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W. TRENT BUNDERSON

T BundersonDr. Bunderson is an Associate Professor with IR&D at WSU based in Malawi as Regional Director for East and Southern Africa. He also holds the position of Executive Director of Total LandCare, which he founded with Zwide Jere. Trent Bunderson was raised in East Africa where his father was director of several large range-livestock development projects spanning a period of 20 years, which included establishing Buchuma and Kiboko Range Research Stations on the perimeter of Tsavo East and Tsavo West National Parks in Kenya.  Growing up in this environment instilled passion by Trent for Africa’s landscapes, people and wildlife. This ultimately led to a Ph.D in range-wildlife ecology which involved research on the wildlife populations, distributions, habitat selection and competition in north-east Kenya. A key focus included assessing the impacts of traditional pastoral and farming communities on these animal populations and the area’s wildlife reserves.  His research was undertaken as an integrated effort under the Ministry of Tourism and Wildlife and the Ministry of Agriculture with the aim of providing a foundation for agricultural development in the area with minimal impact on its wildlife populations. Trent has since accumulated 28 years of professional development experience in Africa including 5 years with the Western Sudan Agricultural Research Project funded by USAID and the World Bank, and 23 years in Malawi, primarily with USAID projects. His work has included the diverse areas of:  1) assessing traditional land-use practices on range resources and wildlife populations, 2) research and development of agroforestry and conservation practices for crop and livestock production systems; 3) community-based systems of natural resource management from an ecological/watershed perspective; and 4) development and promotion of sustainable land and water management practices with a focus on conservation agriculture, agroforestry, and farm diversification. Trent currently provides leadership and technical assistance to Total LandCare in securing and managing integrated projects in the areas of community-based NRM, agriculture, irrigation, farm diversification, and enterprise development. He has published extensively in concert with national colleagues in range, animal and human ecology, crop and livestock husbandry practices, agroforestry and community-based natural resource management. His efforts have contributed to: improvements in biodiversity, increased productivity and stability of crop and livestock production; enhanced food security, nutrition and incomes of rural communities, and strengthened support services and policies in community-based natural resource management, agriculture, and forestry.

ACADEMIC QUALIFICATIONS

Doctor of Philosophy in Range Ecology and Management, Utah State University, 1981
Bachelor of Science in Rangeland Economics, Utah State University, 1974

RELEVANT EXPERIENCE

2000-Present

Regional Representative for East and Southern Africa, International Research & Development, WSU and Executive Director of Total LandCare (TLC), PO Box 2440, Lilongwe, Malawi.  Activities entail implementing multiple projects with funding from diverse donors. 

1992-2004

Director, Malawi Agroforestry Extension Project (MAFEP), a 12 year cooperative agreement between USAID and Washington State University (WSU) with the Ministry of Agriculture and Irrigation. 

1986-1992

Agroforestry Team Leader, Malawi Agricultural Research and Extension (MARE) Project Washington State University.  Funded by USAID and Rockefeller Foundation.

1980-1985

Senior Ecologist, Western Sudan Agricultural Research Project (WSARP).  Funding from USAID and World Bank.

1975-1980

Ph.D. research on Ecological Separation of Wild and Domestic Mammals in an East African Ecosystem.  

1972-1974

Research Assistant, Kenya UNDP/FAO Range Management Project and Department of Wildlife Conservation.

COUNTRIES OF WORK

Malawi, Kenya, Sudan, Tanzania, Zambia, Mozambique, Somalia, Botswana.

SELECTED PUBLICATIONS

Over 70 scientific reports and research papers.  A sample include the following:

Bunderson, W.T., Z.D. Jere, and R. Museka. (2008).   Final Report October 2004 to September 2008, Chia Lagoon Watershed Management Project. Submitted to USAID Malawi March 2008.

Bunderson, W.T. and Z.D. Jere. (2008). Management for Adaptation to Climate Change:  An Integrated Model for the Central Watersheds of Lake Malawi. Paper presented to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Norway.

Bunderson, W.T., Z.D. Jere, T. Wushke and P. Garside. (2006).   Crop diversification in the Chia Watershed with Improved varieties of rice and beans.  Paper submitted to USAID and the American Embassy in Malawi, November 2006.

Bunderson, W.T. (2006).  Sustainable management of natural woodlands. Paper presented to the Tobacco Industry on Deforestation in Malawi.  Total LandCare Publication, December 2006, Lilongwe

Bunderson, W.T., Z.D. Jere, I.M. Hayes and H.S.K. Phombeya.  2002.  LandCare Practices in Malawi.  Malawi Agroforestry Extension Project, Publication No. 41, Lilongwe.

Hayes, I.M., W.T. Bunderson, S. Minae, F. Bodnar, and D. Ngugi (1997). The potential of improved fallows on smallholder maize productivity and food security in Malawi. Paper presented at the ICRAF Symposium on Improved Fallows, Lilongwe, Malawi. March, 1997.

Bunderson, W.T., F. Bodnar, and I.M. Hayes (1997). Forest Degradation in Malawi and the Role of Agroforestry. Paper presented at the GTZ Symposium on Sustainable Management of Indigenous Forests, Lilongwe, Malawi.  June, 1997. 

Saka, A.R., W.T. Bunderson, M.W. Lowole and J.D.T. Kumwenda.  (1997).  Integrated soil management for sustainable agriculture and food security in Malawi.  Presented at Workshop on Integrated Soil Management for Sustainable Agriculture and Food Security in Southern and Eastern Africa, Harare, Zimbabwe, December 8-12, 1997.

Bunderson, W.T., and I.M. Hayes.  (1995).  Agricultural and environmental sustainability in Malawi. Proceedings of the Atlas Conference on Agricultural Sustainability in Africa: Issues for Policy-Makers, Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, African Academy of Sciences, Academy Science Publishers, Nairobi, Kenya. July, 1995.

Saka, A.R., W.T. Bunderson, O.A. Itimu, H.S.K. Phombeya and Y. Mbekeani. (1994). The effects of Acacia albida on soils and maize grain yields under smallholder conditions in Malawi.  Forest Ecology and Management: 64: 217-230.

Bunderson, W.T. and D.O. Frye. (1986). Adaptive strategies for successful pastoral development. In: International Rangeland Development Symposium, Orlando Florida, February 1986, p. 37-45.

Bunderson, W.T., A. El Wakeel, Z.A. Said and I. Hashim. (1990). Agroforestry practices and potentials in Western Sudan. In: Planning for Agroforestry, edited by W. Budd, Elsevier, New York.

Bunderson, W.T. (1984).  Primary production and energetic relationships of wild and domestic ungulate communities in African ecosystems.  In: 2nd International Rangeland Congress, Adelaide Australia, May 1984.

Bunderson, W.T. (1980).  Impacts of proposed livestock development and irrigation schemes on wildlife populations along the Tana River.  Report to the Ministry of Agriculture and Department of Wildlife Conservation and Management, Kenya.

Fowler, C.W., W.T. Bunderson, M.B. Cherry, R.J. Ryel, and B.B. Steele. (1980). Comparative population dynamics of large mammals: A search for management criteria. U.S. Department of Commerce, National Technical Information Services PB80-178627.

Bunderson, W.T. (1979).  The status and distribution of the endangered Hunter’s Antelope in Kenya.  Department of Wildlife Conservation and Management, Kenya.

Bunderson, W.T. (1978).  Elephant and Rhino poaching north of the lower Tana River.  Department of Wildlife Conservation and Management, Kenya.

Bunderson, W.T. (1978).  Impacts of pastoral practices of the Somali on wildlife in northeast Kenya.  Report to the Ministry of Agriculture, Kenya.

Bunderson, W.T. (1978).  Numbers, distributions and densities of large wild and domestic herbivores in Lamu and Garissa Districts. Report to the Department of Wildlife Conservation and Management, Kenya.

Bunderson, W.T. (1977).  The Hunter’s Antelope. Oryx, Volume 14 Issue 2.