Ecologist as Community-Connecting Conservationist

Ecologist as community-connecting conservationist – innovating, enhancing, and connecting Nature initiatives and communities for greater synergy. Reconnecting people with Nature for better understanding, and ultimately for better health of people & planet.

KHOO Min Sheng @ Vincen 邱明生 @ 邱明琛

Jack-of-All-Trades, Master-of-Some: I’ve spent the last decade exploring ecosystems and discovering wildlife, above & below water, mainly around north-western Borneo.

Experiences, from reefs to ridges

I consider myself a jack-of-all-trades with ecosystems in tropical Asia, well-acquainted with most wildlife of the Sundaland (especially with trees of the Riau Pocket), and marine life of Indo-Pacific region. My extensive field experience was mainly from work with various research institutes (especially in Singapore and North West Borneo), and explorations / expeditions with fellow naturalists and scientists.

While studying Life Sciences at the National University Singapore, I have been actively volunteering with Raffles Museum of Biodiversity Research (RMBR, now Lee Kong Chien Natural History Musuem) and International Coastal Cleanup Singapore. My passion for researching and sharing about Nature continued after graduation with citizen’s groups like the Blue Water Volunteers and the Hantu Bloggers.

My journey and interest with tropical trees were initiated by my first research jobs with Center for Tropical Forest Science (CTFS, now Smithsonian’s Forest Global Earth Observatory (ForestGEO)) – Harvard’s Arnold Arboretum Asia Program (at National Institute of Education – Nanyang Technological University and at Kuala Belalong Field Studies Centre – Universiti Brunei Darussalam).

My foundation in tropical biology was solidified by the CTFS’s International Field Biology Course in Sri Lanka, and further strengthened by the opportunity to teach and organize the Harvard Summer School‘s Biodiversity of Borneo Field Courses in 2007 and 2008.

The last few years of my academic career saw me coordinating various research projects for researchers and students from Imperial College London, University of Cambridge, University of Oxford, etc. and participated in various international symposiums and conferences (especially those with the Association for Tropical Biology and Conservation).

Professional services

Other than developing, innovating, and enhancing nature-based programs (for communities or for corporations / enterprises), I am available for work related to consultation on biodiversity / ecological survey (inc. aerial mapping), environment / conservation education, and planning / execution of expedition / exploration. I am also hoping to connect capital from corporations and philanthropists to create synergy with indigenous communities, and to help coordinate such efforts.

Droning the drone: using UAS to map out the habitat is one of the first steps in conservation, or resource management, but to operate flight in a relentless swarm of stingless bees (or sweat bees), was truly a unique (tropical rainforest) experience.

Maverick under the Sea: I’ve enjoyed documenting biodiversity under water, through Reef Check, LIT, or photography, from Singapore to Sabah – it was indeed my first expedition with a Singapore International Foundation‘s Youth Expedition Project that initiated my connection with the Nature of North Borneo.

Eco-education for Nature

I am also applying my knowledge and skills in eco-education of public and corporate alike. The emphasis is on citizen science so that knowledge about Nature and data for conservation can be gathered more efficiently. By helping to enhance nature-based programs with real science, we can help more people to better understand Nature accurately and develop a deeper connection and love for Mother Nature.

Sharing my love & knowledge of Nature, above & below water. Check out some experiences I’m sharing to help people learn more about Nature in Sabah and connecting more opportunities to communities & conservation programs.

Fishing for Future: combining my interest in angling with education for sustainability, and scientific documentation.

During the attempt to set up a social travel platform for nature adventure, I have realized that local communities or citizens are indispensable in nature conservation. Currently I am helping to enhance nature programs at a handful of indigenous communities, e.g. eco-tourism, agroforestry, and permaculture. We hope that through these programs, their livelihood can benefit from the conservation of their native ecosystems.

I welcome you to join my regular visits to programs I am mentoring at Bongol, Maragang (Mesilau), Maranggoi (Pinolobu), Podos, Penawan Waterfalls EcoPark (Penawan), and Belanum (Bakun-Balui). These initiatives are seeded by crowd-fund raised on Actyvate of MaGIC, and hopefully supported in the future by collaboration with like-minded organizations. I also hope that we can have your support, be it in donation or investment, to realize shared potential.

Contributing more than Science: using innovative photography to enhance and promote natural products from and for indigenous community reserves.

Contributing more than Science: shameless modelling to help promote the community nature programs at Penawan (with Joseph & friends) and Pinolobu (with Risin & friends).

Connector of Nature Connectors

Last but not least, by creating this portal I hope to connect with, and create synergistic partnerships between explorers, naturalists, nature educators, scientists, conservationists, and community-based organizations like environmental NGOs or social enterprises. Simply write in to discuss how might we collaborate.