About Us
Progressivism, development, and the environment will only co-exist if we embrace principles of justice, patience, and sustainability.
EcologyWise is an ecological consulting firm specializing in applied ecology and nature conservation ecology since 2005. The firm has a multi-disciplinary team, led by Dr. Guy Rotem, that specializes in applied ecology, nature conservation and field surveys to evaluate natural and landscape resources in open and urban areas. The firm provides consulting and planning services to public & private sector organizations that maintain & influence open areas, using advanced scientific tools and technologies with the goal of leading a sustainable development approach.
We believe that it is our duty to preserve biodiversity in Israel and around the world, we consider the rights to space, access to water and food & living respectfully as basic human and wildlife rights. We work to ensure the right of our children to go out into the wild and enjoy blooming flowers, flowing water, tree shade and occasional wildlife viewing. This, while understanding that there is a close connection between society, economy and the environment.
Hi, I’m Guy Rotem, married to Omer and a father to Yahel, Peleg & Dolev, living in the Negev of Israel.
The beginning
As a child, I began to travel and got to know Israel. As my knowledge grew so did my love to nature, naturel views, plants, animals and man. I learned to love the arid desert landscapes and the green Galili mountains. I learned to love the acacia tree shade on a hot summer day and the sound of howling jackals at dusk.
In my military service, I learned to appreciate other things I did not know until then – the quiet of the night, the star map, the bright moon on the desert cliffs, and the sunrise. I learned to hear the hoot of the owl and the laugh of the hyena.
In a unique trip in Africa, during which I met the wild nature as I had not met before, I realized that I wanted to devote my life to nature and the environment and to do so scientifically and professionally. In Africa, I was exposed to the negative impact that wrong management of natural resources can have on the human population that is dependent on them for living.
Ecology in the Academy
Upon returning to Israel, and after another formative period at a field school in Sde Boker, I began my undergraduate studies at the Department of Geography and Environmental studies at Ben-Gurion University. During my studies, I was exposed to the world of environmental planning, environmental policy, environmental economics and of course ecology. I continued in the same department, combined with the Department of Desert Ecology for my Master. My thesis dealt with ” the influence of agricultural villages on space-use patterns of golden jackals”. During this time, I realized the magnitude of the impact that localities have on the space use of wildlife and how they use it.
My Ph.D. studies were supervised by Prof. Yaron Ziv & Prof. Amos Buskila in the Department of Life Sciences in the Ben Gurion University of the Negev. My doctoral thesis dealt with: ‘Crop diversity and rotation may increase dispersal opportunities of reptiles in a heterogeneous agroecosystem’. In this study I studied many agricultural areas, their impact on biodiversity and the attempt to develop principles and tools that will enable the continued existence of natural ecosystems together with modern agricultural systems.
I went on a postdoc fellowship in the Spatial Ecology Lab at Ben Gurion University of the Negev. I researched the effects of agroecosystems on the movement of reptiles and the biodiversity in natural patches within the agro-ecological system. I then went on to a postdoc in Conservation Evidence. In this project I worked in collaboration with Prof. Amos Buscilla (Ben Gurion Universityof the Negev, Israel), Prof. Yohai Carmel (Department of Civil Engineering, Technion, Israel) and Prof. William Sutherland (University of Cambridge, England).
Nowadays
I currently am a Research Fellow in the Life Sciences Department at Ben Gurion University of the Negev. There I research ecological restoration of mining areas, agro-ecology studies and network ecology studies. In addition, I am an ecology professor at Ben Gurion University and an ecology and environmental lecturer at the “Netivim” course at K College, Israel.
For over a decade, I have been a senior consultant in the field of ecology – planning and managing open spaces, for a variety of private offices and governmental organizations. Over the years, I conducted, researched, and implemented surveys for: Israel Nature and Parks Authority, Society for Protection of Nature (SPN), Open Landscape Institute (OLI), Israel Electric Company, Ramat HaNegev Regional Council, the Dead Sea Drainage Authority and other bodies.
Our Team
Dr. Guy Rotem
Ecologist Founder & CEO
Senior consultant in the fields of ecology, open space planning and management services. Provides consulting and planning services to public & private sector organizations that maintain & influence open areas, using advanced scientific tools and technologies with the goal of leading a sustainable development approach. Guy Rotem has a multidisciplinary team that specializes in applied ecology, nature conservation and field surveys to evaluate natural and landscape resources in open and urban areas.
Nir Krintza
Ecologist Research & Ecology Director
Nir has a master's degree in ecology from the Ben Gurion University of the Negev. He has extensive knowledge and experience in conducting ecological surveys, accompanying building and development plans and data analysis.
Yael Berner
Ecologist Urban Ecology & Planning Director
Yael has a master's degree in Environmental studies and Natural Resources from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, the Faculty of Agriculture. She has experience and specialization in botany and entomology. She has extensive experience in conducting field surveys, leading urban nature surveys and ecologically accompanying planning processes.
Inbal Zamir Pallivathikal
Environmental Planning Director
City and region Planner.
Inbal has a M.A from the Department of Geography and Environmental Development at Ben-Gurion University in the Negev, specializing in urban and regional planning.
She has experience in planning and environmental consulting and public engagement.
Tom Schaham
COO
Tom has a B.A. in Geography from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. She has extensive experience in production and project management, back office and administratin.
