Oliver Whaley

Honorary Research Associate

Oliver Whaley profile
Department

Biodiversity Informatics and Spatial Analysis

Team

Spatial Analysis and Data Science

Specialism

Future-proofing conservation, restoration practice and ecology, food security and climate change adaptation, arid land biodiversity and public engagement

I am a naturalist and environmental scientist, specialising in plant conservation with wide experience in planning and coordination of interdisciplinary projects with inclusive teams. Our long-term monitoring and ground research underpin ecological restoration through development of plant conservation centres with communities, biodiversity mapping, conservation assessments, historical ecology, sustainable farming and forest use projects. My creative expertise is also in the development of scenario planning for responsive and adaptive actions. Ongoing conservation work includes future-proofing restoration and agrobiodiversity, Peruvian dry forest and Prosopis ecosystems, ENSO ecology, Andean watersheds conservation, mapping fog-oases, community carbon and habitat recreation and reforestation guides.

  • 2011, INSEAD (Certificate in Social Entrepreneurship), INSEAD Business School for the World
  • 2004, MSc (Hons), Environmental Science, University of London (Birkbeck)
  • 2002, BSc (Merit), Plant Ecology and Environmental Science, University of London (Birkbeck)
  • 1985, Camberwell School of Art and Crafts, London
  • Research Associate, Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh
  • Trustee Rainforest Concern
  • Trustee Chase Africa 

Whaley, O., Borda, C., Moat, J., Wilkinson, T., Sanchez, A.B. & Gagné, R. (2020) 

Ecology and diagnosis of Enallodiplosis discordis (Diptera:Cecidomyiidae): A fierce new defoliator with direct repercussions for loss of Prosopis dry forest and livelihoods in Peru.

Revista Peruana de Biologia 27(4):451-48

Whaley, O., Orellana, A. & Pecho, O. (2019) 

An Annotated Checklist to Vascular Flora of the Ica Region, Peru-with notes on endemic species, habitat, climate change and agrobiodiversity.

Phytotaxa 389(1):1

Baena, S., Moat J., Whaley, O. & Boyd, D. (2017)

Identifying species from the air: UAVs and the very high-resolution challenge for plant conservation.

PLOS ONE 12(11):e0188714
 

Beresford-Jones, D., Pullen, A.G., Whaley, O.Q., Moat, J., Chauca, G., Cadwallader, L., Arce, S., Orellana, A., Alarcón, C., Gorriti, M. and Maita, P.K. (2015).

Re-evaluating the resource potential of lomas fog oasis environments for Preceramic hunter–gatherers under past ENSO modes on the south coast of Peru. 

Quaternary Science Reviews 129:196-215.
 

Alexander, S., Aronson, J., Whaley, O. & Lamb, D. (2016)

The relationship between ecological restoration and the ecosystem services concept.

Ecology and society 21(1).
 

Whaley, O., Beresford-Jones, D.G., Milliken, W., Orellana, A., Smyk, A. & Leguia, J. (2010)

An ecosystem approach to restoration and sustainable management of dry forest in Southern Peru.

Kew Bulletin 65: 613-641.