Philippe Fayt

Originally from Belgium, Philippe completed his Bachelor’s studies in Biology at his home university UCLouvain in 1994 and his Doctoral studies, also in Biology, at the University of Joensuu (now UEF) in 2003. In between, in 1994-1995, he completed an International Study Programme in Environmental Sciences and Forestry in the same Finnish university. His PhD thesis focused on the population ecology of the rare Three-toed Woodpecker. In 2005, he successfully organised the Academy of Finland-funded 6th International Woodpecker Symposium at the university’s Mekrijärvi research station, bringing together scientists from 12 countries. Fayt’s past employment relationships include e.g. responsibilities at the Centre for Economic Development, Transport and the Environment of Kainuu, the Finnish Forest Research Institute, the Finnish Game and Fisheries Research Institute, the Finnish Museum of Natural History, Metsähallitus, the Finnish Environment Institute and Snowchange. Philippe is currently writing a science-popularizing book on birds living in Finnish forests based on the most exhaustive scientific bibliography on the topic (3000 peer-reviewed references), with the support of the Kone and Alfred Kordelin Foundations and the Association of Finnish Nonfiction Writers. He is also involved in another Kone-funded project on Kelo trees and is the planner and builder of the Finnish Biodiversity Research & Education Platform, in collaboration with Vilma Lehtovaara (ELY-keskus).