Tom Evans

Climate Change Mitigation Lead, WCS Conservation Science and Solutions Program

Tom Evans spent the first phase of his career surveying threatened birds and mammals in the Philippines, Tanzania and Lao PDR. An increasing interest in human use of forests led him to a PhD on the Taxonomy and Sustainable Use of Rattans in Lao PDR at Oxford University and the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. He spent nine years as technical advisor and Deputy Director with the WCS Cambodia Program, where he was responsible for a wide range of issues relating to protected area management, community use of natural resources and economic mechanisms for conservation. Since 2012 Tom has led WCS’s cross-cutting program on REDD+ and Forest Conservation. He coordinates a diverse portfolio of REDD+ demonstration projects around the world and works to ensure that these inform the design of REDD+ systems through national REDD+ readiness processes, the UNFCCC negotiations and voluntary certification standards.