Joanne Preston

Prof Joanne Preston is a Marine Biologist based at the Institute of Marine Sciences, University of Portsmouth, where she leads the Seascape Restoration Lab. Her groups research is focused on understanding the biodiversity, functioning, connectivity and value of marine coastal habitats to facilitate their recovery and restoration. She is an advocate of effective science communication to support changes in policy and sustainable use and management of marine resources. Working with a group of expert authors, Preston edited a series of marine restoration ‘how to’ handbooks launched at COP26. She co-founded the UK/Ireland Native Oyster Network in collaboration with the Zoological Society of London to catalyse a national approach and scale of oyster habitat restoration and facilitate best practice in establishing and monitoring native oyster restoration projects. Jo Preston is currently scientific lead for Europe’s first large seascape restoration project – the Solent Seascape Project. In 2022, Preston co-led the first UK conference on ecological connectivity across the temperate seascape at the ZSL bringing habitat experts together to advocate a seascape approach to ecosystem restoration, and co-led the ‘Reconnecting the Symposium’ on June 4/5th 2025 at ZSL, London. Preston sits on the Seascape Oversight Panel for the Endangered Landscapes and Seascapes Programme at Cambridge Conservation Initiative to determine recipients of a $35 million fund for marine nature restoration. Since 2019 she has been awarded 8 grants, supervised 6 Phd students and authored over 30 scientific publications. She leads the University of Portsmouth’s Marine Ecology and Conservation degree module.