Joe is a Lecturer in Botany at the University of Adelaide. He is interested in restoration and community ecology, particularly with a focus on open ecosystems and the processes that maintain them such as fire, herbivores, and drought.

Barbara Rentes is a PhD candidate in Planning and Management of Renewable Resources at the Federal University of São Carlos (Brazil). With a background in Environmental Management from University of São Paulo, her research focuses on spatial prioritization for implementing environmental policies, especially Payment for Ecosystem Services (PES), using GIS and multi-criteria decision analysis. She has experience in ecological restoration, biodiversity conservation, and collaborative research with public agencies. Barbara is currently developing a decision-support model that integrates science co-production to guide more effective conservation and restoration strategies in the Atlantic Forest.

Julia Braga Morais holds an Integrated Master’s Degree in Veterinary Medicine from the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Lisbon, Portugal, where she completed her thesis on the ultrasonographic assessment of reproductive diseases in gorillas and other captive great apes (2013) 1 . She later earned a Master’s Degree in Animal Science from the State University of Santa Catarina, Brazil, focusing on the clinical biochemistry of Magellanic penguins using different anticoagulants (2016) 2 . Between 2017 and 2019, she worked as a Public Health Veterinarian in the Garopaba City Council, Santa Catarina, Brazil, applying One Health principles to local wildlife and domestic animal health. Since 2022, Julia has been a PhD candidate in Ecology at Monash University, Australia. Her doctoral research investigates how little penguins (Eudyptula minor) respond to environmental changes in an estuarine enclosed bay, integrating diet, health, and population monitoring approaches 3 .

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Mateo Carol Villavedra is a PhD candidate, currently working under the supervision of Professor Adam Stow and Professor Linda Beaumont at Macquarie University, Sydney. Mateo’s research focuses on conservation and landscape genetics, with an emphasis on assessing the impacts of climate change on wild populations, their responses and the implications for management. Mateo's Masters of Research, focused on the swordgrass brown, Tisiphone abeona, utilising historical and contemporary specimens to characterise the impact of climate on morphological variation across geographic and temporal scales. Population and landscape genetics analyses of contemporary population dynamics and patterns of environmental selection were used to complement analyses of morphological variation. Mateo continues to employ multidisciplinary approaches in his PhD which focuses on contributing to the conservation effort for Tjakura (Liopholis kintorei) in central Australia. Using a combination of population and landscape genetics and climatic ecological modelling, Mateo aims to produce actionable recommendations to support Tjakura populations. To achieve this, he has worked closely with Traditional Owners, conservation organisations and land managers and is committed to ongoing collaboration, consulting with stakeholders regularly to ensure the projects aims meet the priorities and needs of all groups.

Annette is a PhD student at La Trobe University, Melbourne. She is investigating the influence of agricultural intensification on plant diversity on farms across south-eastern Australia. Annette is part of the Farm-scale Natural Capital Accounting project managed by the Research Centre for Future Landscapes. Outside of uni, Annette is the Chair of Intrepid Landcare, an organisation that empowers young adults to act and lead in the environmental, agricultural and natural resource management space.

Michael Chadderton is a PhD candidate at the University of Tasmania with an interest in the processes that shape plant communities and how plant function influences the functioning of entire ecosystems. His research focusses on testing whether hydrological manipulation can reduce carbon losses from peaty soils in Australia’s subalpine meadows. Michael seeks to inform science-based conservation strategies that preserve biodiversity and ecological functions in threatened and degraded ecosystems.

Matt is a Scientist and lead drone pilot in the Koala Strategy Team at NSW DCCEEW. Over the past 3 years he has coordinated hundreds of drone flights to establish a baseline survey of occupancy and abundance of koalas across NSW. During his work for the baseline team he played a key part in designing, organising and conducting surveys for the Great Koala National Park assessment area. Prior to this he was the lead drone pilot for the NSW Wildlife Drone Hub where he was responsible for training ecologist pilots and developing survey techniques for a variety of threatened species.

Dr Steph Courtney Jones, Conservation Scientist for Parks Australia, and the editor for the Natural History Notes Section of Austral Ecology. Steph is an ecologist with a range of experience across terrestrial ecosystems, working on a range of conservation projects within the Australasia region. Her research interests span flora and fauna, decision making and science to policy, working on projects to understand environmental change, land management and the effects of climate change, all with the aim of improving conservation outcomes.

Olivia De La Mare is a Masters of Science (MSc) student studying at the University of Technology Sydney (UTS). She completed a Bachelor of Environmental Biology at UTS in 2024. Her current research aims to understand how differences in the histories of fires in forests of eastern Australia impact the habitat, populations, and community composition of reptiles. This research is supported by an Australian Government Research Training Program Scholarship. She also works as a Discovery Ranger with NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service, educating the community on the importance of protecting Australian flora and fauna.

Stacey is a PhD candidate with the University of Adelaide's School of Animal and Veterinary Sciences and has a keen interest in applied wildlife research and conservation activities. After working nearly 15 years across various government and corporate roles, Stacey returned to university to requalify with a Bachelor of Science (Ecology and Environmental Sciences) – fulfilling a lifelong dream to retrain in ecology. During her undergraduate degree, she supported active research on Australian death adders (Acanthophis antarcticus) and co-authored her first academic paper on ontogenetic changes in caudal lures. Shortly thereafter, Stacey gained First Class Honours in 2022, based her work exploring the genetics and dispersal of tammar wallabies (Notamacropus eugenii eugenii) 20 years after their reintroduction to the Yorke Peninsula, South Australia. Since then, she has supported numerous field research projects exploring the biology and conservation of various Australia mammal species both in South Australia and interstate. Stacey’s PhD research is exploring the implications of patch size, fragmentation and grazing pressure on small mammal communities in the highly fragmented Limestone Coast region of South Australia.

Rachel is an Ecologist with the Ginninderry Conservation Trust. Rachel has experience delivering environmental restoration projects with a focus on woodlands, grassland and the vulnerable Pink-tailed Worm-lizard. She believes that people are key to environmental change and is passionate about engaging community in the natural world.

I graduated from the University of Western Australia with a Bachelor of Science (Honours) in 2012. I have spent over a decade working in industry in Western Australia and South Australia, with experience in captive animal management, wild animal rescue and rehabilitation, and fire incident management. I am a PhD Candidate in the Koala Conservation Hub at Flinders University and am based on Kangaroo Island. I am studying the behavioural ecology of koalas with a focus on their acoustic communications.

Joao is Research Associate at ECU specialising in the study of threatened plant species in urban contexts. His work encompasses genetics, seed biology and pollination ecology, with a focus on conservation efforts. Prior to ECU, Joao was a research scientist at the Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions from the Government of Western Australia, where he conducted work in population genetics, mating systems, and pollen flow with rare and threated Pilbara and Southwest flora species. He attained his PhD from Murdoch University where he explored the genetic variation and resilience to climate change in Mediterranean-type trees.

Research Fellow In the Forest Hydrology Research Group at the University of Melbourne

Katie Gates is a Research Officer at Flinders University, where she works with the Koala Conservation Hub on South Australia's contribution to the National Koala Monitoring Program. She helps lead field surveys and works closely with scientists, government agencies, and community groups to strengthen monitoring and reporting efforts. Katie has a background in ecology and evolutionary biology and completed a PhD in landscape genomics. She has worked across terrestrial, marine, and freshwater systems on projects ranging from climate adaptation to habitat connectivity and broader conservation challenges. In her current role, she supports long-term koala monitoring by combining fieldwork with citizen science to track population trends and guide conservation efforts.

Alice is a PhD candidate at the University of Melbourne

Maggie Haines is a postdoctoral researcher at Monash University with a background in evolutionary biology and conservation genetics. While she mainly studies little brown skinks, Maggie has worked on a variety of taxa, ranging from brittle stars to mule deer. She is member of the Taxonomy Australia Steering Committee and Frogs Victoria.

Stacey is completing her PhD focused on the conservation and management of Koalas in South Gippsland, involving collaboration with the plantation industry and a focus on landscape ecology. Stacey also has several years of consulting experience, working as a botanist and ecologist, conducting impact assessments for infrastructure projects.

Dr Alison Haynes describes herself as a second career scientist with a background in magazine and book publishing. Originally from England, she came to Australia after completing degrees in English and French law. After moving out of the city she reconnected with her high school love of biology and took a degree in conservation biology, with Honours in conservation genetics of Persoonia hirsuta at the University of Wollongong. Her PhD investigated urban moss and its patterns of abundance and diversity on an urban gradient, particularly in regard to microclimate factors of shade, water and pollution. She now works at UOW as a lecturer in plant science and conservation biology. As director of the university's Janet Cosh Herbarium she has been working to raise its visibility, create local collaborations and seek funding opportunities. Whenever possible she promotes plants to combat plant blindness, amongst students especially. She continues to be interested in urban ecology and is currently exploring the value of urban remnants as well as the urban light regime.

Guohualing Huang is an ecologist with a background in wildlife ecology, species distribution modelling, and environmental consulting. She completed a PhD in Ecology and has worked on a range of biodiversity and conservation projects across Australia. Guohualing is currently a Research Data Officer at TERN, based at the University of Queensland, where she works on research data curation, standardisation, and publication. She has strong experience in managing and analysing large ecological datasets to support evidence-based conservation and ecological research.

Ashley is a masters by research student with Edith Cowan University and Kings Park Science specialising in pollination ecology and terrestrial entomology. Her research focuses on the ecology of insect pollinators in ecosystems exposed to land-use change, and the impact on native flora. Ashley is an experienced science educator and published researcher involved in multi-agency threatened flora projects. She is passionate about collaborative research designed to improve conservation outcomes.

I’m a PhD candidate at the University of New England, working with the Australian Wildlife Conservancy and Federation University. My research explores how reintroduced digging mammals like bilbies and bettongs affect insect communities in arid ecosystems. I come from a background in visual art, science communication, and remote fieldwork, with experience from the Australian outback to the Canadian Arctic. I’m especially interested in pollinators and how we can bring these insects into the spotlight in conservation and restoration work.

Shelby Jones is a recent Environmental Science (Wildlife and Conservation Biology) Honours graduate from Deakin University. Her Honours project, conducted within the School of Life and Environmental Sciences and the eXtreme Plant Ecology Research Team, investigated the pollination ecology of the endangered Gentiana baeuerlenii, contributing the first documented observations of pollinator interactions for this species. The project was conducted in partnership with Parks Victoria, under the supervision of Dr Matt Dell, Tara Lewis, and Dr Tricia Wevill. Shelby has five years of field experience in Natural Resource Management, including weed control, revegetation, vegetation surveys, and ecological burns in priority conservation areas. She has a strong interest in botany, plant ecology, and how environmental drivers and plant adaptations shape vegetation communities.

Jessica Keem is a PhD candidate in the Fire Ecology and Biodiversity research group in the School of Agriculture, Food and Ecosystem Sciences at the University of Melbourne. Her research explores conservation strategies for fauna in an increasingly flammable world, with particular focus on fire refuges, biodiversity hotspots, and fire as a driver of genetic diversity.

Kyungtae Kim is a Ph.D. candidate in Green Landscape Architecture at Dankook University, where he previously earned his B.S. (2021) and M.S. (2023). His master's thesis focused on citizen science-based monitoring of artificial birdhouses and participant characteristics, highlighting the role of public engagement in biodiversity monitoring. His research interests include urban biodiversity, avian ecology, citizen science, and spatial landscape analysis. Kim has published several papers in major Korean journals such as the Journal of Korean Ornithology and Journal of Environmental Ecology, covering topics including mixed brooding in Paridae species, heavy metal accumulation in nest materials, and the impact of biodiversity education programs. He is also involved in integrating ecological research with technology, such as AI-based camera trapping, mobile applications for citizen monitoring, and forest landscape analysis using spatial data. Kim’s current research focuses on enhancing sustainable urban ecosystems through data-driven planning and citizen participation. He aims to advance interdisciplinary approaches that combine ecology, GIS, and public engagement.

I study the effects of climate change on terrestrial plants, analyzing changes in distribution, species composition, and tree-ring growth from the past to the present and into the future. I also study ecosystem services provided by terrestrial plant communities, such as edible wild plants, medicinal herbs, and the timing and brightness of autumn foliage coloration.

I am a fire ecologist with broad interests in conservation ecology, climate change drivers and impacts, and bird responses to landscape disturbance. In my PhD, I investigated bird responses to fire in terms of fire frequency, severity and time-since-fire. I modelled responses by entire bird communities, foraging guilds and individual species. I currently teach Environmental Science and Conservation Management units to students on-site in Shijiazhuang, China as well as at Federation University in Victoria. With collaborators from China and South Korea, I am working on a project investigating whether common bird species of the Asia-Pacific region, with high cognitive abilities and social development, can buffer the effects of climate change.

Chris Laurikainen Gaete is a palaeoecologist, isotope geochemist, and wildlife photographer working at the Wollongong Isotope Geochronology Laboratory, University of Wollongong. I completed a Bachelor of Conservation Biology (Honours) (Dean’s Scholar) at the University of Wollongong. Currently I am completing my PhD, studying life history traits and behaviours of extinct kangaroos (Macropodids) using isotopic proxies preserved in fossil teeth. While most of my current research is focused on long-extinct kangaroos, I am passionate about applying what we learn from these extinct animals to conserving our modern-day marsupial diversity. If we are able to understand behaviours and life history traits that drove species extinct, and more importantly, traits that promoted survival. We can then apply these findings to our modern ecosystems, determining which species are most vulnerable to extinction, and what measures will provide the greatest benefit to species survival.

Hyunjung Lee is a Ph.D. candidate in Environmental Horticulture and Landscape Architecture at Dankook University, South Korea. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Landscape Architecture and a master’s degree in the same field as her current Ph.D. Her research focuses on exploring urban biodiversity and ecological processes by integrating spatial data analysis with field-based monitoring. She uses GIS and ecological modeling to assess habitat connectivity, evaluate ecosystem services, and support adaptive conservation planning. Her published work includes studies on the home range and connectivity of Asian badgers and wild boars, as well as urban ecological restoration through vacant lot greening. Her current research, supported by national R&D programs, includes separate evaluations of ecosystem services and biodiversity to identify trade-offs, as well as the assessment of climate adaptation technologies for mitigating urban heat island effects. She is also conducting research in collaboration with government agencies, focusing on the identification of priority zones for wildlife management and the development of South Korea’s national biodiversity assessment framework. Additionally, she contributes to a citizen science project on nest box monitoring supported by corporate ESG funding. Her work seeks to bridge spatial modeling and practical conservation strategies to enhance urban biodiversity and climate resilience.

Jessie Lewis is a conservation biologist currently pursuing a Master of Research at Macquarie University, NSW. She holds a Master of Conservation Biology from Macquarie University and a Bachelor of Zoology with Herpetology from Bangor University in Wales. Jessie’s research combines applied restoration ecology with innovative conservation solutions, focusing on the field evaluation of biodegradable tree guards developed by ReHabitat. Through her work, Jessie aims to support both seedling survival and faunal habitat provision in degraded landscapes. She is passionate about advancing sustainable strategies that enhance biodiversity and ecosystem resilience.

Alison is a Lecturer in Cross-cultural Ecology based at UWA Albany Campus. Her work is focused Noongar Boodja which coincides with the southwest Australian global biodiversity hotspot. She works closely with First Nations Elders and their families in a co-developed knowledge space to explore relationships between people and non-human entities and approaches to caring for Country. This process is ultimately aimed at improving outcomes for both biodiversity and people.

Dydee Mann is an ecologist with the Forest Practices Authority in Tasmania, specialising in the conservation management of biodiversity values in forestry operations. Dydee's main role involves liasing with scientists and industry practitioners to design and implement practical, achievable management actions for threatened species and coordinate the continual adaptation of these actions as new information arises. Dydee also coordinates the design and delivery of practical training on biodiversity issues to upskill others in the identification and management of flora and fauna habitat.

I am an Honours student at Flinders University studying mygalomorph spider systematics and phylogenetics. I have considerable interest in the conservation, ecology and systematics of all terrestrial fauna with a more recent focus on overlooked invertebrate taxa. I am particularly interested in the use of novel technologies to assist and improve conservation efforts and have experience with remote sensing, citizen science and species distribution modelling. I was recently an author on a publication optimising survey efforts for an endangered lizard, the pygmy bluetongue (Tiliqua adelaidensis) in South Australia.

Hello, I’m Xuemeng, a PhD student at UNSW, Sydney. My research focuses on the impacts of heatwaves on plants and explores methods to identify the species most vulnerable to extreme heat events. Sometimes love comes dressed as something harsh — just like our research.

Michelle is a PhD student at the Cetacean Ecology, Behaviour and Evolution Lab, Flinders University with a strong research focus on animal behaviour and spatial ecology. Her current doctoral work builds on a foundation of marine science and behavioural ecology, acquired through a combined Bachelor of Science degree in Animal Behaviour and Marine Biology. Michelle’s Honours research, which is now published in Animal Behaviour, examined long-term ranging patterns of bottlenose dolphins in the Adelaide Dolphin Sanctuary, revealing a potential spatiotemporal link between dolphin mortality and their restricted ranging patterns. In addition to her research, Michelle tutors in undergraduate courses in Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and Oceanography where she leads lab- and computer-based practicals, supports and assesses students, and provides feedback to enhance course delivery. Michelle also works as a research assistant on cetacean projects where she applies her skills in data management, scientific report writing, and GIS analysis, as well as mentoring fellow Honours and postgraduate students in this latter area. Her past roles include working as the Events and Project Officer for the university’s Student Wellbeing Centre and volunteering at the South Australian Whale Centre to promote local tourism activities and deliver education programs.

Bridie Noble is a project officer at the Ginninderry Conservation Trust in Canberra, specialising in water and community engagement. Bridie has a Bachelor of Environmental Science (Environmental Management and Sustainability) completed at Deakin University.

Madison Norris is a honours student in the CEBEL, Cetacean Ecology, Behaviour and Evolution Laboratory at Flinders University, South Australia. Her honours project focuses on the abundance, occurrence and spatial use of marine mammals in the Restricted Access Zone in upper eastern Gulf Saint Vincent. As an honours student, Madison has contributed to fieldwork for various research projects within CEBEL, focusing on dolphin populations in Kangaroo Island, the Port River and Adelaide Dolphin Sanctuary in South Australia. With a growing passion for marine research, Madison's goals after honours are to continue contributing to marine mammal research or polar research through volunteering and internship opportunities around the world. To further learn and grow as a researcher, Madison aims to complete a PhD in marine mammal research or Antarctic studies.

I am currently a PhD candidate at the School of Life and Environmental Sciences at Deakin University, Burwood Campus. I am particularly interested in exploring how plants respond to extreme environmental conditions and climate change linking diverse ecological approaches, such as community composition, plant functional traits, and ecophysiology. And my PhD research specifically focuses on how Australian alpine plants respond to increasing temperatures and limited water availability. Before joining Deakin, I was engaged with an NGO since 2017 that focuses on biodiversity conservation in Nepal. Starting as a plant taxonomist, I eventually took on multiple roles, leading plant taxonomical and ecological research, project coordination, grant writing, and reporting. I also worked as a research assistant on various plant ecological research projects, such as the establishment of long-term vegetation monitoring plots, mapping and impact assessment of invasive species in different ecosystems, population studies of rare alpine plants, and the impact of fire on alpine ecosystems. I assisted professors and two PhD scholars, contributing to six collaborative publications in peer-reviewed journals and a book chapter.

1 Anees Ur Rahman phd student coresponding Luo yong

Wahidullah Rahmani was born 1989 in Kabul Afganistan, and now doing master by research at Western Sydney University.

Linda is a researcher looking at the pollination ecology of threatened Victorian plants.

Derek Sandow is the Marna Banggara Project Manager at the Northern and Yorke Landscape Board. Derek has over 18 years’ experience helping to deliver biodiversity and conservation outcomes across an array of iconic Australian landscapes from the Ningaloo Coast to the Grampians and the southern Yorke Peninsula.

Alex Sargent is a conservation ecologist and remote sensing researcher focused on understanding how landscape change affects biodiversity, particularly in Australia's temperate woodlands. Based at the University of Adelaide, Alex's research investigates the spatial and temporal patterns of vegetation clearance in the Mount Lofty Ranges using satellite-derived indices, LiDAR datasets, and machine learning models. Through the integration of ecological field data and geospatial analysis, Alex is developing robust methods for detecting unrecorded or under-reported vegetation loss, with applications for conservation planning and environmental compliance monitoring. His work contributes to national conversations on the limitations of environmental policy frameworks like the EPBC Act and supports improved systems for tracking and responding to habitat degradation. Additionally, Alex’s research focuses on how vegetation loss impacts fragile woodland bird populations in temperate woodlands. He’s work seeks to define quantifiable drivers for woodland bird species population declines, which in many regions, such as Adelaide’s Mount Lofty Ranges, remain largely unknown.

Arun Singh Ramesh is a Ecology Research Data analyst with TERN Ecosystem Research Infrastructure. Arun specialises in the mapping, curation, and analysis of spatio-temporal environmental and ecological monitoring data including the integration of measurements across TERN Research Nodes into the TERN Research Data Portal. Arun is interested in using digital informatics and ecophysiology tools to help leverage environmental research data to better understand and inform how the natural world is responding to global change.

Jenny is an experienced conservation manager and ecological scientist with a deep commitment to translating research into real-world impact. With a strong foundation in ecology, fire management and climate impacts and adaptation, Jenny has spent her career working at the intersection of science, policy, and practice. A strong advocate for accessible science, Jenny works to make complex ecological and climate information understandable and actionable for diverse audiences—from policymakers and land managers to local communities. Her work supports the translation of scientific findings into policy and planning frameworks, helping to shape effective, evidence-based approaches to conservation management and climate adaptation.

I am a second year PhD candidate researching remnant fragments of vegetation on agricultural land in Australia. I am particularly interested in the ethics and practicalities around conservation practice concerning vegetation and ecosystem functioning. I have a master’s degree in Environmental Science from the University of Sydney, as well as a bachelor’s degree in Arts (Literary and Cultural Analysis) from the University of Amsterdam.

Wen is a PhD candidate at the Queensland University of Technology. His research focuses on advancing conservation planning approaches under uncertainty and applying them to strengthen the Antarctic protected area system, ensuring it remains robust in the face of future environmental changes. He is particularly interested in using decision support tools to optimize conservation planning for biodiversity protection.

Environmental scientist with experience in marine megafauna and coral research, spatial analysis, field work, and environmental compliance monitoring. Currently working towards a PhD in southern right whale ecology and management in southern Australia at Flinders University.