Ricardo Martins

I’m a Wildlife Biologist, with a PhD in ecology, and an academic/ professional career with more than 20 years, focusing mainly on bird studies, under different frameworks, such as scientific research, conservation, environmental consultancy and knowledge transfer. 

My current main research interest is focused on the impacts of different types of infrastructures (especially power production or transmission) on biodiversity or other types of interactions; other research interests include e.g. the ecology and conservation of migratory shorebirds in estuarine environments. 

Since 2015 I’ve been working mainly within the scope of the REN Chair in Biodiversity (until 2020) and a following protocol (2020-2023), focusing the interactions between birds and power lines. Such applied research, included not only infrastructure impacts, but also opportunities created for biodiversity, such as birds nesting on pylons of transmission lines. Along this period, I’ve been also deeply engaged in the component of scientific advisory and knowledge transfer, for REN and other stakeholders, in areas such as Environmental Impact Assessment and Post-Evaluation. 

Currently I’m coordinating this continued REN-BIOPOLIS partnership, renewed for the period 2024-2027 with a plan of activities that keeps the previous two main working areas: develop applied research and provide scientific advisory to the company.