Ian Thornhill

Ian Thornhill is a Senior Lecturer in Planning & Environmental Management at the University of Manchester's School of Planning, Property and Environmental Management. He specializes in freshwater ecosystems, citizen science, and urban ecology, with a focus on biodiversity monitoring, human-nature relationships, and soundscapes. His work aligns with UN Sustainable Development Goals related to life on land and below water.

Thornhill leads or collaborates on projects such as the EPP-RG: Environment, Policy and Place (2010–2030) and FreshLanDiv, a global freshwater biodiversity database (2024). He actively engages in citizen science initiatives, including FreshWater Watch and studies on food hypersensitivity research.

His research explores ecosystem resilience, community assembly, and urbanization impacts. Notable contributions include analyses of pond management, bioacoustic monitoring, and biodiversity net gain in residential developments. He is a member of the British Ecological Society and chairs events like the RESPiRES Ideathon (2022).

Thornhill accepts PhD students interested in freshwater systems, bluespaces, and interdisciplinary ecological studies. His work emphasizes participatory science and the intersection of ecology with policy and human behavior.