Two members of the PBMS, Lee Walker and Shinji Ozaki, attended the Natural England (NE) / UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology (UKCEH) Workshop entitled ‘Environmental Quality Monitoring: Chemicals and Nutrients across Air, Terrestrial and Biota’ held on the 12th and 13th February 2026 in York.
This in-person workshop aimed to connect researchers from these organisations with their colleagues in similar study fields, helped them identify the challenges of their different study areas, and design a joint NE/UKCEH demonstrator project to deliver a more effective chemical monitoring programme across the UK.
The PBMS members attended the Breakout sessions that focused on ‘Biota’ monitoring. The Principal Investigator of the PBMS, Lee, served as the Lead Facilitator for several Breakout sessions that addressed questions about 'how to extrapolate the impacts of chemicals on one species to different taxa' and 'how to develop a quantitative understanding of chemical management decisions and outcomes.'
“The breakout sessions involved lively discussions among NE and UKCEH colleagues reflecting their commonly held enthusiasm to ensure that the science we conduct will make significant and impactful differences to how chemical risk is managed in the UK” commented Lee. “We have identified lead researchers in both organisations who will drive the next steps in several areas of study forward in the next 12 months.”