Assoc. Professor Matt Struebig

I am a conservation scientist focused on understanding how land-use change, forest management, and restoration shape biodiversity, livelihoods, and ecosystem resilience in Southeast Asia. My work combines ecological research, spatial analysis, and community partnerships to design strategies that balance human wellbeing with forest integrity. Much of my research has centred in Indonesia, where I collaborate with a broad network of organisations to evaluate the impacts of land-use practices and conservation interventions on biodiversity, and to co-develop monitoring and management approaches that integrate conservation and livelihoods. I lead an interdisciplinary team funded by a Leverhulme Trust Research Leader Award to study the environmental and social conditions associated with wildlife population change in Indonesia.

In the context of the Centre for Global Wood Security, I am particularly interested in advancing sustainable forest use and restoration within community-managed and production landscapes. We need stronger evidence on how different forest-use regimes influence biodiversity, carbon, and social outcomes, and how restoration can be designed to support both ecological recovery and rural economies. Ultimately, I aim to bridge research and practice to promote forest stewardship that is both ecologically regenerative and socially just