Research & Conservation
Wangdi.
Ecologist and forest governance professional quantifying biodiversity, connectivity, and climate risk across Bhutan’s protected landscapes.
Research-active conservation practitioner embedded in Bhutan’s public forest governance system for 5+ years. Work spans field ecology, geospatial analysis, species distribution modelling, and peer-reviewed publication across wildlife, forest, and climate systems—translating ecological evidence into conservation planning and management decisions.
About Me
Wangdi is a public-sector forestry, biodiversity, and environmental management professional working within Bhutan’s forest governance system. His work combines field implementation, ecological analysis, policy-linked planning, and conservation program delivery.
He currently serves as Senior Forestry Officer in the NWFP Section, Forest Resources Planning & Management Division, after a merit-based promotion effective 1 January 2026. His earlier role in Sarpang focused on biodiversity monitoring, climate assessment, protected area and corridor planning, and human-wildlife coexistence strategy development.
The portfolio highlights work that links geospatial analysis, ecological evidence, and management decisions across protected areas, corridors, and community-linked forest stewardship. It is designed for collaborators, scholarship reviewers, institutions, and conservation partners who need a clear view of Wangdi’s experience and technical depth.
He has 2 papers published in peer-reviewed journals and 5 manuscripts currently under review at international journals — including Ecology & Evolution, Forest Ecology and Management, and Journal of Vegetation Science — with 4 additional manuscripts in preparation spanning tiger ecology, plant community assembly, and ecosystem integrity assessment.
Selected tools and methods:
- QGIS
- ArcGIS
- Google Earth Engine
- Python
- R
- Species Distribution Modeling
- Occupancy Modeling
- Camera Trap Analysis
- Forest Inventory
- Remote Sensing
Selected Credentials
Senior Forestry Officer, NWFP Section, Forest Resources Planning & Management Division
- Merit-based promotion effective 1 January 2026
- Three consecutive Outstanding performance ratings
- Managed conservation programs exceeding Nu. 35 million
BSc (Honours) in Forestry, First Class, College of Natural Resources, Royal University of Bhutan
2 published. 5 under review at Ecology & Evolution, Forest Ecology and Management, and Journal of Vegetation Science. 4 in preparation spanning elephant distribution, protected area integrity, national forest biodiversity, and tiger-prey dynamics.
Professional Experience
Senior Forestry Officer @ Department of Forests & Park Services
March 2026 - Present
NWFP Section, Forest Resources Planning & Management Division, Bhutan
- Administer national-level NWFP allocation and regulatory compliance processes, overseeing equitable distribution of harvesting rights across Bhutan's forest governance framework.
- Lead technical review of utilization permits, harvesting quotas, and royalty documentation to ensure legal compliance and sustainable off-take.
- Analyse national harvesting trends and utilization patterns to identify management gaps and provide evidence-based recommendations for quota revision and resource oversight.
- Contribute to NWFP management plan development, harvesting guideline revision, and national forestry policy processes at divisional and national level.
- Coordinate field-based resource assessments and inventories of commercially significant and ecologically sensitive non-wood forest products.
- Provide technical mentorship to field officers on NWFP identification, standardised data collection protocols, and compliance monitoring procedures.
Selected Case Studies
Flagship Case Study
Camera Trap Monitoring Across Royal Manas, Phibsoo, and Biological Corridor 03
Designed, established, and maintained a systematic camera trap monitoring network across Royal Manas National Park, Phibsoo Wildlife Sanctuary, and Biological Corridor 03—three interconnected protected landscapes spanning Bhutan's subtropical southern belt.
The network documented more than 100 wildlife species, including charismatic megafauna (tiger, Asian elephant, clouded leopard, gaur) and range-restricted or poorly-known taxa. Data directly informed management decisions, conservation reporting, and programme progress under the IKI Living Landscape Project and Bhutan for Life.
- Camera trap survey design
- Field deployment and maintenance
- Species identification
- Biodiversity data management
Geographic ScopeSouth-central Bhutan across protected areas and corridor landscapesFocusLandscape-scale biodiversity monitoring and species documentationOutcomeBuilt and sustained a multi-site camera trap network documenting 100+ species—including tigers, Asian elephants, clouded leopards, and gaur—providing the primary biodiversity evidence base for management and corridor planning decisions across three connected protected landscapes.Flagship Case Study
Conservation Management Plan for Biological Corridor 03
Led development of the Conservation Management Plan for Biological Corridor 03—the primary operational planning document for one of Bhutan's key transboundary wildlife corridors linking Royal Manas National Park and Phibsoo Wildlife Sanctuary. The plan synthesised landscape ecology, spatial analysis, and field ground-truthing into structured management prescriptions.
The work established corridor zoning, habitat management priorities, and monitoring frameworks that directly informed conservation investment and field operations under the Bhutan for Life conservation programme and the IKI Living Landscape Project.
- Corridor planning
- Habitat assessment
- GIS analysis
- Conservation planning
Geographic ScopeBiological Corridor 03, BhutanFocusCorridor planning, connectivity, and management recommendationsOutcomeDelivered the operative management plan for BC03 under the IKI Living Landscape Project and Bhutan for Life framework, guiding zoning, conservation priorities, and long-term stewardship for a critical transboundary wildlife corridor.Flagship Case Study
Climate Change Vulnerability and Capacity Assessment for Sarpang Forest Division
Led the Climate Change Vulnerability and Capacity Assessment for Sarpang Forest Division—integrating climate projections, ecosystem sensitivity data, and institutional capacity information into a structured planning assessment aligned with Bhutan's national adaptation priorities.
The assessment identified key climate pressure points across forest types, wildlife habitats, and community-linked landscapes. It provided a prioritised framework for capacity investment and climate-adaptive management response, representing the first systematic baseline of this kind for the division.
- Vulnerability assessment
- Climate adaptation planning
- GIS and remote sensing
- Technical report development
Geographic ScopeSarpang Forest Division, BhutanFocusClimate risk assessment linked to divisional planning and management capacityOutcomeProduced the first systematic climate vulnerability and capacity baseline for Sarpang Forest Division, identifying priority response areas and institutional gaps to inform climate-adaptive forest management under Bhutan's national adaptation framework.Flagship Case Study
Conflict-to-Coexistence Strategy for Human-Elephant Conflict Mitigation
Prepared the Conflict-to-Coexistence Strategy for Sarpang Forest Division, drawing on human-elephant conflict incident data, spatial analysis, community engagement records, and field knowledge to build a comprehensive response framework for one of Bhutan's most active HEC zones.
The strategy structured mitigation pathways, early-warning approaches, and coexistence-oriented land management recommendations aligned with national conservation policy—connecting field realities, management needs, and policy direction into an applied framework for conflict reduction and long-term coexistence planning.
- Strategy development
- Stakeholder coordination
- Conflict analysis
- Conservation policy support
Geographic ScopeSarpang Forest Division, BhutanFocusApplied strategy development for coexistence planning and conflict mitigationOutcomePrepared a structured coexistence strategy translating spatial conflict data and community realities into a policy-aligned action framework for one of Bhutan's highest human-elephant conflict zones, directly informing mitigation investment and field operations.
Publications & Manuscripts
Analysis of Physical and Chemical Properties of Natural Salt Licks and Determination of Animal Presence
Characterised the physical and chemical properties of natural salt licks and quantified wildlife visitation patterns across Bhutan's forests. Found significant variation in mineral composition across lick types and documented multi-species use including large ungulates and carnivores. Established baseline data on a critical mineral resource that shapes large mammal space use and habitat selection in the Eastern Himalayan region.
- Published2021
Diversity of Aquatic Beetles Along Altitudinal Gradients and Water Quality Parameters
Quantified aquatic beetle (Coleoptera) diversity across an altitudinal gradient and assessed relationships with water-quality parameters in Bhutanese waterways. Documented how elevation and physicochemical conditions structure macroinvertebrate communities in Himalayan streams. Findings contribute baseline biodiversity data for freshwater conservation planning in a globally significant mountain biodiversity hotspot.
- Under Review2026
Separating Fundamental from Realized Habitat: A Transferable Dual-Model Framework for Quantifying Anthropogenic Constraints on Species Distributions in Human-Dominated Landscapes
View ManuscriptDeveloped and validated a transferable dual-model SDM framework that separates fundamental environmental suitability from realized habitat under anthropogenic constraints—applied to Asian elephants across a 2,607 km² protected forest–agricultural frontier in south-central Bhutan. The Full Model (incorporating anthropogenic variables) substantially outperformed the environment-only Ideal Model (AUC 0.896 vs. 0.848), with anthropogenic pressure excluding ~57 km² (~10%) of highly suitable habitat. Human–elephant conflict clustered in high-quality core habitat (mean suitability 0.733 vs. 0.197 landscape-wide), demonstrating that conflict reflects niche overlap rather than displacement into marginal areas. The framework generates a three-category conservation triage map applicable to any megafauna system with occurrence data and anthropogenic predictor layers.
- Under Review2026
Climate-driven Habitat Changes and Refugia Dynamics for Asian Elephants in Bhutan under CMIP6 Scenarios
View ManuscriptModelled present and future habitat suitability for Asian elephants across Bhutan using an ensemble of four algorithms (GLM, Random Forest, BRT, MaxEnt) calibrated against 252 georeferenced presence records, 837 field-verified absences, and 17 ecological predictors—projected across 96 CMIP6 scenarios (8 GCMs × 4 SSPs × 3 time periods to 2100). Currently 4,649 km² (14.1% of Bhutan) is classified as suitable, with 74.1% lying outside the formal protected area network. Identified 4,160 km² of climate-stable core refugia, of which 53.6% lies outside protected areas. Mean human–elephant conflict risk is projected to escalate from 0.103 (present) to 0.140 under SSP5-8.5 by 2071–2100, revealing a spatial paradox where critical survival zones coincide with high-conflict hotspots and indicating fundamental mismatches between current PA placement and megafauna habitat requirements.
- Under Review2026
Integrating Biodiversity, Structural Complexity, and Canopy Dynamics Across a National Forest Gradient in Bhutan: Implications for Monitoring and Management
View ManuscriptIntegrated 107,876 records across 2,185 species from 1,942 National Forest Inventory plots with environmental rasters and MODIS EVI trends (2000–2024) to assess biodiversity, structural complexity, and canopy dynamics across Bhutan's full elevational gradient. Mean plot richness peaked at 500–1,000 m (17.09 ± 9.13 species, range 1–57) and declined sharply above 4,000 m. Forest type explained modest compositional variation (PERMANOVA R² = 0.089, p = 0.001). Pixel-level analysis showed 29.86% of Bhutan exhibiting significant greening, yet EVI trends were only weakly correlated with species richness (ρ = 0.126) and structural complexity (ρ = 0.097). Demonstrates that satellite-derived greenness is not a reliable proxy for floristic or structural change, and provides a transferable integrated inventory–remote sensing workflow for multi-indicator monitoring of climate-sensitive mountain forests.
- Under Review2026
Species Distribution and Connectivity Modeling of Asian Elephants (Elephas maximus) Under Environmental and Anthropogenic Pressures in Bhutan
Quantified species distribution and functional corridor connectivity for Asian elephants across Bhutan under simultaneous environmental and anthropogenic pressures. Integrated landscape-scale habitat modelling with circuit-theory connectivity analysis to identify priority movement pathways, fragmentation hotspots, and structural barriers to dispersal. Provides a spatial baseline for corridor management and transboundary conservation planning between Bhutan and northeastern India.
- Under Review2026
Vegetation Community Composition and Species–Environment Relationships Along an Elevational Gradient in South-Central Bhutan
View ManuscriptAnalysed vegetation data across 220 plots spanning four strata (trees, shrubs, herbs, regeneration) in unmanaged subtropical to cool broadleaved forests (260–1,964 m a.s.l.) in south-central Bhutan. Community composition differed significantly among forest types across all strata (PERMANOVA R² 0.017–0.050; p = 0.001), while environmental predictors (temperature–elevation and precipitation gradients) explained 3.2–3.8% of variation in trees and shrubs. Trees showed the highest Shannon diversity (1.391 ± 0.595); herbs the lowest (0.325 ± 0.451). Random forest models for regeneration richness showed modest cross-validated performance (RMSE 1.165 ± 0.182; R² 0.142 ± 0.040). Results demonstrate that fine-scale heterogeneity and vertical decoupling dominate community assembly along this gradient, with implications for monitoring climate-driven compositional shifts in Himalayan broadleaved forests.
- Under Review2026
Ecosystem Integrity in Bhutan's Protected Area Network: A Spatial Assessment Using the Ecosystem Integrity Index
View ManuscriptApplied the globally standardised Ecosystem Integrity Index (EII) to all 19 protected areas and biological corridors in Bhutan's Eastern Himalayan network (19,750 km² at 300 m resolution via Google Earth Engine). Network-wide area-weighted mean EII was 0.679 (SD = 0.102), with 14 of 19 protected areas maintaining mean values above 0.60. Structural and compositional integrity were consistently high (means > 0.950), while functional integrity showed greater heterogeneity (mean = 0.655). Biological corridors exhibited the widest integrity range (0.478–0.821), with direct implications for landscape connectivity management. Provides the first national-scale test of EII-based monitoring as a KM-GBF Target 3 compliance tool in a Himalayan biodiversity hotspot.
- In Preparation2026
Tiger Occupancy and Large Ungulate Distribution Along a Human Pressure Gradient in South-Central Bhutan: A Hierarchical Detection-Occupancy Approach
Applies a hierarchical detection-occupancy framework to quantify tiger occupancy and large ungulate distribution along a human pressure gradient in south-central Bhutan. Separates detection probability from true occupancy to identify landscape-scale drivers of tiger space use, prey base availability, and the influence of human activity on predator–prey dynamics across a protected area–buffer zone–community forest mosaic.
- In Preparation2026
Spatiotemporal Risk Partitioning Among Tigers, Prey, and Human Activity in South-Central Bhutan
Examines how tigers, prey species, and human activity partition space and time in a shared multi-use landscape in south-central Bhutan. Uses occupancy and activity pattern analysis from systematic camera trap data to quantify temporal overlap, avoidance, and co-occurrence dynamics among apex predators, ungulate prey, and human disturbance—revealing how wildlife and people navigate shared landscapes under varying pressure gradients.
- In Preparation2026
Community Assembly and Environmental Filtering Along a Disturbance-Climate Gradient in a Himalayan Tiger Landscape
Investigates how plant community assembly and environmental filtering operate along a combined disturbance–climate gradient within a Himalayan tiger conservation landscape. Examines the relative roles of abiotic filtering, dispersal limitation, and disturbance history in structuring vegetation communities across a gradient from low-disturbance forest interior to high-disturbance edge and human-influenced zones, with implications for monitoring vegetation change in multi-use protected landscapes.
Open to Collaboration
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Open to collaboration on biodiversity research, conservation planning, climate and forest governance, technical peer review, or speaking opportunities. I typically respond within a few working days.
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