Student conservation conference kicks off

Now in its 11th year, the conference is the only annual conservation science conference in the world aimed entirely at students.

Over the next three days the students – from as far afield as Peru and Papua New Guinea to Croatia and Costa Rica – will present their own work and learn new approaches from others that will help them in their future careers in conservation.

Welcoming the students to the University of Cambridge the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Alison Richard said: “Conservation scientists have an important role to play in biodiversity conservation. But they need to work as part of a multi-disciplinary community, and communicate to a broad audience. That is the challenge that you as the next generation need to meet.”

Something that makes the conference special is that Cambridge, and the region, has one of the largest concentrations of conservation organisations and university departments anywhere in the world.

One of those attending the conference is Mbunya Francis Nkemnyi from Cameroon, who is studying for an MSc in human ecology at the Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Belgium.

Before beginning his course in Brussels, Francis worked for Cameroon’s Environment and Rural Development Foundation, whose main focus is gorilla conservation. His poster at the conference describes a new micro-credit initiative being used in Cameroon to encourage local communities to develop businesses based on non-destructive use of forest habitats.

According to Francis: “The conference is a great opportunity to meet interesting people, exchange ideas and tell others about our work in Cameroon.”

This year also sees the launch of two new sister conferences. The Student Conference on Conservation Science – Bangalore will take place in India in June, and in November, the American Museum of Natural History will hold its student conference in collaboration with Yale and others.