Niwaeli Kimambo

Research: I research environmental conservation of humid forests in East Africa. I am interested in balancing livelihood concerns with wildlife wellbeing, particularly primates. I use a wide array of methods; combining field ecology with interviews and remote sensing with statistical analysis in order to make site-specific recommendations. My goal is to highlight conservation options that are both ecologically viable and socially equitable.

Projects:

For my Master’s project, I looked at approaches for increasing habitat connectivity in montane forests in Southern Tanzania. I compared tree cover trajectories for land that is under a protected status to land that is under individual landholding. Tree cover is important for improving habitat connectivity for arboreal primates. I showed how natural tree re-growth is suppressed while smallholder land is rapidly transforming to woodlots. I investigated the ecological factors suppressing regeneration and the social factors leading to tree planting, and recommended incorporation f smallholders’ land use in connectivity planning. Here is a quick 1-page summary of the work and another more detailed, 3-page summary the project.

I have broadened my scale of study for my PhD work to encompass other mid- and high elevation forests in the East African rift. I am now looking at expansion of tree planting around protected forests, its implications for wildlife, and evaluating the role of urbanization in driving this specific rural land use change.

I am currently also affiliated with the SILVIS lab

You can find more information about my teaching on the Geography graduate students webpage