Logo
  • About Us
  • Resources
  • News
  • Get Involved
  • FAQ
  • Subscribe
  • Donate
  • About Us
  • Resources
  • News
  • Get Involved
  • FAQ
Lead councillor

Professor Sarah Bekessy

RMIT University

Expertise:

  • Urban biodiversity conservation including designing buildings and streetscapes for ‘everyday nature’
  • Biodiversity behaviours – engaging people to be part of the conservation solution
  • Effective biodiversity communications
  • Nature-positive development – definition and measurement
  • The capacity of nature to deliver health and well-being benefits to people, including through nature-based social prescribing

Affiliations:

  • Professor, RMIT University
  • Lead Councillor of The Biodiversity Council
  • Board Member, Bush Heritage Australia
  • Eminent Scientist Advisory Group, WWF Australia
  • Editorial board, Conservation Letters
  • UN Global Compact Urban Scholar

Professor Sarah Bekessy leads the ICON Science research group at RMIT University which uses interdisciplinary approaches to solve complex biodiversity conservation problems. She is particularly interested in understanding the role of human behaviour in conservation, in designing cities to encourage ‘every day nature’ experiences and in defining and measuring ‘nature positive’ development. She co-developed the Biodiversity Sensitive Urban Design protocol that has now been used by numerous developers, governments and non-government organisations to design innovative urban biodiversity strategies.

Subscribe to our newsletters*

  • About
  • Resources
  • News & Media
  • Get involved
  • FAQ

Acknowledgements

The Biodiversity Council acknowledges the First Peoples of the lands and waters of Australia, and pays respect to their Elders, past, present and future and expresses gratitude for long and ongoing custodianship of Country.

The Biodiversity Council is an independent expert group founded by 11 Australian universities to promote evidence-based solutions to Australia’s biodiversity crisis. It is hosted by The University of Melbourne. It receives funding from 11 university partners and The Ian Potter Foundation, The Ross Trust, Trawalla Foundation, The Rendere Trust, Isaacson Davis Foundation, Coniston Charitable Trust and Angela Whitbread.



Newsletter subscriptions

*You can read our privacy notice to learn how we handle the personal information of people who subscribe to our newsletter.


Contact

Biodiversity Council

University of Melbourne

Faculty of Science

Old Geology Building 155

Parkville Victoria 3010

Director

James Trezise

Email James

Media Manager

Jaana Dielenberg

Email Jaana

Our partners