Guild member Gary Hartley has been awarded a place on a prestigious European fellowship programme that will see him report on how non-native invertebrates are spreading and what this could mean for farming and the environment.
The freelance journalist and Consus Communications contributing editor is one of ten journalists chosen from applicants from around the world for the final round of the FRONTIERS Science Journalism in Residency Programme.
Funded through the European Research Council, the scheme supports journalists to spend up to five months embedded in a leading European research institution, giving them the time, access and financial backing to report on complex and emerging areas of science.
Gary will be based at the Natural History Museum Stuttgart’s Department of Biodiversity Monitoring in Germany for his project, Across Borders: Living with Europe’s Travelling Invertebrates.
“I’ve wanted to apply to this scheme for years, so I’m really pleased that everything came together and the project sparked enough interest to get me selected,” he said.
“Opportunities to dedicate this much time and effort to an emerging area of science don’t come around very often, particularly as a freelance journalist, so I’m looking forward to getting stuck in.”
During the residency, Gary will work alongside researchers and have access to the museum’s scientific resources, facilities and events as he develops his own independent reporting.
Fellows concentrate on their projects full-time, supported by grants of up to €6,000 a month for established journalists to cover accommodation, travel and living costs.
The host institutions provide access rather than editorial oversight, allowing fellows to follow the evidence and decide for themselves which stories to pursue. The programme also includes training and networking with other science journalists and researchers.
“My work has always straddled biodiversity and farming, so I’m keen to explore where these two interests meet,” Gary said.
“The movement of non-native invertebrates has potentially big implications for our food systems. I want to understand the science, but also find out what these changes mean for the farmers, growers and others already encountering them in the real world.”
Gary is now looking for contacts in mainland Europe who have first-hand experience of newly arrived or invasive invertebrates, particularly ants and slugs.
“If any Guild members know people who have dealt with these species on farms or in other practical settings, I’d be really keen to hear from them,” he added.
The ten journalists selected for the final FRONTIERS cohort represent nine nationalities and will take up residencies in eight European countries. Their projects cover subjects ranging from biodiversity loss, earthquakes and water conflict to nuclear fusion, neural repair and the clean-energy transition.
The residencies are expected to begin in autumn 2026. More information about Gary and the other successful fellows is available on the FRONTIERS website.
Harvest Lunch 2026
Our annual harvest celebration is the perfect opportunity to catch up with friends, colleagues and network with other agricultural communicators.
