Neil is a lecturer in geography at Edinburgh University and has worked on projects in Belize since he was part of an expedition to survey of the coastal mangroves of Belize in 1991. He was one of the leaders of the 1996 Expedition to the Booth River and has since worked extensively on the use of satellite imagery to study Belize’s savanna ecosystem. From 2009-2012 he led a project to assess the biodiversity of Belize’s savannas funded by the Uk Darwin Initiative, with partners including the Royal Botanical Gardens in Edinburgh, the Belize Botanic Gardens, the University of Belize and Belize Zoo. Many of Neil’s Masters and PhD students also undertake research projects in Belize and so he spends time in Belize most years. Neil has been on the organising committee for the many UKBA meetings held in Edinburgh over the years at both the RBGE and at the University.