Henrik Meilby

Henrik Meilby is a Professor and former Head of Section (2016-2023) at the Section for Environment and Natural Resources within the Department of Food and Resource Economics at the University of Copenhagen. With over 225 research outputs spanning two decades, his work focuses on the intersection of natural resource management and economics across diverse geographical contexts from tropical developing countries to Arctic regions.

Meilby holds a PhD (2000) and MSc in Forestry (1992), both from the Royal Veterinary and Agricultural University (KVL) in Copenhagen. His academic career progressed from Assistant Professor (1996-1999) through Associate Professor positions to his current Professorship in 'Resource Modelling and Bioeconomics' since 2017.

His research interests encompass quantitative studies of natural resource sustainability, including measurement and monitoring of living resources, growth modeling, economic decision-making frameworks, and management optimization under spatial, temporal, and climate-related uncertainties. His work addresses vegetation and wildlife dynamics, local community livelihoods, and the effects of human utilization on population structures.

Analysis of his recent publications reveals a strong interdisciplinary approach combining ecological modeling with economic analysis across diverse contexts including tropical forest management in Tanzania, Arctic resource economics, wildlife conservation, and sustainable agricultural practices. His research consistently addresses the practical challenges of sustainable resource management through quantitative methods and economic frameworks.

Meilby teaches several MSc courses including 'Natural Resource Sampling and Modelling', 'Forest and Nature Management Planning', and 'Applied Economics of Arctic Natural Resources', while also supervising students in related fields. He leads the 'Livestock in the forest (LIVEFOR)' project (2020-2025), a South-driven collaboration with Sokoine University of Agriculture in Tanzania examining livestock integration in Community-Based Forest Management.

He holds external positions including membership on the board of The Danish Forest Association and collaborates with various organizations in Danish forestry and organic farming sectors.