Guaduneth Chico Leon

Role

I started my BSc (Hons) Geography in La Laguna University (Tenerife) and completed my degree at Plymouth University in 2014. I was awarded an EU studentship to do my MSc in Climate Change and Geographic Information at Swansea University, where I won a prize for the best dissertation project in geographical information systems (GIS).

I am currently doing my PhD at NTU, researching the use of new geospatial technology, including Terrestrial Laser Scanning, to measure erosion in peatland environments in north Spain. We have strong collaborations with the regional governments there, and I have participated in the Ordunte Sostenible LIFE+ project, funded by the European Union. In addition, I am leading a research project of 3 years (2018-2020, PostLIFE Ordunte Sostenible) in Spain in collaboration with Bizkaia Provincial Council.

After my PhD I would like to become a university lecturer and promote the protection of peatland environments in Northern Spain.

Career overview

Principal Investigator (From January 2018 to December 2020)

Post-LIFE Ordunte Sostenible. Project focus in monitoring the effects of restoration in peatland environments. Budget: £15,000

Bizkaia Provincial Council – Basque Country – Spain

Hourly Paid Lecturer (From January 2018)

GIS & Wildlife conservation, Climate Change, Integrated project

Nottingham Trent University – England – UK

Demonstrator (From January 2017)

GIS practicals, physical geography, GPS and remote sensing

Nottingham Trent University – England – UK

Research Assistant (April – August 2016)

Peatlands, remote sensing, LiDAR

Nottingham Trent University – England – UK

Research Assistant (November 2015 – February 2016)

GIS analysis, data management, laboratory work

Swansea University – Wales – UK

External activity

Research Grants

Project: Post-LIFE - monitoring restoration success in Zalama blanket bog

Founder: Provincial Council of Bizkaia

Amount: £15,000

Further information: This research project is a 3 years research that aims to 1) monitor surface changes in blanket bogs (erosion rates), 2) understand the water tables in restored and unrestored areas of blanket bogs and 3) evaluate vegetation changes in the peatland surface of Zalama blanket bog.

Publications:

1) Chico, G., Clutterbuck, B., Lindsay, R., Midgley, N.G. & Labadz, J. (2019) Identification and classification of unmapped blanket bogs in the Cordillera Cantábrica, northern Spain. Mires and Peat, 24(02), 1–12.

2) Chico. G. (2019) Evaluating the importance of blanket bogs in northern Spain using traditional and remote sensing techniques. Remote Sensing newsletter (April-2019)

2) Chico, G. & Clutterbuck, B. (2018) LIFE+ Ordunte Sostenible Report

3) Clutterbuck, B., Chico, G., Labadz, J. & Midgley, N.G. (2018) The potential of geospatial technology for monitoring peatland environments. In: Fernández-García, J.M. & Pérez, F.J. (eds.) Inventory, Value and Restoration of Peatlands and Mires: Recent Contributions, HAZI foundation, Bizkaia, 167–181.

Project: Restoration and communication of Zalama blanket bog

Founder: HAZI foundation

Amount: £7,500

Further information: This research aims to reintroduce Sphagnum spp. in Zalama blanket bog and publish a brochure about the research and restoration actions done in this blanket bog.

Project: Geomorphological assessment of unrecognised blanket bogs in North Spain

Founder: British Society for Geomorphology

Amount: £1,000

Further information: This grant will significantly extend the mapping of blanket bogs in the Cordillera Cantábrica. Additional blanket bog sites that are currently unrecorded have been provisionally identified (Chico et al. 2019) and these additional sites represent the largest extent of blanket bog identified to date in Spain. The geomorphological assessment of these areas is, therefore, highly significant to the Spanish and European peatland inventory.

Sponsors and collaborators

• Diputación of Bizkaia
• Cantabria government
• Natural England
• LIFE+ Ordunte Sostenible
• Fundación HAZI