
Joe England is a British ornithologist who has worked with Opwall in Fiji since 2017 when he helped set up the first research sites on the Natewa Peninsula. Joe is deeply passionate about birds, biodiversity, and the natural world, which shines through in his work and his words. He is eager to return to Fiji after the global lockdown to continue his research on the behaviour of the rare, microendemic Natewa Silktail, a tiny bird that lives only on this peninsula. Through his work with Opwall and other research organizations, Joe has led and participated in biodiversity surveys all over the world, including in Peru, Australia, Borneo, and now Romania. In this episode we discuss the origins of Joe's respect and love for nature (birds in particular), what makes Fiji such a special and sometimes challenging place to work, and how to live a life committed to protecting biodiversity every day.
Sep 1, 2021
51 min

In this episode we cover:
#1. The Biological value of the Natewa Peninsula
Authors: Operation Wallacea
Journal: Operation Wallacea Report
Year: 2019
Full Paper: https://cdn.yello.link/opwall/files/2020/01/The-Biological-value-of-the-Natewa-Peninsula-V2.pdf
#2. Nesting behaviour of Natewa Silktail, Lamprolia klinesmithi
Authors: Joe England
Journal: Bulletin of the British Ornithological Club
Year: 2019
Full Paper: https://bioone.org/journals/bulletin-of-the-british-ornithologists-club/volume-139/issue-3/bboc.v139i3.2019.a9/Nesting-behaviour-of-Natewa-Silktail-Lamprolia-klinesmithi/10.25226/bboc.v139i3.2019.a9.full
Sep 1, 2021
3 min

Sara Carlson runs Ocean Ventures, a dive and research centre on Natewa Bay in Fiji that works alongside Opwall for the marine research portion of our expeditions. Before moving to Fiji, Sara worked with Opwall for several years running the US office and projects in Mexico, Indonesia, Honduras, and Greece. She became passionate about the ocean at a young age and has been diving avidly since 2009. Sara moved to Fiji nearly 5 years ago and has been living on the Natewa Peninsula ever since. Sara and her partner Matthew are passionate about supporting marine conservation by working alongside local communities on the island and have been teaching courses, training divers, and surveying local coastlines throughout the past year. In this episode, we discuss life on a South Pacific island, what makes Fiji's marine life so special, and the future of conservation on these remote islands.
Sep 1, 2021
43 min

Cristi Gherghiceanu is the executive president of Fundatia ADEPT, a Romanian non-profit dedicated to protecting Transylvanian biodiversity and traditional agriculture through innovation and education. ADEPT partnered with Opwall to set up our projects in Transylvania, and have deepened the relationship by working with Friends of Wallacea to set up the Angofa Wildlife Centre in a house they restored to fund conservation in Romania year-round. Cristi himself studied IT, economics, and accounting before becoming passionate about rural development. Growing up in Transylvania, he came to understand the local heritage that makes this region so special and ecologically important, and was moved to use his skills to oversee the daily operates of Fundatia ADEPT to provide value to those conserving traditional lifestyles in Transylvania. In this episode, we discuss why ADEPT was created to protect Transylvania, how to conserve natural and cultural heritage, and what the world can learn from this very special place.
May 20, 2021
38 min

In this episode we cover:
#1. Conservation contracts for supplying Farm Animal Genetic Resources (FAnGR) conservation services in Romania
Authors: Warwick Wainwright, Klaus Glenk, Faical Akaichi, Dominic Moranc
Journal: Livestock Science
Year: 2019
Full Paper: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1871141319304238
#2. Empowering Youths: An Alternative Learning Pathway for a Sustainable Future
Authors: Sheryl Green, Stephanie Mamo Portelli
Journal: Handbook of Lifelong Learning for Sustainable Development
Year: 2017
Full Paper: https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-319-63534-7_6
May 20, 2021
2 min

Originally from Sighisoara, Madalina Marian is a proud advocate of Transylvanian heritage, nature, and culture. She grew up foraging in the hilltop forests, keeping an eye out for bears and chasing butterflies in Transylvania's wildflower meadows, which inspired her passion for biology. She went on to study biology in university and during that time she also worked three summers with Opwall teams as a guide, translator, and survey leader, becoming familiar with the unique ecology of her local area. Upon graduating, Madalina knew she wanted to show visitors the wildlife Transylvania had to offer and founded Angofa Wildlife Tours in partnership with Friends of Wallacea, Opwall's tourism arm. Based at the beautifully restored Angofa Wildlife Centre, Madalina leads tours to view bears, birds, and other wildlife, as well as hosting dinners and lectures that support conservation efforts in Transylvania. In this episode, we discuss what makes Transylvania so special, and why she thinks people should come visit and learn from Romanian conservation to protect wildlife in harmony with human livelihoods.
May 20, 2021
28 min

Toby Farman is Opwall's Systems Manager and the Country Manager for our Romania expeditions. Toby originally studied biotechnology, but an Opwall trip in 2007 sparked his passion for travel. After graduating, Toby traveled the world for 2 years with nothing more than a backpack. Rather than settle down upon his return, Toby began working for Opwall and went on to manage projects in Mozambique, South Africa, and now Transylvania. In this episode, we discuss what makes Transylvania so special for wildlife, how bears, hay meadows, and traditional agriculture fit together within the mosaic of hills and valleys that define the Transylvanian region, and what the rest of the world can learn from this special place.
May 14, 2021
36 min

Dr. Raquel Thomas is the Director of Resource Management & Training at the Iwokrama International Centre for Rain Forest Conservation and Development. Raquel got her PhD in tropical forest ecology in London, where she studied the role of rodents in seed dispersal in neotropical forests. Raquel has always had a passion for forests and tree composition, which led her to continue research on the diverse plant communities of the Guiana Shield region. In 2005, Raquel started her position as the Director of Resource Management & Training at Iwokrama and has led the organization ever since, ensuring that the forest remains protected while also providing income for local communities. In this episode, we discuss how sustainable forest management works, why conservation is so much more than just science, and how business can partner with indigenous communities to protect biodiversity.
Apr 20, 2021
53 min

In this episode we cover:
#1. Designing protected area networks that translate international conservation commitments into national action
Authors: Jake E. Bicknell, Murray B. Collins, Rob S. A. Pickles, Niall P. McCann, Curtis R. Bernard, Damian J. Fernandes, Mark G.R. Miller, Samantha M. James, Aiesha U. Williams, Matthew J. Struebig, Zoe G. Davies, Robert J. Smith
Journal: Biological Conservation
Year: 2017
Full Paper: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0006320717301386
#2. Taxonomic review of the Dichotomius mamillatus group (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae), with a description of a new species, Dichotomius (Dichotomius) gandinii sp. nov., from western Amazonia
Authors: Michele Rossini, Fernando Z Vaz‐de‐Mello
Journal: Austral Entomology
Year: 2020
Full Paper: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/aen.12443
Apr 20, 2021
3 min

Scott Sveiven is the Director of Opwall's US office and the Country Manager for our Guyana expeditions. Originally from Minnesota, Scott started travelling the world and exploring his passion for wildlife biology from an early age. He went on to become a biologist, studying dual master's degrees in conservation biology and environmental policy, then teaching at a forestry school in New York state until he found his way to Opwall. Over the past decade, Scott has built and shaped Opwall's research efforts in Guyana, a country that still retains 87% of its forest cover. Since Opwall has many camps in Guyana, we will focus on one site in particular. The Iwokrama International Centre for Rainforest Conservation and Development, which works with indigenous communities to protect the forest through several different mechanisms. In this episode, we discuss how Scott became passionate about conservation and forestry, challenges of working in the field at one of our remotest sites, and what we've learned in 10 years of running research in Guyana.
Apr 7, 2021
37 min
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