Beyond the Numbers: What 25 + Years in Conservation Have Taught Me About Impact
From protecting ecosystems and changing behaviors to rethinking how we measure success For more than 25 + years, I have dedicated my professional life to conservation. I spent over two decades working with NGOs, primarily focused on protecting species, conserving ecosystems, and addressing the threats driving biodiversity loss. Over the last four years, my journey has taken me into the private sector, working in nature-based carbon projects, with a particular focus on community strategies. Moving between these two worlds has given me a different perspective on a question that has followed me throughout my career: How do we really know that our conservation efforts are making a difference? I have seen projects celebrate the number of people trained, workshops delivered, hectares covered, or communities engaged. I have also seen the growing emphasis on rigorous measurement and verification in carbon markets, where environmental claims must be supported by evidence. Both exp...