Ian MacGregor-Fors is Professor of Urban Biodiversity and Ecosystems at the University of Helsinki. His passion for birds since adolescence lead him to study Biology at the University of Guadalajara (Mexico). After receiving a Ph.D. with honors at the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM), he has focused his research on the response of wildlife communities to human disturbances (mainly in towns and cities) and the ecology and distribution of invasive bird species. He has authored or co-authored over 120 publications in scientific journals, as well as several books and book chapters, and diverse popular science pieces. As of 2012, he is part of the Advisory Board of the International Network Urban Biodiversity & Design (URBIO), seeking to promote the implementation of the United Nations ‘Convention on Biological Diversity’ (CBD) in urban areas. He is Associate Editor for Ecology, Ecological Monographs, Journal of Urban Ecology, Animal Biodiversity and Conservation, and Birds. He is confident that the use of evidence-based knowledge considering the physical, ecological, and social dimensions of urban systems can result in the development of biodiverse, resilient, and healthy cities, for which willingness of all implied stakeholders is keystone.
