Tuesday 19 October 2010

Introducing Nigel and Chris: the people who make the conservation leadership wheel spin




With deep appreciation, we also want to introduce the people that have accepted the challenge to run the MPhil in Conservation Leadership and who have contributed significantly to making it a reality. Mainly, Nigel Leader-Williams, as Director of Conservation Leadership, and Chris Sandbrook, Lecturer in Conservation Leadership at UNEP-WCMC and Affiliated Lecturer of the Department of Geography.

After training as a veterinary surgeon, Nigel completed his PhD with the British Antarctic Survey on the ecology of introduced reindeer on South Georgia. For his post-doc, Nigel studied conservation measures need for rhinos and elephants in Zambia. He then worked with the Director of Wildlife in Tanzania helping write national policies for conservation. For the past 15 years, initially as Professor of Biodiversity Management at the University of Kent, and recently as Director of Conservation Leadership at Cambridge, Nigel has worked to build capacity in conservation through interdisciplinary research and teaching that sits within both natural and social sciences, with a focus on large mammals that conflict with human interests. More information on Nigel´s career and research on http://www.geog.cam.ac.uk/people/leader-williams/

Chris on the other side, has focused his research on the relationship between conservation and local livelihoods in the developing world, evaluating the effectiveness of market-based instruments as tools for conservation and development.

In his own words: "Over the past few decades various tools have been developed to mitigate conflict between protected areas and local people who live in and around them. The most popular of these tools has been tourism, which is intended to deliver funding for conservation activities and benefits to local people, thereby encouraging sustainable resource use. However, there is little evidence that this theory works in practice. Much of my research to date has addressed this issue, using mountain gorilla tracking tourism at Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, Uganda, as a case study. In my PhD work I adopted an interdisciplinary approach, using qualitative and quantitative research methods drawn from the biological and social sciences to assess the impacts of tourism at Bwindi for local people and for wildlife. The results showed that tourism can raise funds for conservation activities and deliver meaningful benefits to some local people, but that there remain considerable costs of tourism and conservation, inequalities in the distribution of costs and benefits, and risks to gorillas themselves.

More recently, I have carried out research on the likely impact of Reduced Emissions from Deforestation and Degradation (REDD) initiatives on forest governance, the values held by young conservation scientists, and the biological and social impacts of Community Based Natural Resource Management (CBNRM) interventions in Africa." A list of his publications can be reviewed on http://www.geog.cam.ac.uk/people/sandbrook/

The first week: From Norfolk Broads to Churchill College



Having the opportunity to see the diverse set of interests that influence decision-making in the Broads was the best way to start the course. We also got to know more about the activities developed on the ground by conservation institutions such as BirdLife International and the National Trust.

Isadora arrived a couple of days after...but in time for the first class and for the First Conservation Leadership Lecture.

We were privileged to hear Mark Rose, Chief Executive Officer of Fauna and Flora International, give the first Conservation Leadership Lecture on 14 October. Among a small invited audience that included members of the Cambridge conservation community, we were privileged to hear Mark describe the early influences on his life and his love of animals, his training and his career that has seen him move from crocodile rancher in Papua New Guinea, to mover and shaker in the local Wildlife Trusts, and then to CEO at FFI. During his time at FFI, Mark has turned the organisation round, from just being the world's oldest conservation organisation, to one of the most innovative and entrepreneurial conservation organisations. Throughout the lecture, Mark gave hints of his views on leadership, and some of the interventions he has made to ensure the effective management of the organisations he is running.

Following the lecture, we enjoyed Formal Hall at Churchill College, and ongoing discussions with members of the Cambridge conservation community! Here is the group in very different attire to the field trip, and already reflecting the range of leadership experiences we seek from our course!

Monday 18 October 2010

Introducing a new generation of conservation leaders: Anya Zavadskaya (visitor for Michaelmas 2010)


"I was born and live in the Far East of Russia, in Kamchatka. After graduating, I started work in 2008 as a Staff Scientist responsible for studying environmental threats and impacts on Kronotskiy State Natural Biosphere Preserve in Kamchatka. I carry out annual recreational impacts and research on visitor use, mainly in geothermal areas of the Valley of Geysers and Caldera of Uzon volcano. I also undertake postgraduate research in the Department of Environmental Management of the Faculty of Geography, at Lomonosov Moscow State University in Russia. My PhD thesis focuses on the ecological and social factors limiting the development of recreation in the wilderness and PAs of Kamchatka.

I also give lectures and work with students from local universities, and lead a scientific research camp each year in the Preserve. From 2008-2010, I was involved in various research and educational projects supported by the Russian Fund for Fundamental Studies, the UNDP/GEF Kamchatka Biodiversity Conservation Project, and Rufford Small Grants that focused on studying recreational impacts on the ecosystems of Kamchatka. I am a member of IUCN’s WCPA Young Professionals Group, the Russian Geographic Society, the Kamchatka Ecotourism Society, and KamchatKAyaking Club."

Introducing a new generation of conservation leaders: Mxolisi Sibanda


"I have an honours degree in Biological Sciences from the University of Zimbabwe, where I followed the ecology options because of my love for the natural world. Having worked for a few years as a field researcher and intern, I went for MSc in Resource Conservation Biology at Wits University in South Africa.

On re-starting work, I gained valuable experience on various issues in several southern African countries within the miombo ecoregion. Miombo is a Swahili word for a type of woodland dominated by trees such as Brachystegia. My work was wide-ranging and encompassed activities on crocodiles, elephants, sustainable forest management, community-based natural resources management approaches, bio-fuels and climate change. As a result, my personal areas of interest now include: understanding and meeting the challenges of climate change mitigation and adaptation; planning and efficacy of protected areas relative to climate change; use of the ecosystem goods and services concept within the carbon market, through Reduced Emissions from Deforestation and Degradation (REDD); good forest stewardship; human-wildlife conflict, as well as the management of organisations for more effective delivery of conservation."

Introducing a new generation of conservation leaders: Robert Sassor


"Raised in the State of Oregon, USA, I have long had an interest in social engagement with nature. I studied pelagic tar and plastic pollution in the Sargasso during six weeks at sea. In Tanzania, I coordinated the conservation action plan for the Greater Gombe Ecosystem and its famous chimpanzees, and co-coordinated the conservation plan for the Masito Ugalla landscape while fostering adaptive management expertise among local stakeholders. One of my most inspirational experiences was collaborating with stakeholders to develop a wildfire prevention campaign that incorporated local values associated with fire, in an effort to reduce the unsustainable incidence of wildfires in two regions of Tanzania. This experience enabled me to capitalize on my twin passions of conservation and communications. During my years as an English major at Willamette University and subsequently as a researcher and ghost writer on environmental themes, I learned that environmental literature can play an important role in shaping public opinion. I come to Cambridge to examine the methods for determining environmental values and their roots in order to develop conservation plans and communications grounded in the environmental values of the constituencies concerned, particularly among coastal communities."

Introducing a new generation of conservation leaders: Sushmita Mandal


"I gained an MA in Social Work from the Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS), Mumbai, in 2002, and have worked on natural resource management and governance in India for 8 years. I was project officer for the Foundation for Ecological Security, and spent 4 years working on community-based natural resource management and governance in the State of Orissa. I also raised funds to reconcile conservation and livelihoods issues in the Satkosia Gorge Wildlife Sanctuary, now an elephant and tiger reserve in the Eastern Ghats. I joined the Conservation & Livelihoods Programme of the Ashoka Trust for Research in Ecology and the Environment, Bangalore in 2006. I was responsible for strengthening interdisciplinary research on human-landscape interactions in the Biligiri Rangaswamy Temple Wildlife Sanctuary in the Western Ghats. I undertook participatory mapping exercises with the Soligas, the resident tribal community, and analyzed available policy spaces to advocate for protected area co-management.

I hope the MPhil in Conservation Leadership will hone my skills to link local realities and contexts to global processes. I hope the course will gain me a nuanced understanding of conservation issues and apply them through practice and policy advocacy in South Asia."

Introducing a new generation of conservation leaders: Vena Kapoor

I worked with Nature Conservation Foundation (NCF) in India since 2003 first as a researcher and then as a manager. Soon after completing a Masters in Ecology from Pondicherry University, I joined NCF’s rainforest restoration programme where I carried out monitoring and restoration of rainforest fragments, planned and executed conservation education programmes and undertook research on using spiders as a bio-indicator group. In 2006, I took on an administrative role in the head office while producing two children’s books on wildlife and conservation. During this time I also worked on a joint UNDP project examining the post tsunami effects on wildlife and on the sustenance of the locally affected people along India’s coastline. For the last 2 years I have been part of the Executive Board of NCF as Programme Manager heading the management and financial team. Conservation organizations today require people who are not only trained in the conservation sciences but also have a good understanding and awareness of economic drivers, social sciences and management aspects. I therefore decided to undertake this course for which I was awarded a scholarship by the Ravi Sankaran Inlaks Fellowship Programme. I hope that this M.Phil will augment my knowledge and enhance my capability to lead conservation organisations in India successfully. A list of some of my publications can be found here.

Introducing a new generation of conservation leaders: Joy Juma


"I gained a BSc in Environmental Studies, with a focus on community development, at Kenyatta University in Kenya in 2004. Before coming to Cambridge, I worked for Fauna and Flora International for over 5 years in their East African office. I was involved in managing several conservation projects within East Africa, and my role was to ensure that livelihood issues were considered in all projects. I was also keen to ensure that communities were involved in managing their own resources. This approach was shown to be very effective through successful interventions in a bat conservation project in Tanzania. Here, an endemic fruit bat that was previously assessed as critically endangered was down-listed to vulnerable because of a significant increase in population numbers as a result of effective community conservation efforts. Another innovative project in which I was involved was a marine project on the Kenyan coast, where we helped communities to set up community conserved areas covering both the marine and terrestrial areas, that we also hope will prove to be an effective conservation intervention. I have also acquired some additional training in environmental journalism, communication and in sustainable livelihood approaches."

Introducing a new generation of conservation leaders: Julie Griffin


"I earned my bachelor’s degree in Environmental Science and Policy at Duke University in the US. I have worked for the past 4.5 years at IUCN’s headquarters in the Species Programme. I focussed on communications, project coordination and was most recently Network Support Officer for the Species Survival Commission (SSC), helping with the work of the SSC’s Specialist Groups. My work has involved IUCN Red List workshops, CBD policy work, communications, fundraising, and facilitating international meetings. I have been closely involved in the work of SSC’s Marine Committee and much of my work has focussed on IUCN’s policy input to the CBD Global Strategy for Plant Conservation.

I am especially interested in learning more about priority setting and how local dialogue and participation contributes to long-term conservation outcomes. Through the MPhil in Conservation Leadership, I aim to broaden my career focus from supporting policy-focused species work to leading other facets of conservation, particularly in the field.

Beyond work and studies, I try to get outside as much as possible, to hike, rock climb, back-country ski, and scuba dive. It may come as no surprise that I am most passionate about conservation issues facing mountain and coastal areas and communities."

Introducing a new generation of conservation leaders: Shantanu Goel


"I see myself leading a nature conservation organisation, working towards sustainable development of villages in protected areas of India. While my undergraduate degree at the University of Pune was in economics, my graduate degree, also at the University of Pune, was in ecology and biodiversity. Professional and volunteer work has further enhanced my skills. Initially, I was involved in wildlife and human impact research for the Indian Government. I then worked as a volunteer with local chapters of not-for-profit organisations such as WWF-India and Centre for Environment Education, and was involved in environmental education and promoting wildlife conservation.

I have also carried out wasteland development through watershed management and organic farming. I believe that conservation of natural resources, when directly linked to much-needed economic progress for marginalised communities, can promote long-term sustainable development. I aim to work on issues, cost-benefit analysis and outcomes related to participatory or joint forest management systems and the role they have played in conserving biodiversity. Documenting the outcomes of relocation/displacement of villages from the protected areas of India also interests me, as it could provide some understanding of the effects they have on conservation of species such as tigers."

Introducing a new generation of conservation leaders: Franciso Oliveira Filho


"I am a biologist with a Masters Degree in Landscape Ecology from the University of Sao Paulo-Brazil, in which I explored the relationships between Amazon forest fragmentation and biodiversity conservation from a landscape perspective. I subsequently joined the development of the Surveillance System for the Brazilian Amazon Region-Sivam Project. In 2002, I started work with the Brazilian Environment Agency, and in 6 years became Vice-Director of Environment Protection. In this time, I participated in the development and implementation of the strategic plan Brazilian Government Plan for Deforestation Reduction and Control in the Amazon, which was crucial for the expressive reduction of deforestation in the past six years.

My next challenge was as head of the Protected Areas Program at WWF-Brazil, where I participated in the Brazilian Government Amazon Protected Areas Program (ARPA). This multi-institutional programme of the World Bank, KFW- Germany Bank, GTZ-German Cooperation, WWF, Brazilian Federal Government, Amazon States Government and civil society, had as its main goal, protection of biodiversity in the Amazon Biome by consolidating a representative portion of protected areas. My main interests in biodiversity conservation include systematic conservation planning, and tropical forest monitoring, particularly in the Amazon."

Introducing a new generation of conservation leaders: Thomas Christensen

"I am part Danish and part Brazilian, yet went to university in the UK, gaining a BSc in Zoology at the University of Reading and an MSc in Ecology, Evolution and Conservation at Imperial College London in late 2007. Growing tired of rejections for both PhD’s and conservation jobs, I attended the Endangered Species Recovery course offered by the Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust in 2009, which focused my mind on managing species recovery as my future professional goal. The course also deepened my awareness of international conservation policy and the issues arising from multilateral negotiations and implementation of these same. This, together with the UNFCCC meeting in Denmark, influenced me to learn more about the legal framework of international conservation practise. Soon after, I took a distance-learning diploma with the UN Institute of Training and Research on International Environmental Law.

Academically, I specialised on spiders for the theses of both my degrees. However, I consider myself a general zoologist, and working on other taxa is always enticing and have done so whenever possible. Tackling species recovery projects or conservation policy internationally greatly appeal to me as it builds on my previous experience and personal background."

Introducing a new generation of conservation leaders: Isadora Angarita Martinez

"I am a Colombian biologist who has worked for more than 10 years in ecology and conservation, mainly but not only with a focus on birds. Since, completing my studies at Universidad del Valle, I have carried out various voluntary and paid activities in this field. I have gained experience in the planning and implementation of research and conservation projects, the coordination of multidisciplinary teams as well as in the administration of funds. I have also had the opportunity to combine research with awareness and capacity building of the inhabitants of my study areas.

In 2005, I completed a Diploma in Endangered Species Management at the Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust, UK. Subsequently, I returned to Colombia to apply what I had learned during the diploma course to my then current job. In 2007, I moved to Cambodia, as project manager of a rescue, conservation, education and breeding centre for endangered species. This position gave me another taste of conservation and research work on endangered species. I had the opportunity to carry out and coordinate in situ conservation activities of endangered species. Currently, I am a consultant for various non-governmental environmental organisations."

Introducing a new generation of conservation leaders: Ali Aghili

"I was born in Tehran and have been active in biodiversity conservation in Iran since 1996. As an undergraduate at the Tehran Azad University, I studied for a BSc in Natural Resources, Ecology and Environment. I later joined the Wildlife Conservation Research Unit (WildCRU) at the University of Oxford in 2008, in the first cohort to follow the new Postgraduate Diploma in Wildlife Conservation.

Highlights of my conservation career include: collaboration with the UNDP/GEF/WCS Conservation of Asiatic Cheetah project; coordination of IUCN/CEESP projects in Iran on Asiatic cheetah, empowerment of local communities, pastoral nomads, and community-based conservation of wetlands; coordination of WWF/CI Caucasus hotspot project in Iran; Founder and Director of the Persian Leopard Conservation Society, a charitable Tehran-based NGO; Deputy project manager of the UNDP/GEF Conservation of Iranian Wetlands project; consultant and advisor to UNDP and Department of Environment of Iran; and project manager to the UNDP/GEF/SGP Conservation of endangered Persian leopard in Golestan National Park, Iran. My practical interests include: managing multi-dimensional and multi-stake holder conservation projects and protected area management. My research interests lie in community ecology, spatial ecology, applied ecology and conservation of threatened and endangered species, human-wildlife conflict and community-based conservation."

Wednesday 13 October 2010

Introducing a new generation of conservation leaders: Bruno Monteferri


Bruno Monteferri (27) has specialized in environmental law, with emphasis in conservation policy and strategies. He has been working with the Conservation Program of the Peruvian Society for Environmental Law - SPDA since 2005. He has worked as a legal advisor of the Peruvian national, regional and local authorities responsible of managing protected areas and has been active in the elaboration of regulations that provide incentives for conservation initiatives. He is part of the Private and Community-based Conservation Initiative team which has supported the Peruvian government to create a regime to recognize private and communal conservation efforts. As a result, the government has been able to grant more than 800 thousand hectares for conservation and ecotourism purposes.

He has also been active in the categorization processes of natural protected areas such as San Fernando Reserved Zones and has provided direct support to Pacaya Samiria National Reserve directors, being active in the design and implementation of strategies againts illegal logging and providing advice to local settlers in order to allow them to commercialize natural resources based on management plans. On 2007 he moved to Iquitos to open the first decentralized office of SPDA and during his stay provided support for the creation of the first regional conservation program in Peru (PROCREL) which has been replicated by several Regional Governments in Peru.

Despite his background in law, Bruno has a special interest in communications, media and art as a way of promote further engagement of the civil society in conservation issues. He has developed several projects such as Regiones Sostenibles, a free newspaper distributed widely in the Peruvian Amazon regions, web platforms, documentaries and multimedia specials that are disseminated through Actualidad Ambiental.

He is chair of the Young Professionals Group of IUCN Comission of Environmental Law and has recently been part of the Advancing Conservation in a Social Context research initiative. He has received a scholarship from WWF´s Russell E. Train and a grant from MAVA Foundation to undertake the MPhil in Conservation Leadership at the University of Cambridge.

His publications can be downloaded from the following sites:

- Conservación Privada y Comunitaria en los Países Amazónicos (Ed.) This book presents a comparative analysis of the state of private conservation initiatives in Amazonian countries which is in english.
- Áreas de Conservación Regionales y Municipales: Propuestas para su Consolidación
- Oportunidades para el Turismo en la Reserva Nacional Pacaya Samiria
- Comités de Gestión: Construyendo Gobernanza para las ANP del Perú (Ed.)
- Guía para comercializar taricayas provenientes de la Reserva Nacional Pacaya Samiria
- Conservación, industrias extractivas y pueblos indígenas. El proceso de categorización de la Zona Reservada Sierra del Divisor
- Regiones Sostenibles. Desarrollando la Amazonía con responsabilidad ambiental

Articles:
- Mar de dudas: perspectivas para la conservación de los ecosistemas marinos
- Abriendo la caja de pandora? A propósito de los Decretos Legislativos 1064, sobre Tierra Agraria; el 1085 que crea el OSINFOR y el 1090 que dicta una nueva Ley Forestal y de Fauna Silvestre
- Implicancias legales del establecimiento de áreas naturales protegidas sobre predios de propiedad privada
- Herramientas legales para la conservación privada en el Perú
- Trade-offs between conservation and extractive industries. In Trade-offs in Conservation. Deciding what to save. Leader-Williams, Adams and Smith (Editors). http://www.amazon.co.uk/Trade-Offs-Conservation-Deciding-Science-Practice/dp/1405193832