Livelihoods and Conservation Coordinator
Department: North America Program
University System: Wildlife Conservation Society - Bozeman
Website(s): https://northamerica.wcs.org/About-Us/Staff/ProjectID/65.aspx
Professional Summary:
As the Livelihoods and Conservation Coordinator for WCS’s North America Program, Heidi works to bring a social science perspective to the existing biological science projects to achieve greater conservation impact. She has used this approach to understand and resolve complex conservation questions pertaining to human-wildlife conflicts, the impacts of low-density rural development on wildlife, best practices for engaging local people in key WCS projects across North America including many of the Western programs, effective communication strategies to reduce demand for and purchase of wildlife trade items by the U.S. military, and how collaborative approaches achieve conservation outcomes across diverse constituents. Heidi also serves as an Adjunct Assistant Professor at Cornell University’s Department of Natural Resources. Heidi completed her Ph.D. in Natural Resources Management at Cornell University focusing on the social aspects of human-wildlife interactions. She received an M.S. in Environmental Studies from the Yale School of Forestry and B.S. in Resource Economics from Cornell University. She is based at the WCS Adirondack Field Program Office in Saranac Lake, NY but frequently visits and works from the Bozeman office.