Restoration and conservation ecologist with 20+ years of experience with ecosystem restoration and conservation, carbon, ecotourism and sustainable community development. Co-founder of the African Conservation Foundation and a specialist in GIS, remote sensing and project impact measurement and monitoring.

Arend facilitates the development of networks and partnerships with international and local organisations in ecosystem restoration, research and education. He also coordinates the UN Decade Challenge Ecosystem Restoration curricula & training trajectories, materials, methodologies and tools and is the GEF CSO Network Regional Focal Point for Europe.