Figure from the paper: Urban design and planning interventions to mitigate the risk of zoonotic and vector-borne diseases in an urban nature area.
New paper lead by Katherine Robertson @icon-science.bsky.social with @jacintahumphrey.bsky.social @sbekessy.bsky.social explores ways we can use urban design to reduce zoonotic disease risk
academic.oup.com/bioscience/a...
🧪🌏
#urbanNature #urbanism #urbanDesign
A photo of a large blue billboard at the entrance to the University of Melbourne in Parkville. The billboard is attached to a brick building and acts as an arch across a wide pedestrian walkway. It reads: "Welcome Wominjeka" and included the University of Melbourne logo. There are tall plane trees on either side of the walkway and shrubs and low-growing vegetation in garden beds. Several people walking away from the camera and up some stairs in the background.
Just over two weeks in and I'm already feeling so welcomed and at home on this campus!
Here at #UniMelb, I’ll be working on two ARC-funded projects focused on Biodiversity Sensitive Urban Design and ‘everyday nature’ in streetscapes. Plenty of urban ecology work ahead! 😀
@icon-science.bsky.social
ICON Science Visits The Cape: Biodiversity Sensitive Urban Design in Action
After years of championing Biodiversity Sensitive Urban Design (BSUD) in new housing developments, the ICON...
New paper from almost-finished-her-PhD Fiona Hoegh-Guldberg! @icon-science.bsky.social
Recognising that water sensitive #urbanDesign often overlooks #biodiversity, Fi introduces a joint BSUD & WSUD framework, to improve outcomes for nature, water and people.
🌏🧪
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
A photo of a large garden bed or field full of yellow paper daisy flowers. The plants are densely packed together with many shades of green and a range of different textures. In the background, on the other side of the garden bed, there is an old stone building with a pitched roof that resembles a church. There are also some more modern buildings visible behind a row of tall gum trees.
✨ New year, new campus! ✨
Kicking off the year with a change of scenery and an exciting new university home. Lots to look forward to this year - watch this space... 🌱
#ESA2025 was a blast! Read all about what the ICON Science team got up to here 📰
#Ecology #Conference #Biodiversity #NaturePositive #SciComm #Adelaide
Mallee emu-wren illustration by @terngirl
’Tis conference season! This is my third, and I’m sort of all drawn out… pun intended. Here is the second logo reimagining for #ESA2025 which is from 23–28 November in Tarndanya (Adelaide) — Kaurna Country esa2025.org.au
Panel speakers sitting on the stage at ESA, speaking about how to get your science into the media.
Some fantastic tips on engaging with the media coming from hugely experienced @biodivcouncil.bsky.social Jaana Dielenberg and Claire Peddie @ecolsocaus.bsky.social #ESA2025
- short, clear and fun pitches
- prep photos/videos ahead of time
- say yes to radio & tv to expand your audience
Slide with details about the advertised session. Come to Riverbank Room 2 on Weds. 10:30am to hear some ESA Hot Topics, 11:45am to join the conversation!. Background image is a pink everlasting daisy, lit from above.
If you're at @ecolsocaus.bsky.social #ESA2025 and feeling interactive, I'm chairing the Hot Topics Symposium on Weds morning!
Come along to hear some of the "hottest" topics in Ecology, stay for a faciliatated discussion on the what you think are the next "need-to-knows" for government and industry.
Excited for the week ahead in Adelaide at #ESA2025! Started off slightly earlier than most as the Board got together to strategise at our annual Planning Day yesterday. Love working with such amazing and passionate people 💚
Katrina Power on stage at ESA 2025 in Adelaide, Kaurna Country. Katrina is wearing a possum skin cloak and emu feather headdress, standing at a podium and touching her temple.
Phenomenal Welcome to Kaurna Country @ecolsocaus.bsky.social #ESA2025 from Katrina Karlapina Power.
Incredible Indigenous and feminist energy, both a wake up call and call to action, to connect with the land our Mother.
"Curiosity and Courage!"
A talk title slide that reads: "Designing for nature doesn't cost the Earth". The talk is to be given by Dr Jacinta Humphrey from ICON Science at RMIT University. The image on the title slide shows a stylised render of a small urban park - the sun is shining down on a diversity of native grasses and understorey plants. In the background, you can see a person walking along a walking path, as well as suburban rooftops and large canopy trees (likely eucalypts). The image is a beautiful mix of oranges and greens. The ESA 2025 logo sits in the top right-hand corner.
I’m thrilled to be here on #KaurnaCountry in #Adelaide to attend #ESA2025! I’m presenting in the #NaturePositive Cities session at 11.30am on Wed. Come along to hear about how much it’s going to cost to implement #BSUD actions in our rapidly growing suburbs 🏘️ @ecolsocaus.bsky.social
We need to protect existing habitat, limit urban sprawl, replant native shrubs in our parks (like those pictured!), and educate and encourage urban residents to create diverse habitats in their own backyards. 5/5
To read more, please visit: doi.org/10.1007/s109...
If we want to protect native species and foster thriving, biodiverse neighbourhoods that benefit people and nature, we need to change the way we design our residential suburbs. 4/5
But there are a huge range of other species that go unnoticed in our cities. Insectivores and forest-dependent birds are currently struggling in suburban Melbourne due to habitat loss, and the creation of simplistic parks that are lacking in shrubs and overrun with aggressive noisy miners. 3/5
Importantly, this simplified bird community is typically made up of the same, repeated set of species including the Australian magpie, rainbow lorikeet, noisy miner and little raven – birds that often make the top 10 in BirdLife Australia's #AussieBirdCount. 2/5
A photo of a dense garden bed with mulch, groundcover plants, native grasses, shrubs of different heights, and a couple of young eucalyptus trees. In the background, you can see a couple of two storey houses and a bright blue sky.
Melbourne’s native bird community is becoming progressively simplified, or homogenised, with greater urban development. In my recent paper, I demonstrate that more developed suburbs are home to fewer individual birds and a reduced diversity of bird species. 1/5
doi.org/10.1007/s109...
All the data collected this week will help provide a snapshot of how our birds are faring. Even if you don't have many birds in your local area, every bird count helps! Happy birding ☺️ 4/4
#AussieBirdCount #BirdWatching #UrbanBirds #BirdsInBackyards
🦜If you need help identifying a bird, the app has a 'Find a Bird' feature with photos, distribution maps and descriptions
🦜Submit your count at the end of 20 mins... 3/4
#AussieBirdCount #BirdWatching #UrbanBirds #BirdsInBackyards
🦜Download the 'Bird Count' app
🦜Pick a nice spot outside
🦜Make sure your location is turned on
🦜Start the timer and note down any birds you see or can accurately identify from their call... 2/4
#AussieBirdCount #BirdWatching #UrbanBirds #BirdsInBackyards
A photo of a group of people bird watching. The group is standing outdoors in an urban park with tall eucalyptus trees in the background. They are facing away from the camera and looking through binoculars and camera lens at a bird out of frame. It is early morning, and the sun is shining against their backs.
The @birdlifeoz.bsky.social #AussieBirdCount is here! It's time to get outdoors and count some birds! 🦜 🐦⬛ 🦆 🦉 🐦 🦢
All you need is 20 mins and your smartphone.
Here's how to contribute to Australia's largest #CitizenScience event... 1/4
📷 by Darebin Creek Management Committee
An advertisement for the upcoming ESA webinar entitled "A picture tells a thousand words".
Are you presenting your first talk or poster at the @ecolsocaus.bsky.social Conference 2025? Don't miss this upcoming webinar on designing clear, engaging and informative graphics! ✍
Register via the QR code or visit: lnkd.in/gPu77TrY
#ESA2025 #EarlyCareer #SciComm #Graphics #Webinar
A panel discussion with four speakers and one facilitator sitting on a stage in a row of black chairs. Dr Jacinta Humphrey is sitting on the far right (stage left) in front of a screen and is speaking with a microphone.
A panel discussion with four speakers and one facilitator sitting on a stage in a row of black chairs. Dr Jacinta Humphrey is sitting on the far right (stage left) in front of a screen and is speaking with a microphone.
A panel discussion with four speakers and one facilitator sitting on a stage in a row of black chairs. Dr Jacinta Humphrey is sitting on the far right (stage left). The man to her left (Andy Bossie) is speaking with a microphone.
A panel discussion with four speakers and one facilitator sitting on a stage in a row of black chairs. Dr Jacinta Humphrey is sitting on the far right (stage left). The women in the middle of the row (Prof. Kirsten Parris) is speaking with a microphone.
Congratulations again to the Young Ocean Innovators on a fantastic event at Melbourne Zoo! It was great to share a bit about my career in urban ecology, and (hopefully) inspire the next generation work in this space 😊
📷 by Daniella Conser
#YoungOceanInnovators #YouthSummit #UrbanBiodiversity
Looking for tips on how to care for wildlife at home?! The ICON team has you covered 😜
Check out the latest blogs on the ICON website here:
icon-science.org/how-to-turn-...
icon-science.org/helping-our-...
Are you looking to attract native birds to your garden this spring? 🦜 🏡 Here's some top tips from @drkyliesoanes.bsky.social and yours truly!
www.theguardian.com/australia-ne...
#BirdsInBackyards #UrbanNature #WildlifeGardening #CitizenScience
An illustration of an urban space with lots of greenery. Text overlay says: How can we invite wildlife back into our cities? Explore solutions in the new artwork When Wildlife Moves In.
What if we changed urban spaces to invite wildlife back into our cities rather than forcing them out? When Wildlife Moves In, a new work at the National Gallery of Victoria, explores ways our homes can be designed to help wildlife live among us, benefiting human health 🧪
whenwildlifemovesin.com
From frog saunas to butterfly puddles: 8 ways to turn your homes into a wildlife refuge:
theconversation.com/from-frog-sa...
A fantastic summary article from my colleagues at @icon-science.bsky.social - Bethany Kiss, Mark Jacques and Sarah Bekessy. Well done team! 🦋🌱🪺🐈🐸
These garden beds with indigenous groundcovers and understorey plantings are looking fantastic! I'd love to see more of these at libraries, community halls, recreation centres, shopping precincts and train stations across the municipality 🌱 🌼 🐝 🪻 🦋
#UrbanGreening #IndigenousPlants #UrbanHabitat
A photo of a large garden bed in front of a public swimming pool in Carnegie, Melbourne, Australia. The garden bed is sloped away from the building and is planted with small indigenous groundcovers and understorey plants. Some of the plants have small round yellow flowers. The plants are surrounded by mulch and set against a bright blue sky.
This week, I finally visited the recently renovated Carnegie Memorial Swimming Pool and I have to say - I like what you've done with the place, Glen Eira City Council 😍
#UrbanGreening #IndigenousPlants #UrbanHabitat
