Overcoming declining biodiversity and repairing Australia’s reputation as the country with the worst mammal extinction rate in the world will be the focus of the next Fearless Conversation, to be held on Wednesday 29 September at 10.30am.
Professor Corey Bradshaw, Matthew Flinders Professor of Global Ecology, will be joined by Dr Ben Heard from Frazer-Nash Consultancy, Laura Trotta, Senior Environmental Engineer at GHD and Kyra Reznikov, Head of the Environment and Planning Practice, Finlaysons Layers for this compelling discussion.
Hosted by The Advertiser’s climate and environment editor Clare Peddie, the panel will also discuss renewable energy, the importance of Adelaide’s quest to become the next national park city and the push towards net zero emissions by 2050.
Professor Bradshaw says that while steps are being taken to combat declining biodiversity, the risk of extinction for many species remains a real danger.
“There are quite a few things that are happening, but most of it just needs to be done on a much broader scale,” he says.
“Predator control is a big one. We need to build up the forested habitat and then reintroduce species that are predator-controlled.”
He said one “potential exception” was a 150,000ha wildlife haven on lower Yorke Peninsula. The Marna Banggara project – formerly known as Great Southern Ark – has involved building a 25km predator-management fence between Hardwicke Bay and Sturt Bay, providing a cat- and fox-free sanctuary for native animals, including brush-tailed bettongs.
“It’s a large enough area that – if the organisers manage to pull it off – will have real implications for biodiversity in this state,” Professor Bradshaw says. “And that’s the kind of bigger thinking that we need.”
Streamed live every Wednesday from 10.30am, the Fearless Conversations encourage the community to join a range of discussions that are relevant to the future of South Australia. Subjects that will be dissected by experts include the space industry, entrepreneurship, education, energy, mining and creative industries.
You can watch and listen to the Fearless Conversations here.