Durrell Institute of Conservation and Ecology - DICE

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Durrell Institute of Conservation and Ecology - DICE The Durrell Institute of Conservation and Ecology is an internationally renowned teaching and research institute based in the UK.

The Durrell Institute of Conservation and Ecology (DICE), carries out world-class training and research with a focus on biodiversity conservation that benefits people. It forms part of the School of Natural Sciences at the University of Kent.

Yesterday, DICE hosted the Nature, Farming and Planning Conference, a day of talks and discussion between stakeholders a...
09/10/2026

Yesterday, DICE hosted the Nature, Farming and Planning Conference, a day of talks and discussion between stakeholders across the sector to discuss policy development.

DICE convened this conference in response to the recent and ongoing changes in legislation and policy approach to planning and development in England. The morning session focused on this at a national scale, while the afternoon brought this focus to implementation in Kent.

One of the main outcomes from the conference is an information note, which DICE will be developing over the coming weeks in response to themes discussed during the day.

Presentations will be made available to watch soon on the DICE YouTube channel.

Congratulations to Research Associate, Dr Samuel Aizlewood, who won best poster at the BES Rewilding and 30 by 30 Sympos...
06/10/2026

Congratulations to Research Associate, Dr Samuel Aizlewood, who won best poster at the BES Rewilding and 30 by 30 Symposium, hosted by the British Ecological Society and the Zoological Society of London.

"It was a pleasant surprise to receive the poster prize," said Dr Aizlewood. "The poster provides an overview of some of my PhD work, which explored how rewilding could be planned for at the landscape level. Summarising a complicated research project in a poster is a unique challenge, though adding a couple of animals to the poster always helps!

"With four years remaining to meet the target to conserve 30% of land and sea by 2030, it was encouraging to hear how rewilding could serve as one tool within our toolbox for achieving this goal."

Our third year undergraduate students are currently in Costa Rica on their tropical field course. 🇨🇷Here are just a hand...
01/10/2026

Our third year undergraduate students are currently in Costa Rica on their tropical field course. 🇨🇷

Here are just a handful of the photos we have received from them!

This field trip allows students to directly engage with environments studied by our world-leading researchers. It is designed to teach survey skills used in tropical environments, give first-hand experience of tropical forest ecology, as well as active efforts to protect endangered marine turtles.

Missed this month's ? 🗣️🐆September's DICE Talk was presented yesterday evening by postgraduate student, Tina Hiller, wh...
25/09/2026

Missed this month's ? 🗣️🐆

September's DICE Talk was presented yesterday evening by postgraduate student, Tina Hiller, who recently passed her viva.

'Why Conservation Conflict Persists: An interdisciplinary approach to understanding leopard-related conflict' is now available to watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7lr58LykbEk

In this featured blog post, Dr Mohammad Farhadinia reflects on the International Conservation Translocation Conference, ...
23/09/2026

In this featured blog post, Dr Mohammad Farhadinia reflects on the International Conservation Translocation Conference, which he recently attended and presented at, in Edinburgh. Read an excerpt below and the full post on DICE Writes 👇

"Choosing whether to undertake a translocation is rarely straightforward. It requires a transparent process, careful consideration of risks and benefits, and meaningful engagement with communities, landowners, policymakers, conservation organisations and other stakeholders.

"Good science is essential, but it is not enough on its own. Conservation translocations also depend on trust, communication and long-term commitment."

https://blogs.kent.ac.uk/dice/2026/09/23/reflections-on-the-international-conservation-translocation-conference-2026/

"Ask a vineyard manager what worries them about wildlife, and birds often top the list. Starlings stripping a row overni...
21/09/2026

"Ask a vineyard manager what worries them about wildlife, and birds often top the list. Starlings stripping a row overnight; pheasants pecking ripening bunches; even green woodpeckers apparently developing a taste for grapes. It is an understandable concern.

"But how much fruit are birds actually taking – and does it reduce yield?"

Research Fellow, Dr Natalia Zielonka, set out to answer this question in her latest publication. She sheds light on this topic in a featured research post for DICE Writes 👇

https://blogs.kent.ac.uk/dice/2026/09/21/are-birds-really-eating-our-wine-what-three-years-in-english-vineyards-taught-me/

Join us next week for September's DICE Talk! 'Why Conservation Conflict Persists: An interdisciplinary approach to under...
17/09/2026

Join us next week for September's DICE Talk!

'Why Conservation Conflict Persists: An interdisciplinary approach to understanding leopard-related conflict' 🐆

This month's is presented by Tina Hiller. Tina is a research postgraduate with DICE who has recently passed her viva and will be presenting on her thesis topic.

Thursday, 24th September, 6-7pm 🗓️
Templeman Lecture Theatre, University of Kent 📍

As usual, after the talk, please join us in K-bar Keynes College for a social gathering and catch up with the DICE community!

How does coconut farming affect biodiversity? 🥥A recent paper from DICE examines different kinds of coconut farming in N...
15/09/2026

How does coconut farming affect biodiversity? 🥥

A recent paper from DICE examines different kinds of coconut farming in North Sulawesi, Indonesia and their effects on bird biodiversity.

"Using sound recordings as a proxy for biodiversity, we found that natural forest is irreplaceable, but coconut farming does not have to be equally harmful everywhere", says lead author Robby Butarbutar. "Coconut farms that mix in other crops and retain more structure appear to support more wildlife than monocultures, especially when they sit in forested landscapes. If coconut production is going to expand, agroforestry and forest retention are much better for biodiversity than coconut monoculture alone."

Read the full study in Environmental Research: Ecology: https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1088/2752-664X/ae7605



📸 T. R. Shankar Raman CC SA-3.0

The Space Race Here On Earth 🌍On 8th October, DICE will be hosting a Nature, Farming and Planning Conference, bringing t...
10/09/2026

The Space Race Here On Earth 🌍

On 8th October, DICE will be hosting a Nature, Farming and Planning Conference, bringing together stakeholders to discuss recent changes in legislation and policy approach in England, and implementation challenges and solutions in Kent.

While the conference itself is invite-only, we are inviting the public to a FREE open lecture in the evening, presented by Tom Heap (Countryfile, BBC Radio 4).

8th October, 6pm, Gulbenkian Theatre 🗓️

Tom has toured the British countryside meeting farmers, scientists, conservationists and even warehouse managers who are finding solutions to this geographical crunch. His talk, 'The Space Race Here On Earth' looks at how we can use land to give both people and nature the space to thrive.

Get your free ticket on the Gulbenkian website: https://thegulbenkian.co.uk/events/the-space-race-here-on-earth/

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Canterbury
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