@icon-science.bsky.social
ICON Science Research Group | RMIT University Led by Professor Sarah Bekessy https://icon-science.org/
The riot of colour that is springtime flora in Western Australia, a sparkling patchwork of plants on display at the Kings Park botanic garded in Boorloo (Perth, WA).
Come and do a PhD with me! 🎓 🌏 🧑💻 🏙️ 🗺️ 🌿 🪶🧪
I have TWO projects eligible the 2025 Curtin University RTP scholarship round:
Benchmarking biodiversity outcomes for nature positive urban development:
research.curtin.edu.au/hdr-r-projec...
#wildOz #urbanNature
New blog post up now on the ICON website! Subscribe for updates via the homepage: icon-science.org/conservation...
14.07.2025 02:12 — 👍 1 🔁 1 💬 0 📌 0A massive congratulations to ICON Science Lab Head, Prof. @sbekessy.bsky.social, who has been successful in securing an ARC Industry Laureate Fellowship for 2025!! Congratulations Sarah!! 👏🏼🎉🥂
Read more about Sarah's project here: www.arc.gov.au/2025-industr...
Call for abstracts: ESA2025 conference
Just over a week to go until the deadline for conference abstracts for ESA2025 🪶
Don't miss the chance to present your work in front of peers and experts in Adelaide this November.
Submit your abstracts online now: esa2025.org.au
#ESA2025 #ESAus2025 #ecology
What's Hot in Ecology?! 🚨 🔥 📢 🪴 🐾
Working on a topic you think needs attention?
Our symposium at #ESAus2025 Adelaide is a great opportunity to present AND publish your Hot Topic!
What's a @ecolsocaus.bsky.social Hot Topic? Check them out here: www.ecolsoc.org.au/publications...
🌏 #wildOZ 🧪
A photo of a green building facade in Brisbane. There are plants cascading down over the edge of a balcony in front of a cafe.
An avenue of large fig trees planted along the Brisbane River foreshore at South Bank, Brisbane.
A photo of the famous Grand Arbour at South Bank, Brisbane - a kilometre long walkway covered in purple bougainvillea.
A seating area at South Bank, Brisbane with hanging planter boxes and dense garden beds nearby.
Last month, I had the opportunity to attend the International Congress for Conservation Biology (ICCB) in Meanjin/Brisbane. It was great event, but the thing that really struck me was Brisbane's urban greening! 🌿
#ICCB2025 #UrbanGreening #Brisbane
A photo of a speaker from the 'Conservation by Design' symposium at the International Congress for Conservation Biology 2025 in Meanjin/Brisbane.
A great session at #ICCB2025 highlighting the importance of co-design/participatory design and behavioural change when implementing conservation interventions. People and nature are intertwined and communities should have the opportunity to contribute to the design and implementation of solutions 👏🏼
19.06.2025 02:24 — 👍 4 🔁 0 💬 0 📌 0
A photo of Dr Patt Finnerty presenting his research on 'urban rewilding' at the International Congress for Conservation Biology 2025 in Meanjin/Brisbane. Patt is a young white man and is standing on a small stage behind a lectern.
Great to see Dr Patt Finnerty presenting his research on 'urban rewilding' at #ICCB2025. Patt emphasised that we are losing biodiversity from urban areas but often species reintroductions occur outside of cities. We need more fauna translocations in the suburbs! 🏡
18.06.2025 01:46 — 👍 10 🔁 3 💬 0 📌 0This photo features (left-right): Matthew Selinske, @sbekessy.bsky.social, @jacintahumphrey.bsky.social, Fiona Hoegh-Guldberg, Dale Wright, Georgia Garrard, @lilyvaneeden.bsky.social and Ascelin Gordon.
17.06.2025 00:32 — 👍 2 🔁 0 💬 0 📌 0
A photo of eight white people at a conference poster session in a large hall. Each person is wearing a blue and white name badge on a long white string, and is smiling at the camera.
The ICON Science Research Group, including both current and recent alumni, was well represented at the #ICCB2025 poster session last night! You can catch our lab head, Prof. Sarah Bekessy (@sbekessy.bsky.social), speaking in 'The future of designing with urban wildlife' session at 3.15pm in M4.
17.06.2025 00:24 — 👍 7 🔁 2 💬 1 📌 0
Ricky Archer, the first Indigenous Director of National Parks at Parks Australia, addresses the audience at ICCB 2025.
#ICCB2025 has officially started in Meanjin/Brisbane! This morning we are fortunate to hear from Ricky Archer, Director of National Parks at Parks Australia, and A/Prof Binbin Li from Duke Kunshan University.
ICON Science will be here all week so stay tuned for updates!
Are you a fan of urban birds? Keen to know how we can better support native birds in our cities? Come along to my speed talk tomorrow to find out!
* Mon 16 June at 10.30am *
"Sustainable Land and Water Use" in Room M2
#ICCB2025 #Conference #Research #SciComm #Conservation #UrbanEcology #Birds
New ICON blog post! 📢📢
icon-science.org/icon-member-...
Coming to #ICCB2025 in Meanjin/Brisbane? 📢
Join our workshop ‘A holistic approach for understanding the diverse influences of conservation' on Sunday June 15.
Limited spots available: www.xcdsystem.com/iccb/program...
@society4conbio.bsky.social #ICCB
🌿 How do we achieve nature positive development? 🌿
Our new study in npj Urban Sustainability lays out a bold roadmap for transforming the UK’s residential and commercial development sector to achieve a nature positive future.
doi.org/10.1038/s429...
#NaturePositive 1/4
Today is the day you learn about goth caterpillars, hanging out in Hawaiian spiderwebs, eating leftover bits of other insects, covered in a suit of corpses.
🌏🧪🐛🕸️
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
The Early Bird Registration deadline is approaching quickly! Make sure to register by April 15th to guarantee that your presentation is included in the congress and to get the best conference rates.
#ICCB2025 #conservation #networking
The issue that politicians are ignoring in their election campaigning but that matters to us all.
Compelling 1 minute video by @australia.theguardian.com
champ.ly/qLZJzvkR
Did you know? Studies show nature-connected people are healthier, more active & feel a deeper sense of belonging 🪷
Read why nature is important for city dwellers: citieswithnature.org/bringing-nat...
#WorldHealthDay
Our bias towards charismatic species leaves 'ugly' animals behind in conservation efforts.
But should looks determine which species we protect?🐡
🎧 @ipbes.net podcast ep feat. the world's ugliest animal "Mr. Blobby": https://www.podbean.com/ew/pb-j54ym-17ac1d1
Stronger human-nature connections are needed now more than ever. New study shows how arts-based methods can uncover the unique and diverse ways that people connect with nature🎨 icon-science.org/art-imitates...
27.03.2025 01:03 — 👍 2 🔁 1 💬 0 📌 0
A photo of a muddy construction site. On the left there is a large orange piece of machinery. On the right, there is a huge up-ended tree stump and a large portion of a eucalyptus tree trunk that has recently been clear felled (cut down).
These trees likely date back to European colonisation, and now they've been destroyed to make way for a car park. Yes, you read that right. A car park.
We can do better than this. We have to do better than this.
22 March was #WorldWaterDay 💧
Together with the other nexus elements of health, food and climate, #biodiversity & water are closely & inextricably linked.💧🌱
Read more about this and response options in the @ipbes.net #NexusAssessment
https://www.ipbes.net/nexus-assessment
I had a great time chatting with Phil on the Humans: Connecting podcast about our RECETAS Project and how nature helps us feel more connected. Check it out. #naturebasedsolutions #RMITUniversity #socialconnection #belonging #loneliness #socialprescribing @icon-science.bsky.social
04.03.2025 06:34 — 👍 1 🔁 2 💬 0 📌 0
Hand holding a world with a tree growing out of it. The IPBES logo is in the top right hand corner, and the hashtag For Nature is in the top left
📢Are you an expert in biodiversity? @ipbes.net is looking for Experts and Fellows to produce the 2nd Global Assessment
This will provide the best available scientific evidence to support global agreements such as the @unbiodiversity.bsky.social #CBD, inc assessing progress made against its targets
🌿Cities thrive when nature’s values align with citizens’ needs.
Our new #CitiesWithNature GUIDE helps you:
✅ Understand & measure nature’s diverse values
✅ Embed values for transformative change
Inspired by @IPBES, tailored for cities. Explore now: citieswithnature.org/tools-and-re...
What’s the best way to influence politicians and government policy when it comes to nature conservation?
Researchers from RMIT surveyed ex-politicians, public servants, community groups and non-government organisations and found 4 ways to create real change for nature 🌍🧪
@sbekessy.bsky.social
Check out this new article from @jacintahumphrey.bsky.social @icon-science.bsky.social
theconversation.com/golf-courses...
reflecting on the important role that golf courses can play for #urbanNature!
🌏
A crowd of protesters have gathered in a street. Text over the image says: 3. Strategically choose your tactics. Choose whether to work with the target agency, challenge them publicly or both; both approaches have their merit in the right context. Environmental advocates can work alongside government to design solutions together. E.g. a community group might work with their council to design & implement management of a local reserve. The opposite strategy is an “outsider” approach. E.g. seeking to get your issue into the media to build public interest to get something on the political agenda."
A crowd of protesters have gathered in a street. Text over the image says: 4. Seize the moment. Identify the political window when your advocacy might be most effective. It might be an upcoming election or budget, or when a policy is being reviewed. Or it might be something less predictable, such as a bushfire, flood or other environmental disaster. In those cases, nature conservation issues are suddenly all over the media. It might be a chance for real change. Be prepared with solutions for when these happen.
A crowd of protesters have gathered in a street. Text over the image says: If not us, who? These are well-tested, effective actions you can use to achieve positive policy change for nature. Governments stand to benefit politically by engaging with community and advocacy groups. So there is enormous potential for everyday people to genuinely make a difference. Environmental crises can seem overwhelming, but we can – and must – try to make a difference. Because, as the old adage goes: if not us, who? And if not now, when?
Read more: biodiversitycouncil.org.au/news/4-ways-...
@icon-science.bsky.social @sbekessy.bsky.social @monashuniversity.bsky.social
A crowd of protesters have gathered in a street. Text over the image says "Make a noise or work with the system? New research reveals 4 ways to create real change for nature."
A crowd of protesters have gathered in a street. Text over the image says "1. Be prepared for the long haul. Change can take a long time. Be willing and able to stay the course to see out the policy change that may take a long time. “Change is not going to happen by one research paper, one meeting, one event, it’s gonna be a whole range of things over a sustained period of time.""
A crowd of protesters have gathered in a street. Text over the image says "2. Know the system. Identify who you need to influence and where the leverage points in the system are. How do you do this? Build your networks. Start talking to people in your community and get to know your local elected representatives. Find out what they care about and develop a pitch that will appeal to their values and concerns. And don’t forget to consider the messenger: who will the decision makers be more receptive to?"
Are you trying to influence environmental policy decisions? This new paper from @icon-science.bsky.social, that captures learnings from 12 Australian 'change makers', could be one of the most interesting articles you read this year 🌍
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#policy #politics #research
