Dr Rebecca Smith

My work is focused on evidence-based conservation. I manage the Conservation Evidence project, which has developed a novel method, subject-wide evidence synthesis, to collate scientific information about the effectiveness of actions for habitats and species and make it easily accessible to decision makers. All of our synopses of evidence are available within our searchable database, as downloadable pdfs and some as books from the Conservation Evidence website.  

We also work closely with practitioners, policy makers, funders and others to identify barriers and co-design solutions to improve the use and generation of evidence in practice. This has resulted in the Evidence Toolkit, tools, processes and resources to improve decision making for more effective conservation management. We also run an Evidence Champion Programme, a network of practitioners, funders, journals, educators and others that have made a commitment to use and generate evidence.

Previously my research focussed on population monitoring and ecological studies relating to conservation issues and resulting in the development of management strategies for declining and endangered species, particularly mammals.  My work included managing a Darwin Initiative project Capacity building in mammal management for Western Cape nature reserves.  I have also worked as a Senior Ecological Consultant in the UK.  I completed my doctorate and undergraduate degree at the University of Bristol and a Masters degree in Applied Ecology and Conservation at the University of East Anglia.

Key Publications

Smith, R. K., Ockendon, N.,Al-Fulaij, N., Badalotti, A., Beattie, R., Byrne, J., Cooke,S., de Zoeten, T., Frick, W. F., Funk, S. M., Gibbs, D., Gupta, L., Hendrix, T., Holmes, B., Johnstone, N., Kinghorn, J., Mickleburgh, S., Miller, F., Muir, M., …Sutherland, W. J. (2026). Role of funders in embedding tests in conservation practice. Conservation Biology, e70309. https://doi.org/10.1111/cobi.70309

Reynolds, S. A., Christie, A.P., Dicks, L.V, Jaffer, S., Madhavapeddy A., Smith, R.K. & Sutherland, W.J. (2025)  Will AI speed up literature reviews or derail them entirely?  Nature, 643, 329–331.  https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-025-02069-w

Smith, R.K., Morgan, W.H., Al-Fulaij, N., Amano, T., Bowkett, A.E., Christie, A., Downey, H., Frick, W.F., O'Brien, D., Ockendon, N., Oppel, S., Petrovan, S.O., Righton, D., Tinsley-Marshall, P., Worthington, T.A. & Sutherland, W.J. (2023) Co-designing a toolkit for evidence-based decision making in conservation: Processes and lessons. Ecological Solutions and Evidence, 4(3): e12269. https://doi.org/10.1002/2688-8319.12269

Sutherland, W.J., Cheng, S.H., Christie, A.P., Cooke, S.J., Koricheva, J., Randall, N., Smith, R.K. & Stewart, R. (2022) Assessing Collated and Synthesised Evidence. In: Sutherland, W.J. (eds.) Transforming Conservation: A practical Guide to Evidence and Decision Making. https://www.openbookpublishers.com/books/10.11647/obp.0321/chapters/10.11647/obp.0321.02

Sutherland, W.J., Dicks, L.V., Ockendon, N., Petrovan, S.O. & Smith, R.K. (2021). What Works in Conservation 2021. Cambridge, UK: Open Book Publishers. https://www.openbookpublishers.com/product/1490

Christie, A.P., Amano, T., Martin, P.A., Petrovan, S.O., Shackelford, G.E., Simmons, B.I., Smith, R.K., Williams, D.R., Wordley, C.F.R. & Sutherland, W.J. (2020), The challenge of biased evidence in conservation. Conservation Biology, 35, 249-262. doi:10.1111/cobi.13577

Sutherland, W.J., Taylor, N.G., MacFarlane, D., Amano, T., Christie, A.P., Dicks, L.V., Lemasson, A.J., Littlewood, N.A., Martin, P.A., Ockendon, N., Petrovan, S.O., Robertson, R.J., Rocha, R., Shackelford, G.E., Smith, R.K., Tyler, E.H.M., & Wordley, C.F.R. (2019) Building a tool to overcome barriers in the research-implementation space: the Conservation Evidence database. Biological Conservation, 238, 108199.

Smith, R.K. & Sutherland, W.J. (2014) Amphibian Conservation: Global evidence for the effects of interventions. Pelagic Publishing, Exeter. 279 pp. http://conservationevidence.com/

Smith, R.K., Pullin, A.S., Stewart, G.B. and Sutherland, W.J. (2010) The effectiveness of predator removal for enhancing bird populations: a systematic review.  Conservation Biology, 24, 820-829.

Smith, R.K., Jennings, N.V., Robinson, A. and Harris, S. (2004) Conservation of European hares Lepus europaeus in Britain: is increasing habitat heterogeneity in farmland the answer? Journal of Applied Ecology, 41, 1092-1102.