We are excited to welcome Michael ‘t Sas-Rolfes as the newest addition to PERC’s research team. Although Michael is not a new face around PERC – indeed, his work with us goes back to 1998 – his selection as a PERC research fellow formalizes his affiliation and acknowledges his many contributions to the advancement of free market environmentalism.
Michael ‘t Sas-Rolfes is an environmental economist with a focus on the role of markets for biodiversity conservation. He has been active in various private conservation initiatives for 25 years, starting as a financial manager of a private game reserve in South Africa and later conducting research on the role of private markets for wildlife conservation in Africa.
Michael worked with Francis Vorhies to set up Eco Plus, an innovative consultancy on business, economics, and the environment. His consulting experience includes work on trans-frontier conservation areas, wildlife trade policy, and institutional reform in protected area management. He has also written extensively on various conservation issues, especially relating to trade in endangered species.
Michael is perhaps best known for his work on the economics of rhino and tiger conservation. His website, Rhino-Economics.com, summarizes his work in this area.
To learn more about Michael’s research, check out the following resources from PERC:
- Saving African Rhinos [podcast] (2012) – Michael gives a fascinating talk on the economics of rhino conservation.
- Q&A with Michael ‘t Sas-Rolfes on Rhino and Tiger Economics (2011) – Michael offers an interesting primer on the major issues concerning rhinos and tigers.
- Saving African Rhinos: A Market Success Story (2011) – In this case study, Michael explains how markets and property rights saved the African white rhino.
- Who Will Save the Wild Tiger? [pdf] (1998) – “Tiger conservation is ultimately a matter of incentives,” Michael writes in this PERC Policy Series. “We must convert live tigers from liabilities into assets.”
We are thrilled to officially welcome Michael to the PERC team and look forward to continuing our work with him in the future.
