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We first connected with Kate Booth some time ago, after learning about her research of the Amazon rainforest. Having spoken at length about her adventures and studies over coffee, we thought we'd share more about Kate through a Q&A...
What instigated your interest in the Amazon rainforest and why did you decide to focus on it for your PhD?
In all honesty, I never imagined I'd be pursuing a PhD focusing on the Amazon rainforest. I am deeply passionate about our natural world as a whole and the world of research excites me regardless of the topic, but the main topics that never failed to get me excited were biology and our oceans. I studied Ocean Exploration at the University of Plymouth as my undergraduate degree. It was great, and this is where I discovered the world of GIS and remote sensing, two applications that when combined can be utilised across all our natural environments to study them in a whole new light. GIS allowed me to bring art and science together. After undertaking a masters in GIS at the University of Manchester, I began my journey into the corporate world, very quickly realising that research was not at the forefront of my life anymore and I needed to find a way to bring that back.
An opportunity came up at the University of Manchester to take on a PhD focusing on the Brazilian Amazon rainforest and the Indigenous territories within the area – I instantly snapped up the opportunity. I was excited that this was a whole new topic to me and there was so much to learn and explore – now I couldn’t be happier that I did. It is, of course, incredibly hard work, balancing my full-time role with a part-time PhD is not easy and is a challenge in itself.
It sounds like your areas of interest have naturally unfolded over the last few years. Tell us more about what you're currently researching, your thesis ideas, and anything you've discovered so far which has surprised/inspired you?
Oh there is so much I could talk about here, but I’ll try and keep it short. My research is focused mainly on the Indigenous territories within the Brazilian Amazon, so I’ve learnt quite a lot about these Indigenous communities and the hardships that they have had to endure due to changes in the climate and also having to be on the front-line battling against invasions of their land. It is truly devastating to read and hear about some of these stories, many Indigenous people’s lives are lost as they try to defend their land. My newest point of research is looking into the illegal air strips that have now become scattered across the rainforest along with illegal flight paths, all feeding into the expansion of mining and therefore destruction of the rainforest.
Overall, my thesis encompasses deforestation and degradation issues across Indigenous territories within the Brazilian Amazon. I use GIS and remote sensing to monitor the extent and implications of deforestation not just on Indigenous communities but climate change too.
It's incredibly sad that Indigenous communities are facing these issues, and we're grateful people like yourself are bringing these problems to light. How do you plan on using your research after your PhD? What impact do you hope to have?
Wow, this is a big question! When I first started out on my PhD I thought of opportunities such as lecturing or a post-doc in the future, however, I’m not sure it’s the direction I’m headed. I’ve always been one to follow my heart and have always felt that there is a deeper purpose to my life and time on earth – I’ve always known that it will be my job somehow, somewhere, to help save the planet. That being said, I will probably continue with what I’m doing in terms of photography and storytelling – I’m aiming to expand my network and travel more to vulnerable/remote areas and share hidden secrets and stories so we can help the planet and people where it is needed most. Expeditions, documentaries, writing… these are all ideas that are constantly floating around in my mind.
We loved the storytelling from your recent visit to the Peruvian Amazon; the trip sounded incredible yet eye-opening. What did you see? Who did you meet?
I did and it was amazing! I travelled to the Madre de Dios in Peru because it was a great opportunity at the time. I went with Serpentine Expeditions and met some incredible people. It really allowed me to gain that direct connection to the rainforest and experience how it felt to really be in the middle of the forest. The biodiversity was spectacular, I saw many beautiful creatures, large and small. I added on four days of volunteering at The Amazon Shelter at the end of my trip, which was eye-opening too. The animals, if they can, are rehabilitated and released back into the rainforest. During my time there we released two night monkeys back into the forest and that was such a beautiful moment. I have many stories I could share, but they are too long to write down. I'll be releasing them on my YouTube channel soon.
We're looking forward to seeing them go live! Do you have any trips in the pipeline?
I have just returned from filming a campaign in Jordan which was truly such a magical experience. The country is breathtaking and holds much mystery, which appeals to me, as learning about ancient history is a huge passion of mine.
I have a small ocean diving trip organised for September time in the UK, where we’re hoping to find sharks!
Towards the end of this year, I’m planning to explore the Brazilian Amazon, which is the area of focus for my research, and it would be meaningful to create that direct and physical connection to the forest.
I will be celebrating and welcoming in the new year in the jungles of Mexico, which is not a location I ever thought I’d explore so deeply, but I am incredibly excited to experience it, and again, create that direct connection with the natural world.
What an adventurous way to round off the year. Your Instagram is full of beautiful adventure imagery. Where do you enjoy exploring that is closer to home?
You really can’t keep me away from Scotland. I think even if I were able to travel the whole world, there would still be no place that makes me feel the way that Scotland does – travelling around Scotland and the experiences that it has gifted me has honestly bought so much joy to my life in many ways. There is a captivating element to it's scenery, which can be witnessed around every corner of the highlands. It’s the perfect place to reconnect with nature.
Reading and coffee go hand-in-hand. We hear you’ve set up a book club, can you tell us more? Any stand out reads recently?
Absolutely they do! When I have the time, I love to sit with a coffee and get lost in a good book. Yes, ‘The Adventurous Book Club’ was thought up a couple of years ago now. It was supposed to be just a small Instagram page of adventure book recommendations and a place for people to chat in the comments about their favourite reads and to also help with positive wellbeing. However, the club grew, and we ended up doing in person meet ups that are incredibly fun! It’s amazing watching new friendships come together, and memories created – we have a lovely group of regular attendees now, which is a beautiful thing.
At the moment I’m reading two great books, one for the imagination and one for knowledge. The Lost World by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle is my current read for the imagination, I’m not that far into it at the moment, but I’m excited to continue reading, as it is the main inspiration behind the Jurassic Park series! The Story is in our Bones by Osprey Orielle Lake is my other read, which again, I’m not that far into this one either, but I’m looking forward to seeing how the author pulls together everything she’s learnt from her experience working with global leaders, climate justice activists, Indigenous peoples, and system-thinkers in one book, to help us understand how we can ‘rewild’ ourselves, and our worldviews, to help save the planet.
Both sound like interesting reads! Finally, what’s your go-to coffee of choice?
My go to order is always an oat milk cappuccino (with a dash of sugar), although you can only really appreciate the true taste of coffee through a straight espresso shot. I am loving the Community Blend from Easy Jose at the moment, it's such a smooth and sweet morning up of coffee.
You can find out more about Kate's work and adventures via her Instagram. Keep an eye out for Kate's vlogs on Youtube. And you can join 'The Adventurous Book Club' here. All images supplied by Kate-Amanda Booth.
