University Park, Pa. — Ida Djenontin, a 2024–25 Rock Ethics Institute and Maurice K. Goddard Chair Faculty Fellow, has received a $1.3 million grant from the National Science Foundation to study ecosystem restoration in degraded woodlands. As an assistant professor of geography at Penn State, Djenontin leads an international research team exploring the socioecological impacts of restoration efforts, with a focus on balancing ecological health with the needs of local communities.

This interdisciplinary project will examine the complex tradeoffs between social and environmental goals in Southern Africa’s mosaic dry forest-grassland landscapes. Djenontin and her team aim to uncover how restoration efforts influence both ecological conditions and human well-being, helping to inform sustainable restoration strategies globally.

The research team includes collaborators from Duke University, the University of Minnesota, and institutions in South Africa and Malawi, alongside non-academic partners such as the African Union Development Agency. Learn more about Djenontin’s work and the broader impacts of this project in the full article.