A case study submitted to the Research Excellence Framework 2014 demonstrating the impact of the University's research.
Identifying priority areas for conservation is an important global issue. However, much of the related research fails to account for the factors that lead to action on the ground.
Research by Dr Bob Smith of the School of Anthropology and Conservation sought to address these limitations in conservation planning. Working with communities in South Africa, Swaziland and Mozambique, a project, led by Dr Smith, incorporated new data into a transnational conservation plan. It assessed possible reductions in farming opportunities, as well as the potential revenues from wildlife ranching. Combined with data on species and habitats, the study identified priority conservation areas that met biodiversity targets while protecting the livelihoods of local people.
Dr Smith’s work has guided the development of 25,000 hectares of nature reserves, including a corridor that connects a previously fragmented elephant population. It has also been used by the Critical Ecosystem Partnership Fund to identify priorities for its US$6.5 million funding programme.
The Research Excellence Framework 2014 showed that Kent ranks 17th in the UK for research intensity, has world-leading research in all subjects and that 97% of our research is deemed to be of international quality.
Contributing to the University’s REF success were the number of our world class publications, the number of research active staff and the demonstrable impact our research has made to the sciences and to economic, social and cultural understanding.