Robby Butarbutar

Robby specialises in landscape ecology within agricultural systems, with extensive experience in sustainable palm oil and biodiversity conservation. Before pursuing his PhD, he worked at the High Conservation Value Network (HCVN) Secretariat, where he focused on the management and monitoring of High Conservation Values (HCVs). He also contributed to a project with the University of York, UK, examining the impact of Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) certification on biodiversity in oil palm plantations across Indonesia and Malaysia.
Robby holds an MSc in Biodiversity and Conservation from the University of Leeds, UK, which he completed as a Chevening Scholar. His master’s research, which focused on species distribution modelling for Sumatran elephants in Aceh, Indonesia, was awarded the prize for the best project in his cohort. Additionally, he earned a BSc in Agrotechnology from Universitas Jenderal Soedirman, Indonesia. 

Environmental and social sustainability of coconut in Indonesia. 

This PhD research examines the trade-offs between biodiversity and local livelihoods in one of the world's most important tropical crops amidst rising global demand.

Robby's research interests focus on understanding socio-ecological systems, with an emphasis on the interactions between human activities and ecological processes. He is particularly interested in how land-use changes, such as agricultural expansion and intensification, impact biodiversity and ecosystem services, as well as how these ecological shifts feedback into human livelihoods and decision-making. His work integrates ecological, social, and spatial data to explore sustainable solutions that balance biodiversity conservation with the socio-economic needs of communities, especially in tropical landscapes where pressures on natural resources are most pronounced. Through an interdisciplinary approach, Robby aims to contribute to the development of policies and practices that promote resilient socio-ecological systems.