 Dr. Amy Vedder - One of the world's foremost experts
on wildlife and wilderness conservation, Dr. Amy Vedder is a passionate advocate
for conservation and the importance it plays in our lives. For nearly 25 years,
Dr. Amy Vedder has established and managed conservation programs across Africa
and the world, seeking to link the value of wildlife conservation to values
recognized by people.
Dr. Amy Vedder's ground-breaking work on the ecology of
gorillas and the creation of the Mountain Gorilla Project is the basis of her
newly released book, In the Kingdom of Gorillas: Fragile Species in a
Dangerous Land, which she co-authored with her husband Bill Weber. This work
set the stage for her career which has spanned 25 nations on three continents.
In the Kingdom of Gorillas includes compelling personal accounts of Dr.
Amy Vedder's intimate experiences studying a family of wild mountain gorillas:
coming to know their individual personalities, documenting their survival needs,
and being accepted as a rather unusual member of the family. The book also
portrays the challenge of conservation in Rwanda, a nation confronting poverty,
illiteracy, and overpopulation. Drs. Vedder and Weber's pioneering ecotourism
program, established to benefit both people and gorillas, stood the test of war
and genocide during the 1990s, and provides the basis for a guardedly optimistic
outlook on the future of this highly endangered animal.
In addition to her in-depth work with mountain gorillas, Amy
Vedder has managed wildlife conservation programs in over 100 projects on four
continents while serving as Director and Vice President of the Wildlife
Conservation Society. She has recently initiated a new program entitled "Living
Landscapes", in which large scale conservation efforts are extended beyond the
borders of parks and reserves to meet the needs of wildlife species in contexts
of complex social, economic, and political interests. Taking her from Congo to
Bolivia to Yellowstone, Dr. Amy Vedder's work emphasizes the importance of good
science, clear strategies, and multi-party coordination.
In her speeches, Dr. Amy Vedder tells of her experiences in
conservation, particularly her long-term work with gorillas, while presenting
dramatic images from her work in the field. She speaks of the wonders of
observing wildlife, the challenges of conservation of biological richness in the
midst of human poverty, the difficulties faced by African nations, and the
responsibilities we share as global citizens.
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