It was a real honour to interview Emeritus Professor Stuart Hill. Stuart began studying ecology in the 1960s, and his PhD research conducted in a cave in Trinidad in the late1960s was among the first whole-ecosystem studies to examine community and energy relationships. His career spans decades of research, teaching and active engagement across multiple disciplines.

Over the years, Stuart has taken a particular interest in soil biology, entomology, social ecology and organic agriculture, and he brings a rare additional perspective through his formal training in psychology.

In our conversation we covered a wide range of topics, beginning with insights into his extraordinary understanding of life in soils, before exploring the role of human psychology in the ecological crisis. We also discussed several of Stuart’s ideas from his paper ‘10 Common “Mistakes” to Avoid, and “Needs” to Meet, When Seeking to Create a Better World’.

I’m deeply grateful that Stuart took the time to share his knowledge and reflections, and I hope you enjoy the conversation.

Stuart has an amazing collection of his resources on his website: https://www.stuartbhill.com/

For comments, feedback or requests for future content on Just Ecology, please email karljust3@gmail.com

In this episode I speak with Ana Backstrom about novel ecosystems and why the term has, at times, been controversial. We explore the idea that its use may reveal more about our own subjective values rather than an ecosystem’s inherent qualities. This leads into broader reflections on how terms such as “natural,” “modified,” and “wilderness” continue to place humans outside of nature and ecology. We discuss how humans are very much part of nature, and how shifting this perspective allows us to move away from narratives of separation and towards roles as caretakers and stewards of Country.

Ana Backstrom is a plant ecologist with over twenty years’ experience working in biodiversity conservation and ecological restoration. She is currently completing a PhD that investigates socio-ecological management benchmarks for novel ecosystems. Her research aims to identify the key social and ecological attributes that shape novel ecosystem management decisions, and to explore the mechanisms and processes that either facilitate or impede the development of effective management strategies in highly changed landscapes.

In this episode I speak with Kai Lane, a proud Yorta Yorta and Barapa Barapa man who serves as an ecologist at Ecology & Restoration Australia (ERA) and as a board member for Eco Warriors Australia. In 2025, he was awarded the National prize for Indigenous Led Science at the Ecological Society of Australia conference for his innovative Yedabila habitat pods, which are traditional woven huts used to protect turtle nests and provide aquatic wildlife shelter.

Beyond his technical field work, Kai leads Cultural Heritage sessions for the Habitat Warriors program, where he uses storytelling and traditional practices to teach schoolchildren how to "care for Country" from an Indigenous perspective. He is also an author, recently releasing a book through Habitat Warriors that explores the traditional First Nations' uses of Australian flora for food, medicine and tools.

I speak with Kai about the Yedabila habitat project, the inspiring work of Habitat Warriors, Indigenous football (Marn Grook), Indigenous astronomy, seasonal calendars and cultural plant knowledge.

To learn more about the Yedabila Habitat Pods and Habitat Warriors visit: https://habitatwarriors.com.au/

Email comments, feedback or content suggestions to karljust3@gmail.com