Newcastle University

Introduction

I am the Director of the World Pheasant Association (WPA), based at the School's field station at Close House, just west of Newcastle. The 50 species of pheasant and 250 or so related species (including grouse, megapodes, partidges, turkeys and cracids) are found in all major habitat types around the world and are often valued by human communities. I am, therefore, interested in how science (especially applied ecology and socio-economics) can contribute to the conservation of these species in harmony with rural communities.

Research Interests

I am especially interested in research that contributes to systematic and evidence-based species conservation planning and action. This involves identifying demand-driven areas of research (such as specific areas ecology and related to human use of and perceptions of the environment), conducting the research and then developing coherent strategies that use the information gathered to safeguard species and their habitats.

I work in various countries in Asia, Africa and South America, with current emphases on India, Nepal, China and Brazil. I am also concerned with various Critically Endangered species (e.g. in Djibouti and Trinidad).

Policy/guidance documents edited and co-edited include:
World Pheasant Association and IUCN/SSC Re-introduction Specialist Group (eds.) (2009). Guidelines for the Re-introduction of Galliformes for Conservation Purposes. Gland, Switzerland: IUCN and Newcastle-upon-Tyne, UK: World Pheasant Association. 86 pp.
see www.pheasant.org.uk or data.iucn.org/dbtw-wpd/edocs/SSC-OP-041.pdf or www.iucnsscrsg.org/policy_guidelines.php

IUCN/SSC (2008) Strategic Planning for Species Conservation: A Handbook. Version 1.0. Gland, Switzerland: IUCN Species Survival Commission. 104pp. (see data.iucn.org/dbtw-wpd/edocs/2008-047.pdf)

Postgraduate Supervision

Two PhD students (at Imperial College and Manchester Metropolitan University) have recently graduated. I currently have three students, at Imperial, Manchester Metropolitan University and the Wildlife Institute of India. I have supervised various MSc students at Imperial College, University College London and Freiburg University (Germany).

Esteem Indicators

Member of IUCN Species Survival Commission Task Force on strategic planning for species conservation. Handbook and Overview documents (see SSC website) launched at World Conservation Congress, Barcelona 2008.

Co-chair Birds Working Group for CITES (UN Convention of International Trade in Endangered Species) Non Detriment Findings Expert Workshop (Mexico, November 2008).

Funding

A wide variety of small and medium-sized research and conservation grants received from a diverse range of organisations.

Projects

• Conservation of the Critically Endangered Djibouti francolin in Djibouti
  Project Leader(s): Houssein Rayaleh, Clive Bealey and Philip McGowan
• Declines and Conservation of Threatened Galliformes in the Himalayas
  Project Leader(s): Jonathon Dunn
• Human-driven changes in species' geographic ranges and their risk of extinction
  Project Leader(s): Goergina Mace (Imperial College), Richard Fuller (University of Queensland) and Philip McGowan
• Management planning for Puerto Princesa Subterranean River National Park, Philippines
  Project Leader(s): Aldrin Mallari and Philip McGowan
• The effect of wind farms on black grouse and other birds.
  Project Leader(s): Maria Zwart

Undergraduate Teaching

BIO3012 Conservation Biology Issues
BIO3095 Biological Information Projects

Postgraduate Teaching

BIO8002 Conservation Biology Issues

• Mallari NAD, Collar NJ, Lee DC, McGowan PJK, Wilkinson R, Marsden SJ. Population densities of understorey birds across a habitat gradient in Palawan, Philippines: implications for conservation. Oryx 2011, 45(2), 234-242.
• Boakes EH, McGowan PJK, Fuller RA, Chang D, Clark NE, O'Connor K, Mace GM. Distorted Views of Biodiversity:Spatial and Temporal Bias in Species Occurrence Data. PLoS Biology 2010, 8(6).
• Waylen KA, Fischer A, McGowan PJK, Thirgood SJ, Milner-Gulland EJ. Effect of local cultural context on the success of community-based conservation interventions. Conservation Biology 2010, 24(4), 1119-1129.
• Boakes EH, Mace GM, McGowan PJK, Fuller RA. Extreme contagion in global habitat clearance. Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences 2010, 277(1684), 1081-1085.
• Hoffmann M, Hilton-Taylor C, Angulo A, Bohm M, Brooks TM, Butchart SHM, Carpenter KE, Chanson J, Collen B, Cox NA, Darwall WRT, Dulvy NK, Harrison LR, Katariya V, Pollock CM, Quader S, Richman NI, Rodrigues ASL, Tognelli MF, Vie JC, Aguiar JM, Allen DJ, Allen GR, Amori G, Ananjeva NB, Andreone F, Andrew P, Ortiz ALA, Baillie JEM, Baldi R, Bell BD, Biju SD, Bird JP, Black-Decima P, Blanc JJ, Bolanos F, Bolivar W, Burfield IJ, Burton JA, Capper DR, Castro F, Catullo G, Cavanagh RD, Channing A, Chao NL, Chenery AM, Chiozza F, Clausnitzer V, Collar NJ, Collett LC, Collette BB, Fernandez CFC, Craig MT, Crosby MJ, Cumberlidge N, Cuttelod A, Derocher AE, Diesmos AC, Donaldson JS, Duckworth JW, Dutson G, Dutta SK, Emslie RH, Farjon A, Fowler S, Freyhof J, Garshelis DL, Gerlach J, Gower DJ, Grant TD, Hammerson GA, Harris RB, Heaney LR, Hedges SB, Hero JM, Hughes B, Hussain SA, Icochea J, Inger RF, Ishii N, Iskandar DT, Jenkins RKB, Kaneko Y, Kottelat M, Kovacs KM, Kuzmin SL, La Marca E, Lamoreux JF, Lau MWN, Lavilla EO, Leus K, Lewison RL, Lichtenstein G, Livingstone SR, Lukoschek V, Mallon DP, McGowan PJK, McIvor A, Moehlman PD, Molur S, Alonso AM, Musick JA, Nowell K, Nussbaum RA, Olech W, Orlov NL, Papenfuss TJ, Parra-Olea G, Perrin WF, Polidoro BA, Pourkazemi M, Racey PA, Ragle JS, Ram M, Rathbun G, Reynolds RP, Rhodin AGJ, Richards SJ, Rodriguez LO, Ron SR, Rondinini C, Rylands AB, de Mitcheson YS, Sanciangco JC, Sanders KL, Santos-Barrera G, Schipper J, Self-Sullivan C, Shi YC, Shoemaker A, Short FT, Sillero-Zubiri C, Silvano DL, Smith KG, Smith AT, Snoeks J, Stattersfield AJ, Symes AJ, Taber AB, Talukdar BK, Temple HJ, Timmins R, Tobias JA, Tsytsulina K, Tweddle D, Ubeda C, Valenti SV, van Dijk PP, Veiga LM, Veloso A, Wege DC, Wilkinson M, Williamson EA, Xie F, Young BE, Akcakaya HR, Bennun L, Blackburn TM, Boitani L, Dublin HT, da Fonseca GAB, Gascon C, Lacher TE, Mace GM, Mainka SA, McNeely JA, Mittermeier RA, Reid GM, Rodriguez JP, Rosenberg AA, Samways MJ, Smart J, Stein BA, Stuart SN. The Impact of Conservation on the Status of the World's Vertebrates. Science 2010, 330(6010), 1503-1509.
• McGowan PJK, Zhang YY, Zhang ZW. Galliformes – barometers of the state of applied ecology and wildlife conservation in China. Journal of Applied Ecology 2009, 46(3), 524-526.
• Fisher ZSY, Cartwright S, Bealey CE, Rayaleh H, McGowan PJK, Milner-Gulland EJ. The Djibouti francolin and juniper forest in Djibouti: the need for both ecosystem and species-specific conservation. Oryx 2009, 43(4), 542-551.
• McGowan PJK, Garson PJ. The Galliformes are highly threatened: Should we care?. Oryx 2002, 36(4), 311-312.
• Mcgowan P, Dekker RWRJ, Dowell S, Garson P. The making of conservation Action Plans for the Galliformes. Bird Conservation International 1998, 8(2), 173-184.