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Maureen A. DeCoursey, MFSc

Maureen DeCoursey, HRF Director of Sustainable Development, has worked in international development and conservation for over 17 years. With a Masters Degree in Forestry and Environmental Science from Yale University, she consults with numerous organizations including World Wildlife Fund, US-Aid for International Development, CARE International, the Asian Development Bank and others on various aspects of natural product harvesting and marketing. Her assignments have carried her to more than 16 countries in Asia, Eastern Europe, and Central and South America.

Maureen specializes in sustainable and socially responsible ingredient and raw materials sourcing in the context of international economic development and biodiversity conservation. She has worked with village farmers, harvesters, women's groups, NGOs, universities, research institutes, government agencies, aid organizations, and the private sector on research, policy, project development, and implementation. Her special area of interest focuses on the impact of the massive growth of the wild plant trade in the Himalayan regions of India, Nepal and Tibet, where she was based for over five years. Her goal is to help local entrepreneurs in developing countries capture more benefits from the international botanicals industry and take better care of the resource base through community-based efforts.

Key Focus and Strengths
Resource management and community development; private-public sector strategic alliances between producer/harvester, NGOs (or other local assistance group), and buyers; networking and partnerships; sustainable commercial harvests and certification; local enterprise development and marketing assistance; community-based conservation and management; indigenous property rights and social responsibility; excellent research, writing, and presentation skills.

Services
Ingredient and raw materials sourcing; sustainable harvest plans for wild plants; policy analysis and formulation; feasibility studies for botanical enterprises; project development, implementation, and monitoring.