The author, Lou Lecuyer

The path that has led me here has been a series of grand adventures.

I have always been passionate about nature and environmental conservation. It was through my experiences and studies that I turned my attention toward the social side of conservation. I believe today, like the majority of people involved in environmental protection, that it is not possible to protect the environment without taking into consideration the opionions and challenges faced by the local people. Therefore, I refined my studies towards topics in which conservation and local resources overlap and occasionally come in conflict with each other. Ecotourism became particularly interesting at the transition between my undergraduate studies and Master’s degree. I then focused on the conflicts between wildlife and human populations. I did my Master’s thesis on the perception of local people involved in themanagement of conflicts surrounding the return of the wolf in the Vercors Regional Park. To me this was a fascinating and controversial subject to which there was no right answer, and it allowed me to meet people with various backgrounds. Each experience brought value to the debate surrounding the conflict.

Through my commitment to the protection of natural habitats I have been able to travel a lot and have developed a passion for learning about other cultures and landscapes. My idea of travel is not a trip that has a new destination each week. What I love most during my travels is living somewhere long enough to create a real connection with local people and have time to adopt new habits that I learn; to find my favorite coffee, and to know the streets by heart.

My recent years have been in France where I engaged myself in a “Service civique volontaire,” a full-time position volunteering for an organization in which I received a stipend, with “la Ligue pour la protection des Oiseaux en Isère,” a conservation NGO. I learned a lot with them, and it is thanks to my involvement that I could integrate the “Institut du service civique” which has been following and supporting me in my recent projects.

As I have explained in the project section, my mission here in Aceh, is to establish a strategic plan for the development of an ecotourism program in the CRUs. Working in Indonesia has presented me with a unique opportunity to apply the knowledge I gained in my studies and earn real work experience in project management. The multicultural team that I work with is in contact with local people and also participates in the conservation of an amazing species such as the Sumatran elephant. I know that I am lucky enough to have an incredible experience which allows me to live in a country that is very different from our western civilization. I am able to learn a new language and to share very special moments with people from a different culture.

I am now at the beginning of this great adventure and am looking forward to discovering more.