Unique opportunities for ecological research & education
in an urban setting
Friends of Troopers Hill are keen to encourage the use of the Local Nature Reserve and adjacent areas for academic research and educational visits.
Educational Visits
Pupils from local primary schools frequently visit Troopers Hill for a range of activities and some of these that have taken place in the past are shown on our Young Friends page.
Friends of Troopers Hill welcome these visits and have also visited schools to talk about the importance of the site. We have also established our Fun Learning Trails to encourage visits by youth groups, Scouts & families.
However, Troopers Hill can also provide opportunities for more structured study for older pupils, indeed it was featured as a case study in an AQA Geography AS level textbook (extract shown here).
We have had frequent visits from year 2 AS Geography students from Bridgwater & Taunton College to show them conservation management work on Troopers Hill, including in 2015 & 2017.
Students from the City of Bristol College doing an Access Environmental Science course visited in 2016 & 2017. The Royal Agricultural University also visited in 2016.
Please contact us if you are interested in visiting the site.
Below is a paper on Troopers Hill produced by one of the City of Bristol College following the visit in 2016:
Managing the Natural Environment by Grey-Winter Jones - Nov 2017
Academic Research
In addition to educational visits, the Local Nature Reserve also provides opportunities for academic research.
University of Bristol students have often visited to carry out ecological surveys, and the a geology student from the University of the West of England is carrying out some work on the site this year.
There is a lot of background information about Troopers Hill available on this website and in particular our information page has links to all the past surveys and reports that we have access to.
Below are studies produced by students as part of their studies. We would be pleased to add any other papers.
Listing of Academic Research Papers & Notes
Contact Us if you know of any papers we should add to this page.
Troopers Hill - An analysis of soil pH variations - January 2024
University of Bristol, School of Geographical Sciences
Report available soon
Video of Field Work
Habitat Survey Report - Troopers Hill - MSc Assignment, UWE
- by Nick Trapp - July 2023
Troopers Hill Field - Investigating the presence of standing water - Feb 2020
University of Bristol, School of Geographical Sciences
Executive Summary
Full Report
Troopers Hill Soils Investigation - Dissertation in Geography
- by Rebecca Beighton BSc Hons - Feb 2013
Small Mammals Survey by Ivan Packer - Jan 2008
Troopers Hill and Crews Hole by J.M.Carter - 1994/95
- a general study of Troopers Hill and the adjacent woodland, with photos from Spring 1994 showing the different habitats, handed to Friends of Troopers Hill in 2021.
Information needed if you want to make a survey on Troopers Hill
If you would like to carry out some research or surveys on Troopers Hill, please Contact Us with the following information and we will pass it on to Bristol City Council’s Conservation Officer with your details so that they can grant permission.
• Methodology and area of survey
• Risk Assessment
• Public Liability Insurance cover
• Survey results at the end of the study.
