Chima J. Iheaturu

Institute of Geography

University of Bern

Hallerstrasse 12, 3012 Bern, Switzerland

I am a Remote Sensing & Geospatial Data Scientist and a Ph.D. researcher at the Institute of Geography, University of Bern. My research focuses on tropical forest dynamics, ecosystem recovery, and landscape fragmentation in West African agricultural frontiers, using multi-sensor Earth observation data.

My work integrates UAV LiDAR, satellite time-series, and community-based knowledge to explore the structural, compositional, and functional dimensions of forest change. I am passionate about developing automated, reproducible spatial workflows using Python and R, and translating these insights into policy-relevant environmental monitoring tools.

Currently, I contribute as a Fellow in the IPBES Spatial Planning and Ecological Connectivity Assessment, where I work on integrating geospatial data and land governance perspectives into global biodiversity science-policy processes.

Previously, I worked as GIS & Database Manager at the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) in Nigeria, where I led spatial data infrastructure efforts across national conservation programs. I also collaborate actively with researchers across ecology, land systems science, and environmental justice.

When I’m not mapping forest patches or debugging Python scripts, you’ll probably find me following spatial data memes on r/gis.

news

Jul 10, 2025	🌍 All roads lead to COP15! 🛣️ The 15th Meeting of the Conference of the Contracting Parties (COP15) to the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands will be held from 23–31 July 2025. 🐦🌿 Learn more and stay engaged: Ramsar COP15 Details
Jul 10, 2025	🎉 Exciting news! Chima J. Iheaturu has been selected as an IPBES Fellow for the ongoing thematic assessment on spatial planning and ecological connectivity. 🌍🌱

latest posts

Jul 10, 2025	Who Owns Knowledge? The Dangers of Parachute Science in West African Forest Research

selected publications

A remote sensing-based inventory of West African tropical forest patches: A basis for enhancing their conservation and sustainable use

V. R. Wingate, F. O. Akinyemi, C. J. Iheaturu, and 1 more author

Remote Sensing, 2022

Bib HTML

@article{Wingate2022_ForestInventory,
  title = {A remote sensing-based inventory of West African tropical forest patches: A basis for enhancing their conservation and sustainable use},
  author = {Wingate, V. R. and Akinyemi, F. O. and Iheaturu, C. J. and Ifejika Speranza, C.},
  journal = {Remote Sensing},
  volume = {14},
  number = {24},
  pages = {6251},
  year = {2022},
}

Combining Google Earth historical imagery and UAV photogrammetry for urban development analysis

C. J. Iheaturu, C. Okolie, E. Ayodele, and 3 more authors

MethodsX, 2024

Bib HTML

@article{Iheaturu2024_UrbanDev,
  title = {Combining Google Earth historical imagery and UAV photogrammetry for urban development analysis},
  author = {Iheaturu, C. J. and Okolie, C. and Ayodele, E. and Egogo-Stanley, A. and Musa, S. and Ifejika Speranza, C.},
  journal = {MethodsX},
  volume = {12},
  pages = {102785},
  year = {2024},
}

Integrating UAV LiDAR and multispectral data to assess forest status and map disturbance severity in a West African forest patch

C. J. Iheaturu, S. Hepner, J. L. Batchelor, and 4 more authors

Ecological Informatics, 2024

Bib HTML

@article{Iheaturu2024_LiDAR,
  title = {Integrating UAV LiDAR and multispectral data to assess forest status and map disturbance severity in a West African forest patch},
  author = {Iheaturu, C. J. and Hepner, S. and Batchelor, J. L. and Agonvonon, G. A. and Akinyemi, F. O. and Wingate, V. R. and Ifejika Speranza, C.},
  journal = {Ecological Informatics},
  volume = {84},
  pages = {102876},
  year = {2024},
}

An integrated object-based sampling approach for validating non-contiguous forest cover maps in fragmented tropical landscapes

C. J. Iheaturu, V. R. Wingate, F. O. Akinyemi, and 1 more author

International Journal of Applied Earth Observation and Geoinformation, 2025

Bib HTML

@article{Iheaturu2025_ObjectBased,
  title = {An integrated object-based sampling approach for validating non-contiguous forest cover maps in fragmented tropical landscapes},
  author = {Iheaturu, C. J. and Wingate, V. R. and Akinyemi, F. O. and Ifejika Speranza, C.},
  journal = {International Journal of Applied Earth Observation and Geoinformation},
  volume = {139},
  pages = {104497},
  year = {2025},
}