My research aims to help make conservation more effective so that it delivers better outcomes for both people and nature. I do this by developing and advancing methods for evaluations of conservation policy and practice. I am both interested in ex-post evaluations with existing (almost inevitably flawed) designs and data, but I am even more interested in looking forward and finding opportunities to design interventions and data collection in parallel to allow a clearer understanding of "is conservation working"?

I greatly enjoy working with people, methods and approaches from across disciplinary divides.

I am interested in nature markets (especially REDD+, BNG, biodiversity credits), reconciling conservation and developments (especially infrastructure projects including mining), and local costs of conservation.

I have a strong interest in Madagascar where I have worked, with many Malagasy colleagues, for 24 years on issues around conservation and development.

Read about our research group (Conservation@Bangor).

I am co-lead of the College of Environmental Science and Engineering research theme on Conservation and Restoration of Resilient Ecosystems.

I am currently the Prince Bernhard Chair in International Nature Conservation at Utrecht University. The Prince Bernhard Chair (funded by WWF-The Netherlands) is appointed for a term of five years. The purpose of the Chair is to serve international nature conservation through strengthening the link between conservation science and practice, while opening new avenues for multidisciplinary approaches. You can watch my inaugural lecture here.

I am on the board of WWF-UK.

I am on the advisory board of Sounds Right (a collaboration between Spotify and UN-Live to all Nature to collect royalties from her creation).

I was the director of the Sêr Cymru Low Carbon Energy and Environment Research Network Wales.

Watch a public lecture for the UN Association on the role of tropical forests in tackling climate change.

Watch a public lecture exploring the question 'Is conservation working?' (to the Oxford Martin School).

Contact details: Thoday Building, Deniol Road, Bangor University, LL57 2UW, 01248 382650

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email: julia.jones@bangor.ac.uk

I teach the modules DXX1002: Environmental Management and Conservation; ENS 4402: Interdisciplinary Conservation Science; DXX3304: Tropical Conservation Management (Madagascar field course); DXX3510/11 Advances in Conservation

I am PI of 'Conservation Agreements in the Comores: Evidence-informed forest conservation and restoration for people and biodiversity' (funded by the Darwin Initiative Innovation fund and International Science Partnership Fund). This project is in collaboration with the Comorian conservation NGO Dahari.

I was PI of the Forest4Climate&People project which was funded by the CLARE programme (UKAid). The aim is to ensure forest carbon programmes are more effective (can lock up more carbon) and pro-poor (contribute to poverty alleviation and avoid avoid negative impacts). This project is continuing as MIRARI (lead by Sarobidy Rakotonarivo).

I am PI of the GCRF-funded project 'The perfect invader? Exploring impacts on human health from a rapidly invading crustacean in one of the world’s poorest countries'.

I was director of the Sêr Cymru National Research Network for Low Carbon, Energy and Environment. We worked with the Welsh Government and partner universities to support Wales’ world-leading research in low carbon energy, nature-based solutions to environmental challenges, the bioeconomy, and sustainable food production.

I was a co-I of the Nature4SDGs project which was funded by NERC and research councils in Sweden and India. We used multiple existing datasets to explore the relationship between nature and wellbeing, and how this varies for different people in varied parts of the Global South.

I was the PI of the p4ges project (can paying 4 global ecosytstem services reduce poverty?). Our central research question was: Can capturing global benefits from ecosystems (specifically carbon sequestration/storage and biodiversity) reduce poverty in low income countries, given bio-physical, economic and political realities? Our aim was to influence the development and implementation of international ecosystem service payment schemes such as REDD+ in the interests of poverty alleviation.

I was PI of The Leverhulme Trust and Natural Environment Research Council (NERC)-funded research project: "Can payment for ecosystem services deliver environmental and livelihood benefits?" The project was a three-year-long series of investigations in collaboration with local NGO partners in Bolivia and Madagascar. Our aim was to provide research to inform the development and implementation of ecosystem service payment schemes as well as other incentive-based approaches so as to maximise their potential in contributing to environmental conservation and improving the welfare of local people.

I have supervised 15 PhDs to completion. These students worked on a range of topics from REDD+ implementation in Indonesia, to evaluating the impacts of conservation interventions in Madagascar and Bolivia. They were funded by a variety of sources including NERC, the Leverhulme Trust, the EU Erasmus Mundus programme known as FONASO, and Bangor University. I don't currently have funding for PhD projects but if you identify a potential funding source I would be delighted to help suitable students develop their proposal. I am particularly interested in supervising projects on conservation effectiveness and applying causal inference to conservation impact evaluation, forest conservation, interactions between local people (especially on the forest frontier) and conservation, community forest management, links between business and biodiversity (especially the mitigation hierarchy and biodiversity offsets), mining and conservation. Former students: Matthew Somerville (with E.J. Milner-Gulland, Imperial College London) Aidan Keane (with E.J. Milner-Gulland, Imperial College London) Andrea Wallace (with E.J. Milner-Gulland, Imperial College London) Freya St John (with Gareth Edwards-Jones, Bangor University) Sophie Williams (with James Gibbons, Bangor University) Nadia Richman-Dewhurst (with Sam Turvey, Zoological Society of London) Ranaivo Rasolofoson (with Helle Overgaard-Larsen, University of Copenhagen) Josil Murray (with Laura Secco, University of Padua) Edwin Pynegar (with James Gibbons, Bangor University) Amy (Spike) Lewis (with James Gibbons Bangor University) Harriet Ibbett (with Freya St John, Bangor University) Zoe Melvin (with Alex Georgiev, Bangor University) Rachel Dolan (with Simon Willcock, Bangor University) Katie Devenish (with Simon Willcock, Bangor University, and Kathryn Goodenough, British Geological Survey)

2025

2024

2023

2022

2021

  • PublishedAsking sensitive questions in conservation using Randomised Response Techniques
    Ibbett, H., Jones, J. P. G. & St John, F. A. V., 1 Aug 2021, In: Biological Conservation. 260, 109191.
    Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
  • PublishedBiodiversity conservation as a promising frontier for behavioural science
    Nielsen, K. S., Marteau, T. M., Bauer, J. M., Bradbury, R. B., Broad, S., Burgess, G., Burgman, M. A., Byerly, H., Clayton, S., Espelosin, D., Ferraro, P. J., Fisher, B., Garnett, E. E., Jones, J. P. G., Otieno, M., Polasky, S., Ricketts, T. H., Trevelyan, R., van der Linden, S., Verissimo, D. & Balmford, A., May 2021, In: Nature Human Behaviour. 5, 5, p. 550-556
    Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
  • PublishedEvaluating impact using time-series data
    Wauchope, H. S., Amano, T., Geldmann, J., Johnston, A., Simmons, B. I., Sutherland, W. J. & Jones, J. P. G., 1 Mar 2021, In: Trends in Ecology and Evolution. 36, 3, p. 196-205
    Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
  • PublishedForest regeneration can positively contribute to local hydrological ecosystem services: implications for forest landscape restoration
    van Meerveld, I., Jones, J. P. G., Ghimire, C. P., Zwartendijk, B. W., Lahitiana, J., Ravelona, M. & Mulligan , M., Apr 2021, In: Journal of Applied Ecology. 58, 4, p. 755-765 11 p.
    Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
  • PublishedMaking more effective use of human behavioural science in conservation interventions
    Balmford, A., Bradbury, R. B., Bauer, J. M., Broad, S., Burgess, G., Burgman, M. A., Byerly, H., Clayton, S., Espelosin, D., Ferraro, P. J., Fisher, B., Garnett, E. E., Jones, J. P. G., Marteau, T. M., Otieno, M., Polasky, S., Ricketts, T. H., Sandbrook, C., Sullivan-Wiley, K., Trevelyan, R., van der Linden, S., Verissimo, D. & Nielsen, K. S., Sept 2021, In: Biological Conservation. 261, 109256.
    Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
  • PublishedThe flows of nature to people, and of people to nature: applying movement concepts to ecosystem services
    Dolan, R., Bullock, J., Jones, J. P. G., Athanasiadis, I., Martinez-Lopez, J. & Willcock, S., 29 May 2021, In: Land. 10, 6, 15 p., 576.
    Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
  • PublishedTraining future generations to deliver evidence-based conservation and ecosystem management
    Downey, H., Amano, T., Cadotte, M., Cook, C. N., Cooke, S. J., Haddaway, N. R., Jones, J. P. G., Littlewood, N., Walsh, J. C., Abrahams, M. I., Adum, G., Akasaka, M., Alves, J. A., Antwis, R. E., Arellano, E. C., Axmacher, J., Barclay, H., Batty, L., Benítez-López, A., Bennett, J. R., Berg, M. J., Bertolino, S., Biggs, D., Bolam, F. C., Bray, T., Brook, B. W., Bull, J. W., Burivalova, Z., Cabeza, M., Chauvenet, A. L. M., Christie, A. P., Cole, L., Cotton, A. J., Cotton, S., Cousins, S. A. O., Craven, D., Cresswell, W., Cusack, J. J., Dalrymple, S. E., Davies, Z. G., Diaz, A., Dodd, J. A., Felton, A., Fleishman, E., Gardner, C. J., Garside, R., Ghoddousi, A., Gilroy, J. J., Gill, D. A., Gill, J. A., Glew, L., Grainger, M. J., Grass, A. A., Greshon, S., Gundry, J., Hart, T., Hopkins, C. R., Howe, C., Johnson, A., Jones, K. W., Jordan, N. R., Kadoya, T., Kerhoas, D., Koricheva, J., Lee, T. M., Lengyel, S., Livingstone, S. W., Lyons, A., McCabe, G., Millett, J., Strevens, C. M., Moolna, A., Mossman, H. L., Mukherjee, N., Muñoz-Sáez, A., Negrões, N., Norfolk, O., Osawa, T., Papworth, S., Park, K. J., Pellet, J., Phillott, A. D., Plotnik, J. M., Priatna, D., Ramos, A. G., Randall, N., Richards, R. M., Ritchie, E. G., Roberts, D. L., Rocha, R., Rodríguez, J. P., Sanderson, R., Sasaki, T., Savilaakso, S., Sayer, C., Sekercioglu, C., Senzaki, M., Smith, G., Smith, R. J., Soga, M., Soulsbury, C. D., Steer, M. D., Stewart, G., Strange, E. F., Suggitt, A. J., Thompson, R. R. J., Thompson, S., Thornhill, I., Trevelyan, R. J., Usieta, H. O., Venter, O., Webber, A. D., White, R. L., Whittingham, M. J., Wilby, A., Yarnell, R. W., Zamora, V. & Sutherland, W. J., Mar 2021, In: Ecological Solutions and Evidence. 2, 1, p. e12032
    Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
  • PublishedWhat role should randomized control trials play in providing the evidence base for conservation?
    Pynegar, E. L., Gibbons, J. M., Asquith, N. M. & Jones, J. P. G., Mar 2021, In: Oryx. 55, 2, p. 235-244
    Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

2020

  • PublishedFishing for the facts: river dolphin bycatch in a small-scale freshwater fishery in Bangladesh
    Richman, N., Jones, J. P. G., Northridge, S., Brook , S., Freeman, R., Jepson, P., Mahood, S. & Turvey, S., Apr 2020, In: Animal Conservation. 23, 2, p. 160-170
    Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
  • PublishedGlobal no net loss of natural ecosystems
    Maron, M., Simmonds, J. S., Watson, J. E. M., Sonter, L. J., Bennun, L., Griffiths, V. F., Quétier, F., von Hase, A., Edwards, S., Rainey, H., Bull, J. W., Savy, C. E., Victurine, R., Kiesecker, J., Puydarrieux, P., Stevens, T., Cozannet, N. & Jones, J. P. G., Jan 2020, In: Nature Ecology and Evolution. 4, 1, p. 46-49 33.
    Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
  • PublishedInsights from two decades of the Student Conference on Conservation Science
    Geldmann, J., Ales-Pinto, H., Amano, T., Bartlett, H., Christie, A. P., Collas, L., Cooke, S. C., Correa, R., Cripps, I., Doherty, A., Finch, T., Garnett, E. E., Hua, F., Jones, J. P. G., Kasoar, T., MacFarlane, D., Martin, P. A., Mukherjee, N., Mumby, H. S., Payne, C., Petrovan, S. O., Rocha, R., Russell, K., Simmons, B. I., Wauchope, H. S., Worthington, T. A., Trevelyan, R., Green, R. & Balmford, A., Mar 2020, In: Biological Conservation. 243, 108478.
    Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
  • PublishedLocal conditions and policy design determine whether ecological compensation can achieve No Net Loss goals
    Sonter, L. J., Simmonds, J. S., Watson, J. E. M., Jones, J. P. G., Kiesecker, J. M., Costa, H. M., Bennun, L., Edwards, S., Grantham, H. S., Griffiths, V. F., Jones, K., Sochi, K., Puydarrieux, P., Quétier, F., Rainer, H., Rainey, H., Roe, D., Satar, M., Soares-Filho, B. S., Starkey, M., ten Kate, K., Victurine, R., von Hase, A., Wells, J. A. & Maron, M., 29 Apr 2020, In: Nature Communications. 11, 1, p. 2072
    Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
  • PublishedMechanisms and impacts of an incentive-based conservation program with evidence from a randomized control trial
    Wiik, E., Jones, J. P. G., Pynegar, E., Bottazzi, P., Asquith, N., Gibbons, J. & Kontoleon, A., Oct 2020, In: Conservation Biology. 34, 5, p. 1076-1088 13 p.
    Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
  • PublishedMoving from biodiversity offsets to a target-based approach for ecological compensation
    Simmonds, J. S., Sonter, L. J., Watson, J. E. M., Bennun, L., Costa, H. M., Dutson, G., Edwards, S., Grantham, H., Griffiths, V. F., Jones, J. P. G., Kiesecker, J., Possingham, H. P., Puydarrieux, P., Quétier, F., Rainer, H., Rainey, H., Roe, D., Savy, C. E., Souquet, M., ten Kate, K., Victurine, R., von Hase, A. & Maron, M., Apr 2020, In: Conservation Letters. 13, 2, e12695.
    Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
  • PublishedPerceived socio-economic impacts of the marbled crayfish invasion in Madagascar
    Andriantsoa, R., Jones, J. P. G., Achimescu, V., Randrianarison, H., Raselimanana, M., Andriatsitohaina, M., Rasamy, J. & Lyko, F., 15 Apr 2020, In: PLoS ONE. 15, 4, e0231773.
    Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
  • PublishedStatistical matching for conservation science
    Schleicher, J., Eklund, J., Barnes, M., Goldman, J., Oldekop, J. A. & Jones, J. P. G., Jun 2020, In: Conservation Biology. 34, 3, p. 538-549 12 p.
    Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

2019

2018

2017

2016

2015

2014

2013

  • PublishedHuman well-being impacts of terrestrial protected areas
    Pullin, A. S., Bangpan, M., Dalrymple, S., Dickson, K., Haddaway, N. R., Healey, J. R., Hauari, H., Hockley, N., Jones, J. P. G., Knight, T., Vigurs, C. & Oliver, S., 28 Oct 2013, In: Environmental Evidence. 2, p. article 19
    Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
  • PublishedIdentification of 100 fundamental ecological questions
    Sutherland, W. J., Freckleton, R. P., Godfray, H. C. J., Beissinger, S. R., Benton, T., Cameron, D. D., Carmel, Y., Coomes, D. A., Coulson, T., Emmerson, M. C., Hails, R. S., Hays, G. C., Hodgson, D. J., Hutchings, M. J., Johnson, D., Jones, J. P. G., Keeling, M. J., Kokko, H., Kunin, W. E., Lambin, X., Lewis, O. T., Malhi, Y., Mieszkowska, N., Milner-Gulland, E. J., Norris, K., Phillimore, A. B., Purves, D. W., Reid, J. M., Reuman, D. C., Thompson, K., Travis, J. M. J., Turnbull, L. A., Wardle, D. A. & Wiegand, T., Jan 2013, In: Journal of Ecology. 101, 1, p. 58-67
    Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
  • PublishedReducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (REDD+): Transaction Costs of Six Peruvian Projects
    Thompson, O. R., Paavola, J., Healey, J. R., Jones, J. P. G., Baker, T. R. & Torres, J., 1 Mar 2013, In: Ecology and Society. 18, 1, p. article 17
    Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
  • PublishedTESSA: A toolkit for rapid assessment of ecosystem services at sites of biodiversity conservation importance
    Peh, K. S.-H., Balmford, A., Bradbury, R. B., Brown, C., Butchart, S. H. M., Hughes, F. M. R., Stattersfield, A., Thomas, D. H. L., Walpole, M., Bayliss, J., Gowing, D., Jones, J. P. G., Lewis, S. L., Mulligan, M., Pandeya, B., Stratford, C., Thompson, J. R., Turner, K., Vira, B., Willcock, S. & Birch, J. C., Sept 2013, In: Ecosystem Services. 5, p. 51-57
    Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

2012

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2009

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2007

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2005

2002

2023

  • Revealed: more than 90% of rainforest carbon offsets by biggest provider are worthless, analysis shows

    A large scale investigation led by the Guardian references a highly significant research project with Bangor involvement.

    The piece quotes research that shows that 90% of rainforest offset credits do not represent genuine carbon reduction.

    Julia Jones is quoted in the piece: [...] said the world was at a crossroads when it came to protecting tropical forests and must urgently correct the system for measuring emission reductions if carbon markets are to be scaled up.

    “It’s really not rocket science,” she said. “We are at an absolutely critical place for the future of tropical forests. If we don’t learn from the failures of the last decade or so, then there’s a very large risk that investors, private individuals and others will move away from any kind of willingness to pay to avoid tropical deforestation and that would be a disaster.

    “As someone who sits outside of the kind of cut and thrust of the wild west that is the carbon markets, I need to believe it can be made to work because money is needed to fund the emissions reductions from forest conservation.”

    18 Jan 2023

    Links:

    Activity: Types of Public engagement and outreach - Media article or participation (Contributor)
  • Learned Society of Wales (External organisation)

    Fellow

    2023 →

    Activity: Membership of network (Chair)

2022

2021

  • COP Cymru Regional Roadshow 2021: Small Nation Big Ideas - Welsh science driving the energy transition

    Presentation and panel discussion as part of COP Cymru roadshow associated with COP26 held at M-SParc but broadcast more widely as a webinar.

    Session description:

    “Ambitious commitments to decarbonize economies for the sake of the planet, and all our futures, require rapid changes to our whole energy system. How energy is produced, stored, transported and used all need to change if there is to be any hope of meeting net zero.

    This session will showcase a range of new technologies being developed in Wales; from using nuclear reactors for more than just power, to reducing energy waste throughout our water system, or innovations in tidal energy to recovering rarer materials for use in batteries. It will also look at how researchers can work across different disciplines; for example engineers working with biologists to minimize the impact of renewable power on wildlife.”

    4 Nov 2021

    Links:

    Activity: Types of Public engagement and outreach - Public lecture/debate/seminar (Organiser)
  • Cambridge Conservation Initative (External organisation)

    Member of the CCI collaborative fund advisory committee

    2021 →

    Activity: Membership of committee (Chair)

2019

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2016