How well do southern Africa's conservation area networks meet national and global conservation targets?

About the Project

Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF) Target 3 commits signatory countries to conserve 30% of the land and sea by 2030 through networks of effective and equitable conservation areas. OECMs (other effective area-based conservation measures) are expected to play an increasingly important role in meeting Target 3, as they provide a mechanism for giving formal recognition to a number of important privately and community-managed sites where conservation is not the primary management objective. However, the recognition of OECMs is still in its infancy and research is urgently needed to help identify, support and monitor these sites. This project focuses on southern Africa as a region where the wildlife economy plays a major role in tackling biodiversity loss and rural poverty. It brings together disciplines related to spatial analysis and mapping, ecological and social impact monitoring, and policy analysis, and is based on the following broad research questions:

(1) What are the different types of conservation area found in southern Africa, how are they recognised in national legislation, and how do they relate to achieving GBF Target 3?

(2) How effective are these conservation areas in terms of combined area, ecologically representativeness, connectivity and conserving areas of high biodiversity importance?

(3) What ecological, social and economic monitoring data do these conservation areas collect, how is it analysed and shared, and how were their monitoring protocols developed?

(4) How well does this monitoring data match and feed into OECM reporting requirements and national GBF indicators and how could this be improved for post-2030 indicators

Methodology:The student will be based at DICE and co-supervised by colleagues from IUCN Eastern and Southern Africa. They will develop interdisciplinary skills in GIS and spatial analysis using ArcGIS/QGIS, biodiversity and social impact monitoring, quantitative methods and data analysis, and policy analysis. They will also learn academic skills such as academic writing, giving conference presentations and time management.

Person specification:A highly motivated student interested in combining biogeography with conservation science to produce high-impact, policy-relevant research. The candidate should have a degree in conservation, ecology or environmental sciences, strong analytical skills and, ideally, GIS expertise.

How to apply

Please apply by sending your covering letter and CV to LHScholars@kent.ac.uk and filling out our equality, diversity and inclusivity questionnaire linked here or at the button below.

These tasks must be completed by 14th May 2026 at 23:59. For informal enquiries about the project, please contact the primary supervisor directly via r.j.smith@kent.ac.uk.

Funding Notes

The PhD scholarship includes an annual stipend (equivalent to the Research Councils UK National Minimum Doctoral Stipend; the 2026/27 rate is £21,805, which is not taxed income). Tuition fees may be covered at the home or international student rate. The PhD scholarship comes with a £10,000 research and training fund.

References

Provide academic references in support of your application; these will be requested if you are successful through the shortlisting process