Kieron Doick BSc, MRes, PhD

Land Regeneration Biogeochemist, Centre for Forestry and Climate Change

Kieron received a 1st class honours in Environmental Science with Chemistry at the University of Plymouth in 2000 before moving to Lancaster University to undertake an MRes. Kieron’s Masters project was part of an international collaboration, investigating the effects of climate change on VOC emissions from plants. He then undertook a NERC CASE (National Grid plc) studentship at Lancaster University investigating the bioavailability of organic contaminants in soil. Kieron undertook a short post-doctoral position at Lancaster having been awarded his PhD in 2005, before moving to Forest Research in June, 2005.

Current role

Land Regeneration Biogeochemist, Centre for Forestry and Climate Change

Higher scientific officer within the the Land Regeneration and Urban Greenspace team. Roles include:

• Conducting research in land regeneration and urban greening
• Working with Forestry Commission and external partners in regeneration programmes.

Current programmes

Role of urban trees in regulating heat and UV exposure
This project will examine how urban trees can best be placed in the built environment to improve their cooling effect, and is part of our Urban trees and greenspace in a changing climate research programme.

Monitoring remediated brownfield sites
Monitoring and evaluation for brownfield greening projects.  Linked to this work is “Methuselah” - a framework for the design and implementation of integrated monitoring and evaluation of the impacts of greenspace establishment. About Methuselah ^(PDF-871K)

Land Regeneration and Urban Greenspace
Advisory role to Forestry Commission England, Scotland and Wales, and to external partners in the evaluation of brownfield sites prior to greenspace establishment.

Environmental benefits and impacts of greenspace development
Investigating the impacts of greenspace development.

The Land Regeneration and Urban Greening products and services
Dissemination and application of Best Practice.

Research areas

• Role of urban trees in regulating heat and UV exposure
• Impacts of greenspace establishment in the urban environment
• Integrated monitoring of land regeneration projects
• Sustainability of greenspaces on reclaimed sites
• Best practice techniques for land regeneration

Affiliations and achievements

• Member of the British Land Reclamation Society

Doctoral Students - Industrial supervisor

Gail Atkinson (EngD, Surrey University, 2009-to date)

Gail is on a 4-year industrially based Engineering Doctorate (EngD) training programme, which enables Gail to be based full-time at Forest Research.  Gail is studying “Land regeneration for greenspace establishment: balancing engineering, environmental and social considerations” and is due to complete in Feb 2013.

Gail’s publications to date include:

• Atkinson, G. (2011). Capturing expertise to improve the process of land regeneration to greenspace. In EngD Conference University of Surrey, 2011.
• Atkinson, G. & Doick, K. J. (2010). Brownfield Land Regeneration to Greenspace: Improving the Sustainability Credentials of Regeneration Projects through Process Modelling. IN FOX, H., R  & MOORE, H. E. (Eds.) Restoration and Recovery: Regenerating land and communities. Dunbeath, Scotland, UK, Whittles Publishing.

Abigail Gilbert (PhD, University of Manchester, 2011-to date)

Kieron is co-industrial supervisor with Tony Hutchings.

Abigail is researching “Public green space: Tying the science to delivery” and is due to complete in Sept 2013.

Masters students and interns

Francis Ashwood (MSc in Environmental Strategy, Surrey University, 2011)

Francis is conducting a study into “Barriers to using a quality planting medium during brownfield regeneration to greenspace” as part of a 3-month internship with Forest Research.  Francis’ methodology includes literature reviews and key-stakeholder interviews.

Arianna Del Biaggio (MSc in Forest and Landscape Management, ETH Zürich, 2011)

Kieron is co-industrial supervisor with Jake Morris.

Arianna is engaged in a 20-week international exchange to undertake an industrial internship with Forestry Commission Scotland and Forest Research.  Amongst other duties, Arianna will provide project support for “Monitoring and Evaluating Scotland’s Woodlands In And Town (WIAT)”.

Noemi Giupponi (MSc in Environmental Strategy, Surrey University, 2010)

During her internship with Forest Research, Noemi conducted a study into ‘User preferences in woodland design’.  Her research methodology included face-to-face interviews with over 300 woodland users across three sites in south-east England.  The project results have been submitted to a peer-review academic journal for publication.

Poster presentations of project results:

• Alice Holt ^(PDF-205K)
• Cely Woods ^(PDF-212K)
• Mardyke Woods ^(PDF-208K)

Duncan Rose (MSc in Environmental Diagnosis and Management, Royal Holloway-University of London, 2009)

Kieron is co-industrial supervisor with Tony Hutchings.

Duncan completed experimental laboratory work at Forest Research for his Master’s thesis into “Stimulating the biodegradation of PAHs in soils with a history of contamination, using chemical and physical techniques”, for which he was awarded a Distinction. 

Kathia Belhocine (MSc at the Mediterranean Agronomic Institute of Chania, Greece, 2007)

Kieron is international supervisor.

Kathia completed a project into “Economic indicator development for a sustainable HEVAs management strategy in the Mediterranean region”.  Kathia's methodology included face-to-face interviews to assess the concept of willingness to pay with users of Samaria Gorge National Park in Crete.

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Main recent publications

Rolls, W., Doick K., Dandy, N., and Ambrose-Oji, B., (2011). Growing Woodfuel on Former Landfill Sites. Contract report to Warwickshire County Council.

Doick, K.J. (2010). Learning lessons in monitoring brownfield land regeneration to greenspace through logic modelling. IN Fox, H., R  & Moore, H. E. (Eds.) Restoration and Recovery: Regenerating land and communities. Dunbeath, Scotland, UK, Whittles Publishing.

Pediaditi, K., Doick, K.J., Moffat, A.J., (2010).  Monitoring and evaluation practice for brownfield regeneration to greenspace initiatives. A meta-evaluation of assessment and monitoring tools.  Landscape and Urban Planning.  97 (1), 22-36.

Doick, K. J., Sellers, G., Castan-Broto, V., Silverthorne, T. (2009). Understanding success in the context of brownfield greening projects: success criteria and acceptable standards for urban greenspaces. Urban Forestry and Urban Greening. 8 (3), 163-178.

Hutchings, T.R., Sinnett, D., Doick, K.J, Pediaditi, K. and Moffat, A.J. (2009). Integrated Remediation, Reclamation and Greenspace Creation on Brownfield Land ^(PDF-576K). CL:AIRE SUBR:IM bulletin SUB 11. CL:AIRE, London.

Doick, K.J., Pediaditi, K., Moffat, A.J., Hutchings, T.R. (2009).  Defining the sustainability objectives of brownfield regeneration to greenspace.  International Journal Management and Decision Making. 10 (3/4), 282-302

Semple, K. T., Doick, K. J., Wick, L. Y., Harms, H, (2007). Microbial interactions with organic contaminants in soil: definitions, processes and measurement.  Environmental Pollution. 150, 166-176.

Doick, K. J., Hutchings, T. (2007) Greenspace Establishment on Brownfield Land: The Site Selection and Investigation Process ^(PDF-1050K). Information note 91.  Forestry Commission, Edinburgh.

O'Brien, L., Foot, K. and Doick, K. J., (2007).  Evaluating the benefits of community greenspace creation on brownfield land.  Quarterly Journal of Forestry. 101 (2), 145-151.

Hutchings, T., Sinnett, D. and Doick, K. J. (2006). Best Practice Guidance Note for Land Regeneration No. 1: Soil sampling derelict, underused and neglected land prior to greenspace establishment.  Best Practice Guidance. Forest Research, Farnham. 12pp.

Doick, K. J., Clasper, P. J., Urmann, K. and Semple, K. T. (2006).  Further validation of the HPCD-technique for the evaluation of PAH microbial availability in soil. Environmental Pollution.  144, 345-354..

Semple, K. T., Dew, N. M., Doick, K. J. and Rhodes, A. H. (2006).  Does mineralisation predict the microbial availability of organic chemicals in soil? Environmental Pollution.  140, 164-172.

Doick, K. J., Burauel, P., Jones, K. C. and Semple, K. T. (2005).  Distribution of aged ¹⁴C-PCB and ¹⁴C-PAH residues in particle-size and humic fractions of an agricultural soil. Environmental Science and Technology. 39 (17), 6575-6583.

Doick, K. J., Dew, N. M., Semple, K. T. (2005). Linking catabolism to cyclodextrin extractability: determination of the microbial availability of PAHs in soil. Environmental Science and Technology. 39 (22), 8858-8864.

Doick, K. J., Burauel, P., Jones, K. C. and Semple, K. T. (2005).  Effect of cyclodextrin and transformer oil amendments on the chemical extractability of aged 14C-polychlorinated biphenyl and 14C-polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon residues in soil. Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry. 24 (9), 2138-2144.

Doick, K. J., Klingelmann, E., Burauel, P., Jones, K. C., and Semple, K. T. (2005).  Long-term fate of polychlorinated biphenyl and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in agricultural soil. Environmental Science and Technology. 39 (10), 3663-3670.

Semple, K. T., Doick, K. J., Burauel, P., Craven, A., Harms, H. and Jones, K. C. (2004).  Defining bioavailability and bioaccessibility of contaminated soil and sediment is complicated. Environmental Science and Technology 38, 228A-231A.

Scholefield, P. A., Doick, K. J., Herbert, B. M. J., Hewitt, C. N. S., Schnitzler, J.-P., Pinelli, P. and Loreto, F. (2004).  Impact of rising CO₂ on emissions of volatile organic compounds: isoprene emission from Phragmites australis growing at elevated CO₂ in a natural carbon dioxide spring. Plant Cell Environment 27, 393-401.

Doick, K.J. and Semple, K.T. (2003).  Bioavailability of organic contaminants in Soil: What does it mean and can it be measured? CL:AIRE View (Summer 2003).

Doick, K.J., Semple, K.T. (2003). The effect of soil: water ratios on the mineralization of phenanthrene: LNAPL mixtures in soil. FEMS Microbiology Letters. 220, 29-33.

Lee, P.H., Doick, K.J., Semple, K.T. (2003). The development of phenanthrene catabolism in soil amended with transformer oil. FEMS Microbiology Letters. 228, 214-223.