Engineer in International Agro-Development, currently working on sustainable wildlife and hunting management. Multi-disciplinary work experiences within indigenous communities in Latin America (mainly Bolivia and Colombia) and Africa (Gabon, Democratic Republic of Congo, Republic of Congo and Senegal) mainly involving field work in remote areas. Interested and skilled in project management, community engagement and development, ecological monitoring, innovating monitoring tools for both for socio-economic and biodiversity data collection and GIS.

I'm Suyash from Toronto, Ontario. I am an ardent hiker and my liking for hiking introduced me to our nature and wildlife many years ago. Standing the test of time, my love for them never ceased but multiplied many folds. I am a career switcher at the moment coming with loads of experience from Banking industry, hoping to leverage my transferrable skills to wildlife conservation. As they say "Experience is the best teacher" - I am here to learn from like-minded experienced professionals and educate myself on wildlife conservation. Currently I'm volunteering at the Toronto Wildlife Centre where we help rescue wildlife, provide medical treatment and rehabilitate them back into their natural environment. I have also volunteered for Parks Canada in the past contributing to their environmental monitoring project.

I am a Professor of Environmental Science at the University of Alberta’s Augustana Campus in Camrose, Alberta. My research examines human interactions with nature, with a focus on interpretation, parks, birds, ecotourism, and rural sustainability. I have several active projects. First, Liz Halpenny and I are examining the short- and long-term outcomes of park interpretation on visitors in Alberta’s provincial parks. Second, Liz, others, and I are studying knowledge mobilization in protected area management and planning in Canada. Third, colleagues and I are investigating the environmental history of the renowned Camrose-based naturalist Frank Farley from the early 1900s. Last, students and I are helping to conserve the Purple Martin (North America’s large swallow species) by exploring migration dynamics, dispersal patterns, nest box selection, and benefits from stewardship efforts. I is a member of the World Commission on Protected Areas (and the Tourism and Protected Areas Working Group) and a fellow with LEAD International (Leadership for Environment and Development). I am a co-editor of Tourism and Visitor Management in Protected Areas: Guidelines for Sustainability (2018; translated into 5 languages) and Taking the Next Steps: Sustainability Planning and Collaboration in Rural Canada (2016).  

I am a conservation biologist that has been involved in conservation projects for at-risk reptiles and amphibians in Canada for almost a decade. I have an MSc in Biology from Laurention University, Ontario, Canada. I'm currently prioritizing and developing conservation projects for Canada's rarest reptiles and amphibians. I volunteer for citizen science projects, like iNaturalist and eBird. I enjoy herping (searching for wild reptiles and amphibians), swing dancing, and stitching in my spare time.