Professor James Watson
Professor

James Watson

Email: 
Phone: 
+61 7 334 61645

Background

James is an applied conservation scientist and bioegeographer working at the interface between ecology, policy and management to improve outcomes for biodiversity. He has a particular interest in understanding how humanity influences landscape and the climate, and what this means for biodiversity and ecosystem service outcomes, and the implications of this for environmental policy setting and management.

As a Professor of Conservation Science at The University of Queensland, he leads two research groups. The Green Fire Science research group (www.greenfirescience.com) mission is to do applied research that is linked directly to the practice of large-scale conservation and the Research and Recovery of Endangered Species (https://raresgroup.com.au) mission is to focus on Australia's rarest, least studied species to try and work out their needs and work with those on-ground practioners to try and save them.

James has been passionate conservation for decades. As a Rhodes Scholar, James undertook his PhD research studying in Madagascar, trying to come up with conservation plans to save endemic bird species inhabiting the country’s remaining littoral forest. Since then he has published more than 400 peer-reviewed papers, book chapters and reports on conservation related matters, ranging from assessing the impacts of climate change on species to mapping the effectiveness of protected areas on biodiversity conservation outcomes globally. He has served on the International Panel for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) Data and Knowledge Task Force, and is a Research Fellow for the United Nation’s Environment Program, a Senior Technical expert for the United Nations Development Program’s Global Programme on Nature for Development, and was the founding chair of the International Union for Nature Conservation Climate Change Specialist Group. James sits on the scientific committees of BirdLife Australia and SUBAC. James was global president of the Society for Conservation Biology in 2015-17.

I am also an affiliated researcher at the Centre for Biodiversity and Conservation Science.

Availability

Professor James Watson is:
Available for supervision
Media expert

Fields of research

Ecology Environmental Sciences

Qualifications

  • Doctor of Philosophy, University of Oxford

Research interests

  • Conservation policy and practice

Search Professor James Watson’s works on UQ eSpace

500 works between 2001 and 2025
All (500) Journal Article (415) Book Chapter (20) Conference Publication (6) Book (2) Other Outputs (57)

321 - 340 of 500 works

2016

Journal Article

Global biodiversity targets requires both sufficiency and efficiency

Moreno, Di Marco, Watson, James E.M., Venter, Oscar and Possingham, Hugh P. (2016). Global biodiversity targets requires both sufficiency and efficiency. Conservation Letters, 9 (6), 395-397. doi: 10.1111/conl.12299

Global biodiversity targets requires both sufficiency and efficiency

2016

Journal Article

Catastrophic declines in wilderness areas undermine global environmental targets

Watson, James E. M., Shanahan, Danielle F., Di Marco, Moreno, Allan, James, Laurance, William F., Sanderson, Eric W., Mackey, Brendan and Venter, Oscar (2016). Catastrophic declines in wilderness areas undermine global environmental targets. Current Biology, 26 (21), 2929-2934. doi: 10.1016/j.cub.2016.08.049

Catastrophic declines in wilderness areas undermine global environmental targets

2016

Journal Article

Four environmental reasons why fast-tracking the Carmichael coal mine is a bad idea

Reside, April, Mappin, Bonnie, Watson, James, Chapman, Sarah and Kearney, Stephen (2016, 11 02). Four environmental reasons why fast-tracking the Carmichael coal mine is a bad idea

Four environmental reasons why fast-tracking the Carmichael coal mine is a bad idea

2016

Journal Article

Positive biodiversity-productivity relationship predominant in global forests

Liang, Jingjing, Crowther, Thomas W., Picard, Nicolas, Wiser, Susan, Zhou, Mo, Alberti, Giorgio, Schulze, Ernst-Detlef, McGuire, A. David, Bozzato, Fabio, Pretzsch, Hans, De-Miguel, Sergio, Paquette, Alain, Hérault, Bruno, Scherer-Lorenzen, Michael, Barrett, Christopher B., Glick, Henry B., Hengeveld, Geerten M., Nabuurs, Gert-Jan, Pfautsch, Sebastian, Viana, Helder, Vibrans, Alexander C., Ammer, Christian, Schall, Peter, Verbyla, David, Tchebakova, Nadja, Fischer, Markus, Watson, James V., Chen, Han Y. H., Lei, Xiangdong ... Reich, Peter B. (2016). Positive biodiversity-productivity relationship predominant in global forests. Science, 354 (6309) aaf8957, aaf8957-aaf8957. doi: 10.1126/science.aaf8957

Positive biodiversity-productivity relationship predominant in global forests

2016

Journal Article

Why our wilderness matters

Watson, James (2016). Why our wilderness matters. Time

Why our wilderness matters

2016

Journal Article

Persistent disparities between recent rates of habitat conversion and protection and implications for future global conservation targets

Watson, James E. M., Jones, Kendall R., Fuller, Richard A., Di Marco, Moreno, Segan, Daniel B., Butchart, Stuart H. M., Allan, James R., McDonald-Madden, Eve and Venter, Oscar (2016). Persistent disparities between recent rates of habitat conversion and protection and implications for future global conservation targets. Conservation Letters, 9 (6), 1-9. doi: 10.1111/conl.12295

Persistent disparities between recent rates of habitat conversion and protection and implications for future global conservation targets

2016

Journal Article

The world’s carbon stores are going up in smoke with vanishing wilderness

Watson, James, Laurance, Bill, Mackey, Brendan and Allan, James (2016, 09 16). The world’s carbon stores are going up in smoke with vanishing wilderness

The world’s carbon stores are going up in smoke with vanishing wilderness

2016

Journal Article

Limitations and trade-offs in the use of species distribution maps for protected area planning

Di Marco, Moreno, Watson, James E. M., Possingham, Hugh P. and Venter, Oscar (2016). Limitations and trade-offs in the use of species distribution maps for protected area planning. Journal of Applied Ecology, 54 (2), 1-10. doi: 10.1111/1365-2664.12771

Limitations and trade-offs in the use of species distribution maps for protected area planning

2016

Journal Article

Signs of hope for nature in a rapidly degrading world

Venter, Oscar and Watson, James (2016). Signs of hope for nature in a rapidly degrading world. Scientific American

Signs of hope for nature in a rapidly degrading world

2016

Journal Article

Global terrestrial human footprint maps for 1993 and 2009

Venter, Oscar, Sanderson, Eric W., Magrach, Ainhoa, Allan, James R., Beher, Jutta, Jones, Kendall R., Possingham, Hugh P., Laurance, William F., Wood, Peter, Fekete, Balázs M., Levy, Marc A. and Watson, James E. M. (2016). Global terrestrial human footprint maps for 1993 and 2009. Scientific Data, 3 (1) 160067, 160067. doi: 10.1038/sdata.2016.67

Global terrestrial human footprint maps for 1993 and 2009

2016

Journal Article

Sixteen years of change in the global terrestrial human footprint and implications for biodiversity conservation

Venter, Oscar, Sanderson, Eric W., Magrach, Ainhoa, Allan, James R., Beher, Jutta, Jones, Kendall R., Possingham, Hugh P., Laurance, William F., Wood, Peter, Fekete, Balazs M., Levy, Marc A. and Watson, James E. M. (2016). Sixteen years of change in the global terrestrial human footprint and implications for biodiversity conservation. Nature Communications, 7 (12558) 12558, 1-11. doi: 10.1038/ncomms12558

Sixteen years of change in the global terrestrial human footprint and implications for biodiversity conservation

2016

Journal Article

The inequity in climate change?: How unfair is that?

Althor, Glenn, Watson, James and Fuller, Richard (2016). The inequity in climate change?: How unfair is that?. Decision Point (97), 9-9.

The inequity in climate change?: How unfair is that?

2016

Journal Article

Hunting, fishing and farming remain the biggest threats to wildlife

Maxwell, Sean, Watson, James and Fuller, Richard (2016, 08 11). Hunting, fishing and farming remain the biggest threats to wildlife

Hunting, fishing and farming remain the biggest threats to wildlife

2016

Journal Article

The ravages of guns, nets and bulldozers

Maxwell, Sean, Fuller, Richard A., Brooks, Thomas M. and Watson, James E. M. (2016). The ravages of guns, nets and bulldozers. Nature, 536 (7615), 143-145. doi: 10.1038/536143a

The ravages of guns, nets and bulldozers

2016

Journal Article

Progress in improving the protection of species and habitats in Australia

Barr, Lissa M., Watson, James E. M., Possingham, Hugh P., Iwamura, Takuya and Fuller, Richard A. (2016). Progress in improving the protection of species and habitats in Australia. Biological Conservation, 200, 184-191. doi: 10.1016/j.biocon.2016.03.038

Progress in improving the protection of species and habitats in Australia

2016

Journal Article

Formulating smart commitments on biodiversity: lessons from the Aichi Targets

Butchart, Stuart H. M., DiMarco, Moreno and Watson, James E. M. (2016). Formulating smart commitments on biodiversity: lessons from the Aichi Targets. Conservation Letters, 9 (6), 1-12. doi: 10.1111/conl.12278

Formulating smart commitments on biodiversity: lessons from the Aichi Targets

2016

Journal Article

Challenges in assessing the vulnerability of species to climate change to inform conservation actions

Butt, N., Possingham, H. P., De Los Rios, C., Maggini, R., Fuller, R. A., Maxwell, S. L. and Watson, J. E. M. (2016). Challenges in assessing the vulnerability of species to climate change to inform conservation actions. Biological Conservation, 199, 10-15. doi: 10.1016/j.biocon.2016.04.020

Challenges in assessing the vulnerability of species to climate change to inform conservation actions

2016

Journal Article

Bring climate change back from the future

Watson, James (2016). Bring climate change back from the future. Nature, 534 (7608), 437-437. doi: 10.1038/534437a

Bring climate change back from the future

2016

Journal Article

Balancing ecosystem and threatened species representation in protected areas and implications for nations achieving global conservation goals

Polak, Tal, Watson, James E.M., Bennett, Joseph R., Possingham, Hugh P., Fuller, Richard A. and Carwardine, Josie (2016). Balancing ecosystem and threatened species representation in protected areas and implications for nations achieving global conservation goals. Conservation Letters, 9 (6), 438-445. doi: 10.1111/conl.12268

Balancing ecosystem and threatened species representation in protected areas and implications for nations achieving global conservation goals

2016

Journal Article

Taming a wicked problem: resolving controversies in biodiversity offsetting

Maron, Martine, Ives, Christopher D., Kujala, Heini, Bull, Joseph W., Maseyk, Fleur J. F., Bekessy, Sarah, Gordon, Ascelin, Watson, James E. M., Lentini, Pia E., Gibbons, Philip, Possingham, Hugh P., Hobbs, Richard J., Keith, David A., Wintle, Brendan A. and Evans, Megan C. (2016). Taming a wicked problem: resolving controversies in biodiversity offsetting. Bioscience, 66 (6), 489-498. doi: 10.1093/biosci/biw038

Taming a wicked problem: resolving controversies in biodiversity offsetting

Current funding

  • 2023 - 2025
    Queensland regional planning assessments
    Queensland Conservation Council
    Open grant
  • 2023 - 2025
    Mapping environmental, social and governance (ESG) risks to Australia's mining sector - a tool for responsible investment
    Commonwealth Government Geoscience Australia
    Open grant
  • 2022 - 2025
    A critical pathway for Australia's Conservation Future (Ian Potter Foundation grant administered by the University of Melbourne)
    University of Melbourne
    Open grant

Past funding

  • 2023
    Wilderness Inventory Data Review
    Minister for Climate, Environment and Water (South Australia)
    Open grant
  • 2022 - 2023
    Mapping threatened species recovery across Federal electorates
    World Wide Fund for Nature Australia
    Open grant
  • 2021 - 2022
    Climate Change Adaptation Planning for Threatened Species: pilot project
    Australian Capital Territory - Environment, Planning and Sustainable Development Directorate - Conservation Research Branch
    Open grant
  • 2021
    Apply Key Biodiversity Criteria to Bush Heritage Priority Landscapes to determine intactness and land condition
    Bush Heritage Australia
    Open grant
  • 2020 - 2024
    Linking assessment of global goals for ecosystems and species by coupling WCS and CSIRO capabilities in landscape integrity mapping and biodiversity modelling
    Wildlife Conservation Society (USA)
    Open grant
  • 2020 - 2024
    A conservation metric for business to measure biodiversity
    Wildlife Conservation Society (USA)
    Open grant
  • 2020 - 2024
    Assessing the biotic response to intact forest metrics
    Wildlife Conservation Society (USA)
    Open grant
  • 2020 - 2023
    Vibrant Oceans: Applied Coral Reef Conservation
    Wildlife Conservation Society (USA)
    Open grant
  • 2019 - 2021
    KBA mapping for Australia
    Birdlife Australia
    Open grant
  • 2019 - 2020
    The ecology and conservation biogeography of the buff-breasted button-quail
    Birds Queensland
    Open grant
  • 2019 - 2021
    ACF Key Biodiversity Areas Mapping Project
    Australian Conservation Foundation
    Open grant
  • 2019 - 2023
    Ecosystem risk assessment (ARC Linkage Project administered by The University of New South Wales)
    University of New South Wales
    Open grant
  • 2018 - 2021
    Global priorities for terrestrial biodiversity
    Wildlife Conservation Society (USA)
    Open grant
  • 2018 - 2024
    Land clearing assessment on species
    Australian Conservation Foundation
    Open grant
  • 2018 - 2021
    Identifying Nature's Strongholds
    Wildlife Conservation Society (USA)
    Open grant
  • 2018 - 2019
    Conservation Priority Setting
    Wildlife Conservation Society (USA)
    Open grant
  • 2018 - 2019
    Africa Climate Change and Biodiversity - ABCG II
    Wildlife Conservation Society (USA)
    Open grant
  • 2018
    Identifying the most important terrestrial wilderness areas on the planet
    Wildlife Conservation Society (USA)
    Open grant
  • 2017 - 2018
    Australia wide analysis for threatened species
    Australian Conservation Foundation
    Open grant
  • 2017 - 2019
    Intact Forests - Framework Metric
    Wildlife Conservation Society (USA)
    Open grant
  • 2017 - 2018
    SNAPP Compensatory Conservation Working Group
    The Nature Conservancy
    Open grant
  • 2017 - 2021
    Macarthur Intact Forests
    Wildlife Conservation Society (USA)
    Open grant
  • 2017 - 2018
    Rapid response to significant unanticipated threat - testing novel feral cat control strategies to support conservation of the endangered alwal/golden-shouldered parrot [...]
    Queensland Department of Environment and Heritage Protection
    Open grant
  • 2017 - 2020
    Night Parrot Research, Pullen Pullen Reserve, Qld
    Bush Heritage Australia
    Open grant
  • 2017 - 2019
    Africa Spatial Planning - ABCG II
    Wildlife Conservation Society (USA)
    Open grant
  • 2016 - 2020
    Optimising community-based climate change adaptation in the Pacific Islands
    ARC Linkage Projects
    Open grant
  • 2016 - 2021
    GIS support to WCS Indonesia Program's Sulawesi project
    Wildlife Conservation Society (USA)
    Open grant
  • 2016 - 2019
    Intact forests values assessment
    Wildlife Conservation Society (USA)
    Open grant
  • 2016 - 2017
    Provide MARXAN analysis of WCS Papua New Guinea program
    Wildlife Conservation Society (USA)
    Open grant
  • 2016 - 2022
    The capacity of forests to protect regional climate under global warming
    ARC Discovery Projects
    Open grant
  • 2016 - 2018
    Assessing biodiversity priorities and carbon values across the Great Eastern Ranges
    Australian Conservation Foundation
    Open grant
  • 2016 - 2017
    Africa Biodiversity Consultative Group II
    Wildlife Conservation Society (USA)
    Open grant
  • 2016 - 2021
    Support for Research Assistants
    Wildlife Conservation Society (USA)
    Open grant
  • 2016 - 2018
    The Luc Hoffman Institute Fellow - Pathways for Drivers of Positive Change
    WWF International
    Open grant
  • 2016 - 2019
    Planning for the impacts of land-uses on coral reef fisheries
    ARC Linkage Projects
    Open grant
  • 2016 - 2017
    Analysis of the public protected area framework in NSW and future opportunities
    UniQuest Pty Ltd
    Open grant
  • 2016 - 2020
    Assimilating development objectives in conservation planning
    ARC Discovery Projects
    Open grant
  • 2016 - 2017
    ECO-SMarT
    Wildlife Conservation Society (USA)
    Open grant
  • 2015 - 2017
    Integrating human response to climate change into conservation planning: developing an integrated decision framework
    Research Donation Generic
    Open grant
  • 2015 - 2018
    MacArthur Foundation - Lower Mekong
    Wildlife Conservation Society (USA)
    Open grant
  • 2015 - 2019
    `MacArthur Foundation - Portfolio Approach
    Wildlife Conservation Society (USA)
    Open grant
  • 2015 - 2018
    MacArthur Foundation - Tanzania - Green Economies
    Wildlife Conservation Society (USA)
    Open grant
  • 2014 - 2021
    NESP Threatened Species Recovery Hub
    National Environmental Science Program
    Open grant
  • 2014 - 2015
    Africa Biodiversity Consultative Group
    Wildlife Conservation Society (USA)
    Open grant
  • 2014 - 2015
    Conservation strategy fund - Uganda
    Wildlife Conservation Society (USA)
    Open grant
  • 2014 - 2015
    MacArthur Foundation - Birdlife subgrant - Support WCS's East Africa climate assessment work for Rwanda and Tanzania
    Wildlife Conservation Society (USA)
    Open grant
  • 2014 - 2018
    MacArthur Foundation - West Indian Ocean spatial planning assessment
    Wildlife Conservation Society (USA)
    Open grant
  • 2014 - 2015
    U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service - Eastern DRC spatial planning
    Wildlife Conservation Society (USA)
    Open grant
  • 2013 - 2016
    Climate adaptation on coral reefs
    Wildlife Conservation Society (USA)
    Open grant

Availability

Professor James Watson is:
Available for supervision

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Supervision history

Current supervision

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Ecology and conservation of the Buff-breasted Button-quail (Turnix olivii)

    Principal Advisor

    Other advisors: Professor Martine Maron

  • Master Philosophy

    Engaging elected representatives and constituencies for biodiversity conservation success

    Principal Advisor

  • Doctor Philosophy

    The Conservation Biogeography of the Red Goshawk

    Principal Advisor

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Managing grazing in the grasslands of Queenslands Channel Country: a critical refuge for the Critically Endangered Plains Wanderer

    Principal Advisor

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Autecology of an endangered Australian passerine: CarpentarianGrasswren (Amytornis dorotheae)

    Principal Advisor

    Other advisors: Professor Martine Maron

  • Master Philosophy

    Engaging elected representatives and constituencies for biodiversity conservation success

    Principal Advisor

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Classifying and understanding the effectiveness of ecological corridors and their role in wider landscape and seascape integrity

    Principal Advisor

    Other advisors: Associate Professor Carissa Klein

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Biogeography and conservation assessment of the endangered Northern Masked Owl

    Principal Advisor

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Megafauna losses and predatory interactions in tropical forests

    Associate Advisor

    Other advisors: Associate Professor Matthew Luskin

Completed supervision

Enquiries

Contact Professor James Watson directly for media enquiries about:

  • biodiversity
  • climate change
  • extinction
  • landclearing
  • landuse planning
  • logging
  • saving species
  • species loss

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