Wendy Foden facts for kids

Wendy Foden is a conservation biologist. She is well-known for her important work on how Climate change affects biodiversity. This means she studies how changes in Earth's climate cause plants and animals to disappear.

Early Discoveries and Education

Wendy Foden studied at the University of Cape Town. In 2001, while working on her master's degree, she made an interesting discovery. She noticed that many Quiver trees were dying off. These trees, also known as Aloidendron dichotomum, were dying more in some areas than others.

She thought Climate change might be the reason. Wendy received money to study this further. She worked with Guy Midgley at the South African National Biodiversity Institute. From 2001 to 2003, she traveled a lot. She surveyed Quiver Trees in Namibia and dry parts of South Africa. She also set up ways to watch the trees over a long time.

Her studies showed a clear pattern. More trees were dying as she went north (towards the equator). More trees also died at lower altitudes. This suggested that the trees were struggling because their preferred climate was moving. It was moving towards the poles, but the trees couldn't move fast enough. This study was published in 2007. It was one of the first to show how climate change was affecting plants. It also showed its impact on dry areas and in Africa. A TV show called "All of a quiver" was made about her work. It was shown on BBC World in 2007.

Working to Protect Species

From 2003 to 2007, Wendy Foden worked in Pretoria, South Africa. She managed a program for Threatened species. This program was part of the South African National Biodiversity Institute. In this role, she helped create programs. These programs tracked and assessed the conservation needs of plants, reptiles, butterflies, and spiders. She also started a scholarship. This scholarship helped students research threatened species. She was also the chairperson for a group that focused on plants in Southern Africa.

In 2007, Wendy moved to the United Kingdom. She joined the IUCN Global Species Programme. This program is based in Cambridge. There, she worked with other scientists. They developed a new way to figure out how vulnerable species are to climate change. They looked at how much climate change a species might face. They also studied traits that make species more or less able to adapt.

In 2013, Wendy and her team published their findings. They explained their method. They also showed how they used it for all birds, amphibians, and corals. Their study pointed out which species were most at risk. It also showed the areas where these species were found. This work helped conservationists know where to focus their efforts. They also used this method in other parts of Africa. This included East and Central Africa, West Africa, and Madagascar.

Wendy Foden also works to teach people about climate change. She gives talks and seminars. In 2009, she helped create a report for the public. It was called 'Ten New Climate Change Flagships: More Than Just the Polar Bear'. This report was shared at a big climate change meeting. She also taught at the University of Cambridge. For many years, she has been on a special committee. This committee focuses on climate change and species survival. She is also a trustee for the Environment Africa Trust.

In 2016, Wendy led the IUCN SSC Climate Change Specialist Group. Her team created new guidelines. These guidelines help people assess how vulnerable species are to climate change. At that time, she was also a Senior Researcher. She worked at the University of Stellenbosch in South Africa. In 2020, she received the BES Marsh Award for Climate Change Research.