Humanity's Biodiversity Story: HUMAN HISTORIES AND THE SOCIO

Studying wildlife responses to global change relies heavily upon large biodiversity datasets. My recent research shows a concerning trend of growing inequality in where we collect biodiversity information rooted in human legacies of human segregation with important implications for conservation decisions and investments . In the face of ambitious decadal-scale conservation targets, including economic pledges from public and private sectors, access to biodiversity information has subsequently become a commodity.

By developing statistical methods to address uneven data sampling influenced by income inequality, my research provides more accurate species distribution and richness estimates.  I am further assessing whether integrating socio-economic factors into biodiversity models can lead to more equitable conservation prioritization across the broader Bay Area region. These research findings are being incorporated into biodiversity policy at the city, state and federal level through my participation in data working groups for the Reimagining San Francisco Initiative and Thriving California Initiative, and as an author in the chapter of conservation and equity for the National Nature Assessment.