Brian Child

Brian Child is a Professor in the Department of Geography at the University of Florida. His research focuses on conservation governance, wildlife management, and sustainable development in Africa, particularly in regions like Zambia, Zimbabwe, and South Africa. He holds a D. Phil. in Ecology/Economics from Oxford University (1988) as a Rhodes Scholar (1984), with a B.Sc. in Agricultural Economics from the University of Zimbabwe (1983).

Child's work emphasizes the intersection of conservation with socio-economic realities, including community-based natural resource management (CBNRM), wildlife tourism economics, and policy effectiveness. He has extensively studied protected area management systems in Southern Africa, contributing to frameworks like the Tourism Economic Model for Protected Areas (TEMPA). His recent courses focus on the political economy of African conservation and management strategies for protected areas.

Key research themes include human-wildlife coexistence, governance of natural resources, and the economic viability of conservation initiatives. His publications analyze institutional frameworks, financial performance of parks, and vegetation health in national parks such as Gorongosa and Kruger. Awards include the Rhodes Scholarship, underscoring his academic and applied contributions to environmental policy.

Child advises several graduate students and has mentored researchers like Dr. Alex Chidakel. His work often bridges academic research with practical policy, addressing challenges like elite capture in governance and balancing conservation with local livelihood needs.