Network participants

Camilla Dreef

Ecologist who combines applied ecological research and advice with communication activities. After completing her Bèta-Gamma Bachelor's degree, with interdisciplinary research as the guiding thread, she completed her Master's in Biological Sciences - ecology & evolution in 2015 at the University of Amsterdam. She investigated the foraging behaviour of spoonbills with GPS trackers. The fascination for birds and their migratory behaviour grew, which led to her internship at Birdlife Netherlands. During this study she implemented a science-based method to improve identification of conservation priorities for migratory birds along their flyway.

After her studies, she decided to work as an independent ecologist. Currently, her work mainly concentrates on birds in relation to their environment. She combines ecological research with communication. For example, since 2016 she has been ambassador for Birdlife Netherlands and bird expert on the TV program BinnensteBuiten in which she shows the most beautiful places for bird watching in the Netherlands. Her first book "Kwie-kwie-kwie-kwie-kwie" was published in May 2018 and contains personal stories about bird watching, research and conservation. She is also a regular guest on TV and radio and gives lectures. With her stories she wants to reach a broader audience and thus create more support for conservation.

Peter van Horssen

Geographer with more than 15 year of experience with statistical and GIS support for ecological research. Since 2015 owner of GreenStat. He advices and supports on spatial statistics, population modelling, data visualization and environmental modelling for ecological research projects. He combines general ecological knowledge with technical competences in GIS and statistics. Besides technical knowledge he is also at home in field ecological research.

more info here :http://www.greenstat.nl

Celine Roodhart

Debby Doodeman

Yvonne Verkuil

Ecologist with more than 20 years of experience in scientific research, and international conservation and research management. She specializes in waterbirds and their habitats. Since her graduation, Yvonne has conducted ecological and population genetic research on various shorebirds, and worked for 10 years in the DNA lab for ecologists at the University of Groningen (RuG). She currently combines ecological fieldwork as an independent ecologist, including on Marker Wadden, with data analysis, and writing reports and publications. She also works part-time at the RuG to develop a methodology for monitoring bird diets using DNA techniques.

In her current work as an independent ecologist, she wants to focus more on research for nature conservation. She also believes it is important to pass on her knowledge and experience to the next generation, which is why she mentors inexperienced authors as editor of the journal Wader Study.

Folkert de Boer

Femke van Zetten

Ecologist with a strong passion for birds and nature conservation. After completing her studies in Animal Sciences at Wageningen University & Research (BSc and MSc, specialization in Animal Ecology), she immediately started working as an independent ecologist. She has a broad interest in, among others, behavioral ecology, habitat use, and biodiversity. Her experience ranges from field research in Bolivia on the effects of grazing on fauna to projects in the Netherlands in wetland areas focused on terns. She is involved in studying the impact of human infrastructure on bird populations, audio monitoring of bird diversity, and landscape design to benefit birds. She works in a structured way, with attention to detail, and finds it important to share new knowledge through reports and presentations. With the aim of preserving biodiversity and giving nature more space, she is open to a wide range of projects related to birds, wetlands, and conservation.

Maarten Hotting

Driven birdwatcher who has been actively involved in various bird research projects for many years, particularly in the IJsselmeer area, including Marker Wadden. With his extensive species knowledge, he carries out a wide range of fieldwork activities, such as breeding bird monitoring and other bird surveys. Besides, he has over ten years of experience in capturing and ringing birds.

With a background in electrical engineering, he combines his technical skills with his passion for birds and nature. He enjoys contributing ideas and developing technical solutions that can be applied in research, such as capture devices. He is also skilled in the field of audio monitoring — from recording to analysis.

Jim de Fouw

With over 15 years of experience since completing his MSc, he has been exploring ecological interactions in wetlands, including intertidal ecosystems, salt marshes, and freshwater wetlands. With a focus on biogeochemical processes in the soil, the development of vegetation, and the ways in which fauna interact with these dynamics. During his PhD, he studied ecological interactions in a tropical intertidal ecosystem in Africa and Middle East, with particular attention to seagrasses, bivalves, and shorebirds. Thereafter, his research expanded beyond marine coastal systems to also include freshwater reed marshes and marsh development on former agricultural lands.

Through his international work in both freshwater and marine systems, he has gained extensive knowledge of complex ecological interactions and how these insights support restoration and conservation efforts. His expertise includes field observations, sampling soils, vegetation, and organisms; conducting laboratory analyses (such as species identification, elemental and stable isotope analyses); and performing statistical analyses on long-term and spatial datasets.

As an ecological consultant, his goal is to translate a mechanistic understanding of ecosystems into practical solutions for management and conservation. In addition, he shares ecological knowledge through lectures, seminars, and publications.