Just Ecology

E25: Six Seasons School Concert - with Thais Sansom

The four seasons that most of us follow—winter, spring, summer and autumn—were developed in the northern hemisphere and were brought to Australia by Europeans. But First

E24: The Myth of Fuel Reduction - with Associate Professor Phil Zylstra

Many years ago, I began noticing some serious impacts on bushland following planned burns, or fuel-reduction burns. I was seeing the loss of old trees, destruction of rar

E23: Restoring Diversity in a Changed Landscape — with Ian Higgins

What does it take to restore diversity to a profoundly altered landscape? And how do we accept and work within novel ecosystems when there is no intact reference point to

E22: Rewilding Childhood – with Nectar Connector

I have always believed that the way we raise children, and the opportunities we give them to deeply experience and connect with the natural world, can be a powerful way t

E21: The Ecological Knowledge of Beekeepers – with Stuart Fraser

After more than 20 years working in ecology, I have come to realise that beekeepers, or apiarists, often possess a more detailed understanding of eucalypt flowering than

E20: Deep Listening to Nature – with Andrew Skeoch

What does it really mean to listen? For Andrew Skeoch, listening is far more than hearing sounds or identifying bird calls. It is the foundation of relationship—a practic

E19: Exploring Melbourne’s Eucalypts - with Vicky Shukuroglou

How well do we really know the trees around us? In this episode I sit down with multidisciplinary artist, ecologist and author Vicky Shukuroglou to talk about eucalypts

E18 - More Than a Collection of Plants: Exploring the Living World of Botanic Gardens – with Professor Tim Entwisle

Botanic gardens are sometimes viewed as rather static places — collections of plants, all neatly labelled. But as today's guest explains, they are so much more than that.

E17: The Moss Beneath Our Feet – with Dr. Cassia Read

Mosses, along with their cousins the liverworts and hornworts, make up the world of the bryophytes, fascinating plants that have been on this planet for well over 400 mil

E16 – Reading Ecological Patterns – with Doug Frood

It was a real privilege to interview Doug Frood, one of Victoria’s most experienced ecologists, and someone who is widely respected for his depth of perception and unders

E15 – How Can Environmental Law Better Protect Nature? – with Brendan Sydes

Environmental law is meant to protect nature—but how well does it actually work? In this episode, I sit down with Brendan Sydes to unpack the realities behind the legal

E14: From Bush to Nursery – Growing Indigenous Plants – with Frances Cincotta

In this episode, I sit down with Frances Cincotta to talk about growing locally indigenous plants. Frances founded the Newstead Natives nursery in central Victoria in 199

E13: Singing for the Baarka (Darling River) – with Sean McConnell

In this episode I speak with ecologist and musician Sean McConnell, who also performs his song Baarka Ballad, written about the plight of the Baarka (Darling River). We

E12 – Muirburn: Fire Management in the Heather Moorlands of the U.K - with Matt Davies

Many listeners would be familiar with the highly skilled use of fire to manage vegetation that has been practiced by First Nations peoples of Australia for thousands of y

E11 – Restoring Floodplain Forests & Wetlands of the Riverina – with Kate Bennetts

In this episode I sat down with botanist and ecologist Kate Bennetts to explore the floodplain forests and wetlands of the Riverina. With more than two decades of experie

E10 – Walking Without a Plan: Art, Nature & Wandering - with Trace Balla

For this episode I caught up with dear friend Trace Balla. Trace is a multi-award-winning "story catcher" and community artist based on Djaara Country in central Victor

E9 - Living Soils, Bold Lying & Creating a Better World, with Emeritus Professor Stuart Hill

It was a real honour to interview Emeritus Professor Stuart Hill. Stuart began studying ecology in the 1960s, and his PhD research conducted in a cave in Trinidad in the

E8 - Novel Ecosystems: Coming to Terms with a Changing Ecology - with Ana Backstrom

In this episode I speak with Ana Backstrom about novel ecosystems and why the term has, at times, been controversial. We explore the idea that its use may reveal more abo

E7 - Yedabila Habitat Pods, Habitat Warriors & Indigenous Astronomy - with Kai Lane

In this episode I speak with Kai Lane, a proud Yorta Yorta and Barapa Barapa man who serves as an ecologist at Ecology & Restoration Australia (ERA) and as a board member

E6 - Native Bees and Pollinators: Why They Matter – with Dr. Mark Hall

In this episode I talk with Dr Mark Hall about native bees and other pollinators, and the critical roles they play in both natural ecosystems and modified landscapes. Nat