Dr Rob Davies, Director

Dr Rob Davies is a specialist in spatial data management with over 20 years of experience in applying GIS analysis to the fields of biodiversity conservation and sustainable development both in Africa and now Europe. He is currently UK-based and started his own GIS consultancy, habitat INFO, in 2011 which he has taken from strength to strength securing work with large international organisations including USAID, The World Bank and DfID.

Recent projects include database management for biological records in Wales, including distribution modelling of European protected species, guidance to local authorities for forward planning, and the successful deployment of web-mapping and mobile data capture technologies. He was involved with the development of a pilot spatial tool for identifying areas in the Horn of Africa (ILRI/The World Bank/USAID) where investment to build resilience to climate change would have the greatest impact. This involved the production of a data catalog for the region containing in excess of 450 datasets and the development of a livestock mortality model using high resolution rainfall estimates and research he carried out during his PhD.

He launched the African Raptor Databank (ARDB) in 2012 which is an innovative citizen science project aiming to ascertain the conservation status of raptors and their habitats across Africa. The data observatory now holds in excess of 63,000 records which are being added to daily by the newly launched African Raptor Observations Android app (July 2014). The project is on-going and Rob continues to project manage and drive forward development.

Rob has directed two conservation NGOs and has specialist knowledge in various fields including birds of prey, and arid ecosystems. He has extensive experience of the drylands of southern Africa and conducted the analysis for climate vulnerability mapping across the Southern African Development Community (SADC) region (RCCP; DfID) which led on to focused analysis of the Zambezi (CKDN) and then the Limpopo (RESILIM; USAID) basins. He has assisted WCMC, Conservation International and the Peace Parks Foundation with spatial data management for protected areas in southern Africa and continues to compile new Africa-wide spatial datasets needed for achieving conservation and sustainability, in the face of expected population-change and climate-change.

Education:

PhD (Zoology) University of Pretoria (1994)
MSc (Zoology) University of Pretoria (1985)
BSc (Hons) (Zoology) University of Exeter (1981)

Publications include:

Midgley, S., Davies, R. & Chesterman, S. 2011. Climate Risk and Vulnerability Mapping in Southern Africa. OneWorld Sustainable Investments: Knowledge for Adaptation Series, Cape Town.

To contact Rob please e-mail him using rob.davies@habitatinfo.com