Dr. Christina T. Cavaliere has a long and deeply rooted career in critical tourism studies and biocultural conservation, bringing decades of global experience to this work. She is a tenured Associate Professor at Colorado State University and an internationally recognized scholar in biocultural conservation. She brings several decades of experience examining tourism and conservation challenges across communities, academic institutions, non‑profit organizations, multilateral agencies, and the private sector. Her social science conservation research investigates how extractive economic systems reshape community identities and influence biocultural diversity. She has developed theoretical and applied intervention models through innovative critical ecofeminist and posthumanist frameworks that center biocultural diversity and wildlife equity. Her research highlights the importance of emotion, affect, and sensory experiences as legitimate yet often overlooked forms of socio‑ecological reflexivity and knowledge. This transdisciplinary work offers new approaches for understanding how communities depend on naturescapes and how these relationships can inform more inclusive and resilient biocultural conservation strategies that support community well‑being.
Her work critically examines the impacts of extractive capitalism and tourism on biocultural diversity, providing nuanced understandings of how communities form and sustain identity through relationships with place. Her biocultural conservation research contributes tools for analyzing sensory and affective dimensions of place‑based knowledge—dimensions frequently excluded from conventional conservation discourse. This work is especially relevant to protected areas, which serve as bioregions for exploring adaptive strategies that integrate ecological restoration, cultural resilience, and community participation.
Her previous research has informed policy critiques related to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF). In alignment with the UN 2030 Agenda, she foregrounds biocultural identity and inclusive engagement through the development of guidelines that promote equity, cultural integrity, and sustainability. Dr. Cavaliere’s insights into participatory models and subjugated knowledges inform deliberative governance structures and shared stewardship strategies, including steering committees and stakeholder networks central to effective destination management. She has served in advisory roles for non‑profit organizations, private sector partners, and multilateral entities. Her critical analysis of neoliberal tourism models identifies pathways for regenerative, community‑led sustainable business that align with the Kunming‑Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework. Her scholarship provides both theoretical depth and practical guidance for advancing international environmental mandates and fostering intersectional, socially just, and ecologically resilient outcomes.
Dr. Cavaliere brings place‑based insight and global expertise in social‑ecological systems thinking and biocultural conservation strategies to her projects. Her research integrates critical ecofeminist and posthumanist perspectives to examine how communities relate to and shape naturescapes, particularly amid extractive economic pressures and climate change. Grounded in empirical fieldwork and participatory methodologies, her work contributes to transdisciplinary and intersectional conservation goals.
Her research directly analyzes how biocultural identity and community engagement influence socio‑ecological resilience and biodiversity conservation. She critiques dominant extractive tourism models and proposes community‑centered alternatives that align with international conservation frameworks and promote justice and adaptive capacity. By foregrounding affective, sensory, and emotional dimensions of place‑based knowledge—often excluded from mainstream conservation science—her work expands the analytical scope of critical conservation frameworks.
Through qualitative fieldwork and participatory research, Dr. Cavaliere has identified key social drivers and feedback loops that shape ecological recovery and community well‑being. Her work provides empirical evidence on how regenerative tourism can enhance inclusive access to lands, strengthen adaptive capacity, and improve biodiversity outcomes. Her involvement in establishing shared governance structures within international conservation initiatives—such as steering committees and cross‑sectoral partnerships—offers real‑world examples of metagovernance in practice. She examines how local decision‑making aligns with global frameworks such as the SDGs, the former Aichi Targets, and the Global Biodiversity Framework, contributing insights into policy coherence and implementation.
Dr. Cavaliere’s interdisciplinary research bridges environmental, social, and political dimensions through a critical biocultural lens. Her framework integrates resilience, biocultural conservation in marine and terrestrial protected areas, and governance by recognizing the interdependence of ecological systems and cultural identities. Her applied work in biocultural conservation and governance provides grounded perspectives on how multilevel coordination can reflect both global mandates and local realities. Her critique of neoliberal tourism paradigms and her proposals for regenerative, community‑led alternatives emphasize equity, biocultural diversity, and socio‑ecological well‑being.