Projects per year
Personal profile
Biography
With a background in organic horticulture, Judith is a researcher at Coventry University's Centre for Agroecology, Water and Resilience. Her research centres on organic and other ecological growing systems, with particular interests in sustainable growing media, citizen science and engagement, and pollinating insects.
Judith is currently working to develop peat-free growing media suitable for ‘blocking’ technology. She is also coordinator of the Coventry Agroecological Living Lab, a network of local growers established under the EU Horizon 2020 project AE4EU, working to grow more diverse crops which bring greater resilience to climate change.
Previously, Judith was Project Manager of Organic-PLUS, an EU Horizon 2020 project comprising 25 partner institutions, investigating alternatives to contentious inputs in organic agriculture across Europe. She also worked within the project, trialling replacements and phase-out pathways for peat, plastic mulch and animal manure.
With interests in pollinators and citizen science, Judith worked on the Heritage Lottery funded 'Blooms for Bees', which created an app to help gardeners identify and record Bumblebees (Bombus spp.). Her work with bumblebees continued in TRUE, an EU Horizon 2020 project where she explored bumblebee preferences in heritage legume varieties. Judith has also contributed to citizen science research to identify ornamental plants at risk of becoming invasive.
Research Interests
Organic horticulture, sustainable growing media, citizen science and biodiversity in growing systems.
Expertise related to UN Sustainable Development Goals
In 2015, UN member states agreed to 17 global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure prosperity for all. This person’s work contributes towards the following SDG(s):
External positions
Steering Group, Great Glen Community WildSpace
1 Dec 2023 → …
Trustee, Wildlife Gardening Forum
1 Mar 2018 → …
Committee member, Stratford-upon-Avon in Bloom
1 May 2013 → …
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Collaborations and top research areas from the last five years
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Design and Evaluation of Peat-Free Blocking Media
Lennartsson Turner, M. (Principal Investigator), Rayns, F. (Principal Investigator), Schmutz, U. (Principal Investigator), Conroy, J. (Research Assistant), Faedo, L. (Research Assistant) & Foster, G. (Research Assistant)
1/04/23 → 31/03/25
Project: Research
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REPAS: REPAS: Co-creating citizen science for reducing plastic contamination of soil in community growing spaces
Rayns, F. (Principal Investigator), Abell, J. (Co-Investigator), Bogush, A. (Co-Investigator), Conroy, J. (Co-Investigator), Hill-Butler, C. (Co-Investigator), Fried, J. (Co-Investigator) & Rosenfeld, A. (Co-Investigator)
1/11/23 → 30/04/24
Project: Research
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Agroecology for Europe (AE4EU)
Schmutz, U. (Principal Investigator), Conroy, J. (Co-Investigator), Hilmi, A. (Co-Investigator), Moeller, N. (Co-Investigator), Pimbert, M. (Co-Investigator), Bandakova, T. (Researcher), Binder, L. (Researcher), Burbi, S. (Researcher) & Dinc, S. (Researcher)
1/01/21 → 31/12/23
Project: Research
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AGROMIX: AGROforestry and MIXed farming systems - Participatory research to drive the transition to a resilient and efficient land use in Europe
Schmutz, U. (Principal Investigator), Dehnen-Schmutz, K. (Co-Investigator), Eden, J. (Co-Investigator), Rayns, F. (Co-Investigator), Van De Wiel, M. (Co-Investigator), Wright, J. (Co-Investigator), Conroy, J. (Research Assistant), Venn, R. (Research Assistant), Burbi, S. (Researcher) & Touliatos, D. (Researcher)
1/11/20 → 31/10/24
Project: Research
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Organic-PLUS: Pathways to phase-out contentious inputs from organic agriculture in Europe
Schmutz, U. (Principal Investigator), Conroy, J. (Co-Investigator), Evans, A. (Co-Investigator), Rayns, F. (Co-Investigator), Green, S. (Research Assistant), Burbi, S. (Researcher), Touliatos, D. (Researcher) & van Kesteren, R. (Researcher)
1/05/18 → 30/10/22
Project: Research
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Characterising the diversity of aubergine landraces in Turkey
Kir, A., Cetinel, B., Cetinkaya, N., Conroy, J. & Schmutz, U., Dec 2022, In: Acta Horticulturae. 1354, p. 79-85 7 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
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Do heritage varieties of legumes deliver enhanced human and beneficial insect nutrition?
Smith, B., Rayns, F. & Conroy, J., 30 Nov 2021, TRUE-project Case Studies E-book: Facilitating home-grown legumes as the foundation of sustainable food- and feed-systems. Vougeleka, V., Ntatsi, G., Tran, F., Duffy, C. & Ianetta, P. (eds.). European Commission, p. 14 5 p.Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Chapter › peer-review
Open AccessFile117 Downloads (Pure) -
Evaluating the potential of biodegradable films as alternatives to fossil fuel-derived plastic mulches for weed control in an organic field vegetable system
Rayns, F., Conroy, J., Goncalves Geiger, A., Schmutz, U. & Touliatos, D., Sept 2021.Research output: Contribution to conference › Poster › peer-review
Open AccessFile54 Downloads (Pure) -
Extrusion of Different Plants into Fibre for Peat Replacement in Growing Media: Adjustment of Parameters to Achieve Satisfactory Physical Fibre-Properties
Dittrich, C., Pecenka, R., Løes, A.-K., Cáceres, R., Conroy, J., Rayns, F., Schmutz, U., Kir, A. & Kruggel-Emden, H., 10 Jun 2021, In: Agronomy. 11, 6, p. 1185 21 p., 1185.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Open AccessFile17 Citations (Scopus)146 Downloads (Pure) -
Testing peat-free growing media based on olive wood residues for olive saplings
Kir, A., Løes, A. K., Cetinel, B., Turan, H. S., Aydogdu, E., Pecenka, R., Dittrich, C., Cáceres, R., Lennartsson Turner, M., Rayns, F., Conroy, J. & Schmutz, U., Aug 2021, In: Acta Horticulturae. 1317, p. 23-32 10 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review