Tim is a Senior Research Fellow at the Environmental Futures Research Institute at Griffith University. He has considerable experience working in Pacific Island Countries (PICs) having worked as a volunteer in Papua New Guinea for 5 years and having lead ACIAR projects in Solomon Islands since 2008. His research interests are based around the development of a sustainable, smallholder forest industry suitable for small island developing states and include:

• the development of teak-based agroforestry systems with an emphasis on long-term income-generating crops such as coffee
• the natural regeneration of forests following logging activities
• export market access for smallholder grown timber and the development of locally owned private enterprise for the harvesting and processing of smallholder teak.

For more details of Tim's research and publications, click here

MIri is a Solomon Islander with a passionate commitment to the development of women's rights within communities. She was formerly the Principal of the Vanga Training College for Rural Training Centre Teachers and is now involved in a variety of community activities in and around Western Province. Miri organises women's activities where they may be involved in the project and acts as interpreter and liasion to Peter Daniels, the project Social Science Researcher.

Peter is an environmental and ecological economist at the School of Environment at Griffith University. He has an interdisciplinary undergraduate background in environmental science and has postgraduate qualifications in human geography (MA) and economics (PhD). His major research orientation is the relatively new trans-discipline of ecological economics with its emphasis on the biophysical consequences of economic activities and systems for environmental, economic and social sustainability.

For more details of Peter's research and publications, click here

Gideon is an experienced forester with many years of service within the Solomon Islands Ministry of Forestry, at one time serving as Commissioner of Forests. Prior to joining the team he was working with the Scretariat of the Pacific Community involved with the process of forest certification for small holder growers. Gideon works with staff and students from the Rural Training Centres, State Schools and the Solomon Islands National University, providing a vital educational link to our research programme.

Philip is a very experienced forester having been forester in charge at Munda before reaching the compulsory retirement age of the SI Public Service. His wealth of knowledge on all aspects of Forestry in SI makes him the ideal person to guide the team.