Sara Kross, PhD

I am a conservation biologist and restoration ecologist focused on better understanding the interactions between wildlife and people.  I do this work in natural landscapes, but also in human-dominated systems like farms and cities, which I see as critical frontiers in wildlife conservation. My hope is to provide applied science that supports species conservation, sustainable farms, and vibrant cities.

My students and I take a systems-thinking approach to these topics, mixing methods from different branches of biology and from other disciplines. We are unashamedly applied in our approach- tackling problems that need strong science to inform management decisions. This means we often work in collaboration with iwi, government, land managers, community groups, and industry.

We've done this work in truly wild places such as NZ's alpine ecosystems, the Canadian Arctic, and the Pacific Ocean; as well as some of the most altered landscapes on the planet such as intensive farms in California's central valley and the Canterbury Plains, New York City, and Christchurch. 

I am also committed to education/outreach and welcome enquiries from teachers- get in touch if your class is interested in any of these topics!

Sara's University of Canterbury website

Sara's Google Scholar