Ancient Rome – a digital reconstruction

Leanne Waring 

The UROP Virtual Rome Project that I am currently seconded to is led by Dr Matthew Nicholls of the Department of Classics at Reading. Dr Nicholls spent the best part of 10 years digitally reconstructing ancient Rome via a digital programme called SketchUp. The model portrays Rome around 315AD, a date chosen for its ability to show off a multitude of splendid architecture. After teaching himself how to create a digital model of this Roman cityscape building by building, Dr Nicholls has now utilised this knowledge to teach others both about the Romans and about digital conservation. Continue reading →

Just how important is supplementary food to the success of the Red Kite reintroduction?

Arron Watson

Red kites are predominantly opportunists and scavengers but those two activities can mean having a totally different diet depending on where they live. A red kite which lives in the isolated highlands of Scotland may only be able to scavenger on dead rabbits, pheasants and opportunities of stealing the offspring of birds, such as magpies and crows. Whereas, a red kite that lives in the Chilterns (Berkshire) will have access to urban areas of High Wycombe and Reading, which may offer a different menu than what would be on offer in areas where there is less human waste.

Continue reading →

Just how important is supplementary food to the success of the Red Kite reintroduction?

Arron Watson

When I first became involved with this project, I was told that part of it would involve measuring the stable isotopes of feathers. My reaction was probably the same as most people’s…what’s that? I read a few journals and was amazed at the potential of what can be represented in terms of evidence to a scientific investigation, or proof of the past; so what exactly is it?

Continue reading →

Just how important is supplementary food to the success of the Red Kite reintroduction?

Arron Watson

The Red Kite is quite simply the best example of conservation in action in the UK. We want to know how important the provision of supplementary food by thousands of householders has been in making this happen.

Continue reading →

Colonisation of a lowland flood meadow restoration site by invertebrates
Giuliani Sinclair 

This project will develop and implement a sampling strategy for assessing colonisation of a flood meadow restoration site by invertebrates typical of the habitat and comparing data with that from a neighbouring SSSI site.

Continue reading →