Lorna Cole
01292 525 295
Land Economy, Environment & Society, SRUC,
JF Niven Building,
Ayr, KA6 5HW
Biography
Lorna is an agricultural ecologist at Scotland’s Rural College (SRUC) working in SAC Consulting’s Environment Team.
Lorna believes that feeding our growing world population whilst protecting our environment is the greatest challenge we face. Her research has a strong focus on exploring how biodiversity goals can be positively incorporated into agricultural systems and how this can be achieved in an economically viable way.
Lorna is particularly interested in beneficial insects, including pollinators and predatory beetles. The focus of her research is increasing our understanding of how agricultural practices influence these insects and the ecosystem services they deliver. Her research aims to identify agro-ecological practices that will enhance the sustainability of agricultural systems to future challenges.
Lorna primarily conducts research on working farms giving her a strong practical knowledge of farming systems. This knowledge enables her to ensure that management recommendations resulting from her research are practical and realistic to achieve on the ground. Her consultancy role allows her to increase the accessibility of research findings through a wide variety of means including virtual farm tours, practical guides, podcasts and vlogs.
Her current research focuses on the ecology, spatial distribution and functional diversity of pollinators within intensive agricultural landscapes.