IN PROGRESS | How Are Invasive Species Managed in Developing Countries?

IGC Capstone Project | Interfaces of Global Change

How are Invasive Species Managed in Developing Countries?

Student Members:

• Caetano Franco, Forest Resources and Environmental Conservation
• Gabriel Borba, Fish and Wildlife Conservation 
• Idowu Kayode Okeshola, Civil and Environmental Engineering
• Luciana Pereira, Fish and Wildlife Conservation 
• Sergio Sabat-Bonilla, Entomology

Faculty Mentors:

• Dr. Michael Sorice, Forest Resources and Environmental Conservation

In Progress (Initiated March 2023)

This capstone project seeks to comprehend how various experts and coordinators of research centers and other types of institutions approach invasive species management. Student members will interview key authorities and institutions on invasive species in Brazil, Nigeria, and Puerto Rico regarding how each country manages invasive species. In addition, the will incorporate their findings into a larger project involving GCC and Virginia Tech members (VT Invasive Species Working Group). For this purpose, they seek to understand invasion management from the perspectives of various stakeholders (e.g., universities, government agencies, and non-governmental organizations). Ultimately, this project can provide a deeper understanding of such an urgent topic related to global changes, particularly in countries with limited funding for environmental policies and currently confronting major challenges posed by global changes (e.g., deforestation, urbanization, and environmental disasters).