My research interests, at the interphase between natural and social sciences, have focused on tropical forest ecology, carbon stocks, ethnobotany, forest use by local communities and forest conservation. I have been involved in several multidisciplinary collaborative research projects, in over ten countries in Africa. Apart from publishing in peer-reviewed journals, I am involved in disseminating results to wider audiences (from local communities to policy makers) and in science outreach, as I believe ‘science should be useful to people’. I am committed to capacity building in Africa, teaching in short courses and being an advisor for several African PhD students. My current research project focuses on African montane forests and assesses ecosystem services, threats and potential management strategies.