29% of downtown SLC is a parking lot. I agree with Ryan Smith and the Utah legislature that downtown needs 'revitalization,' but revitalization to me means more green space, housing, stores, and less surface parking parkingreform.org/parking-lot-ma…

🏙️🌳Population Biology & Genomics at Curtin recently brought WABSI and Curtin University representatives together for a forum on urban biodiversity research. Thanks to all who participated! 🏙️🌳 More here: popbiolgenomics.org/news/WABSIForu…
Brenton von Takach Holly Kirk Bill Bateman Ben Phillips

#BREAKING : A safe Toondah Harbour in reach! 🎉

We are thrilled to hear Minister Plibersek's proposed rejection of Walker Corporation's $3 billion real estate project at Toondah Harbour.

Read more: birdlife.org.au/news/a-safe-to…
📸 Toondah Harbour by Judy Leitch

WHAT A SPIDER!!! 🤯🤯

BEHOLD, one of the coolest arachnids in the world, the Long-horned Spiny Orb Spider (Macracantha arcuata)! 🕷😍

Found in the rainforests of south-east Asia, these magnificent beasts are found usually at head-height in a web they've made trying to catch

Out of alignment: how clashing policies make for terrible environmental outcomes theconversation.com/out-of-alignme… via The Conversation - Australia + New Zealand ICON Science RMIT Biodiversity Council

There’s an enormous price to pay if carbon credit projects don’t actually offset the emissions of the companies that buy them, Megan Evans from UNSW Canberra warns.

“It makes climate change worse,” she said.

Renew Economy on our latest research

reneweconomy.com.au/it-makes-clima…

New paper out today! With Lucy Stott, Sally Street, cognition wild/lab, Dr Shoko Sugasawa 菅澤承子 & Kevin Lala: Anthropogenic nest material use in a global sample of birds, JAE

AKA: why do some species of birds put artificial materials in their nest, and some don't?

besjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.11…

Nothing pulls me out of a slump like stopping to pay attention to the living things around me -caterpillars crossing the path, black cockatoos reeling overhead, galah munching a dandelion. it’s why urban nature conservation is so important. We’re preserving awe.

The frog hotel is a success, having been occupied within a week from the grand opening. High rise rooms with sweeping balcony views overlook an infinity pool.

New in #AustralEcology . This study has shown how a variety of diversity metrics and landscape analyses can inform on priority areas for biodiversity conservation in the heathlands of increasingly urbanized regions in Australia. bit.ly/3vgr86A Wiley Ecology & Evolution Ecological Society of Australia

Very cool!
Species richness is a hidden (powerful) variable baked into trendy phylo and functional diversity.

And its easier to measure!

“This result also demonstrates the potential confusion that can arise when interdependencies among different diversity metrics are ignored.”

It's #WorldFrogDay ! 🐸

Some scientists from Science at Melbourne have dedicated their research to improving our knowledge and the lives of frogs.

Prof Kirsten Parris (@urbanfrogger), Danielle Wallace (@that_frog_gorl) and Mikaeylah Davidson (@MicrobeMik) share some un-frog-etable facts.

Happy #TaxonomistAppreciationDay ! Today I celebrated by photographing this beauty, an upcoming #newspecies of cave cricket known only from an abandoned gold mine in Victoria, Australia. It's also my first-ever species description! 🥳🦗💎 #wildoz #entomology

Check out this great new paper from Bronte Van Helden UWA, using data collected by 131 citizen scientist gardeners to understand the impact of different wildlife-friendly structures in urban back yards!
🦘🦇🦜🐀🐸
link.springer.com/article/10.100…

#urbanNature #urbanEcology

#EucalyptoftheYear voting wraps up tomorrow and just 1 vote now separate the two leaders. It's time for a final push!
Trees etc. Richard McLellan  / kaarnka (raven/crow - Martu) John Whale Nate Anderson Elizabeth J Edmonds Dean Nicolle Peter Vesk Prof Ros Gleadow @VikiCramer MyrtleRustMartino Dr. Kylie Soanes Rads

Disappointing to see this decision not to increase protection for the Mount Donna Buang wingless stonefly, an amazing representative of the ancient Plecoptera lineage. This stonefly is one of around 500 critically endangered species in Victoria #ozinverts
ow.ly/3uZs50QW73P

With < 40 hours left to vote, just seven votes separate the leaders in the 2024 #EucalyptoftheYear ! Cast your vote now: eucalyptaustralia.org.au/eucalypt-of-th…

Voting is easy, with just 10 trees to choose from! Winner announced this Saturday, 23rd March for #NationalEucalyptDay .