Ennia Bosshard

Ennia Bosshard is a conservation scientist interested in the complex role of trees and forests in supporting biodiversity and human wellbeing. Her doctoral research explores socio-ecological dimensions of forest landscape restoration in tropical smallholder farming systems, with a particular focus on Kenya.

To address the intertwined challenges of biodiversity conservation, climate change, and food production, Ennia's PhD combines systematic evidence synthesis, ecological field research and social science methods. Using plant-pollinator interactions as a case study, she investigates how proximity to natural habitats and on-farm tree diversity affect pollinator communities, food production, livelihoods, and carbon storage in a smallholder farming landscape in Western Kenya. Her research also aims to better understand the decision-making processes of smallholders in diversifying trees and shrubs on their farms. Through her work, Ennia is keen to explore how nature-based solutions can support both nature and people.

Alongside her PhD, Ennia has been coordinating monthly ConScience gatherings at the uni since July 2022. Conscience is a collective of inter-disciplinary researchers based at or working with the University of Exeter to reduce biodiversity loss through socially just and evidence-based conservation. The monthly gatherings are aimed to bring together our conservation community on the Penryn campus, and offer a platform for engaging discussions, knowledge sharing, and networking among conservation researchers.