Looking ahead, Dr. Munanura is driven by the aspiration to create a socially just world, ensuring that opportunities for the sustainable use of natural resources are accessible to all.
CORVALLIS, OR, February 29, 2024 /24-7PressRelease/ -- Ian E. Munanura, Ph.D., has been inducted into Marquis Who's Who. As in all Marquis Who's Who biographical volumes, individuals profiled are selected based on current reference value. Factors such as position, noteworthy accomplishments, visibility, and prominence in a field are all taken into account during the selection process.
Dr. Munanura is a tenured associate professor at Oregon State University (OSU) in the Department of Forest Ecosystems and Society within the College of Forestry. His academic focus centers on advancing social justice in conservation and sustainable use of natural resources in scholarship and teaching capacities.
In addition to traditional classroom lectures, Dr. Munanura extends his educational impact by guiding students through a transformative two-week field course program held annually in Borneo, Malaysia, and East Africa. This immersive experience deepens students' understanding of international conservation challenges and opportunities.
As an accomplished social scientist, Dr. Munanura dedicates his research efforts to uncovering barriers preventing individuals from diverse cultural backgrounds from engaging in recreational activities in U.S. forests. In Africa, his work explores constraints hindering harmonious coexistence between humans and wildlife, focusing on identifying community-based ecotourism solutions. His prolific research has been widely published in esteemed scholarly journals and book chapters. Dr. Munanura co-authored the book "Ecotourism in Sub-Saharan Africa: Thirty Years of Practice" alongside K. Backman, published by Routledge in 2017. Additionally, he has shared his expertise through numerous public speaking engagements with various professional groups.
Looking ahead, Dr. Munanura is driven by the aspiration to create a socially just world, ensuring that opportunities for the sustainable use of natural resources are accessible to all. He envisions a future where the protection and restoration of nature specifically benefit socio-economically underserved communities, aiming to mitigate the opportunity costs they often bear in safeguarding the environment. His future plans involve active engagement with global and local policymakers to develop inclusive policies and programs that enhance equity in accessing the benefits of nature.
A high school encounter with a dense Amazon Forest image sparked Dr. Munanura's journey into conservation. While in Rwanda as a college student, he discovered the Nyungwe Forest, reminiscent of his Amazonian dream. Despite lacking formal naturalist training, his passion led him to teach English to guides for English-speaking tourists, opening doors to volunteer and research opportunities in Nyungwe Forest. In 2000, Dr. Munanura was entrusted with leading a field conservation program at Nyungwe Forest, a project affiliated with the Wildlife Conservation Society at the Bronx Zoo in New York. His impactful leadership extended to his promotion and serving as Rwanda's country director for the Wildlife Conservation Society, contributing significantly to the creation of East Africa's first rainforest canopy walkway. This project aimed at raising conservation awareness and supporting locally-owned social enterprises dedicated to sustainable tropical forest conservation. Among his notable achievements, Dr. Munanura managed the Forest Landscape Restoration Program for East and Southern Africa at the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and served as Chief of Party for a conservation and human development program funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) in Rwanda.
Dr. Munanura's academic journey includes a bachelor's degree in management from the National University of Rwanda, a master's degree from the Durrell Institute of Conservation and Ecology at the University of Kent in the United Kingdom, and a doctorate in parks, recreation, and tourism management from Clemson University in the United States. Committed to ongoing service, he serves as an associate editor for the Journal of Ecotourism and is a member of prestigious organizations, including the American Association of Geographers, the International Association for Society and Natural Resources, and the International Ecotourism Society.
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