Erik Meijaard

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Erik Meijaard
Born (1967-05-22) May 22, 1967 (age 56)
Haarlem, Netherlands
NationalityDutch
Alma materWageningen University and Research
University of Amsterdam
Australian National University
Occupation(s)Conservation Scientist and Practitioner
Years active1992-present
Scientific career
FieldsConservation biology, taxonomy, tropical ecology, forest management, genetics, biodiversity
InstitutionsUniversity of Queensland
Durrell Institute of Conservation and Ecology
University of Amsterdam
Websitehttps://www.borneofutures.org/

Erik Meijaard (born May 22, 1967) is a Dutch conservation scientist and practitioner.[1][2] He holds a research fellowship at the Institute for Advanced Study, University of Amsterdam.[3] He currently serves as the managing director of Borneo Futures.[3][4][5]

Education[edit]

Meijaard received a Bachelor of Science in environmental sciences from Wageningen Agricultural University in 1986, followed by a Bachelor of Science in biology from the University of Amsterdam in 1990. He later completed a Master of Science in tropical ecology at Wageningen Agricultural University in 1994, and obtained his PhD in biological anthropology at Australian National University in 2004, conducting research in Baluran National Park in East Java.[6][7][8]

Career[edit]

In 1990's, Meijaard served as an ecologist at the Tropenbos Kalimantan Project in Indonesia, studying mammal distribution, investigating wildlife trade, and aiding in wildlife confiscations of illegally kept wild animals.[9] He planned and led conservation projects in Indonesia focused on preserving forests, coral reefs, and endangered species.

From June 2002 to May 2004, Meijaard served as a consultant at the Center for International Forestry Research (CIFOR) in Indonesia.[10][11][12]

He chaired the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Wild Pig Specialist Group and edited its newsletter Suiform Soundings (2002–2007), also co-chairing the IUCN Oil Crops Task Force.[13][5][14][15]

Meijaard served as lead scientist for The Nature Conservancy's Indonesia Program, including work on projects like the Orangutan Conservation Support Program (OCSP) Borneo, from 2004 to 2009.[16][9]

Meijaard held an adjunct professorship at the University of Queensland from 2014 to 2023 and is currently a Honorary Professor at the Durrell Institute of Conservation and Ecology.[7][5][17][15][18]

He served as a visiting professor at Charles University’s Faculty of Science last semester, where he taught Ph.D. students.[19][20]

Research interests[edit]

Meijaard's research identified the new species Pongo tapanuliensis (orangutan) and Tragulus versicolor (Silver-backed Chevrotain or Vietnam Mousedeer), contributing to mammalian taxonomy and understanding behaviour.[21][22][23][24] He highlights the importance of tackling unsustainable killing as a driver of population decline in orangutans and the species' ecological resilience in logged areas.[25][26][27][28][29]

In 2024, Meijaard reported a notable decrease in Southeast Asian pig species due to African swine pathogen.[30][31]

Meijaard has published over 300 peer-reviewed journals and has contributed to over 125 newspaper articles.[7][32][33]

Awards and recognition[edit]

Meijaard received the "Mahathir Science Award" and the "Victor E. Shelford Award" for conservation.[34][35]

Controversy[edit]

In 2020, Meijaard's contribution to a publication in Current Biology comparing the environmental impacts of coconut oil to palm oil raised questions about potential conflicts of interest due to his connections to the palm oil industry.[26][36][37][13][38][39] Despite criticisms, he maintained that palm oil's economic importance, economic development, and addressing food security are vital.[40][41][42][14][30]

In 2022, Meijaard clashed with the Indonesian government over his opinion piece in the Jakarta Post, disputing claims made by the Environment Minister regarding orangutan populations.[43][44][45] This led to his ban from Indonesian nature parks, limiting his research opportunities.[46][47] These incidents initiated debates on scientific integrity and freedom of expression within environmental discourse.[48][49]

Selected publications[edit]

  • Meijaard, E., J. Garcia-Ulloa, D. Sheil, K. Carlson, S. A. Wich, D. Juffe-Bignoli, and T. M. Brooks, editors. 2018. Oil Palm and Biodiversity – A Situation Analysis. IUCN Oil Palm Task Force, Gland, Switzerland. https://doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.CH.2018.11.en (translated into French and Indonesian).
  • Melletti, M. and Meijaard, E. (Eds). 2017. Ecology, Evolution and Management of Wild Pigs and Peccaries. Implications for Conservation. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, UK.
  • Meijaard, E., D. Sheil, R. Nasi, D. Augeri, B. Rosenbaum, D. Iskandar, T. Setyawati, M. J. Lammertink, I. Rachmatika, A. Wong, T. Soehartono, S. Stanley, T. Gunawan, and T. O’Brien 2006. Hutan pasca pemanenan. Melindungi satwa liar dalam kegiatan hutan produksi di Kalimantan. CIFOR, TNC, WCS, ITTO, FORDA, UNESCO, Bogor, Indonesia. 384 p. (> 40,000 downloads).
  • Meijaard, E., Sheil, D., Nasi, R., Augeri, D. Rosenbaum, B., Iskandar, D., Setyawati, T., Lammertink, M.J., Rachmatika, I., Wong, A., Soehartono, T., Stanley, S. and O’Brien, T. 2005. Life after logging: reconciling wildlife conservation and production forestry in Indonesian Borneo. CIFOR, ITTO, and UNESCO. Bogor, Indonesia. 343 p. (cited 293 times).
  • Meijaard, E., H. D. Rijksen, and S. N. Kartikasari 2001. Di ambang kepunahan! Kondisi orangutan liar di awal abad ke-21. The Gibbon Foundation and Tropenbos, Jakarta, Indonesia. 393 p.
  • Rijksen, H. D. and Meijaard, E. 1999. Our Vanishing Relative. The status of wild orang–utans at the close of the twentieth century. Kluwer Academic Publishers, Dordrecht, The Netherlands. 480 p. (cited 207 times).
  • Meijaard, E. 1999. Ursus malayanus, the neglected Malayan sun bear. Nederlandsche Commissie voor International Natuurbescherming, Leiden, The Netherlands.
  • Meijaard, E., Erman, A., Ancrenaz, M., Goossens, B., 2024. Pig virus imperils food security in Borneo Science. 19 Jan 2024.
  • Meijaard E, et al. 2022. Restoring the orangutan in a Whole- or Half-Earth context. Oryx.
  • Meijaard E, Abrams JF, Slavin JL, Sheil D. 2022. Dietary fats, human nutrition and the environment: balance and sustainability. Frontiers in Nutrition.
  • Meijaard E, Sheil D, Murdiyarso D. 2021. Reshoring EU agriculture risks undermining SDGs. Nature.
  • Meijaard E, Ni'matullah S, Dennis RA, Sherman J, Onrizal, and Wich SA. 2021. The historical range and drivers of decline of the Tapanuli orangutan. PLOS ONE.
  • Meijaard E, et al. 2020. The environmental impacts of palm oil in context. Nature Plants 6: 1418–1426.
  • Meijaard, E., J. F. Abrams, D. Juffe-Bignoli, M. Voigt, and D. Sheil. 2020. Coconut oil, conservation and the conscientious consumer. Current Biology 30: R757–R758.
  • Meijaard, E., Santika, T., Wilson K. A., Budiharta, S., Kusworo, A., Law, E.A., Friendman, R., Hutabarat, J.A., Indrawan, T.P., Sherman, J., St. John, F.A.V., Struebig, M.J., 2020. Towards improved impact evaluation of community forest management – lessons from Indonesia. Conservation Science and Practice.
  • Meijaard, E., and D. Sheil. 2019. The moral minefield of ethical oil palm and sustainable development. Frontiers in Forests and Global Change 2(2).
  • Meijaard, E. 2019. A dam or an ape — Indonesia faces stark choice. Nature 569: 487.
  • Meijaard, E., J. Sherman, M. Ancrenaz, S. A. Wich, T. Santika, and M. Voigt. 2018. Orangutan populations are certainly not increasing in the wild. Current Biology.
  • Meijaard, E., M. Ancrenaz, and K. A. Wilson. 2017. The trillion dollar gamble on Borneo. Strategic Review 7(2):12-28.
  • Meijaard, E. 2017. How a mistaken ecological narrative could be undermining orangutan conservation. In P. Kareiva, B. Silliman, and M. Marvier, editors. Uncomfortable Questions and Confirmation Bias in Conservation. Oxford University Press: 90–97.
  • Meijaard, E. 2017. Indonesia's fires in 21st century: Causes, culprits, impacts, perceptions, and solutions in E. Quah and Tan, T.S., editors. Pollution Across Borders: Transboundary Fire, Smoke and Haze in Southeast Asia. Nanyang Technical University, Singapore.
  • Santika, T., Kusworo, A., Hutabarat, J.A., Sulhani, Trison, S., Raharjo, S., Ekaputri, A.D., Stigner, M., Huda, I., Meijaard, E., Budiharta, S., Law, E.A., Indrawan, T.P., Wilson, K.A., 2017. Community forest management in Indonesia: avoided deforestation and further challenges. Global Environmental Change.
  • Santika, T., et al. (E. Meijaard last author) in press. First integrative trend analysis for a great ape species in Borneo. Scientific Reports 7 (4839).
  • Wells, J. A., K. A. Wilson, N. K. Abram, M. Nunn, D. L. A. Gaveau, R. K. Runting, N. Tarniati, K. L. Mengersen, and E. Meijaard. 2016. Rising floodwaters: mapping impacts and perceptions of flooding in Borneo's rapidly changing landscapes. Environmental Research Letters 11: 064016.
  • Ancrenaz, M., F. Oram, L. Ambu, L. Isabelle, E. Ahmad, H. Elahan, and E. Meijaard. 2015. Of Pongo, palms, and perceptions – A multidisciplinary assessment of orangutans in an oil palm context. Oryx 49: 465–472.

References[edit]

  1. ^ "Erik Meijaard | HCV Network". www.hcvnetwork.org. Retrieved 2024-04-21.
  2. ^ "Mejiard - scheda" (PDF).
  3. ^ a b Amsterdam, Universiteit van (2023-09-04). "Citizen-science based biodiversity monitoring in tropical wildlife conservation - Institute for Advanced Study IAS". UvA Institute for Advanced Studies - University of Amsterdam. Retrieved 2024-04-21.
  4. ^ "Linking Science Business Politics and Public | Borneo Futures Official". Borneo Futures. Retrieved 2024-05-01.
  5. ^ a b c "Erik Meijaard". Sustainable Nutrition Scientific Board. Retrieved 2024-04-21.
  6. ^ Meijaard, Erik (2004). "Solving Mammalian Riddles : A reconstruction of the Tertiary and Quaternary distribution of mammals and their palaeoenvironments in island South-East Asia". OPEN RESEARCH Library. doi:10.25911/5d7a2b1dde1ff.
  7. ^ a b c "Dr Erik Meijaard". ALERT. Retrieved 2024-04-21.
  8. ^ "Palmolie: sentiment versus feiten | Evmi". evmi.nl (in Dutch). Retrieved 2024-04-21.
  9. ^ a b "Aquatic deer and ancient whales". 2009-07-07. Retrieved 2024-04-21.
  10. ^ "Erik Meijaard, Author at CIFOR-ICRAF Forests News". CIFOR-ICRAF Forests News. Retrieved 2024-04-21.
  11. ^ E., Meijaard; D., Sheil; M.R., Guariguata; R., Nasi; T.C.H., Sunderland; L., Putzel (2011). Ecosystem services certification: Opportunities and constraints. Center for International Forestry Research (CIFOR). doi:10.17528/cifor/003500.
  12. ^ E., Meijaard; R., Achdiawan; M., Wan; A., Taber (2014). Rattan: The decline of a once-important non-timber forest product in Indonesia. Center for International Forestry Research (CIFOR). doi:10.17528/cifor/004484.
  13. ^ a b "Courting controversy, scientists team with industry to tackle one of the world's most destructive crops".
  14. ^ a b Evans, Monica (2021-06-01). "Not clear cut: Scientists and journalists pursue a nuanced perspective on palm oil". CIFOR-ICRAF Forests News. Retrieved 2024-04-21.
  15. ^ a b "Speaker Erik MEIJAARD". IUCN World Conservation Congress 2020. Retrieved 2024-04-21.
  16. ^ Meijaard, Erik; undefined; undefined (2009-01-01). Forest Science News 5(1) (Report). The Nature Conservancy. doi:10.3411/col.01060737.
  17. ^ "Prof. Dr Erik Meijaard". RSPO. Retrieved 2024-04-21.
  18. ^ "Erik Meijaard - University of Queensland Australia".
  19. ^ Velinger, Jan. "Meijaard: "There are no silver bullets"". www.ukforum.cz (in Czech). Retrieved 2024-04-21.
  20. ^ "Erik Meijaard". www.ukforum.cz (in Czech). Retrieved 2024-04-21.
  21. ^ MEIJAARD, E.; GROVES, C. P. (2004). "A taxonomic revision of the Tragulus mouse-deer (Artiodactyla)". Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society. 140 (1): 63–102. doi:10.1111/j.1096-3642.2004.00091.x. ISSN 1096-3642.
  22. ^ Chasen, Frederick N. (1935). A handlist of Malaysian birds : a systematic list of the birds of the Malay Peninsula, Sumatra, Borneo and Java, including the adjacent small islands. Singapore: Printed at the Govt. Print. Off. doi:10.5962/bhl.title.119907.
  23. ^ Reese, April (2017). "Newly discovered orangutan species is also the most endangered". Nature. 551 (7679): 151. Bibcode:2017Natur.551..151R. doi:10.1038/nature.2017.22934. ISSN 0028-0836. PMID 29120449.
  24. ^ Commitante, Raffaella (2015-10-06). "Conservation Commentary: Erik Meijaard on How to Stop the Rot in Orangutan Protection". Orangutan Conservancy. Retrieved 2024-04-21.
  25. ^ Meijaard, Erik; Brooks, Thomas M.; Carlson, Kimberly M.; Slade, Eleanor M.; Garcia-Ulloa, John; Gaveau, David L. A.; Lee, Janice Ser Huay; Santika, Truly; Juffe-Bignoli, Diego; Struebig, Matthew J.; Wich, Serge A.; Ancrenaz, Marc; Koh, Lian Pin; Zamira, Nadine; Abrams, Jesse F. (2020-12-07). "The environmental impacts of palm oil in context". Nature Plants. 6 (12): 1418–1426. doi:10.1038/s41477-020-00813-w. ISSN 2055-0278. PMID 33299148.
  26. ^ a b Meijaard, Erik; Abrams, Jesse F.; Juffe-Bignoli, Diego; Voigt, Maria; Sheil, Douglas (2020). "Coconut oil, conservation and the conscientious consumer". Current Biology. 30 (13): R757–R758. Bibcode:2020CBio...30.R757M. doi:10.1016/j.cub.2020.05.059. ISSN 0960-9822. PMID 32634413.
  27. ^ "Orangutans can survive in timber plantations, selectively logged forests". Mongabay Environmental News. 2010-09-23. Retrieved 2024-04-21.
  28. ^ Rogers, L.J.; Kaplan, G. (1994-02-08). "A New Form of Tool Use by Orang-Utans in Sabah, East Malaysia". Folia Primatologica. 63 (1): 50–52. doi:10.1159/000156789. ISSN 0015-5713. PMID 7813972.
  29. ^ "Items where Author is "Erik Meijaard, -" - Unas Repository". repository.unas.ac.id. Retrieved 2024-04-21.
  30. ^ a b Meijaard, Erik; Erman, Andi; Ancrenaz, Marc; Goossens, Benoit (2024-01-19). "Pig virus imperils food security in Borneo". Science. 383 (6680): 267. Bibcode:2024Sci...383..267M. doi:10.1126/science.adn3857. ISSN 0036-8075.
  31. ^ "Artensterben: Schweinepest rottet Wildschweine aus". www.spektrum.de (in German). Retrieved 2024-04-21.
  32. ^ "Explorer Home". explorers.nationalgeographic.org. Retrieved 2024-04-21.
  33. ^ "Erik Meijaard - Fifteen Eighty Four | Cambridge University Press". Retrieved 2024-04-21.
  34. ^ "Environmental researchers win Mahathir Science Award". science.uq.edu.au. 2017-03-21. Retrieved 2024-04-21.
  35. ^ "Environmental Researchers Win 2016 Mahathir Science Award". Asian Scientist Magazine. 2017-03-28. Retrieved 2024-04-29.
  36. ^ Courting controversy, scientists team with industry to tackle one of the world's most destructive crops (Report). 2021-03-29.
  37. ^ "Coconut and palm oil industries at loggerheads over environmental impact". Reuters.
  38. ^ Meijaard, Erik; Abrams, Jesse F.; Juffe-Bignoli, Diego; Voigt, Maria; Sheil, Douglas (2020). "Coconut oil, conservation and the conscientious consumer". Current Biology. 30 (13): R757–R758. Bibcode:2020CBio...30.R757M. doi:10.1016/j.cub.2020.05.059. PMID 32634413.
  39. ^ "Erik Meijaard: Indonesia's fire crisis — the biggest environmental crime of the 21st century". Business & Human Rights Resource Centre. Retrieved 2024-04-21.
  40. ^ "Palm oil 'disastrous' for wildlife but here to stay, experts warn". The Guardian. 2018-06-26. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2024-04-21.
  41. ^ "Stoppen met palmolie? Dat is geen goed idee".
  42. ^ "Palm oil: Are your beauty products killing orangutans?". 2018-06-26. Retrieved 2024-04-21.
  43. ^ E., Meijaard; D., Sheil; R., Nasi; D., Augeri; B., Rosenbaum; D., Iskandar; T., Setyawati; A., Lammertink; I., Rachmatika (2005). Life after logging: reconciling wildlife conservation and production forestry in Indonesian Borneo. Center for International Forestry Research (CIFOR). doi:10.17528/cifor/001663.
  44. ^ "As Indonesia paints rosy picture for orangutans, scientists ask: Where's the data?". Mongabay Environmental News. 2022-10-03. Retrieved 2024-04-21.
  45. ^ Mahase, Elisabeth (2022-11-09). "Cancer: NHS plan is "no longer fit for purpose," researcher warns". BMJ: o2694. doi:10.1136/bmj.o2694. ISSN 1756-1833. PMID 36351686.
  46. ^ Newsroom (2022-10-08). "Indonesia bans five foreign scientists, shelves conservation data". Rhino Review. Retrieved 2024-04-21.
  47. ^ Expat, Indonesia (2022-09-23). "Environment and Forestry Ministry Bans Foreign Researcher Erik Meijaard from National Parks". Indonesia Expat. Retrieved 2024-04-21.
  48. ^ Post, The Jakarta. "Banned Dutch researcher warns of dwindling scientific freedom in RI - Society". The Jakarta Post. Retrieved 2024-04-21.
  49. ^ Adyatama, Egi (2022-09-21). "Ancaman Pencekalan bagi Peneliti Asing". Tempo. Retrieved 2024-04-21.

External links[edit]

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