Ecosystem health
A large part of my work aims to establish the link between biodiversity and ecosystem health and services using birds as indicators, with the ultimate goal of improving our understanding and monitoring of ecosystem health in a changing world. Through this research, we are integrating biodiversity into core business practices (e.g., through sustainable production schemes), and quantifing the economic and social benefits of biodiversity.
Informing Sustainability Targets and Measuring Outcomes in Multifunctional Landscapes
We are currently working in collaboration with Nespresso's AAA Sustainable Quality Program to understand the impact of sustainable coffee production practices on biodiversity and ecosystem health at the local-, landscape- and regional-levels. Coffee production landscapes cover >27 million acres globally and support livelihoods for >120 million people. These coffee production landscapes also overlap with some of the most biologically-diverse regions on earth and have high conservation potential. However, measuring the impact of sustainable production practices within coffee plantations is challenging and requires a cost-effective tool that can quantify effects on entire ecological communities at multiple spatial scales (i.e., from the level of individual farms to entire landscapes).
We are currently working in collaboration with Nespresso's AAA Sustainable Quality Program to understand the impact of sustainable coffee production practices on biodiversity and ecosystem health at the local-, landscape- and regional-levels. Coffee production landscapes cover >27 million acres globally and support livelihoods for >120 million people. These coffee production landscapes also overlap with some of the most biologically-diverse regions on earth and have high conservation potential. However, measuring the impact of sustainable production practices within coffee plantations is challenging and requires a cost-effective tool that can quantify effects on entire ecological communities at multiple spatial scales (i.e., from the level of individual farms to entire landscapes).
To estimate impacts and measure progress toward sustainability targets for Nespresso's AAA Sustainable Quality Program in Latin America, we are developing a cost-effective, scalable tool known as the Biodiversity Progress Index (BPI). This work is currently focused in Colombia and Costa Rica, but our goal is to expand application of the BPI to other Nespresso clusters in the long-term. The BPI will be ultimately used to guide policy and management actions, improve incentive programs for sustainable coffee production and facilitate stakeholder engagement with local Nespresso farmers and consumers worldwide.
Quantifying the Impacts of Ecosystem Health on Social Wellbeing and Quality of Life
There are a myriad of economic and societal benefits of biodiversity, but quantifying these impacts at relevant spatial scales is challenging. We are using the BPI (discussed above) to relate ecosystem health to social wellbeing and quality of life, as measured by the Social Progress Index. In addition, we are quantifying the economic benefits of ecosystem health by looking at the relationships between avian biodiversity and avitourism in Central America. These projects are just beginning, so stay tuned for more details!
There are a myriad of economic and societal benefits of biodiversity, but quantifying these impacts at relevant spatial scales is challenging. We are using the BPI (discussed above) to relate ecosystem health to social wellbeing and quality of life, as measured by the Social Progress Index. In addition, we are quantifying the economic benefits of ecosystem health by looking at the relationships between avian biodiversity and avitourism in Central America. These projects are just beginning, so stay tuned for more details!