Iona is a natural resource management professional with experience delivering threatened species, waterway, coastal, marine and community engagement projects in Tasmania and Queensland. After completing her BSc (Hons) in Earth and Environmental Science at UTS, her varied career took her to Edinburgh, Canberra, Mackay, Mae Sot on the Thai-Burma border, and to Iceland, where she completed a Masters in Coastal and Marine Management at the University Centre of the Westfjords. Now Iona is undertaking PhD research at UTAS, while working part-time at Cradle Coast NRM in north-west Tasmania.

I’m a botanist and plant ecologist with a keen interest in the processes that shape vegetation patterns in alpine areas, such as how snow influences plant community patterns, processes and community (re)assembly. My research investigates high elevation shrub encroachment dynamics, plant recruitment and regeneration, alpine treeline dynamics, long-term vegetation change on alpine summits and how alpine plants will respond to future climates which are hotter, drier, and more susceptible to frost events. Research results are applied to park management outcomes through working alongside NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service and Parks Victoria.

Kerry Bridle has been working as an ecologist in agricultural landscapes for over 25 years. Her interests include monitoring changes in vegetation over time, whilst avoiding leeches in tussock grasslands.

David's research focuses on ecosystem dynamics to inform biodiversity conservation. He worked at the NSW Herbarium before joining NSW National Parks & Wildlife, with a sojourn in Tasmanian Parks and Wildlife, and later joined UNSW. He served on ESA Council when Jamie Kirkpatrick was president.

Pippi Lawn is a PhD candidate with the University of Tasmania, and has also worked with Parks Canada for over 17 years, leading projects to assess, conserve and restore threatened ecosystems and species. Her current research investigates the role of geomorphic pit features - dolines, vernal ponds and wombat excavations - in grassland ecology, through examining the reciprocal interactions between features, flora and fauna, with a particular focus on ecosystem engineers.

Ecologist working with the Conservation Science Section of NRE Tasmania with experience monitoring in wet eucalypt forest, buttongrass moorland and alpine vegetation in Tasmania

Violet Harrison-Day is an Associate Lecturer in the School of Geography, Planning, and Spatial Sciences, University of Tasmania. Following a PhD on fish use of Tasmanian saltmarsh habitats, her research is primarily focused within contexts of landscapes vulnerable to anthropogenic change, such as coastal and alpine environments. She also has research and teaching interests in improving accessibility in learning, especially in field contexts.

Dr Vishnu Prahalad is a Senior Lecturer in School of Geography, Planning and Spatial Sciences at the University of Tasmania. His research and teaching examine the intersections of ecological science, human dimensions, political economy, and environmental governance to advance conservation and sustainability outcomes.

Dr Lilian Pearce is an environmental humanities scholar working across fields of environmental history, human geography and political ecology. Her interdisciplinary place-based research focuses on two key areas: Environmental histories of contaminated sites, and Environmental policy to support healthy Country and communities. She holds a Bachelor of Science with honours (UTAS) and a PhD in environmental history (ANU). Lil is a Deakin University Postdoctoral Research Fellow with ADI, where she co-leads the Culture, Environment and Science stream.

Matt Dell is a consultant and research botanist with an interest in bryophyte ecology, threatened plant conservation and plant physiology. He is an Honorary Fellow conducting ecological research at Deakin University, an Honorary Associate of the Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria and a member of the Victorian Scientific Advisory Committee. He completed his PhD at Deakin University in 2009. His professional experience includes undertaking flora surveys extensively across southeastern Australia over the last 20 years, contributing to hundreds of projects including regional vegetation mapping, monitoring and threatened species assessments.