Professor Alastair Ward

Associate Professor of Biodiversity and Ecosystem Management, University of Leeds

Areas of expertise: population ecology; behavioural ecology; biogeography; wildlife management and conservation; human-wildlife conflict resolution; large mammal (especially deer) biology

Alastair joined the University of Leeds in January 2022 as Associate Professor of Biodiversity and Ecosystem Management. Since being awarded a PhD in Environment from the University of York in 2001 Alastair has worked for the British Deer Society, the Central Science Laboratory, the Food and Environment Research Agency, the Animal Health and Veterinary Laboratories Agency and the Animal and Plant Health Agency. As part of these roles Alastair undertook a secondment to Defra’s Invasive Non-Native and Protected Species Team from 2011-2012 working on aquatic biosecurity policy, and a further secondment to the Deer Initiative as Research and Operations Director from 2016-2018.

Alastair is excited about all aspects of human-wildlife conflict resolution, and aims to contribute to the co-existence of people and wildlife. Recent research themes have included invasive non-native species assessment and management, protected species conservation, woodland biodiversity conservation, biosecurity and wildlife disease.