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Lead councillor

Professor Sarah Bekessy

University of Melbourne

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, University of Melbourne
  • 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 the University of Melbourne, 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.

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The Biodiversity Council is a registered Australian not-for-profit charity, recognised by the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission (ACNC), meeting national standards for integrity, transparency and accountability.

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 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.


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Contact

Biodiversity Council

(c/o University of Melbourne)

Faculty of Science, SAFES (Building 122)

Victoria 3010 Australia


Media enquiries:

Email Jaana Dielenberg, Media Manager

General enquiries:

Email the Biodiversity Council

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