Maria Taylor Email & Phone Number

Leeds, England, United Kingdom

Leeds, England, United Kingdom

Leeds, United Kingdom

• Creating ecological data reports for consultancies and members of the public using MapInfo• Maintaining and updating the ecological record database for West Yorkshire in Recorder6• Supervising and supporting volunteers• Lead analyst for Phase 1 of the Yorkshire Water Vole project on behalf of the Environment Agency, involving collecting records from NGO’s, consultancies, Internal Drainage Boards and members of the public (including anglers and amateur naturalists) and standardising, sanitising and analysing this data in MapInfo

Sei Whale Project - Research Cruise:• A six weeks research cruise around the coastal waters of the Falkland Islands to assess the distribution and density of the sei whale population.• Collection of behavioural data, photo-identification (both taking and processing photos), faecal sample collection and processing, and shift watches to record sightings, involving long hours in exposed and challenging conditions.

Stanley, Falkland Islands

Dolphins of the Kelp Project:• Field data collection undertaken on a RHIB vessel to conduct surveys of marine mammals around the Falkland Islands coastal waters. This involved photographing individuals and working in challenging and variable conditions. • Analysis of the data collected in the field, involving the identification of individuals against the cetacean catalogue and adding new individuals as appropriate.

Stanley, Falkland Islands

Natural Capital Assessment Project:• Used QGIS to create baseline maps displaying economic, agricultural, ecological and marine data gathered from existing sources by the project.• Communicated with data holders to collate and expand data available for analysis

• Assisted with the project ‘Developing a site-based conservation approach for sei whales at Berkeley Sound, Falkland Islands‘ led by Dr Caroline Weir. This includes participating in boat surveys photographing individuals, collecting faeces and taking skin biopsies. I completed full training in aerial surveys for cetaceans and was the main accompanying aerial observer for the surveys carried out in the target study area over the course of three months. The results of the study are being analysed and submitted for publication. • Conducted land based coastal population and distribution surveys of southern right whales, recording the data and collating all observations in a central database.• Helped to carry out the annual penguin census egg and chick counts for Rockhopper and Gentoo penguin species across parts of the Falkland Islands.

Falkland Islands

Project description:BEST III - Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services in Territories of European Overseas - is a voluntary scheme involving seven regional knowledge hubs across the world. It is being coordinated by staff involved in local projects, working for and with local stakeholders, focusing on the EU Outermost Regions (ORs) and Overseas Countries and Territories (OCTs) biodiversity hotspots.Responsibilities and deliverables: • Led the writing and editing of the Ecosystem Profiles for the South Atlantic Overseas Territories (Falkland Islands, Ascension Island, St Helena and Tristan da Cunha), identifying Key Biodiversity Areas in each (download here: http://ec.europa.eu/environment/nature/biodiversity/best/regions/index_en.htm)• Collation of spatial data, information and reports for all UK South Atlantic Overseas Territories• Collating all species distribution data available for the South Atlantic OTs and the conversion of this information into GIS (QGIS) mapped Key Biodiversity Areas (KBAs) and candidate KBAs• Liaison with experts and managers within the territories as the main point of contact for all stakeholders involved in the BEST III project across the South Atlantic and UK• Presentation of project results in Brussels to representatives of the EU Commission and the International Union of Conservation of Nature• Organisation, implementation and coordination of workshops with local managers and stakeholder consultations held in the Falkland Islands, Ascension Island, and St Helena• Identifying priority KBAs for future investment, based on the level of threats faced, to inform the designation of future EU funds for the EU Overseas Territories• Managed the project budget and responsible for financial reporting• Creating and maintaining project webpages and online resources • Outreach activities, including careers fairs, public presentations and expos, to support the implementation of the BEST III and associated projects

Ascension Island

• Conducting biweekly counts of the number of nesting emergence's and successful nests on three indicator beaches• Removal of old turtle tracks from indicator beaches using landscape rakes to enable fresh emergence's to be counted the following morning• Conducting daily morning checks (including on weekends) of known turtle-stranding hotspots, where nesting females often become trapped in the rocks, and returning stranded turtles to the sea• Excavating a sample of nests post-hatching to determine hatching success• Leading educational evening “turtle tours” for members of the public to observe nesting females and hatchlings• Clearing of litter and introduced, invasive plants from turtle nesting beaches• Surveying of land crabs during monthly spawning events

Master'S Degree, Geographic Information Systems, Distinction

Optional Modules: • GIS and the Environment • Environmental Assessment • Digital Image Processing and Environmental Remote Sensing.

Master Of Marine Biology, Mmbiol (Inc. Bsc Marine Biology), 1St Class

Master thesis (1st class): ‘Culture techniques for the tropical gastropod Turbo argyrostoma for the marine aquarium trade’ Modules studied.