Conservation Firsthand
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WWF Experts
Taylor Ricketts
Director Conservation Science Program
Education
- PhD - Biological Sciences, Stanford University
- BA - Earth Sciences and Environmental Studies, Dartmouth College
Areas of Expertise
- Ecology
- Ecosystem Services
- Biogeography
- Insects
- Latin America
- Pollination
"Ecosystems like forests support our lives in 50 different ways...when we don't place any value on them it makes it too easy to cut them down."
About Taylor Ricketts:
Taylor is the Director of WWF's Conservation Science Program. Taylor leads a broad range of scientific activities at WWF, from conducting research on the scientific foundations of conservation to providing technical assistance to conservation programs on the ground.
Taylor's research currently focuses on economic benefits of conservation to people: the "ecosystem services" provided by forests, wetlands, and other natural areas. He served as a Convening Lead Author of the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment, a 5-year, UN-sponsored effort to assess the world's ecosystems and their contribution to human well-being. Taylor is also co-founder of the Natural Capital Project, a partnership among WWF, The Nature Conservancy, and Stanford University map ecosystem services, estimate their value, and use this information to inform and finance conservation investments.
In addition to his work on ecosystem services, Taylor and the science staff collaborate widely to analyze large-scale datasets for insights into (i) why biodiversity is distributed the way it is, (ii) how these patterns relate to those of human threats, and (iii) how this information can improve WWF's conservation work. Taylor started WWF's Kathryn Fuller Science for Nature Fund, which links the worlds of scientific research and practical conservation through post-doctoral fellowships, annual symposia, regular seminars, visiting scholarships, and small grants. He is the author of over 40 scientific publications and has received numerous awards for his work from the Society for Conservation Biology, the National Science Foundation, the Summit Foundation, and others. Taylor received his B.A. in Earth Sciences and Environmental Studies at Dartmouth College and his Ph.D. in Biological Sciences at Stanford University.
The value of an ecosystem may seem impossible to quantify. But Taylor is striving to determine exactly that. He puts his doctorate in ecology and conservation biology - along with 15 years of conservation experience - to work measuring the value of biodiversity in monetary terms. Taylor believes effective conservation depends on quantifying the benefits that humans receive from nature: "ecosystem services," as he calls them, provided by forests, wetlands and other natural resources.
Taylor's academic credentials, intellectual energy and authorship of over 40 books and publications could lead one to expect a grizzled scientist in tweed or a dented pith helmet. Instead, Taylor is an affable, fun-loving fellow who keeps a drum set in his office and indulges his passion for ultimate Frisbee every chance he gets.
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