In the Kingdom of Gorillas: Success and Challenges in Tourism and Conservation
Mountain gorillas teetered on the edge of extinction forty years ago. They have since staged a remarkable comeback within the troubled region of east-central Africa. Drs. Amy Vedder and Bill Weber will discuss that recovery, the pioneering approaches of ecotourism and community engagement that have made it possible, and the challenges that continue to face the gorillas. It is a story with global implications, from Africa to the Adirondacks.
Amy and Bill have worked for more than thirty years in international conservation, combining protection of wildlife and wild lands with concern for local human needs. They lived and worked in Rwanda for 8 of those years, before returning to take on leadership positions with Wildlife Conservation Society directing programs in Africa and North America.
Amy and Bill’s work has been featured in National Geographic and other media outlets. Their book, In the Kingdom of Gorillas, was called one of “the most influential books from the past 40 years of wildlife publishing” by BBC Wildlife and selected as a “Best Science and Nature book” by National Public Radio.
Vedder and Weber currently teach graduate courses in conservation at Yale University’s School of the Environment. Their permanent home is in Johnsburg, NY where they enjoy hiking, canoeing, snowshoeing and clear night skies.
