Christi Lloyd

Background

About Christi Lloyd

Currently managing the development of the Three Dales Project, a Landscape Recovery Scheme led by Yorkshire Wildlife Trust. We are collaborating with farmers and landowners in the Yorkshire Dales to restore upland habitats and create the conditions to allow natural ecological processes to return. The suite of restored habitats will allow a whole range of upland species to expand their populations and recolonise the landscape, making them more resilient in the face of climate change and other pressures. I have a First Class BSc (Hons) in Animal Science with Industrial Placement Year from the University of Nottingham and an MRes in Biodiversity and Conservation with African Field Course from the University of Leeds, which I passed with Distinction. I also achieved the Lamming Prize for best dissertation in an animal physiology related subject in my year for my BSc and was named on the Dean's List for academic excellence after completing my MRes. During my MRes I carried out two major research projects. The first,'The predatory behavior and activity patterns of the native Gammarus pulex and the invasive non-native Dikerogammarus villosus under different temperatures', was lab-based and I used SPSS to analyse my data. The purpose of this project was to examine the effects the invasive "killer" shrimp might have on our native freshwater species and how climate change might have an impact. The second research project I completed was 'The effects of outdoor education on the mental well-being, perceptions of nature and inclusion in nature of children, adolescents and adults'. I collected both quantitative and qualitative data, which I analysed using R and thematic methods. The starting point of this project was the theory of Nature Deficit Disorder, a phrase coined by Richard Louv and which refers to the loss of connection with nature. Many reviewed an published studies report that spending time in nature has positive benefits for mental and physical health by providing a way for people to connect with biodiversity and the natural world.