World Wildlife Fund

Conservation Science

Jessica Forrest

GIS Network Coordinator

Areas of Expertise: Conservation GIS, Remote Sensing, Conservation Planning, Landscape Ecology, Habitat Modeling, GIS Training

Jessica Forrest
© WWF

Jessica Forrest is responsible for developing the capacity of staff throughout WWF's global network of conservation programs to use Geographic Information Systems, or GIS, in their daily conservation activities. She developed expertise in applying GIS and remote sensing to problems in conservation biology while in graduate school, where she used these tools to study land cover change in the Madidi landscape of Bolivia. She further developed her skills while working as a GIS and remote sensing specialist at the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS), where she assisted field and regional programs in their conservation planning and monitoring activities. Specific projects included using satellite imagery to map patterns of fire and water in Tanzania, helping to zone a national park for management purposes, modeling the impacts of river plumes on the marine environment, and conducting a GIS and remote sensing capacity assessment for protected areas management in Rwanda. While at WCS, she also worked extensively with WWF, Smithsonian and Save the Tiger Fund to map the remaining tiger habitat in Asia and to prioritize areas for conservation investment. Before graduate school, Jessica worked at the United Nations Environment Programme, where she developed electronic communications on alternatives to ozone depleting substances for a global network of stakeholders. Jessica holds a Masters degree in Conservation Biology from Columbia University and a Bachelors degree in Biology and Environmental Science & Policy from Duke University.

Email: jessica.forrest@wwfus.org

 

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