DR. STEVE BOYES

Dr. Steve Boyes is a South African conservation biologist and National Geographic Fellow with a deep passion for wilderness and ecological restoration. He is the founder and Chairman of The Wild Bird Trust and leads the National Geographic Okavango Wilderness Project as well as the Great Spine of Africa expeditions.

In 2015, Steve initiated the National Geographic Okavango Wilderness Project to create community-based protection systems through comprehensive ecological surveys and long-term environmental monitoring across the Okavango Basin in Angola, Namibia, and Botswana. His research team has discovered over 143 new species, and they are collaborating with local communities and government leaders to develop innovative solutions and narratives that raise awareness and funding for these vital wilderness areas.