Constance’s CV

Constance Fastré (°2 November 1989)

Education

PhD Conservation Biology

2013 – 2020 University of Antwerp

Master in Biodiversity: Conservation and Restoration

2010 – 2012 University of Antwerp (great distinction)

Bachelor in Biology

2007 – 2010 (French) Namur University, Belgium (great distinction).

January – June 2010: Erasmus (English) at the biology department of the Cardiff University, Wales, United Kingdom as part of my bachelor program.

Working experience

Communication associate & ecologist

December 2020 – December 2021: Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund International at the Nkuba Conservation Area (DR Congo)

Scientific consultant

August 2019 – November 2019: Elaboration of the Living Planet Report Belgium at the Policy department of WWF Belgium (Brussels).

Research associate

January 2018 – January 2019: Global conservation planning analysis at the Zoological Society of London (UK).

Field assistant

April – August 2013: Volunteering position as field assistant in the Donghzai National Nature Reserve, China for a project studying the nest dismantling behavior of the hair-crested drongo (Dicrurus hottentotus) with Lv Lei, joint PhD student of the Beijing Normal University and University of Groningen.

Student jobs

As a student, I have worked since I am legally allowed (15 years old in Belgium) in the sandwich shop and the cafe owned by my mother. I have also worked in various events as a waitress. Additionnally, I worked one month per year, during the summer holidays, as an employee in a local shop. I particularly enjoy the contact with customers.

Research experience

Scientific Publications

Schleicher, J., Zaehringer, J.G., Fastré, C. et al. (2019). Protecting half of the planet could directly affect over one billion people. Nat. Sustain. 2, 1094–1096. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41893-019-0423-y

Fastré, C., Possingham, H.P., Strubbe, D. et al. (2020). Identifying trade-offs between biodiversity conservation and ecosystem services delivery for land-use decisions. Sci. Rep. 10, 7971. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-020-64668-z

Fastré, C., Strubbe, D., Balderrama, et al. (2020). Bird species richness in High-Andean forest fragments: habitat quality and topography matter. Belgian Journal of Zoology 150: 95-133. https://doi.org/10.26496/bjz.2020.76

Fastré, C., van Zeist, W., Watson, J.E.M. and Visconti, P (2021). Integrated spatial planning for biodiversity conservation and food production. One Earth 4 (11) 1635-1644. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.oneear.2021.10.014

Fastré, C., Igwili, B., Van de Perre, F., van der Hoek, Y. (2024). Visitation patterns of endangered grey parrots (Psittacus erithacus) in a forest clearing in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Ecology and Evolution. 2024;14:e70039. https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.70039

PhD – Systematic conservation planning in the high Andes of Bolivia, application of modeling tools for integrative management of natural areas

  • November 2016 – March 2017: Internship at the Possingham lab (Faculty of Science of the University of Queensland, Australia).
  • September – December 2014 and 2015: Fieldwork in the Tunari National Park, Bolivia.
  • Supervision of 2 Master students.
  • Teaching assistance in zoology practicals and tropical field class.

Overview results

  • PhD thesis.
  • Organiser of symposium “From Ecology to Conservation” 9th March 2020.
  • Talks and posters at several international conferences (see below).
  • PhD funded by the Research Foundation – Flanders.

Presentations

  • European Conference on Conservation Biology
    2018    , Jyvaskyla, Finland. Oral
    and poster presentations:‘Pathways
    to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals’.
  • International Conference on Conservation
    Biology 2017    , Cartagena,
    Colombia. Oral presentation:‘Identifying
    priorities and trade-offs when protecting biodiversity and ecosystem services
    in the High Andes of Bolivia’.
  • International Conference on Conservation
    Biology 2015    , Montpellier,
    France. Poster presentation: ‘Systematic conservation planning in the high Andes:
    a case-study in the Tunari National Park, Bolivia’.

Courses

  • Access 2010 (2013, UAntwerpen)
  • Career management workshop ‘Unlocking your potential’ (2015, UAntwerpen)
  • Graphics in R (2015, FLAMES, UHasselt)
  • Ergonomy (2016, UAntwerpen)
  • Clear, accurate, concise writing (2017, Principiae, KU Leuven)
  • Developing essential grant and funding skills for conservation (2017, ICCB, Cartagena)
  • Project management for Wildlife Conservation (2018, Wildteam UK)
  • Fire extinguisher course (2018, UAntwerpen)

Skills

Computer

  • Microsoft office: Experienced user with Word, Excel and PowerPoint.  Familiar with Access.
  • ArcGIS: Experienced user.
  • Marxan and Marxan with zones: Experienced user.
  • R: Experienced user.
  • WordPress: Good knowledge.

Languages

  • French: Mother tongue
  • English: Fluent in writing, reading, and speaking
  • Dutch: Diploma level C1
  • Spanish: Diploma level B2

Interests

Traveling, nature, hiking, blogging, and reading: I have been lucky enough to travel to many places in the world both for work and leisure. I have particularly enjoyed staying for long periods in Bolivia, Australia and England for my work, where I have made many friends and learned about the local culture. I have also accompanied my partner for an internship in the USA for 3 months, during which I worked on my thesis. When traveling for work, I spend all my free time exploring nature. I am a keen bird- and mammal-watcher but I love anything about nature, really. Hiking is our favourite way explore the wilderness. I have been the keenest reader in as long as I can remember. I find reading is for me another way to discover other places and cultures.