Eco Futurists

John Scanlon | How To Drive Change In Wildlife Protection (video)

If you’ve ever wondered how you can make an impact in the rapidly worsening biodiversity crisis, then this episode is a must-watch. In this episode of Eco Futurists, host Prof Andy Lowe is joined by John Scanlon, a global conservation leader who’s dedicated his career to protecting wildlife and ecosystems. From combating the illegal ivory trade to influencing international conservation policies, John’s work shows that one person truly can make a difference. But to turn the tide, we need more people like him. In many ways this is a ‘how to’ episode on a life devoted to biodiversity conservation. * video cast available on Spotify  https://tinyurl.com/45ft9epy [https://tinyurl.com/45ft9epy]  YouTube  https://www.youtube.com/@EcoFuturists [https://www.youtube.com/@EcoFuturists] Eco Futurists is supported by the Environment Institute https://www.adelaide.edu.au/environment/ [https://www.adelaide.edu.au/environment/] at the University of Adelaide http://www.adelaide.edu.au/ [http://www.adelaide.edu.au/].  Learn More John Scanlon  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_E._Scanlon [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_E._Scanlon] Elephant Protection Initiative  https://www.elephantprotectioninitiative.org/ [https://www.elephantprotectioninitiative.org/] ADM Capital Foundation  https://www.admcf.org/ [https://www.admcf.org/] Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora  https://cites.org/eng [https://cites.org/eng] International Council of Environmental Law  https://icelinternational.org/ [https://icelinternational.org/] International Unions for conservation of Nature (IUCN)  https://iucn.org/ [https://iucn.org/] Get In Touch You can contact Eco Futurists podcast ⁠ecofuturists@gmail.com [ecofuturists@gmail.com]⁠ Enjoying the show? Rate, review, and share it with your friends to help listeners like yourself explore their inner Eco Futurist.

Can We Really Eat the Invaders? (video)

The ABC TV series Eat The Invaders has sparked curiosity—and controversy—by asking a bold question: Can we eat our way out of Australia’s invasive species crisis? Who better to answer this question than some of the creators of this wild and thought-provoking show, Matthew Bate and Poppy Fitzpatrick? In this episode, host Prof Andy Lowe celebrates their bold vision, of turning a complex environmental issue into a conversation-starter (or perhaps tasty appetiser) for everyone.  From cane toads to cats, they took a fun, fresh approach to a topic that’s often met with frustration and fatigue. But here’s the catch though: while eating invasive species might make for great TV, science tells us it’s not going to be the miracle cure. So what is? Andy unpacks the hard reality of tackling this environmental crisis—where suppression strategies like targeted viruses and ecosystem restoration come into play. One thing’s for sure: this series has people talking again, and we’re here to keep the conversation going. So, what do you think—would you put cane toad on your plate? Andy and his colleague, Professor Phill Cassey, served as scientific advisors for the show, ensuring that the balance between entertainment and ecological accuracy was spot-on. * video cast available on Spotify https://tinyurl.com/45ft9epy and YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@EcoFuturists Eco Futurists is supported by the Environment Institute https://www.adelaide.edu.au/environment/ at the University of Adelaide http://www.adelaide.edu.au/.  Learn More Book: Eat the Problem by Kirsha Kaechele of Monahttps://shop.mona.net.au/products/eat-the-problem?srsltid=AfmBOoqRQnzTe6kOsR_LR7_nxOYzB0jt67rVuEPVJy7s-aV4gVJnhOPf [https://shop.mona.net.au/products/eat-the-problem?srsltid=AfmBOoqRQnzTe6kOsR_LR7_nxOYzB0jt67rVuEPVJy7s-aV4gVJnhOPf] Eat The Invaders on ABC iviewhttps://iview.abc.net.au/show/eat-the-invaders [https://iview.abc.net.au/show/eat-the-invaders] Closer Productionshttps://closerproductions.com.au/episodic/eat-the-invaders [https://closerproductions.com.au/episodic/eat-the-invaders] University of Adelaide press release, Eat The Invadershttps://www.adelaide.edu.au/newsroom/news/list/2025/01/03/university-academics-help-abc-host-eat-the-invaders [https://www.adelaide.edu.au/newsroom/news/list/2025/01/03/university-academics-help-abc-host-eat-the-invaders] Professor Phill Casseyhttps://researchers.adelaide.edu.au/profile/phill.cassey [https://researchers.adelaide.edu.au/profile/phill.cassey] Get In Touch You can contact Eco Futurists podcast ⁠ecofuturists@gmail.com⁠ [ecofuturists@gmail.com] Enjoying the show? Rate, review, and share it with your friends to help listeners like yourself explore their inner Eco Futurist.

Science in the media in a post truth world

We live in a time when algorithms track our every click through the media scape and keep feeding us similar information. So how do we know when we’re being duped? How do we ensure that the scientific ‘fact’ we’re consuming is, in fact, truthful, and how do we get science fact out there? In this episode host Prof Andy Lowe and guest science communicator and ex-The Conversation editor Sarah Keenihan https://www.sarahkeenihan.com get real about cutting through the noise and identifying trustworthy science in a post truth world. Eco Futurists is supported by the Environment Institute https://www.adelaide.edu.au/environment/ at the University of Adelaide http://www.adelaide.edu.au/.  Learn More Sarah Keenihan https://www.sarahkeenihan.com Australian Science Media Centre https://www.smc.org.au The Conversation https://theconversation.com/au Get In Touch You can contact Eco Futurists podcast here andrew.lowe@adelaide.edu.au  Enjoying the show? Rate, review, and share it with your friends to help listeners like yourself explore their inner Eco Futurist.

When the invaders are locked out: bringing back threatened native species in outback Australia

When the continent of Australia was settled by Europeans they came with their cats, foxes, rabbits and any number of foreign animals. It didn’t take long for these ‘invaders’ to destabilise delicate ecosystems and lead to a wave of the extinction amongst native animals. In this episode host Prof Andy Lowe is joined by Katherine Tuft https://tinyurl.com/mrxf6sy3 [https://tinyurl.com/mrxf6sy3] and Nathan Manders https://tinyurl.com/33hwtjv8 [https://tinyurl.com/33hwtjv8] of Arid Recovery https://aridrecovery.org.au [https://aridrecovery.org.au/], an independent not-for-profit advancing conservation science for Australian threatened species in Roxby Downs South Australia. They explore the challenges and wins of the 25 years of Arid Recovery’s existence, and explore ideas for the future of conservation in the world’s arid lands.  Learn More  Arid Recovery https://aridrecovery.org.au [https://aridrecovery.org.au/]  Arid Recovery Sunset Tour https://www.roxbydowns.sa.gov.au/lifestyleandsport/visitor-information/attractions/arsunsettour [https://www.roxbydowns.sa.gov.au/lifestyleandsport/visitor-information/attractions/arsunsettour]  Arid Recovery Education and School Visits https://aridrecovery.org.au/visit/education-and-group-visits [https://aridrecovery.org.au/visit/education-and-group-visits]   Get In Touch  You can contact Eco Futurists podcast here andrew.lowe@adelaide.edu.au   Enjoying the show? Rate, review, and share it with your friends to help listeners like yourself explore their inner Eco Futurist.

A walk in the park? The park systems that help shape our cities, cultures, and civic identities

Whether they be nature parks in cities or urban areas in nature, what’s the process for navigating how cities and nature come together? How do people use and move through these spaces? Host Prof Andy Lowe is joined by Matthew Skjonsberg, Director of the Praxis Institute in Switzerland, and author of Living Cities: Three Centuries of Years of Park Systems https://www.park-books.com/en/product/living-cities/1477?preorder=1 [https://www.park-books.com/en/product/living-cities/1477?preorder=1]  to explore the rich cultural history of park systems, as well as the challenges facing people in their stewardship of both cities and parks moving forward.   Eco Futurists is supported by the Environment Institute https://www.adelaide.edu.au/environment/ [https://www.adelaide.edu.au/environment/] at the University of Adelaide http://www.adelaide.edu.au/ [http://www.adelaide.edu.au/].    Learn More   Book - Living Cities: Three Centuries of Years of Park Systems https://www.park-books.com/en/product/living-cities/1477?preorder=1 [https://www.park-books.com/en/product/living-cities/1477]   Governor’s Island Projecthttps://www.west8.com/projects/governors-island/ [https://www.west8.com/projects/governors-island]    Madrid/Rio Riverfront Projecthttps://www.west8.com/projects/madrid-rio/ [https://www.west8.com/projects/madrid-rio]    Exhibition - Water Designs: l’eau dessine la villehttps://www.epfl.ch/campus/art-culture/museum-exhibitions/archizoom/water-designs-leau-dessine-la-ville/ [https://www.epfl.ch/campus/art-culture/museum-exhibitions/archizoom/water-designs-leau-dessine-la-ville]    School of Architecture and Civil Engineering, University of Adelaide  https://set.adelaide.edu.au/architecture-and-civil-engineering/ [https://set.adelaide.edu.au/architecture-and-civil-engineering/]     Get In Touch   You can contact Eco Futurists podcast here andrew.lowe@adelaide.edu.au [andrew.lowe@adelaide.edu.au]    Enjoying the show? Rate, review, and share it with your friends to help listeners like yourself explore their inner Eco Futurist.