I am a conservation biologist with a PhD in Global Change Ecology. Following 10+ years in the Asia-Pacific region, I moved to Canada as a Postdoctoral Research Fellow in 2018. Most of my recent research enabled me to study tropical ecosystems, primarily in Borneo, India and Thailand. I currently conduct research in the context of prairie grassland conservation and restoration (https://cms.eas.ualberta.ca/faramarzilab/lab-members/timm-dobert/).

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

The tremendous joy of immersing into different cultures and experiencing the wonderful diversity in people. Without a doubt, some of my dearest friendships have emerged from couchsurfing.

Interests

I am passionate about nature conservation and love exploring the outdoors. Wildlife photography and film are favourite hobbies. One goal is to celebrate as many of the ~10 million unique species (excluding bacteria) as possible. A selection of my sightings is featured on Instagram: @10millionreasons. Collaboration with an Indian filmmaker (https://www.braveagefilms.com/) has enabled me to document iconic species of South Asia. Explorers Club membership over the past 10 years has allowed me to engage with some of the most accomplished explorers of modern times. I am currently developing the details of a conservation-education expedition scheduled to commence in May 2023 (https://www.flywayheroes.com/). My daily training regime is tailored for competition in Ironman events; cycling would be my favourite discipline. Since moving to Canada in 2018, a packraft has emerged as one of my favorite companions and I spend the ice-free season exploring rivers and lakes in the Canadian Rockies. I follow a primarily vegan diet.

• wildlife
• photography
• cooking
• fitness
• reading
• outdoor activities
• cycling
• rowing
• ecology
• adventure travel
• mountains
• road cycling
• nature conservation

Music, Movies, and Books

I enjoy listening to Blanco White, Jesse Marchant, Tamino, Jack Savoretti, Coldplay, Live and Ray Wilson. Favourite movies include Walter Mitty and Shawshank Redemption, in addition to a range of lesser known independent films. I mostly read natural history and travel books, the likes of Peter Matthiessen, Tim Flannery and Wilfred Thesiger. Books by Tiziano Terzani and Ed O. Wilson are most abundant in my little library. I recently completed 'A World on the Wing' (Scott Weidensaul), a book about the magic of bird migration. David Quammen’s 'The Song of the Dodo' has arguably been the book with greatest influence on my life trajectory.

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

During my PhD studies in Borneo, I lived over two years in a hammock, fully immersed into the magic of the island's tropical rainforests, researching the impacts of logging and deforestation on native biodiversity.

Teach, Learn, Share

I love night spotting; that is exploring for nocturnal animals. Guests are usually thrilled about the experience.

What I Can Share with Hosts

Travel tales and inspiration for adventure.

Countries I’ve Visited

Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Bhutan, Cambodia, Canada, Czech Republic, France, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, India, Ireland, Italy, Laos, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Morocco, Myanmar, Netherlands, New Zealand, Northern Ireland, Poland, Romania, Singapore, Spain, Switzerland, Thailand, United Kingdom, United States, Vatican City State, Wales

Countries I’ve Lived In

Australia, Canada, Germany, India, Malaysia, New Zealand, Thailand, United States