Stacy Jupiter | Wildlife Conservation Society

Have you ever dreamt about a career exploring the coral reefs of the south Pacific, diving in Fiji, Vanuatu, the Solomon Islands and all the lost corners of Papua New Guinea? Perhaps you’d love to spend time with the local communities whose lives depend on the health of their forests and fisheries, working in partnership with them in the longer term to find win-wins for people and wildlife. Well that’s the day job for today’s guest, Dr Stacy Jupiter, Melanesia Director of the Wildlife Conservation Society. Stacy’s work to bridge the gaps between science and conservation, forests and reefs, and wildlife and communities recently won her the prestigious MacArthur Fellowship in Conservation. She’s a hugely impressive lady working at the cutting edge of conservation in some of the most inspiring locations on the planet. Today we chat about her career highlights so far from the mud slides in Gabon to coral reefs in the Pacific and beyond and discuss the theory and practice of successful community-based conservation programmes. It’s a wide-ranging, fascinating and exciting discussion so jump in your hammock, grab a coconut and enjoy.