Throughout his career, Bram Büscher has looked at the link between nature, conservation, politics, and economics. In 2003 he obtained his PhD at VU University Amsterdam on the relationship between international development and environmental conservation in “peace parks”, cross-border wildlife parks in southern Africa. “I have always been interested in international relations. In recent years I have studied the increasing poaching and militarisation, but also what can be done to look at it differently. That is what created the idea for ‘convivial conservation’. I want to investigate how we can shape environmental conservation politically and economically in a way that does justice to both nature and mankind. The counteracting forces and economic interests are huge, but I'm a positive person."
Wild animals are at risk in many places throughout the world. Their habitats are shrinking due to expanding human habitation, agriculture, mining, and industrialisation. Wageningen Scientists are conducting field research into solutions how humans and animals can live better with each other. They conclude that we can conserve nature to…