Biodiversity conservation in a landscape of competing priorities

How do we achieve biodiversity conservation outcomes in landscapes with many competing priorities? Not exactly an easy question to answer…. What outcomes are we trying to achieve? Whose priorities matter? What is ‘good enough’? In this talk, I intend to address two quite different elements of this problem. At one end of this spectrum are the landholders on the ground: what are their motivations and ambitions as individuals, and as part of their community, to implement changes or actions that improve biodiversity outcomes on their lands? At the other end of the spectrum are the many institutions and groups working towards achieving biodiversity conservation outcomes at scale: what are their theories-of-change, and are they working complimentarily, or at cross-purposes? A lot to fit into half an hour – be prepared for a rollercoaster of a discussion!  

 

Dr Pele Cannon is a human ecologist, researcher, and educator working at the intersection of agriculture, conservation, philosophy, ethics, and human systems. Her PhD studies explored concepts of human-nonhuman coexistence and moral responsibility, while her post-doctoral research focused on diverse aspects of environmental governance, from bushfire to bettongs (...not really, but the alliteration is nice, isn't it!). Affectionately know as the Wolf lady around Fenner for almost a decade, Pele now works for the NSW Biodiversity Conservation Trust as a Senior Project Officer in their small Education team.