SAF Announces Jules Christian ZEKENG as 2024 Winner of the Gregory Award

September 16, 2024

The Gregory Award presented by the Society American Foresters was established to bring outstanding international students and young professionals to the annual SAF National Convention. Founded to commemorate the legacy of G. Robinson (Bob) Gregory, pioneer in forest economics and resource development, the Gregory Award supports individuals in forestry natural resources management from World Bank-designated Middle- and Low-Income countries. 

The 2024 recipient of the Gregory Award is Jules Christian ZEKENG, a Researcher-Lecturer in the Department of Forest Engineering at the Higher Technical Teachers’ Training School, University of Douala, Cameroon. We look forward to welcoming him to Loveland, Colorado for SAF2024 and learning from his extensive professional experience, global perspective, and robust educational background. In addition to facilitating knowledge exchange at Convention, the award is designed to enrich the careers of awardees through opportunities that expand their professional networks, offer career development, and position them as an international ambassador for SAF. 

Jules brings an impressive professional and educational background. In addition to his role as Researcher-Lecturer, he serves as a Postdoctoral Researcher at the Chair of Environment and Development within the Oliver R. Tambo Research Chair Initiative at Copperbelt University (CBU-ORTARChI), Zambia. Additionally, Jules co-founded the Association Conservation and Sustainable Natural Resources Management Network (CSNRM-Net). 

Since 2013, Jules has worked closely with community forestry groups, assisting them in the protection, management, and sustainable use of the forests under their care. His role includes providing technical services and facilitating the supply of timber, fuelwood, and non-timber forest products (NTFPs). He is also dedicated to empowering local populations through sustainable livelihood programs, capacity building, and inclusive conservation practices, with a particular focus on marginalized groups, conflict resolution, and environmental education. 

In his research at the CBU-ORTARChI, Jules analyzes socio-economic surveys, field inventory data, and laboratory analysis results to gain a deeper understanding of ecosystem functioning. This research generates insights that inform public policy and contribute to the effective management of ecosystems. He is also contributing supervising PhD and MSc students.  

Jules’ commitment to conservation has been recognized through three Rufford Small Grants and the Ecologist for Africa grant from the British Ecological Society, supporting his work with local communities in the Doumé and Angossas regions of eastern Cameroon. These projects have involved capacity building in conservation, sustainable management practices, and awareness campaigns about the protection of several threatened species, benefiting more than 50 villages in eastern Cameroon. Through CSNRM-Net, Jules collaborates with Ph.D. and M.Sc. student volunteers, as well as other team members, to work closely with local indigenous people in communal forests such as Angossas, Doumaintang, Doumé, Bélabo, Ngoyla, and Mvangan, as well as within the Campo Ma’an National Park. Together, they help communities discover and appreciate their forests while building their capacity for conservation and sustainable natural resource management. 

Balancing these roles across his three institutions allows him to pursue his passion for research, teaching, and practical conservation efforts in a complementary and impactful way. He has authored or co-authored over twenty scientific articles in high-impact peer-reviewed journals and contributed to two book chapters, further reflecting his ongoing commitment to advancing ecological research and conservation. 

He completed his Ph.D. in Botany and Ecology in 2020 from the University of Yaoundé I, Faculty of Sciences, Department of Plant Biology, Cameroon. He also received a Ph.D. exchange scholarship through the Transdisciplinary Training for Resource Efficiency and Climate Change Adaptation in Africa II (TRECCAFRICA II) project, funded by the European Union, which enabled him to conduct part of his Ph.D. research at the University of Botswana in 2019. 

The Gregory Award is made possible by generous donations to the Gregory Award Fund. To learn more about this core granting program and how you can join us in creating opportunities for international foresters and students and in bringing global perspectives to our National Convention, please visit our website.