Duan Biggs

Professor Duan Biggs

About

Dr. Duan Biggs is the Associate Professor and Olajos-Goslow Chair of Environmental Science and Policy in the School of Earth and Sustainability at Northern Arizona University, where he joined the faculty in August 2021. He is the founder and leader of Resilient Conservation, an organization focused on developing innovative approaches to conservation challenges in the Anthropocene.

Research Interests

Conservation Science and Policy

  • Conservation science applications in the Anthropocene
  • Evidence-based conservation policy development
  • Global governance for biodiversity conservation
  • Conservation conflict resolution and management
  • Environmental science-policy interface and translation

Human-Wildlife Coexistence

  • Development of global standards for human-wildlife coexistence
  • Community-based approaches to wildlife management
  • Conflict mitigation strategies and implementation
  • Human dimensions of wildlife conservation
  • Social-ecological system resilience

Illegal Wildlife Trade

  • Community-based responses to illegal wildlife trade (IWT)
  • Theory of change development for IWT interventions
  • Policy frameworks for combating wildlife trafficking
  • Rural community engagement in wildlife protection
  • Supply chain management for biodiversity outcomes

Nature-based Tourism and Resilience

  • Tourism resilience to global change and crises
  • Community-based tourism for conservation and development
  • Marine and reef tourism systems
  • Disaster impacts on tourism enterprises
  • COVID-19 pandemic effects on nature-based tourism

Education

  • Ph.D. Marine Biology/Coral Reef Studies, James Cook University, Australia (2011)
    • Dissertation: “The resilience of coral reef tourism to global change and crises”
    • Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies
  • M.Sc. Conservation Biology, University of Cape Town, South Africa
    • Research: “Developing community-based birdwatching tourism for conservation and development”
    • Partnership with BirdLife South Africa

Professional Experience

Academic Positions

  • Associate Professor and Olajos-Goslow Chair, Northern Arizona University (August 2021-present)
  • Senior Research Fellow, University of Queensland, Australia
  • Research Fellow, Stellenbosch University, South Africa
  • Postdoctoral Fellow, Australian Research Council Early Career Fellowship (2016)

Leadership Roles

  • Founder and Leader, Resilient Conservation
  • Co-Founder, Various conservation research initiatives
  • Policy Advisor, International conservation organizations

Adjunct Appointments

  • Adjunct Fellow, Griffith University Centre for Planetary Health and Food Security
  • Research Associate, Stellenbosch University Centre for Sustainability Transitions

Research Impact

Dr. Biggs has made significant contributions to conservation science with over 8,000 citations of his research. His work has influenced international conservation policy and practice, with direct applications in wildlife management, tourism resilience, and community-based conservation approaches.

Resilient Conservation Leadership

As founder and leader of Resilient Conservation, Dr. Biggs has developed:

  • Innovative conservation approaches for the Anthropocene era
  • Multi-stakeholder partnerships between researchers, NGOs, governments, and private sector
  • Science-policy translation mechanisms for conservation impact
  • Community engagement frameworks for conservation outcomes

Major Research Contributions

Illegal Wildlife Trade Research

Community-Based Response Framework

  • Theory of change development for community-level IWT interventions
  • Four pathway model for community actions against wildlife trafficking
  • Policy guidance for donors and practitioners
  • Evidence-based recommendations for rural community engagement

Global Policy Contributions

  • Over $350 million in donor and government funding influenced
  • Policy framework development for international wildlife trade governance
  • “Global governance for pandemic prevention and the wildlife trade” (2023) in The Lancet Planetary Health
  • Multi-stakeholder collaboration models for wildlife protection

Tourism Resilience Research

Coral Reef Tourism Studies

  • Resilience assessment of formal and informal tourism enterprises
  • Case studies in Phuket, Thailand and Great Barrier Reef, Australia
  • Crisis response mechanisms for nature-based tourism
  • COVID-19 impact analysis on protected area communities

Community-Based Tourism Development

  • Birdwatching tourism development in South Africa
  • Conservation-tourism linkages for community development
  • Partnership models with conservation organizations
  • Economic impact assessment of nature-based tourism

Human-Wildlife Coexistence Research

Global Standards Development

  • Leading global standard development for human-wildlife coexistence
  • Best practice frameworks for conflict mitigation
  • Community engagement protocols for wildlife management
  • Policy recommendations for coexistence planning

Conservation Science Innovation

Overcoming Systemic Barriers

  • “Overcoming racism in the twin spheres of conservation science and practice” (2021) in Proceedings of the Royal Society B
  • Diversity and inclusion initiatives in conservation
  • Equitable conservation approach development
  • Social justice integration in conservation practice

International Collaboration and Policy Impact

Policy Advisory Roles

  • World Wildlife Fund (WWF) - Wildlife trade policy advisor
  • Luc Hoffmann Institute - Conservation strategy contributor
  • International Institute for Environment and Development - Policy research collaborator
  • IUCN Sustainable Use and Livelihoods Specialist Group - Active member
  • IUCN World Commission for Protected Areas - Contributing expert

Global Conservation Initiatives

  • Africa’s Illegal Wildlife Trade crisis - Active policy engagement
  • International conservation policy discussions and development
  • Multi-national conservation programs - Design and implementation
  • Global biodiversity frameworks - Scientific input and policy translation

Teaching Excellence at NAU

Course Development

  • ENV 555 - The Environmental Science-Policy Interface - Graduate course on science-policy translation
  • EES 685 - Graduate Research - Advanced research methods and practice
  • Interdisciplinary environmental science - Cross-cutting approaches
  • Applied conservation practice - Real-world application focus

Student Impact

  • Graduate student mentorship in applied conservation research
  • International research opportunities for students
  • Policy engagement training for emerging conservation professionals
  • Professional network development through Resilient Conservation

Awards and Recognition

  • Olajos-Goslow Chair - Prestigious endowed professorship at NAU
  • Australian Research Council Early Career Fellowship (2016)
  • High Citation Impact - Over 8,000 research citations
  • International Policy Recognition - Invited expert for global conservation initiatives
  • Media Recognition - Scientific American and Alaska Beacon contributor

Professional Service

Editorial and Review Activities

  • Reviewer for major conservation and environmental science journals
  • Editorial board service for conservation policy publications
  • Grant review panels for international funding agencies
  • Policy document review for conservation organizations

Professional Organizations

  • Society for Conservation Biology - Active member and contributor
  • International Association for the Study of the Commons - Research participation
  • Association of Tropical Biology and Conservation - Regional expertise
  • Southern African Association for the Advancement of Science - Regional collaboration

Current Research Projects

Global Wildlife Trade Governance

  • Pandemic prevention and wildlife trade regulation
  • Supply chain transparency for biodiversity outcomes
  • Community-based monitoring systems
  • Policy effectiveness assessment frameworks

Human-Wildlife Coexistence Standards

  • Global standard finalization and implementation
  • Pilot project development across multiple countries
  • Monitoring and evaluation frameworks
  • Stakeholder engagement protocols

Tourism Resilience and Recovery

  • Post-COVID tourism recovery strategies for conservation
  • Climate change adaptation for nature-based tourism
  • Community resilience building in tourism-dependent areas
  • Sustainable tourism model development

Research Philosophy

Dr. Biggs’ approach emphasizes applied research with real-world policy and on-ground impact. His work integrates scientific rigor with stakeholder engagement, focusing on developing practical solutions to complex conservation challenges while addressing social justice and equity considerations.

Personal Background and Motivation

Born in Namibia and raised in South Africa’s Kruger National Park region, Dr. Biggs brings personal experience with human-wildlife interactions and African conservation challenges to his research. His background as an enthusiastic naturalist and birdwatcher (Associate of Birding Ecotours) informs his understanding of nature-based tourism and community conservation.

Future Directions

Dr. Biggs continues to advance:

  • Next-generation conservation approaches for the Anthropocene
  • Innovative policy mechanisms for global conservation challenges
  • Community-centered conservation models and applications
  • Science-policy integration for biodiversity outcomes
  • Equitable and inclusive conservation practice development

Global Impact and Legacy

Dr. Biggs’ work has fundamentally influenced how conservation science addresses complex, multi-stakeholder challenges in the 21st century. Through Resilient Conservation and his academic research, he has demonstrated the importance of integrating community voices, policy considerations, and scientific evidence to develop effective conservation solutions that work for both people and wildlife.

Conservation Science Wildlife Conservation Environmental Policy Human-Wildlife Coexistence Illegal Wildlife Trade Nature-Based Tourism Community-Based Conservation Resilience