Dr. Paul Brooke Awarded Phillip Hyde Conservation Grant

January 15, 2026

Dr. Paul Brooke, Endowed Chair of Creative Writing and Professor of English at Grand View, recently received the Phillip Hyde Conservation Grant for his project, Documenting Invasive Species in Southern Florida from Ocala to the Everglades, from Burmese Pythons to Oustalet’s Chameleons.

The $5,000 grant will support Dr. Brooke’s field research and collaboration with scientists and conservationists across Florida who are actively working to combat invasive species. This work will contribute to his forthcoming book, Lost and Invaded: International Environmental Issues, which explores the ecological, cultural, and global impacts of invasive wildlife.

During the project, Dr. Brooke will document a wide range of invasive species, including Burmese pythons, Oustalet’s chameleons, Cuban tree frogs, tegu lizards, Tokay geckos, and populations of wild monkeys such as vervet and rhesus macaques. A highlight of the research will include spending five days in the Everglades alongside a team of professional python wranglers, photographing and observing efforts to manage one of the region’s most disruptive invasive predators.