Biography

Dawn Katovai is from the Mamafoira clan, Wuvulu Island, Papua New Guinea. She has a background in academia with experience in teaching, research and fieldwork. In her 15 years of teaching, 13 of those were spent in tertiary level where I was a lecturer in Biology and Environmental Science including conservation Biology, ecosystem dynamic, climate change and forest ecology. She holds a Master of Science in Ecology and Conservation from James Cook University, Australia. She is currently pursuing my doctoral studies at the University of the South Pacific in Fiji, focusing on the impact of land-use change on ecological connectivity in coastal forests across Pacific Island Countries. She believes that maintaining healthy, connected forests is critical for indigenous communities in sustaining their livelihood and preserving cultural heritage and enhancing resilience to environmental changes.

She is assisting a Solomon Islands REDD+ project working with at least 50 tribes across 6 provinces in the Solomon Islands. The experience she has gained working with Indigenous communities can help bridge the gap between scientific research and community-based conservation efforts.