Andrew Plumptre

Andrew Plumptre is based at the Cambridge Conservation Initiative in the Zoology Department. He aims to link field programmes to researchers in Cambridge University and elsewhere. Plumptre is a tropical conservation scientist who has been working for the past 25 years in the Albertine Rift Region of Africa, one of the most biodiverse parts of the continent. His work has focused on many different issues related to the conservation of the Albertine Rift Region of Africa including developing new methods for surveying primates in forests, improving ranger patrolling in protected areas, conservation planning for the Albertine Rift, building national capacity to undertake monitoring and research, supporting transboundary conservation, and establishing new protected areas.

Plumptre also heads the Key Biodiversity Areas (KBA) programme which is attempting to identify, map, delineate and secure sites that are globally important for the persistence of biodiversity around the world. This includes supporting the development of the world database of key biodiversity areas, developing training and communications materials, engaging governments, donors and the business community to encourage them to conserve KBAs, supporting KBA National Coordination Groups to identify and delineate KBAs, and promoting the monitoring and conservation of KBAs.