Evert Thomas

Title: Associate expert

Area of research: Conservation and use of forest genetic resources in Latin America

Duty post location: Bioversity International Americas Regional Office, Cali, Colombia

Dr. Evert Thomas, a native of Belgium, joined the Americas Regional office in April 2011. His main task consists of enhancing the conservation and use of forest genetic resources, among others through the use of spatial diversity analysis. Evert is also contributing to the thematic study on ecological restoration for FAO’s State of the World Forest Genetic Resources.

In 2002, Evert received the Development Co-operation Prize from the Belgian State Secretary of development co-operation for his Masters thesis work on medicinal plants in Bolivia. Evert’s PhD work focused on plant diversity and its usefulness according to three ethnic groups from the Bolivian Andes and Amazon forest. He has also significant experience in environmental policy work.

Prior to joining Bioversity, he worked as a Biodiversity and Biosafety Expert for the Belgian Federal Ministry of Environment. Among other duties, he acted as the Belgian focal point for ongoing negotiations on Access and Benefit-Sharing (ABS) and article 8j on traditional knowledge of indigenous and local communities in the framework of the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD). He also negotiated these themes on behalf of the European Union at CBD COP 10 in Nagoya, Japan.

Credentials:

2008 PhD in Applied Biological Sciences, Ghent University, Belgium
2002 Complementary Studies in Agricultural Development, Ghent University, Belgium
2001 MSc in Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, Belgium

Languages:

Fluent in Dutch, English, Spanish and French, can communicate in Portuguese and to lesser extent in German

Recent publications:

Thomas E, van Zonneveld M, Loo J, Hodgkin T, Galluzzi G, et al. (2012) Present Spatial Diversity Patterns of Theobroma cacao L. in the Neotropics Reflect Genetic Differentiation in Pleistocene Refugia Followed by Human-Influenced Dispersal. PLoS ONE 7(10): e47676. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0047676 [Read more]

THOMAS, E. (2012). The impact of traditional lifestyle, provenance and contact history on plant knowledge: a comparison of two small-scale societies from the Bolivian Amazon. Human Ecology 40:355-368.

van Zonneveld, M. THOMAS, E., Galluzzi, G., Scheldeman, X. (2011). Mapping the Ecogeographic Distribution of Biodiversity. In: Guarino, L. et al. Collecting Plant Genetic Diversity Technical Guidelines 

THOMAS, E., Douterlungne, D., Vandebroek, I., Heens, F. Goetghebeur, P., Van Damme, P. (2011). Human Impact on Wild Firewood Species in the Rural Andes Community of Apillapampa, Bolivia. Environmental Monitoring and Assessment 178:333-347.

THOMAS, E., Semo, L., Morales, M., Noza, Z., Nuñez, H., Cayuba, A., Noza, M., Humaday, N., Vaya, J., Van Damme, P. (2011) Ethnomedicinal Practices and Medicinal Plant Knowledge of the Yuracarés and Trinitarios from Indigenous Territory and National Park Isiboro-Sécure, Bolivian Amazon Journal of Ethnopharmacology 133: 153-163 

THOMAS, E., Van Damme, P. (2010) Plant Management in Homegardens and Swiddens: Evidence from the Bolivian Amazon. Agroforestry Systems 80: 131-152.

THOMAS, E., Van Damme, P., Goetghebeur, P. (2010) Some factors determining species diversity of prepuna and puna vegetations in a Bolivian Andes region. Plant Ecology and Evolution 143: 31-42.