Join us for another session in our webinar series focused on One Health! The Tree Kangaroo Conservation Program was founded at the Woodland Park Zoo (Seattle, WA, USA) in 1996. It began as the first wild study of the endangered Matschie’s tree kangaroo in Papua New Guinea and grew into a community conservation, development, and health effort that now protects roughly 180,000 acres of cloud forest in the YUS Conservation Area while supporting the 15,000-plus people who live there. Framed in terms of the ethics and science of one health, the program recognizes that people depend directly on the forest, so human, animal, and environmental health are inseparable. Joining us to talk about the program and its ethical dimensions are the founder, Dr. Lisa Dabek of the Woodland Park Zoo, and physician and emeritus zoo board member Dr. Rob Liddell of the University of Washington’s Center for One Health Research.
Speakers:
Lisa Dabek, PhD
Senior Conservation Scientist and Tree Kangaroo Conservation Program Director | Woodland Park Zoo
Lisa Dabek is Senior Conservation Scientist at Seattle’s Woodland Park Zoo and is the Founder and Senior Director of the community-based Tree Kangaroo Conservation Program (TKCP) in Papua New Guinea (PNG). Since 1996, she and her team have worked in partnership with indigenous landowners, scientists, students, educators, government officials, and healthcare professionals to study and protect the wildlife and rainforest habitat of PNG and improve the well-being of the local communities. In 2009, TKCP and the local community created PNG’s first Conservation Area, protecting rainforest habitat for the endangered Matschie’s tree kangaroo and other threatened and endemic species.
As Senior Director, Lisa provides strategic guidance in support of TKCP’s vision, goals, and long-term sustainability. As Senior Conservation Scientist, Lisa provides expertise, guidance, and mentorship for Woodland Park Zoo’s staff, Board, donors, guests, and for the public. Lisa represents Woodland Park Zoo in the local, regional, national and international zoo and wildlife conservation arenas.
Lisa earned her Ph.D. in Animal Behavior and Conservation Biology from the University of Washington. Her bachelor’s degree is in Biology and Environmental Studies from the University of California at Santa Cruz.
Lisa is an Affiliate Associate Professor at the University of Washington’s School of Environmental and Forest Sciences, and Affiliate Researcher at the University of Papua New Guinea.
Rob Liddell, MD
Affiliate Associate Professor | University of Washington
Rob Liddell volunteers as a physician with the Tree Kangaroo Conservation Program (TKCP), helping to guide it’s One Health work with other volunteer physicians to provide human medical care and education in villages of the YUS Conservation Area of Papua New Guinea. He has also provided diagnostic imaging research on the endangered Matschies tree kangaroo at TKCP’s remote research camp in Papua New Guinea. Rob also volunteers as a diagnostic radiologist consultant to the veterinary staff at Seattle’s Woodland Park Zoo, providing ultrasound, CT and MRI expertise on a wide array of animals.
Rob is an affiliate associate professor at the University of Washington Department of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences in the School of Public Health.
