Steven de Bie (1950) is a scientist, a generator of ideas, negotiator and facilitator. Since his early days the conservation of nature fascinates him, in particular how biodiversity loss could be halted and restored.
Steven started as scientific researcher at the universities of Groningen en Wageningen (the Netherlands) on the ecology and conservation of large hoofed animals, working, in both the Arctic (Spitsbergen) and in the tropics (Africa). Realizing that the success of nature conservation very much depends on how biodiversity is managed outside protected areas he moved to Shell International in 1992. As an environmental and sustainable development manager he successfully engaged with different Shell companies in addressing biodiversity as part of their business policy and plans. In 2003 he became Shell’s Biodiversity advisor and played a key role in establishing the partnerships between Shell and several global environmental organizations, including Wetlands International.
In 2012 Steven leaves Shell and starts to work as an independent advisor on different activities, including habitat banking, voluntary verified conservation schemes, biodiversity management standards and guidelines, and execution of No Net Loss for biodiversity projects with the Dutch government and several Dutch and international companies. He has extensive experience in integrating biodiversity conservation in business: execution of biodiversity scans, development and implementation of conservation projects, policy implementation, operational advice, development of performance indicators.
Steven is an experienced facilitator and negotiator with resect to nature conservation, natural resources and land-use conflicts. He provides training on negotiation and stakeholder management to many groups, including governments, NGOs, staff of National Parks and companies in several countries in particular Asia and Africa. He has extensive research experience on biodiversity in Eurasia, Africa and Asia, with main focus on ecosystem dynamics, nature conservation, sustainable land-use, large animal ecology and bird migration. He has a broad network of contacts in academia, industry bodies and international (e.g. IUCN) and Dutch NGOs, working in Eurasia, Africa and Southeast Asia.
Steven graduated from Groningen University in 1977 with a Masters degree in Animal Ecology. He completed a PhD (Wageningen University, 1991) on the ecology of West African ungulates. In 2005 he became Adjunct Professor at Wageningen University, lecturing on Biodiversity and Sustainable Use of Living Resources.
Steven is member of the Animal Welfare and Ethics Committee Groningen University (since 2015). He chairs the Dutch Bird Migration Atlas working group (since 2015). He was a member of the board of Birdlife Netherlands (2006-2014), of the IUCN species specialist group (SSC)(1988-2012) and first chairman of the IUCN Sustainable Use Specialists Network in Europe (1997-1998).
He is an active birder and manages several bird ringing projects.