(Great Ape) Conservation
My conservation work is rooted in the belief that science and real-world practice are deeply intertwined: effective, lasting conservation depends on collaboration between researchers and practitioners, guided by rigorous evidence and grounded in reality. I am committed to expanding how we approach great ape conservation—advocating for strategies that move beyond the ordinary and prioritize meaningful, actionable solutions.
As both a scientist and a conservationist, I contribute to conservation through research, policy guidance, coalition-building, and the integration of new perspectives, all while ensuring that inclusivity, practicality, and transparency remain at the core of my approach.
Evidence-based conservation: I believe conservation actions should be informed by robust, context-specific science—but must never lose sight of practicality and real-world constraints.
Reality-based advocacy: Both scientists and practitioners share the responsibility to ensure that their work is relevant, honest, and grounded in real-world needs—avoiding scientific idealism, impractical advocacy, or “greenwashing,” and always striving for transparent solutions that make a tangible difference on the ground.
Inclusive collaboration: Conservation efforts—and the research that supports them—must be genuinely inclusive, respect local expertise, and avoid tokenism, especially when supporting African colleagues.
Innovation amid constraints: Recognizing that the scale of biodiversity loss often surpasses current resources for conservation, I believe we must not only seek new ways to channel more funding into conservation, but also innovate to create more efficient and effective approaches—encouraging collaboration and synergy among all actors to maximize impact at broader scales.
My Conservation Principles
