
Overview
Background
How do we feed the world, adapt to and mitigate climate change, and conserve biodiversity? My research addresses these critical questions by quantifying the trade-offs between agricultural production, climate change, and biodiversity in tropical agricultural landscapes. A key focus of my work is agroforestry—the strategic integration of trees into cultivated lands. While agroforests are not a one-size-fits-all solution, my research shows that agroforestry, when informed by a quantitative understanding of these trade-offs, can improve biodiversity and climate outcomes without compromising agricultural productivity.
Through fieldwork and conservation planning, and in collaboration with my wonderful colleagues at the Centre for Biodiversity and Conservation Science (CBCS), I aim to understand how agricultural landscapes can be optimized across large geographic areas, to best meet conflicting goals and improve biodiversity outcomes. The goal of this work is to improve sustainability outcomes across West Africa, where tropical forests have been rapidly converted in order to produce 60% of the world’s cocoa.
Availability
- Dr Wilma J. Blaser Hart is:
- Available for supervision
Fields of research
Qualifications
- Bachelor of Environmental Science, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology ETH Zürich
- Masters (Coursework), Swiss Federal Institute of Technology ETH Zürich
- Doctor of Philosophy of Science (Advanced), Swiss Federal Institute of Technology ETH Zürich
Research interests
-
Agroforestry
-
Cocoa
Works
Search Professor Wilma J. Blaser Hart’s works on UQ eSpace
Featured
2023
Journal Article
Cocoa plantations are associated with deforestation in Côte d’Ivoire and Ghana
Kalischek, Nikolai, Lang, Nico, Renier, Cécile, Daudt, Rodrigo Caye, Addoah, Thomas, Thompson, William, Blaser-Hart, Wilma J., Garrett, Rachael, Schindler, Konrad and Wegner, Jan D. (2023). Cocoa plantations are associated with deforestation in Côte d’Ivoire and Ghana. Nature Food, 4 (5), 384-393. doi: 10.1038/s43016-023-00751-8
Featured
2021
Journal Article
The effectiveness of cocoa agroforests depends on shade-tree canopy height
Blaser-Hart, W. J., Hart, S. P., Oppong, J., Kyereh, D., Yeboah, E. and Six, J. (2021). The effectiveness of cocoa agroforests depends on shade-tree canopy height. Agriculture, Ecosystems and Environment, 322 107676, 1-11. doi: 10.1016/j.agee.2021.107676
Featured
2018
Journal Article
Climate-smart sustainable agriculture in low-to-intermediate shade agroforests
Blaser, W. J., Oppong, J., Hart, S. P., Landolt, J., Yeboah, E. and Six, J. (2018). Climate-smart sustainable agriculture in low-to-intermediate shade agroforests. Nature Sustainability, 1 (5), 234-239. doi: 10.1038/s41893-018-0062-8
2025
Journal Article
Ecosystem changes caused by hydrological change are associated with population decline in a formerly-common grazing herbivore
Blaser-Hart, W. J., Shanungu, G. K., Edwards, P. J., Harms, J., Hart, S. P. H., Ellenbroek, G. A., van Gils, H. A. M. J., Simukonda, C. and Olde Venterink, H. (2025). Ecosystem changes caused by hydrological change are associated with population decline in a formerly-common grazing herbivore. Ecosystems, 28 (1) 14, 1. doi: 10.1007/s10021-024-00951-8
2025
Other Outputs
The unrealised potential of agroforestry (Processed maps GHA 2022 point clouds)
Hart, Wilma J. Blaser and Hart, Simon (2025). The unrealised potential of agroforestry (Processed maps GHA 2022 point clouds). The University of Queensland. (Dataset) doi: 10.48610/6a832c4
2025
Other Outputs
The unrealised potential of agroforestry (Processed maps GHA 2022 High Shade all exports)
Hart, Wilma J. Blaser and Hart, Simon (2025). The unrealised potential of agroforestry (Processed maps GHA 2022 High Shade all exports). The University of Queensland. (Dataset) doi: 10.48610/befec92
2025
Other Outputs
The unrealised potential of agroforestry (Raw drone images GHA 2021 Part F)
Hart, Wilma J. Blaser and Hart, Simon (2025). The unrealised potential of agroforestry (Raw drone images GHA 2021 Part F). The University of Queensland. (Dataset) doi: 10.48610/0e1fdd6
2025
Other Outputs
The unrealised potential of agroforestry (Raw drone images & polygons CIV Abengourou)
Hart, Wilma J. Blaser and Hart, Simon (2025). The unrealised potential of agroforestry (Raw drone images & polygons CIV Abengourou). The University of Queensland. (Dataset) doi: 10.48610/9301d6b
2025
Other Outputs
The unrealised potential of agroforestry (Raw drone images GHA 2022 Part C)
Hart, Wilma J. Blaser and Hart, Simon (2025). The unrealised potential of agroforestry (Raw drone images GHA 2022 Part C). The University of Queensland. (Dataset) doi: 10.48610/eb36fd7
2025
Other Outputs
The unrealised potential of agroforestry (Processed maps CIV 2021 all exports)
Hart, Wilma J. Blaser and Hart, Simon (2025). The unrealised potential of agroforestry (Processed maps CIV 2021 all exports). The University of Queensland. (Dataset) doi: 10.48610/3442358
2025
Other Outputs
The unrealised potential of agroforestry (Raw drone images GHA 2022 High Shade Part B)
Hart, Wilma J. Blaser and Hart, Simon (2025). The unrealised potential of agroforestry (Raw drone images GHA 2022 High Shade Part B). The University of Queensland. (Dataset) doi: 10.48610/6199f9b
2025
Other Outputs
The unrealised potential of agroforestry (Raw drone images & polygons CIV Aboisso)
Hart, Wilma J. Blaser and Hart, Simon (2025). The unrealised potential of agroforestry (Raw drone images & polygons CIV Aboisso). The University of Queensland. (Dataset) doi: 10.48610/b46b1ff
2025
Other Outputs
The unrealised potential of agroforestry (Maps of agro-climatic zones)
Hart, Wilma J. Blaser and Hart, Simon (2025). The unrealised potential of agroforestry (Maps of agro-climatic zones). The University of Queensland. (Dataset) doi: 10.48610/844d738
2025
Other Outputs
The unrealised potential of agroforestry (Raw drone images GHA 2022 Part B)
Hart, Wilma J. Blaser and Hart, Simon (2025). The unrealised potential of agroforestry (Raw drone images GHA 2022 Part B). The University of Queensland. (Dataset) doi: 10.48610/760cdba
2025
Other Outputs
The unrealised potential of agroforestry (Raw drone images GHA 2022 Part F)
Hart, Wilma J. Blaser and Hart, Simon (2025). The unrealised potential of agroforestry (Raw drone images GHA 2022 Part F). The University of Queensland. (Dataset) doi: 10.48610/c61a4b2
2025
Other Outputs
The unrealised potential of agroforestry (Raw drone images GHA 2022 Part E)
Hart, Wilma J. Blaser and Hart, Simon (2025). The unrealised potential of agroforestry (Raw drone images GHA 2022 Part E). The University of Queensland. (Dataset) doi: 10.48610/2418854
2025
Other Outputs
The unrealised potential of agroforestry (Processed maps GHA 2022 all exports)
Hart, Wilma J. Blaser and Hart, Simon (2025). The unrealised potential of agroforestry (Processed maps GHA 2022 all exports). The University of Queensland. (Dataset) doi: 10.48610/a2ecf22
2025
Other Outputs
The unrealised potential of agroforestry (Raw drone images GHA 2021 Part B)
Hart, Wilma J. Blaser and Hart, Simon (2025). The unrealised potential of agroforestry (Raw drone images GHA 2021 Part B). The University of Queensland. (Dataset) doi: 10.48610/ed7edcd
2025
Other Outputs
The unrealised potential of agroforestry (Raw drone images GHA 2021 Part C)
Hart, Wilma J. Blaser and Hart, Simon (2025). The unrealised potential of agroforestry (Raw drone images GHA 2021 Part C). The University of Queensland. (Dataset) doi: 10.48610/3f196df
2025
Other Outputs
The unrealised potential of agroforestry (Raw drone images GHA 2021 Part A)
Hart, Wilma J. Blaser and Hart, Simon (2025). The unrealised potential of agroforestry (Raw drone images GHA 2021 Part A). The University of Queensland. (Dataset) doi: 10.48610/633959b
Supervision
Availability
- Dr Wilma J. Blaser Hart is:
- Available for supervision
Before you email them, read our advice on how to contact a supervisor.
Supervision history
Current supervision
-
Doctor Philosophy
Improving biodiversity outcomes in West African cocoa
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Richard Fuller, Associate Professor Matthew Luskin, Dr Simon Hart
Media
Enquiries
For media enquiries about Dr Wilma J. Blaser Hart's areas of expertise, story ideas and help finding experts, contact our Media team: