Land
Susan Canney
I’ve always loved the beauty and mystery of the natural world, and fascinated by the history of our planet, with its strange past environments and creatures. However as much as I was curious I was also horrified by its destruction and driven to understand why and how it could be prevented.

Andy Hector
My background includes a BSc. in Environmental Science at the University of Sheffield and a PhD from Imperial College before working at the NERC Centre for Population Biology and the University of Zurich.

Qihua Ling
I have been interested in plants since I was little. And later I heard that there is a place called Kew Gardens in England, where a huge collection of plants from all over the world can be found. Since then, I had always dreamed of visiting Kew Gardens, and enjoying her beauty for all four seasons. And that dream finally came true luckily...

Lockdown Walks - What's the secret behind Autumn colours?
Woolly jumpers, pumpkin-picking, steaming mugs of cocoa - there are lots of things to love about Autumn (or Fall for our North American friends)! And surely nothing can beat those beautiful Autumn colours? But what's the secret behind those amazing hues of red, orange and yellow? We all enjoy kicking through piles of crunchy leaves, but why do...

Lockdown Walks - Who's that American in the woods?
Plant scientist Dr Hayley Tumas is out for a walk in the English countryside...but she's not the only American in the woods! The Douglas fir has been found in the UK for around 200 years - but how did this huge tree, native to the Pacific Northwest of America, make the jump across the pond? Find out in this episode of 'Lockdown Walks'!

Hayley Tumas
Growing up on the shores of the Chesapeake Bay and in the woods of the Appalachian Mountains in Maryland (USA), I have always loved and been fascinated by nature. By the time I enrolled in university at the University of Maryland, I knew that I wanted a career that would allow me to work towards protecting our natural world. I originally...

Lockdown Walks - Spring Plants
"Spring has sprung, the flowers are here, but how do they know it's the right time of year?"
If you've been out on a lockdown walk lately, you'll no doubt have noticed that the first flowers of spring have pushed their way through the soil into the sunlight. But how do they know when the time is right? Find out in this episode of '...

Changing plant chloroplasts to improve crop performance
Chloroplasts are tiny protein-filled units within plant cells. As well as being responsible for photosynthesis, they are critical to a plant's ability to respond to its environment (for example, to the intensity of light or the threat of disease). They do this by importing the proteins they need - and getting rid of those they don't need....

Emily Warner
I have been interested in the natural world for as long as I can remember. So, studying Biological Sciences as an undergrad was an easy decision to make! During my late teens and my undergraduate degree I became particularly interested in plant ecology and botany, spending time learning to identify plants. After graduating I spent an inspiring...
