Tim is a recognised pillar of modern ecological science.
He has spent 40 years quantifying habitats around the world
and has advised numerous governments on strategies for
biodiversity gain, as well as presenting at Davos and other
influential international conferences.
Having developed the most extensive river wildlife and
fisheries survey programme for what became the UK’s
Environment Agency, he spent five years as the Institute
of Environmental Assessment’s first CEO, setting its path
to become Europe’s largest membership organisation for
environmental professionals.
Tim then established Operation Wallacea to facilitate
academic-led biodiversity research, funded through
tuition fees from participating students, in remote locations
worldwide, from the deserts of Egypt to cloud forests in
Honduras and reefs in Indonesia. ‘Opwall’ continues to
operate today and has published more than 700
peer-reviewed journals.
He went on to form the Wallacea Trust, working with the
World Bank and other funders to deliver year-round
conservation interventions at research sites. Through this
work, Tim led the development of the world-renowned
Wallacea Trust methodology for quantifying biodiversity.
He also founded the Biodiversity Futures Initiative to provide
independent, academic peer review of biodiversity claims.
He founded rePLANET, his most ambitious venture to date,
with the support of Operation Wallacea. Tim remains in
place as co-CEO and leader of all project science and design.
