School of Geography and the Environment

My research is concerned with natural resource use and livelihoods. The research is based within political ecology. It mobilises strains of livelihood studies which look to to understand the root causes of poverty. In addition I am looking to understand natural resource use (wildlife resources or bushmeat in this case) and the linkages between these natural resources and livelihoods.

With particular interest to me are the impacts of biodiversity conservation initiatives which influence how individuals and households can access natural resources. The case study explored here is based in the tropical forests of northern Republic of Congo and working with hunter-gatherer and farmer-fisher groups to explore the local-level (individual and household) outcomes of biodiversity conservation initiatives. The work will analyse how socio-economic and ecological changes have impacted on aspects of well-being, household revenue, food security, sustainable resource use and household vulnerability. In turn, socio-economic changes such as forestry roads are currently influencing the forest environment that livelihoods are dependent on. To conceptualise this the sustainability of hunting is analysed using long-term data sets from hunting harvests to compare changes in harvest species composition, spatial use of the forest and changes in overall harvest biomass.

Academic Background:

• 2006 to date: D.Phil. Candidate, Oxford University Centre for the Environment. Research funded by ESRC-NERC
• 2004-5: MSc: Biodiversity, Conservation and Management, Oxford University Centre for the Environment
• 2001-2004: BSc (Hons) Biology, Newcastle University

Publications

• Spitalska, E., Riddell, M., Heyne. H., Sparagano, OA (2005). Prevalence of Theileriosis in Red Hartebeest (Alcelaphus buselaphus caama) in Namibia. Parasitology Research, 97(1):77-9
• Riddell, M (2006). Finally feeling the Squeeze: Conservation in northern Congo. National Parks and Protected Areas International Bulletin. Newcastle Upon Tyne, England.
• Riddell, M (2006). Broadleaf woodland returns to Soderasen, Sweden. National Parks and Protected Areas International Bulletin. Newcastle Upon Tyne, England.
• Wosu, A., Riddell, M. (2006). Tourism Development and Fisheries: A Case Study from Northern Mozambique. Paper presented at the INOC Conference on Coastal Water Management and Sustainable Use of Marine Resources, Dakar, Senegal, November 14th-16th 2006.