EcoNexus Inc. is an environmental consulting firm specializing in formulating effective responses to the challenges confronting the world's protected areas, and planning for biodiversity conservation and an environmentally sustainable future. It is not a large environmental engineering firm. Rather, EcoNexus is purposefully comprised of outstanding protected area, natural resource management and environmental planning professionals who collectively possess over one hundred years of direct hands-on experience in these fields in a variety of contexts. Thus, EcoNexus occupies an unique position in providing a source of highly experienced and truly specialized expertise.

EcoNexus strives to be recognized in Canada and abroad for its leadership in the development of outstanding solutions to today's protected area, biodiversity conservation and sustainable development challenges before they become tomorrow's liabilities.

EcoNexus believes that truly effective solutions arise from having a clear understanding of client needs, a thorough appreciation of the operational context, good communication, creativity, and an unwavering commitment to professional excellence. EcoNexus brings all of these requisites to every project it undertakes to ensure outstanding results, and thus complete client satisfaction.

EcoNexus is comprised of a networked core group of professionals possessing the essential complementary skills to successfully undertake the majority of projects. When required, EcoNexus may also draw upon other experts from its constantly expanding global network of professionals to fully meet the unique requirements of individual projects. This organizationally and administratively streamlined approach greatly reduces overhead expenses, which effectively lowers project costs without sacrificing product quality.

EcoNexus Inc. provides highly experienced specialized consulting expertise and customized professional services in:

• National and regional biodiversity conservation strategy development
• Design of non-traditional land conservation management mechanisms
• Regional land and resource use planning
• Watershed and coastal zone planning
• Feasibility assessment and promotion of nature based tourism and other sustainable economic development opportunities
• Development of community based conservation initiatives

• National and regional scale protected area system planning and design, including cores and corridors
• System and site level planning: terrestrial, coastal and marine
• Protected area feasibility studies and assessment
• Protected area system evaluation
• Protected area management plan preparation
• Natural resource management planning
• Ecosystem based management program development
• Ecosystem monitoring program development
• Natural resource surveys and inventories
• Ecological restoration
• Area development planning and site design
• Visitor use and activity planning
• Environmental education program development and delivery
• Training in all aspects of protected area management
• Policy development and institutional strengthening

• Geographical Information System applications and modeling
• Customized data base development and management
• Merging of IT with GIS, GPS and remote sensing in environmental planning applications

• Assessment of environmental impacts of development projects, policies, programs and plans
• Cumulative environmental effects assessment
• Post project monitoring and evaluation
• Environmental assessment program audits

• Development, supervision and overall management of complex land use planning and conservation projects

• Project facilitation and brokerage through our global network of contacts
• Project evaluation

EcoNexus' core group of professionals is comprised of:

Paul Grigoriev - B.Sc., M.E.S., Ph.D. – President

Paul Grigoriev's professional background is in ecology, protected area planning and management, conservation biology, natural resource management, regional planning, human ecology, and environmental impact assessment. Over the course of the past two decades, he has worked for numerous clients in different capacities on a variety of conservation and protected area projects in different parts of the world. Included among the clients are federal and provincial protected area agencies, The World Bank, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA), the Canadian Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade, the Government of the Russian Federation, and non-governmental environmental organizations such as the World Conservation Union (IUCN) and the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF). Dr. Grigoriev has also lectured at university and organized numerous workshops and training seminars. He has also authored, co-authored and edited numerous technical reports and papers on subjects within his fields of expertise.

Paul Zorn - B.E.S., M.E.S., MCIP – Associate

Paul Zorn's background is in ecology, protected area planning, ecosystem management, and biodiversity conservation. He has worked for federal protected area agencies, and collaborated with numerous non-governmental organizations and federal, provincial and regional government agencies in the development of regional biodiversity conservation strategies. He also has an extensive background in the development and implementation of ecological monitoring programs, ecosystem based management plans, and in protected area network design.

Stephen Berwick - B.A., M.S., M.Phil., Ph.D. - Associate

Stephen Berwick's professional background is in zoology, wildlife and range management, ecology, impact assessment and forestry. Over the past thirty years, he has carried out numerous impact assessments, resource harvest feasibility studies, field research projects and training workshops throughout the world for various clients, including USAID, The World Bank, the U.S. Department of Defence, universities, and private sector clients. He has taught for ten years at the professional and university level in the U.S., including at Yale University, and overseas on subjects such as wildlife management, range management, forestry, environmental impact assessment, nature-based tourism, and environmental modelling. Dr. Berwick has authored or edited three books and written over 35 articles on various technical topics for a variety of publications, such as the American Scientist, the Wildlife Society Bulletin, and international journals. Recent work has focussed on environmental conservation and private property rights.

Julian Dunster - B.Sc., M.Sc., Ph.D., RPF., MCIP - Associate

Julian Dunster's professional background is in environmental planning, urban forestry, land and resource use planning, and environmental impact assessment, with an emphasis on forestry. He also possesses over twenty years of experience in industrial forestry, landscape ecology, biophysical inventorying, ecological studies, and policy development. Dr. Dunster has conducted forestry work in Canada, Britain, Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Australia, New Zealand and Nepal. He has lectured at Simon Fraser University, the University of Toronto, and at the University of British Columbia. He has also published extensively in professional journals.

Katherine Dunster - B.A., M.L.A., Ph.D. RPB., MLASA – Associate

Katherine Dunster's professional background is in biogeography, plant ecology and ecological restoration. She specialises in ecological landscape design, biophysical inventorying, and natural area planning and management. Over the past fifteen years, she has prepared landscape designs for various private and institutional clients, and has undertaken heritage landscape policy development. She has also undertaken numerous biophysical assessments for a variety of clients. Dr. Dunster has written and published numerous articles and research papers, and has lectured extensively. She has also been the recipient of numerous awards and citations in recognition of her excellence in landscape architecture and design.

Henry Schryver - C.S.T. Dip. - Associate

Henry Schryver is a computer technologist with over 12 years of advanced programming and Geographical Information System experience. His services and advice on GIS applications for protected area and regional planning have been sought world wide. He also specializes in custom programming, and has completed numerous advanced spatial analyses, using GIS and satellite imagery, for visitor use management, species diversity assessment, habitat appraisal, change detection, constraint mapping, facility siting, and other applications.

A sample of recent projects undertaken by EcoNexus’ core group of professionals includes:

Developed an innovative approach to identifying potential core conservation areas, and linking corridors. This was done by integrating biological, ecological and socio-economic criteria, and using geographical information systems (GIS), multiple criteria evaluations, and principle component analysis. Products included suitability index maps that were used in 'least cost pathway' analyses to identify refined conservation corridors. These various outputs were used to design an overall protected area network that included core areas, buffer zones, corridors, and zones of co-operation. Additional applications included the definition of key lands for the implementation of supportive land conservation management arrangements.

Developed species probability models for rare species. Species occurrence data were analysed in conjunction with abiotic, biotic and human use attributes of a landscape to create distribution probability models. Models were developed through the use of logistic regression and principle component analyses, and spatially depicted through the use of geographical information systems.

Technical input was provided for the development, planning and implementation of a training program in range and wildlife utilization in Botswana.

Ecotourism feasibility studies were conducted in the U.S. south-west and Indonesia. These studies were based on appraisals of natural features, along with the capabilities of local populations to respond to tourist sources and characteristics.

Conducted inventories of environmentally sensitive areas in British Columbia, and prepared management plans for them.

Designed ecology gardens, conducted rare plant assessments for urban developments, and defined green zones as part of larger urban re-development and planning initiatives.

Developed a comprehensive and operational ecosystem based management program for national parks. This program integrated the planning and technical aspects of ecosystem management into a system of specific tasks, actions and products that defined and facilitated the operational requirements for undertaking ecosystem based management. The program also included a formal assessment process for evaluating site level ecosystem management strengths and weaknesses, and thus, helped set priorities for program planning.

Designed a comprehensive and scientifically rigorous monitoring program to assess trends in the ecological integrity and ecosystem health of Bruce Peninsula National Park, Fathom Five National Marine Park, and their greater park ecosystems. This plan incorporated ecological indicators that represent multiple levels of biodiversity organization and human use. In addition to indicator selection, the plan also included detailed monitoring protocols, sampling designs, data management requirements, and management thresholds. All implementation requirements were inputted into a monitoring data base that was designed to provide a common, user-friendly interface and contains schedules, equipment needed, sampling designs, protocols and automatic trends and analysis functions for all indicators of the parks' ecological integrity.

Developed a site restoration process for degraded sensitive habitats in Point Pelee National Park, and prepared a manual describing hands-on restoration techniques to be employed.

Identified exotic plant species at Point Pelee National Park, and prepared an Exotic Plant Species Management Plan.

Developed a database mapping tool to allow managers to screen applications for shoreline work without having to visit each site. Data used by this decision support system include: thematic map layers such as ecosystem concerns, boating safety concerns, property ownership concerns, satellite imagery, appended aerial photographs, and field notes.

Developed automated GIS programs to analyse abiotic, biotic and visitor use data in order to predict potential conflicts and impacts arising from alternative visitor use scenarios.

Designed spatial models incorporating wildlife telemetry data, habitat conditions, and principles of conservation biology and landscape ecology using GIS. Models of this type have a wide range of applications for wildlife and habitat protection initiatives. Specific spatial models were developed for populations of Eastern Massasauga rattlesnake (Sistrurus catenatus) found in Bruce Peninsula National Park, and for elk (Cervus elaphus) for their potential re-introduction in Ontario.

Developed a GIS based interactive database of environmentally sensitive areas in the City of Port Moody. Work included development of assessment criteria, data collection, field inventories, classification of ESAs, and public involvement.

Provided recommendations for the mitigation of hydroelectric dam development impacts in the Columbia River basin.

Prepared EIA for the Bara Forest District in southern Nepal for the IUCN and the Government of Nepal.

Prepared background reports on the use of EIA in forest management for the British Columbia Forest Resources Commission.

Assessed environmental impacts arising from national park and historic site management plans.

Appraised the state of and threats to protected areas in the Russian Federation, and prepared an assistance plan, which included a range of strategies. Plan was subsequently used by the World Wide Fund for Nature and The World Bank to formulate a protected areas assistance program for the Russian Federation.

Consulted to the Government of the Russian Federation and The World Bank in preparing and supervising the GEF biodiversity conservation project for the Russian Federation. Project includes the development of a national and regional biodiversity conservation strategies, assistance to protected areas, and integrated watershed based management projects in the Lake Baikal basin in Siberia.

Participated in the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development's environmental performance review of the Russian Federation, focussing on natural resource management and biodiversity conservation performance of the country.

On behalf of Danida, the Danish donor agency, performed evaluation of effectiveness of project undertaken by the World Wide Fund for Nature in promoting the CBD's implementation in: Mexico, Colombia, Ivory Coast, Cameroon, Kenya, India, Malaysia and Fiji.

Performed comprehensive review of current status of the protected areas system in Pakistan on behalf of the Government of Pakistan and the World Conservation Union (IUCN). Review resulted in numerous concrete recommendations and a timetable for strengthening and further developing the country's system of protected areas.

Preparation of project documentation for several Global Environment Facility (GEF) biodiversity conservation projects, including those for protected areas on the Kamchatka Peninsula, biodiversity conservation in the Daurian Steppe, and integrated management of the lower Volga River wetlands for biodiversity conservation and sustainable development.