Nature of our urban home: how Greater Adelaide can support the biodiversity and climate crisis

“Nature of Our Urban Home” looks at how urban environments can be a safe home for biodiversity. The removal of natural habitats with urbanisation places a major threat to biodiversity, reduces community’s access to nature and impacts our health and wellbeing. Urban environments are not often considered a home for plants and animals, and a place to seek connection and engagement with nature. However, biodiversity can be harboured in our cities and is becoming increasingly imperative. 

The night’s conversation will discuss the role of urban biodiversity alongside the current reality and future potential of life within Greater Adelaide.

Attendees can expect to leave with a grounded understanding of the role of urban greenspaces in terms of protecting biodiversity, regulating climate change, and supporting human health while learning what to expect from your local council in terms of public land, and what can be done on private land. 

On attending this event, we ask you to first ponder the question: What does a quality urban greenspace look like to you? Where have you seen such a space? Please come with your answer prepared.

Panellists are: 

• Costa Georgiadis: Costa is an Australian landscape architect and television presenter, currently hosting Gardening Australia on ABC. Other panellists are to be announced. 
• Sheryn Pitman: Sheryn has a multidisciplinary background in environmental management, community engagement, education, creative writing and communication. Sheryn is currently working at Green Adelaide as the National Park City Project Manager. 
• Kate Deleport: Kate is the Curator of the Waite Arboretum and Waite Conservation Reserve, a position that enables her to implement her knowledge of trees and Australian native plants, her skills in working with volunteers and community groups, and grow her various research interests.
   

The panel will be facilitated by Shannon Evenden. Shannon has a diverse background in conservation management with industry and government and acts as a science communicator to the general public through community radio and ABC. Currently, Shannon is working as the Project Lead for Dynamic State and the Environment Institute at the University of Adelaide. 

“Nature of our Urban Home” is part of a series of conversations held during the Nature Festival exploring the nature in our home of South Australia. These conversations are held by multi-disciplinary key players to discuss what is currently happening, barriers to solutions in South Australia and opportunities at the community, industry and state level. 

This series of events was formed from a partnership between Nature Festival, the State Library, the Environment Institute at the University of Adelaide and Dynamic State.