Meet the Scientist - Dr Dario Fornara

This month Dr Dario Fornara - Agri-Environment Branch talks about this role in AFBI

I joined AFBI in September 2014 as a Project Leader of Soil Biogeochemistry and Terrestrial Ecology. My research broadly focuses on Soil Health addressing how changes in land use and management might affect soil carbon sequestration and soil nitrogen cycling across agro-ecosystems.

At the moment I am involved in different research projects funded by DAERA, DAFM, EPA and InterTradeIreland. The main aim of these projects is to provide the scientific knowledge necessary to inform policy on key societal challenges including the sustainable intensification of livestock-based production systems and their ability to deliver multiple ecosystem services.

My research is interdisciplinary and I currently collaborate with partners across Europe, Africa, USA and China. At the moment I am involved in different Networks of Excellence including:

1. Technical Advisory Group (TAG) on Soil Carbon Stock Changes of the Livestock Environmental Assessment and Performance (LEAP) Partnership promoted by FAO
2. Working Group of the Global Soil Partnership (GSP) on Soil Organic Carbon (SOC) management at the regional and sub-regional scale
3. Integrative Research Group of the Global Research Alliance

Interesting facts about Dario Fornara:

If you weren’t in your current position what job/career would you like to be doing?
Photojournalism reporting facts and stories on environmental issues from around the world.

What unique fact do we not know about you?
I visited the Colosseum in Rome and the Great Wall in China in the same week.

What is your favourite book?
Many of Wilbur Smith’s books, fast-paced, descriptive and well-documented.

What are your hobbies?
Running, reading, gardening … when there is time available.

Can you cook?  If so what is your speciality dish?
I can cook ‘inspired’ by Mediterranean recipes; ‘pasta al pesto’ remains my favourite.

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