We don’t need to import rare parrots – there are so many better ways to get close to nature
This is a Scarlet Macaw – one of the many magnificent species of parrot endemic to south and central America. An Australian Government study is considering whether it is appropriate to allow imports of these birds, following pressure from the local pet trade. Importing parrots from overseas has been banned since 1995. This is because importing birds, even when they’re spectacular, is a spectacularly terrible idea. I spoke to the ecologists in our group […]
ICON tells Victoria’s Parliament to ‘walk the walk’ on urban greening
The ICON Science group has submitted our response to the Parliament of Victoria’s ‘Inquiry into Environmental Infrastructure for Growing Populations’. Our city has grown rapidly – has our access to nature kept up? It’s commendable that our leaders have turned their minds to this topic, as COVID-19 has reminded us of the enormous importance of […]
Invertebrate use of rooftops in Melbourne
Green roofs are a peculiar kind of designed habitat. In already highly urbanised areas, where there is large pressure on efficient land use, green roof retrofits are a key strategy to bring back nature without losing building capital. While green roofs are known to have many economic and social benefits, such as stormwater retention and […]
Announcement: New ARC-funded Linkage Grant
We are excited to announce that ICON Science members Sarah Bekessy, Georgia Garrard, and Matthew Selinske, along with Emily McLeod (Zoos Victoria), Fiona Fidler (University of Melbourne), Yoshi Kashima (University of Melbourne), and Amanda Rodewald (Cornell University) have been awarded an Australian Research Council Linkage Grant. The grant is co-funded by partners Zoos Victoria and […]
Australia’s Urban Biodiversity: How Is Adaptive Governance Influencing Land-Use Policy?
By Hugh Stanford Image: John Englart / CC BY-SA 2.0 Due to a growing global interconnectedness, the world is a highly uncertain place where the daily lives of individuals are increasingly susceptible to the happenings half a world away. To find examples of this, one only has to look at Australia’s current run through 2020, where […]
What difference do protected areas make on vegetation extent and condition?
Logging road in Central Kalimantan, Indonesia. Photo by Roshan Sharma. Biodiversity is the variety of all life forms on Earth and underpins the health of our planet. It provides important ecosystem services like food and fibre that are the basis of human existence. However, exploitative human activities on Earth have created an unprecedented breakdown of […]
Haptic pathways: co-designing inclusive, civil and sensorial moments in the city
by Freya Thomas A few members of ICON Science recently collaborated with Dr Zoe Myers from the Australian Urban Design Research Centre in the School of Design at the University of Western Australia by entering a design challenge set by The City of Melbourne. Our design was titled: Haptic pathways: co-designing inclusive, civil and sensorial […]
Time to focus on reducing beef consumption as US faces meat shortage
The US may soon start experiencing meat shortages as a result of the ongoing COVID-19 virus crisis impacting slaughterhouses, increasing the cost of meat and the likelihood of beef imports from Brazil. In Brazil beef production contributes to deforestation resulting in biodiversity loss and global greenhouse emissions. Now is an important time to reassess our […]
Turning suburbs into mini office hubs as an opportunity to cut commute times post-COVID
Cities around the world are planning for more people to be walking and cycling to work instead of catching public transport, once lockdown restrictions are lifted. Measures that are being implemented in cities like New York, Paris and Milan include closing streets to cars and putting more bike lanes in their streets. Thami Croeser (ICON […]
How to talk about COVID-19 for conservation professionals
We’re all currently living though a time of uncertainty and personal crisis, so – while I’m sure you’re growing very used to seeing these words at the top of every email – I hope you and your communities are going okay. Every day our communication and use of language matters, but during a crisis like […]
