Matt Finer
Meet Matt
Scientist/Researcher
Atlanta, USA
Dr. Matt Finer is a leading conservation scientist dedicated to protecting the Amazon rainforest. As the Senior Research Specialist and Director of MAAP (Monitoring of the Andean Amazon Project) at Amazon Conservation Association, he developed a real-time satellite deforestation monitoring system that provides critical data on illegal mining, logging, and land use changes. With over 15 years of experience in Amazon conservation, Dr. Finer’s research has shaped policy responses and environmental protection strategies in Peru and beyond. His work bridges scientific innovation and policy action, ensuring rapid intervention and impactful conservation efforts.
Areas of activity:
Biodiversity Technology
About:
Dr. Matt Finer is an accomplished ecologist and conservation scientist with over 15 years of experience working to protect the Amazon rainforest. He is the Senior Research Specialist and Director of MAAP (Monitoring of the Andean Amazon Project) at the Amazon Conservation Association, where he pioneered a near real-time satellite-based deforestation monitoring system that tracks the most pressing environmental threats in the Andean Amazon. His work focuses on monitoring deforestation caused by mining, logging, agriculture, and road expansion, providing critical data for policy action and environmental protection initiatives.
Dr. Finer has published over 90 high-impact reports through MAAP and several peer-reviewed scientific papers that highlight the mounting threats facing the Amazon. His efforts have been instrumental in informing policymakers, environmental agencies, and local conservation groups, ensuring timely interventions to mitigate deforestation and illegal land use.
Prior to his role at Amazon Conservation, Dr. Finer served as a Research Specialist at the Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL), where he worked on the Sustainable Loreto Project in Peru. He also led a Western Amazon conservation campaign at Save America’s Forests, contributing to critical research on Amazonian biodiversity and ecosystem threats.
Dr. Finer holds a Ph.D. in Biological Sciences from Washington State University, where he researched habitat fragmentation in endangered ecosystems, and a Bachelor’s degree in Ecology and Evolution from the University of Pittsburgh. His work continues to shape conservation strategies, influence policy responses, and drive technological advancements in environmental monitoring, making him a key figure in Amazonian conservation efforts.
Involvement:
Amazon Conservation
Help protect wild places, empower people, and put science and technology to work