Falayi Menelisi
Position
- Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Sunderland Lab
- Faculty of Forestry, University of British Columbia, Canada
About
Dr. Menelisi Falayi, PhD in Environmental Science, is a Postdoctoral Research Fellow under Prof. Terry Sunderland at the University of British Columbia. His research explores how nature-based solutions (NbS), carbon markets, and governance frameworks can bridge science, policy, and practice to achieve measurable climate and social outcomes.
Within the CoastMan Africa project, Menelisi leads research on mangrove-based socio-ecological systems in Ghana, Tanzania, and Zanzibar. His work focuses on co-developing a Decision Support System (DSS) to guide conservation, restoration, and sustainable livelihood decisions. He contributes to mapping mangrove habitat loss risks, designing resilience and livelihood strategies, and developing equitable governance and tenure frameworks that enhance community participation and fairness.
He is also involved in Carbon4Good – Enabling a High-Quality Forestry Carbon Market in Vietnam, which assesses forest and blue carbon potential across four provinces. His role focuses on linking international governance frameworks to Vietnam’s emerging carbon market, supporting community-based, climate-smart reforestation and alternative income initiatives, particularly for women.
Alongside his research, Dr. Falayi guest lectures in UBC’s Master of International Forestry (MIF) program, sharing expertise on carbon markets and nature-based solutions. Through his work and mentorship under Prof. Sunderland, he is contributing to the development of practical, equitable climate and conservation strategies across the Global South.