Outreach and Extension Focus

Conservation has been practiced for decades, yet biodiversity continues to be lost at alarming rates. Our record of conservation accomplishment lags, in part because the best science is not always applied to the problems we face. We must close the gap between science and decision-making if we are to effectively address global challenges and get the best return on our conservation investments. As an ecologist and conservation biologist, I advocate for the use of science in planning, policy, and decision-making processes, and I seek ways to engage the various players in productive discourse to promote a shared understanding of issues, problems, and solutions. My approach is to work collaboratively with decision-makers, communities of practitioners, the private sector, and the public with the goals of bringing science into the decision-making process, developing approaches that are sensitive to both social and environmental needs, and achieving mutually beneficial outcomes.