We provide high quality guided tours of the wildlife and ecosystems of south Wales, offering unique opportunities to take part in “hands-on” ecological research. A start-up grant from Caerphilly Borough Council, and close links with Cardiff University and the Wildlife Trusts of South and West Wales, have enabled us to diversify into a variety of roles:
�Data analysis; teaching statistics, data an
alysis consultancy and publishing our own data analysis guidebook "Data Analysis using R Statistical Software: A Guidebook for Scientists"
http://www.eco-explore.co.uk/data-analysis-consulting/data-analysis-guidebook/
�Guided walks and Wildlife Events; citizen-science, collecting biodiversity data and experiencing Wales’ wonderful wildlife
�Overseas expeditions; making discoveries and aiding conservation
�Environmental consultancy; providing data and advice on a range of conservation issues
�School, Undergraduate and graduate training; with Cardiff University – hosting school work experience placements, university Professional Training Year placements, and co-supervision of PhD projects
�Promoting local conservation; practical conservation, grant funding and campaigning
�Supporting conservation NGOs; Eco-explore is a not-for profit organization – revenue is used to support joint projects in collaboration with conservation NGOs, primarily with the Wildlife Trusts Wales and through the Welsh Wildlife Partnership scheme, helping to conserve Wales’ wildlife for future generations. Dr Jez Smith
Jez is the lead data analyst and expedition leader working with Ecoexplore. He has extensive experience having taught stats courses for 7 years and held a lecturer post at USW. In addition, he has expedition experience having participated in and lead expeditions in Europe, Africa and Central America. He currently co-leads our Senegalese expedition with Rob and has spent over 2 years working on overseas research and expeditions. Dr Alex Wilson (she/her)
Alex is managing director of Eco-explore, as well as being an ecological consultant, chair of Cardiff Bat Group and a member of Valleys and Monmouthshire Bat Groups, and all-round naturalist. She completed her PhD on visual constraints on bird behaviour in 2009 at Cardiff University, and before that she studied zoology at the University of Liverpool. Her favourite animal is the robin, which was the main species studied in her PhD. Dr Rob Thomas
Rob is co-director of Eco-explore and a lecturer at Cardiff University, specializing in bird behaviour, ecology and data analysis. He is a keen birdwatcher and goes birding almost every day – mainly at his local reservoirs - though he also enjoys exploring new habitats overseas. Rob runs regular courses on data analysis and is lead author of our guidebook to “Data Analysis with R Statistical Software”. His favourite animal is the storm petrel; smallest of the Atlantic seabirds, which is the subject of one of our overseas expeditions – Storm Petrels In Portugal. Dr Jim Vafidis
James is a senior lecturer at the University of West of England, where his research focuses on the impacts of climate change on wetland ecosystems and the migratory birds that breed in wetlands. The main study species, the reed warbler, breeds in Europe but spends the winter in Africa south of the Sahara. James’ research has seen him following reed warblers from the reed swamps of south Wales, to migration stopover sites in Portugal and to the wintering grounds in northern Senegal (the location of one of Eco-explore’s overseas expeditions). James is highly experienced in ecological impact assessment, bird-ringing, data analysis and science-communication. For more information about Eco-explore, or to book any of our services please get in touch using the details below:
07852378466 (Jez)
[email protected]
For more information regarding our research, international expeditions, tours, courses and more, please visit our website at www.eco-explore.co.uk
