Bio

Kelechi Ibeh is a doctoral student in the School of the Environment at Washington State University, where he studies the complex interactions between forest management strategies and ecosystem services across Pacific Northwest landscapes. Kelechi holds a bachelor’s degree in forestry and wildlife from the Federal University of Technology Owerri, Nigeria, and a master’s degree in forest resources management from the University of Ibadan, Nigeria. Before pursuing his doctorate, Kelechi served as a lecturer in the department of forestry and wildlife management at Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University in Nigeria, where he supervised undergraduate research projects, mentored students, and developed proficiency in tropical forest management systems. Outside of academics, Kelechi enjoys photography; hiking through diverse forest ecosystems; and exploring how different cultures approach forest stewardship.

Originally from Nigeria, Kelechi brings unique international expertise in both tropical and temperate forest systems to his research in the Pacific Northwest. His research integrates advanced landscape modeling, ecosystem service quantification, and decision science to address one of forestry’s most pressing challenges: how best to manage forests for multiple objectives under climate uncertainty. Kelechi specializes in developing innovative decision-support systems that synthesize complex ecological simulations into actionable management guidance. His work focuses on evaluating different forest management strategies, including: land sparing, which concentrates timber harvesting in specific areas while leaving others untouched for conservation; land sharing, which integrates conservation and timber production across the entire landscape; and triad management, a hybrid approach that combines elements of both sparing and sharing to balance ecological and economic goals. Through these strategies, he aims to identify ways to maintain timber productivity, enhance carbon sequestration, preserve biodiversity and build resilience against environmental disturbances in a changing climate.

Learn about Kelechi’s research project