Heather Arrowood

Heather’s interests lie in the overlaps between human rights and conservation. She holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Wisconsin in wildlife ecology and a master’s of environmental science from the Yale School of Forestry & Environmental Studies focusing on the social science aspects of conservation.

Heather has been living and working in Africa since 2002, when she first moved to the continent as an agroforestry volunteer in northern Cameroon with Peace Corps.  Since 2002 she has worked on conservation and ecotourism projects in Tanzania, Kenya, Cameroon, Gabon, and in the Caribbean. Heather does private sector consulting work for hotels and tour operators that want to “go green” and market to ecotourists. She also works with non-profit organizations and community groups to develop ecotourism initiatives that protect the environment while benefitting local communities.

Currently Heather is based in Lambaréné, Gabon where she works as a technical advisor for the local NGO, Organisation Ecotouristique du Lac Oguemoué (OELO). OELO leads efforts to protect the environment, educate school children, and inform local communities of their environmental rights. In partnership with international conservation NGOs and the Gabonese government, OELO is working to conserve some of the largest remaining populations of forest elephants, gorillas, chimpanzees, and manatees for future generations. Heather also works with OELO to operate a community-based ecotourism project in the lake region of Gabon called Tsam Tsam.