Professor Sarah Bekessy - Biodiversity Sensitive Urban Design

Sarah Bekessy is a Professor in Sustainability at RMIT University and a Lead Councillor of The Biodiversity Council. Sarah leads the ICON science research group, working to understand better and manage the interactions between society and our natural environment.

A leading expert in biodiversity-sensitive urban design, Professor Bekessy co-developed the Biodiversity Sensitive Urban Design protocol, which has now been used by numerous developers, governments and NGOs, helping us work towards cleaner, greener more biodiverse cities.  Amid this biodiversity crisis, and with ever-expanding urban areas, the pressures on nature and biodiversity are immense. But here Sarah shows us how cities can actually be part of the solution in sustaining species—an essential and timely chat.

In this episode, we discuss:

• Sarah’s extensive background in biodiversity and sustainability
• The gradual decline of biodiversity in cities around Australia
• The benefits of urban greening, but the need to consider biodiversity while doing so 
• The fundamental flaws of using offsets as an approach to biodiversity
• How many cities are actually hotspots for threatened species
• Sustainable midrise housing as a way forward in urban areas
• Urban growth boundaries and nature corridors
• Equitable access to green spaces within cities
• Indigenous-led biodiversity projects within urban areas
• Sarah’s involvement with Biodiversity Council and Bush Heritage Australia
• The need for reliable green building codes
• 10 easy ways we can all act for nature and help biodiversity

Find the Biodiversity Council’s factsheet on the impact of roaming pet cats on Australian wildlife here.  A must-read for any cat owner!

To view all the links to the websites and documents, visit the show notes on our website. Don't forget to subscribe to this podcast, leave us a review and share this episode with your friends and family.

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