Andrew Plumptre (Key Biodiversity Areas)

Date: 

Monday, December 6, 2021, 11:00am to 12:00pm

Location: 

Zoom conference - Register at https://forms.gle/UFenSy4JarrhTJEr6

Title: How can AI improve the impact of biodiversity conservation

Abstract: Conservation practitioners have to deal with a multitude of different disciplines. These include subjects such as conservation planning which help identify where conservation should be prioritised, to how to most efficiently tackle illegal activities threatening a site, and social aspects such as how to engage local communities in the conservation of a site or to tackle the demand for products. Conservation scientists have to deal with many data inputs which makes it difficult to test approaches and whether they have an impact, yet these types of complex situations have the potential to be addressed using AI. This talk will explore some of the ways has been useful and explore ideas for future research where AI has potential to help tackle the biodiversity crisis.

 

Bio: Andrew Plumptre, PhD, is head of the Key Biodiversity Areas (KBA) Secretariat, based at BirdLife International in the David Attenborough Building at Cambridge, UK.  The KBA Secretariat supports the implementation of the KBA Programme of the 13 KBA Partners which is focused on identifying, mapping, monitoring and conserving sites of importance for the global persistence of biodiversity.  In this role he works with governments, scientists and conservation practitioners to train and support KBA national Coordination Groups to identify their KBAs. With more than 30 years in international conservation he has worked extensively in East and Central Africa where he supported the establishment of new protected areas through biological and socioeconomic surveys and engagement of members of local communities. He supported protected area authorities to better manage and conserve their protected areas in this region and developed tools to monitor and improve law enforcement practice which are now being applied around the world.