Prof Richard Gregory

Head of Monitoring, Conservation Science

Background

I am Head of Monitoring at the RSPB Centre for Conservation Science and have an Honorary Professorship at the Centre for Biodiversity and Environment Research (CBER) at the University College London.

I studied Ecology at York University, completing a doctorate in Epidemiology and Ecology at Oxford University, and moved on to hold a Junior Research Fellowship at St Cross College, Oxford. From there, I joined the British Trust for Ornithology as the Head of the Census Unit, and joined the RSPB in 1999 as the Head of the Monitoring Section.

I have a good publication record with research interests in survey design, biodiversity monitoring and indicators, citizen science, climatic change impacts, conservation priorities, measuring natural capital, ecosystem services, alien invasive species, and the impacts of predation and wildlife diseases.

I manage a section of around 20 staff - mostly in UK some in continental Europe. I lead and manage the European Bird Census Council's Pan-European Common Bird Monitoring Scheme (PECBMS), which is based in Prague.

I am a member of the Biodiversity Indicator Partnership, UK Bird Expert Group, UK Biodiversity Indicators Steering Group, the PECBMS Steering & Technical Groups.

I act as an expert referee for a range of academic journals, research councils, Defra and the Universities. I currently co-supervise two PhD students.

Winner of the European Bird Census Council Award 2013 and the UniBio Press Award for Ornithological Science 2011.

External Activities

  • 2016 to present: IUCN/SSC Species Monitoring Specialist Group
  • 2012 - 2016: Royal Society's UK Biodiversity Science Committee
  • 2012 to present: Co-leader of GEO BON's Terrestrial Species Monitoring Working Group
  • 2012 to present: UK Biodiversity Indicators Steering Group, Wildlife & Countryside Link Rep

Partners and Collaboration

  • Dr Nick Isaac, Centre for Ecology & Hydrology
  • Dr Ben Collen, University College London
  • Drs Steve Willis & Phil Stephens, University of Durham
  • Dr Simon Butler, University of East Anglia

Contact

Richard Gregory

Prof Richard Gregory

Head of Monitoring, Conservation Science

The Lodge, Potton Road, Sandy, Bedfordshire, SG19 2DL

richard.gregory@rspb.org.uk

@RichDGregory3

Research Gate

Google Scholar

Specialisms

Agriculture Climate change Identifying problems International species UK species Woodland

Selected Publications

Tracking progress towards EU Biodiversity Strategy Targets: EU policy effects in preserving its common farmland birds

This paper shows that EU policy (in the form of agri-environmental schemes, special protected areas and Annex I designation) all benefit farmland birds that live in Europe; but those effects are not strong enough to deliver population...

Date
01 February 2017
RSPB Authors
Prof Richard Gregory
Authors
Gamero, A., Brotons, L., Brunner, A., Foppen, R., Fornasari, L., Gregory, R.D., Herrando, S., Horak, D., Jiguet, F., Kmecl, P., Lehikoinen, A., Lindstrom, A., Paquet, J.-Y., Reif, J., Sirkia, P.M., Skorpilova, J., Strien, A.V., Szep, T., Telensky, T., Teufelbauer, N., Trautmann, S., Turnhout, C.A.M., Vermouzek, S., Vikstrom, T. & Vorisek, P.
Published in
Conservation Letters
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Consistent response of bird populations to climate change on two continents

Global climate change is a major threat to biodiversity. Large-scale analyses have generally focused on the impacts of climate change on the geographic ranges of species and on phenology, the timing of ecological phenomena. We used long-term monitoring of the abundance of ...

Date
01 April 2016
RSPB Authors
Lucy Mason, Prof Rhys Green, Prof Richard Gregory
Authors
Stephens, P.A., Mason, L.R., Green, R.E., Gregory, R.D., Sauer, J.R., Alison, J., Aunins, A., Brotons, L., Butchart, S.H.M., Campedelli, T., Chodkiewic, T., Chylarecki, P., Crowe, O., Elts, J., Escandell, V., Foppen, R.P.B., Heldbjerg, H., Herrando, S., Husby, M., Jiguet, F., Lehikoinen, A., Lindstroem, A., Noble, D.G., Paquet, J.-Y., Reif, J., Sattler, T., Szep, T., Teufelbauer, N., Trautmann, S., van Strien, A.J., Van Turnhout, C., Vorisek, P. & Willis, S.G.
Published in
Science 352: 84-87
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Wild bird indicators: using composite population trends of birds as measures of environmental health

World leaders have set global and regional targets to reduce the rate of biodiversity loss by 2010, and their relative success, or failure, in meeting these aims will be measured against a set of indicators...

Date
01 June 2010
RSPB Authors
Prof Richard Gregory
Authors
Gregory, R.D. & van Strien, A.
Published in
Ornithological Science
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A mid-term analysis of progress toward international biodiversity targets

In 2010 the international community, under the auspices of the Convention on Biological Diversity, agreed on 20 biodiversity-related ‘Aichi Targets’ to be achieved within a decade. We provide a comprehensive mid-term assessment of...

Date
02 October 2014
RSPB Authors
Prof Richard Gregory
Authors
Tittensor, D.P., Walpole, M., Hill, S.L.L., Boyce, D.G., Britten, G.L., Burgess, N.D., Butchart, S.H.M., Leadley, P.W., Regan, E.C, Alkemade, R., Baumung, R., Bellard, C., Bouwman, L., Bowles-Newark, N.J., Chenery, A.M., Cheung, W.W.L., Christensen, V., Cooper, H.D., Crowther, A.R., Dixon, M.J.R. et al
Published in
Science
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Global biodiversity: Indicators of recent declines

In 2002, world leaders committed, through the Convention on Biological Diversity, to achieve a significant reduction in the rate of biodiversity loss by 2010. We compiled 31 indicators to report on...

Date
28 May 2010
RSPB Authors
Prof Richard Gregory
Authors
Butchart, S.H.M., Walpole, M., Collen, B., van Strien, A., Scharlemann, J.P.W., Almond, R.E.A., Baillie, J.E.M., Bomhard, B., Brown, C., Bruno, J., Carpenter, K.E., Carr, G.M., Chanson, J., Chenery, A.M., Csirke, J., Davidson, N.C., Dentener, F., Foster, M., Galli, A., Galloway, J.N. et al.
Published in
Science
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