Will Smith

PhD Student

w.r.smith@stir.ac.uk

Autobiography: I First moved to Scotland in 2009 from Cheshire to study biology at Stirling. Then after an MSc in conservation, I went to work for the Scottish Wildlife Trust at Loch of the Lowes before starting a PhD in 2015.

Research interests: My current project is looking into tourist behaviour in the Cairngorms National Park with relation to Capercaillie conservation efforts. The project will look to examine how levels of awareness, values, norms and access to resources determine if and when visitors engage in certain behaviours that Capercaillie may be particularly sensitive to. I will also be looking into paradigm shifts in how certain conservation groups view conservation and how these changes impact research focus and implementation of conservation initiatives.