Jean-Remy Makana is a tropical forest ecologist and he teaches biodiversity conservation courses at the Faculty of Science of the University of Kisangani in the Democratic Republic of Congo, where he holds the position of Vice Dean in charge of research. His research focuses on the ecological aspects of forest management in Central Africa. He has worked for many years trying to understand the drivers of forest dynamics and carbon fluxes, as well as the regeneration of major timber species in the Congo basin. He is also involved in the development and implementation of integrated land-use plans, working with local government institutions, the private sector and local communities to set land-use objectives and to develop community level rights of access to and use of forest resources, as well as community development projects centered on sustainable use of forest resources. His work is also oriented towards understanding the impacts of climate change on forest dynamics and local livelihoods.