GROUNDED Live - 2025: David Watson - Mistletoe Magic - Are We Getting Mistletoe All Wrong?

 In this episode of GROUNDED Live, we share another unedited presentation recorded at GROUNDED Festival 2025, on farm in Bridgetown, Western Australia. 

One of the great joys of GROUNDED is discovering speakers who make you fall in love with subjects you never expected to find interesting — or even knew existed. Professor David Watson is one of those people. 

David is an ecologist, biodiversity champion and long-time ornithologist based at Charles Sturt University, where he leads the environmental program at the Global Institute. His research spans landscape ecology, wildlife monitoring and the critical role of ecological keystone species — including, famously, mistletoe. He is also a founder of the Australian Acoustic Observatory and works closely with landholders, Indigenous communities and conservation partners through initiatives such as Great Eastern Ranges and Slopes to Summit, helping reconnect ecosystems — and people — across Australia. 

In this session, David brings science, storytelling and humour together to reveal how overlooked species and working landscapes play an essential role in biodiversity and ecological resilience. It’s eye-opening, surprisingly funny, and deeply affirming for anyone who manages land or cares about the living systems that support us all. 

Unsurprisingly, David was the best-selling author on site at GROUNDED 2025 — and once you listen, you’ll understand why. 

Settle in and enjoy Professor David Watson on GROUNDED Live. 

GROUNDED Festival is a cross between a food festival, a farming conference and a field day. It combines science and technology with ancient wisdom, provides a respectful place for lively discussion, an audience as interesting as the speakers and an excellent menu of local food, drinks and music, all on a beautiful, regeneratively-managed farm.

GROUNDED is also Australia's only annual, roaming food and farming festival, held in a different farm location every year, so each festival is a unique, unmissable event celebrating local expertise and culture with an inspiring line up of speakers.

In 2026, with the support of the local Upper Barwon and Central Otway Landcare Networks, following successful festivals in Tasmania and Western Australia, GROUNDED FESTIVAL will be held at leading regenerative farm, Yan Yan Gurt West, in the Victorian Otway Ranges, two hours from Melbourne in an area renowned for regenerative agroforestry, tourism, local hospitality and great food and wine.

Tickets are on sale now - head to the GROUNDED website for information on speakers, the location, and to secure your spot today.