Editing Thomas Lovejoy (section)

=== Conservation work ===
As a tropical [[biologist]] and [[conservation biology|conservation]] biologist, Lovejoy worked in the [[Amazon Rainforest]] of [[Brazil]] beginning in 1965.

From 1973 to 1987, Lovejoy directed the conservation program at the [[World Wildlife Fund]]-U.S.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.worldwildlife.org/leaders/thomas-lovejoy|title=Thomas Lovejoy {{!}} Leaders {{!}} WWF|website=World Wildlife Fund|language=en|access-date=2017-02-20}}</ref> From 1987 to 1998 he served as assistant secretary for environmental and external affairs for the [[Smithsonian Institution]] in Washington, D.C.,<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://siarchives.si.edu/collections/siris_sic_9084|title=Thomas Lovejoy in Brazil|last1=Wolfgang|first1=Bayer|date=2011-09-15|newspaper=Smithsonian Institution Archives|access-date=2017-02-20|last2=sysadmin|language=en}}</ref> and in 1994 became counselor to the secretary for biodiversity and environmental affairs.

From 1999 to 2002, Lovejoy served as chief biodiversity adviser to the president of the [[World Bank]].  In 2010 and 2011, he served as chair of the Independent Advisory Group on Sustainability for the [[Inter-American Development Bank]].<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.iadb.org/en/topics/sustainability/independent-advisory-group-convened-to-examine-the-implementation-of-idbs-environmental-policy,1534.html|title=Independent advisory group convened to examine the implementation of IDB's environmental policy - Inter-American Development Bank|newspaper=Inter-American Development Bank|access-date=2017-02-20|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170221110355/http://www.iadb.org/en/topics/sustainability/independent-advisory-group-convened-to-examine-the-implementation-of-idbs-environmental-policy,1534.html|archive-date=2017-02-21 }}</ref>  He was senior adviser to the president of the [[United Nations Foundation]], chair of the Yale Institute for Biospheric Studies, and was past president of the [[American Institute of Biological Sciences]], past chairman of the United States Man and Biosphere Program, and past president of the [[Society for Conservation Biology]].<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.nationalgeographic.com/explorers/bios/thomas-lovejoy/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111223184753/http://www.nationalgeographic.com/explorers/bios/thomas-lovejoy/|url-status=dead|archive-date=December 23, 2011|title=Thomas E. Lovejoy, Tropical and Conservation Biologist Information, Facts, News, Photos -- National Geographic|last=Society|first=National Geographic|newspaper=National Geographic|access-date=2017-02-20|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.teamnetwork.org/science-advisory-board|title=Science Advisory Board {{!}} TEAM Network - Early Warning System for Nature|website=www.teamnetwork.org|access-date=2017-02-20}}</ref>

Lovejoy developed the [[Debt-for-Nature Swap|debt-for-nature swaps]],<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://web.stanford.edu/class/e297c/trade_environment/photo/hdebt.html|title=Debt-For-Nature: Past and Future|website=web.stanford.edu|access-date=2017-02-20}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.uow.edu.au/~sharonb/STS300/equity/economic/dfnarticle2.html|title=International Economic System -Debt-for-Nature Swaps: Article|website=www.uow.edu.au|access-date=2017-02-20|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170221110343/https://www.uow.edu.au/~sharonb/STS300/equity/economic/dfnarticle2.html|archive-date=2017-02-21|url-status=dead}}</ref> in which environmental groups purchase shaky foreign debt on the secondary market at the market rate, which is considerably discounted, and then convert this debt at its face value into the local currency to purchase biologically sensitive tracts of land in the debtor nation for purposes of environmental protection.

Critics of the [[Debt-for-nature swap|'debt-for-nature' schemes]], such as [[National Center for Public Policy Research]], which distributes a wide variety of materials consistently justifying corporate freedom and environmental deregulation, aver that plans deprive developing nations of the extractable raw resources that are currently essential to further economic development. Economic stagnation and local resentment of "[[American imperialism|Yankee imperialism]]" can result, they warn.  In reality, no debt-for-nature swap occurs without the approval of the country in question.

Lovejoy also supported the [[Forests Now Declaration]], which calls for new market-based mechanisms to protect tropical forests.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.fao.org/docrep/n8595e/n8595e0d.htm|title=Unasylva - No. 128 - Coexistence forestry and farming - Environment|website=www.fao.org|access-date=2017-02-20}}</ref>

Lovejoy played a central role in the establishment of [[conservation biology]], by initiating the idea and planning with B. A. Wilcox in June 1978 for ''The First International Conference on Research in Conservation Biology'', that was held in [[La Jolla]], in September 1978.  The proceedings,<ref>Soule, Michael E., Bruce A. Wilcox.  1980.  ''Conservation Biology:  An Evolutionary-Ecological Approach''. Sinauer Associates, Sunderland, Massachusetts.</ref> introduced conservation biology to the scientific community.

Lovejoy founded the [[Biological Dynamics of Forest Fragments Project|Biological Dynamics of Forest Fragments Project (BDFFP)]] near [[Manaus]], Brazil, in 1979 to understand the effects of the fragmentation on tropical rainforests on ecosystems and wildlife.

Lovejoy served on many scientific and conservation boards and advisory groups, and was the author of numerous articles and books. He is often misattributed as the founder of the [[PBS]] television series [[Nature (TV series)|''NATURE'']], for which he served as an advisor in the early days.  He served in an official capacity in the [[Ronald Reagan|Reagan]], [[George H. W. Bush]], and [[William Clinton|Clinton]] administrations.

Lovejoy predicted in 1980 (see quote below), that 10&ndash;20 percent of all species on earth would have gone extinct by the year 2020.