSc dissertation project topic
- Review your career aspirations, and see what you need to achieve in order to meet them
The tutorial will take place either with myself, or Dr Kosta Tzoulas – the schedule of slots allocated to each of you is available to download >HERE< as a PDF document (and emailed to you as a Word Document).
All these tutorials will take place on Wednesday 6th February – in the morning, between 9am and 11:40am. Please make arrangements to attend your designated slot in the next couple of weeks to ensure you attend. Please also arrive slightly early, so you can start your slot on time – we cannot afford to run over as you all have a lecture at 12pm. Your tutorial will last for 20 minutes.
Please note that one of the key issues to be discussed is your preferred MSc project dissertation topic. You need to spend some time thinking about this over the next couple of weeks as it determines who we allocate to supervise you (we try and match a staff member with a similar research area) and it will help with the process of finding a placement (if you wish to go on placement – which is optional).
We look forward to seeing you on the 6th.
Mark
Tuesday 22 January 2013
TODAY: EGS Seminar – Tuesday 22nd January 2013
Tuesday 22nd January 2013, Room E419, 4th floor, John Dalton East Building, from 1.00-2.00pm.
Palaeopollution and Vegetation Change associated with Early Mining and Metallurgy in the British Isles and Beyond
Tim Mighall, University of Aberdeen
This presentation aims to review the environmental impacts that have occurred as a result of prehistoric and Roman mining and/or metallurgy, based on pollen-analytical and geochemical research from sites in Britain and Ireland. The pollen and geochemical evidence shows a commonality in the nature of the impact across sites in Britain, Ireland and on the European mainland. Woodland impact was negligible during prehistory while more sizeable but ultimately non-permanent impacts are recorded during the Iron Age and Roman period. The lack of substantial woodland clearance is surprising given the estimates for large-scale wood consumption in those mines employing the use of fire-setting. Even though the overall impact on woodlands appears to have been limited, it does not mean that woodland was not exploited during prehistory. Clear impacts are recorded on individual taxa but they vary from site to site.
There are several factors influencing the nature of vegetation change associated with mining, including the natural density of local woodland and the intensity and duration of the mining activity. Major tree and shrub taxa are mainly exploited at each site and the evidence for selectivity of wood fuel is not consistently observed. Variations in the pollen record are complemented by changes in the concentrations of heavy metals determined from the peat profiles. Although there is a common narrative of historical lead and metal pollution across much of Europe, there are, nevertheless, local histories showing important differences, which can be of particular interest for historical and archaeological studies and studies of regional environmental change.
Palaeopollution and Vegetation Change associated with Early Mining and Metallurgy in the British Isles and Beyond
Tim Mighall, University of Aberdeen
This presentation aims to review the environmental impacts that have occurred as a result of prehistoric and Roman mining and/or metallurgy, based on pollen-analytical and geochemical research from sites in Britain and Ireland. The pollen and geochemical evidence shows a commonality in the nature of the impact across sites in Britain, Ireland and on the European mainland. Woodland impact was negligible during prehistory while more sizeable but ultimately non-permanent impacts are recorded during the Iron Age and Roman period. The lack of substantial woodland clearance is surprising given the estimates for large-scale wood consumption in those mines employing the use of fire-setting. Even though the overall impact on woodlands appears to have been limited, it does not mean that woodland was not exploited during prehistory. Clear impacts are recorded on individual taxa but they vary from site to site.
There are several factors influencing the nature of vegetation change associated with mining, including the natural density of local woodland and the intensity and duration of the mining activity. Major tree and shrub taxa are mainly exploited at each site and the evidence for selectivity of wood fuel is not consistently observed. Variations in the pollen record are complemented by changes in the concentrations of heavy metals determined from the peat profiles. Although there is a common narrative of historical lead and metal pollution across much of Europe, there are, nevertheless, local histories showing important differences, which can be of particular interest for historical and archaeological studies and studies of regional environmental change.
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