Dr Lydia Cole

Dr Lydia Cole

Lecturer

Researcher profile

Phone
+44 (0)1334 46 1788
Email
lesc1@st-andrews.ac.uk

 

Research areas

I am a conservation ecologist with a keen interest in how tropical ecosystems can be managed sustainably in the face of agricultural expansion and the other pervasive impacts of globalisation. I am particularly interested in peat-scapes, and how they can be responsibly managed through an understanding of their unique hydrological requirements. Past projects of mine, involving time in both academia and industry, have included: creating a mapping and monitoring system for peatlands in the UK, Malaysia and Indonesia; reconstructing past vegetation change and assessing future prospects for the coastal peatlands of Malaysian Borneo; exploring the dynamics of human-wildlife interaction in northeast India; and training Government, research and NGO partners in Ghana, Indonesia and Malaysia on the use of a decision support tool for restoring connectivity in landscapes for biodiversity under climate change.

I'm currently working on a range of research projects with various (fantastic!) interdisciplinary teams, which have a unifying focus on exploring human-environment interactions at different scales:

  • An exploration of the local value of intact tropical peatlands in the lowland Peruvian Amazon, led by Dr Katy Roucoux (Geography & SD)
  • An examination of local perceptions of peatland restoration in the Outer Hebrides of Scotland, co-led with Dr Cornelia Helmcke (Geography & SD)
  • An interdisciplinary exploration of the value and parameters of volumetric literacy for natural resource and environmental management, led by Dr Ariadne Collins (International Relations)
  • A pilot project to understand the local to regional implications of peat-fired power generation in Rwanda, under development with Professor Hans Joosten (Greifswald Mire Centre)

In my teaching, I explore the following themes:

  • Environmental management, introducing students to topics including ecological science, social-ecological systems approaches, local ecological knowledge, multistakeholder engagement, ecological literacy
  • Environmental Geography
  • Interdisciplinary approaches
  • Sustainable development in relation to environment
  • Research methods (including field data collection & working with secondary data) in Physical and Environmental Geography
  • Data literacy for social and environmental justice (new digital Masters course, to go live in January 2024)

In order to engage with the next, and multiple generation(s), with industry and with the wider scientific community, I am engaged in the following roles:

PhD supervision

  • Brian Kipruto
  • Chau Cong Anh Nguyen
  • Joe O'Sullivan

Selected publications

  • Draft Circular Economy Strategy for Scotland Consultation - Response ID ANON-HSP7-WWMH-5

    Helmcke, C., Hooker, S., Roney-Dougal, C., Skrzypek, E., Reid, L., Wishart, L. J., Russell, S., High, M., Lawson, I., Cole, L. E. S., Hope, J., Sfrappini, E., Christie, E., Paul, F., Mallows, C., Auxtova, K., Twist, B. & Gregnanin, G., 2026

    Research output: Other contribution

  • Draft Climate Change Plan Consultation - Response ID ANON-DNTH-7RRE-E

    Helmcke, C., Hooker, S., Roney-Dougal, C., Skrzypek, E., Reid, L., Wishart, L. J., Russell, S., High, M., Lawson, I., Cole, L. E. S., Hope, J., Sfrappini, E., Christie, E., Paul, F., Auxtova , K., Gregnanin, G., Twist, B. & Mallows, C., 2026

    Research output: Other contribution

  • Open access

    Inclusive and sustainable futures for Scotland: Project report

    Helmcke, C., Christie, E., Twist, B., Mallows, C., Roney-Dougal, C., Sfrappini, E., Skrzypek, E., Paul, F., Gregnanin, G., Joubert, G., Lawson, I., Hope, J., Auxtova, K., Reid, L., Wishart, L. J., Cole, L. E. S., High, M., Conlan, P. J., Hooker, S. & Russell, S., 27 Mar 2026, Online: University of St Andrews. 11 p.

    Research output: Book/Report › Commissioned report

  • Open access

    Priority research questions in global peatland science

    Milner, A. M., McKeown, M. M., Ruwaimana, M., Gallego-Sala, A., Loisel, J., Menges, J., Roland, T. P., Ahiable, C. A. E., Akwany, L. O., Alarcon-Prado, P., Anshari, G., Alappat, L., Baird, A. J., Bąk, M., Bambuta Boole, J. J., Batten, S. E., Beaudoin, Y., Bechtold, M., Bu, Z.-J. & Budisusanti, S. P. M. & 85 others, Benavides, J. C., Chawchai, S., Chimner, R. A., Cobb, A. R., Cole, L. E. S., Connolly, J., Calvo Vargas, J. C., Courtney-Mustaphi, C. J., Davidson, S. J., de la Peña, A., Duley, E., Elshehawi, S., Espinoza León, I., Finkelstein, S. A., Garneau, M., Girkin, N. T., Glen, E., Grover, S., Grundling, P.-L., Handley, J. N., Helfter, C., Hergoualc’h, K., Hoyt, A. M., Huang, X., Imani, G., James, A., Kabonyi Nzabandora, C., Kagaba Kairumba, C., Kansiime, F., Kolka, R. K., Koren, G., Korhola, A., Krisnawati, H., Kumar, R., Lamentowicz, M., Lång, K., Larmola, T., Lewis, S. L., Lopez, O. R., López-Blanco, E., Lupascu, M., Maldonado-Fonken, M., Marchant, R., Marcisz, K., Mazei, N. G., Mazei, Y. A., Mbasi, M., Melling, L., Miles, L., Montanarella, L., Moss, P. T., Murgía-Flores, F., NGuyen, M.-K., Novita, N., Oliver, D. J. S., Orijemie, E. A., Osaki, M., Page, S. E., Pancost, R. D., Pandey, S., Püschel Hoeneisen, N., Quintana Zagaceta, C. H., Ratnayake, A. S., Reed, M. S., Rochefort, L., Saavedra, B., Samuel, J., Scheel, P., Schutten, H., Siegert, F., Signori-Müller, C., Strack, M., Stolle, F., Swindles, G. T., Tanneberger, F., Turetsky, M. R., Urciuolo, A. B., Väliranta, M., Verstraeten, G., Warren, M., Webster, K. L., Whinam, J., Young, D. M., Yu, Z. & Zhang, H., 28 Apr 2026, (E-pub ahead of print) In: Communications Earth & Environment. 7, p. 1-11 349.

    Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

  • Open access

    Unprecedented burning in tropical peatlands during the 20th century compared to the previous two millennia

    Wang, Y., Feldpausch, T. R., Swindles, G. T., Moss, P., McGowan, H. A., Sim, T. G., Morris, P. J., Benfield, A., Courtney‐Mustaphi, C., Wahl, D., Montoya, E., Githumbi, E., Honorio Coronado, E. N., Augustijns, F., Verstraeten, G., (Roe), J. O. D., Tibby, J., Benavides, J. C., Hapsari, K. A. & Schittek, K. & 26 others, Ramdzan, K. N. M., Bao, K., Cole, L. E. S., Anderson, L., Gałka, M., Akpo, O. E., Strobel, P., Bala, P. R., Dommain, R., Marchant, R., Sukumar, R., Chawchai, S., Kavil, S. P., Mooney, S., Kelly, T. J., Gao, Y., Voulgarakis, A., Boom, A., Burton, C., Berrio, J. C., Ribeiro, K., Anderson, L. O., Hardiman, M., Spater, M., Page, S. E. & Gallego‐Sala, A. V., 17 Mar 2026, In: Global Change Biology. 32, 3, 16 p., e70717.

    Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

  • Open access

    'Mine the volume': excess and the voluminous ecological politics of capitalist frontiers

    Collins, Y. A., Reeves-Evison, T., Barlow, M. & Cole, L. E. S., 17 Mar 2025, (E-pub ahead of print) In: Environment and Planning E: Nature and Space. Online First, p. 1-23 23 p.

    Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

  • Open access

    Net zero and the peatland carbon frontier: contesting incentives for ecosystem restoration in Scotland's Western Isles

    Helmcke, C., Jenkins, E. & Cole, L. E. S., 20 Mar 2025, (E-pub ahead of print) In: Scottish Geographical Journal. Latest Articles, 42 p.

    Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

  • Open access

    Sustainable management of non-timber forest products in Peruvian Amazonia: lessons learnt from participatory use of smartphone technology

    Wheeler, C. E., Davies, A. L., Andueza, L., Cole, L. E. S., Dávila, N., Del Águila, J., del Aguila Villacorta, M., Draper, F. C., Evans, C. L. D., Honorio Coronado, E. N., Laurie, N., Loja, E., Brañas, M. M., Mitchard, E. T. A. & Roucoux, K. H., 1 Sept 2025, In: Journal of Environmental Management. 391, 11 p., 126198.

    Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

  • Open access

    A new data-driven map predicts substantial undocumented peatland areas in Amazonia

    Hastie, A., Householder, J. E., Honorio Coronado, E. N., Hidalgo Pizango, C. G., Herrera, R., Lähteenoja, O., de Jong, J., Winton, R. S., Aymard Corredor, G. A., Reyna, J., Montoya, E., Paukku, S., Mitchard, E. T. A., Åkesson, C. M., Baker, T. R., Cole, L. E. S., Córdova Oroche, C. J., Dávila, N., Águila, J. D. & Draper, F. C. & 13 others, Fluet-Chouinard, E., Grández, J., Janovec, J. P., Reyna, D., W Tobler, M., Del Castillo Torres, D., Roucoux, K. H., Wheeler, C. E., Fernandez Piedade, M. T., Schöngart, J., Wittmann, F., van der Zon, M. & Lawson, I. T., 1 Sept 2024, In: Environmental Research Letters. 19, 9, 14 p., 094019.

    Research output: Contribution to journal › Letter › peer-review

  • Open access

    La industria petrolera en la cuenca del Pastaza-Marañón y sus impactos ambientales y sociales

    Lawson, I. T., Laurie, N., Schulz, C., Roucoux, K. H., Andueza, L., Cole, L. E. S., Davies, A. L., Honorio Coronado, E. N. & Wheeler, C., 1 Sept 2023, Donde habitan los neba: naturaleza, cultura e impactos ambientales en los territorios del pueblo urarina. Martín Brañas, M., Fabiano, E. & Del Castillo Torres, D. (eds.). Iquitos: Instituto de Investigaciones de la Amazonía Peruana, p. 89–110 22 p.

    Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Chapter

 

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