Business of Biodiversity

The regent honeyeater (Anthochaera phrygia) is a critically endangered species of bird that has lost about 90% of their preferred woodland habitats to farmland. There are now less than 350 birds left. Their decline has had a significant negative impact on the greater ecosystem.

People are going to great lengths to help protect them, but it’s not easy. Finding these elusive birds is like finding a needle in a haystack - not only because of the small number but also because they are becoming ‘masters of disguise’.

Tune in to learn more about regent honeyeaters, why they are so endangered and what’s being done to help bring them back from the brink.

To learn more about the species:

One of Australia’s rarest butterfly species is taking the spotlight in this episode. Sadly, it is endangered partly due to its Goldilocks tendencies - it needs everything to be just right to survive.

The purple copper butterfly (Paralucia spinifera) is a small butterfly with a thick body, and a wingspan of only 20-30 millimetres. 

Join us as we learn about this intriguing species and how its survival depends on a particular food source and a mutualistic relationship with an unassuming ally.

We must help protect this unique species, for butterflies are not only beautiful, but they play a crucial role in our environment and are an overall indicator of a healthy ecosystem. 

Tackling environmental problems such as biodiversity loss and climate change requires an open mind, lateral thinking and innovative solutions. 

It's not always easy. It can be challenging to know how to take your first step towards incorporating biodiversity-friendly practices in your business or everyday life. This episode delves into how organisations, both well-established and fledgling, use innovative thinking on their conservation journeys.

Join us as we travel to Taronga Zoo and see the transformation it has gone through from purely a tourist-based enterprise to a conservation platform. We’ll learn about their world-first accelerator program, HATCH, which supports ecopreneurs in their conservation journey and hear from one of the inspiring graduates of the program.

If you’d like to learn more about the organisations and initiatives that appear in this podcast, please use the links below:

Taronga Conservation Society, Australia (Taronga Zoo)

A 2021 study estimates that there are about six birds for every human on the planet. Despite this statistic, in summer, millions of people flock to the beaches, far outnumbering the tiny amount of beach-nesting birds also using this space. There are over 600 bird species in NSW, but only six beach-nesting species, including the Hooded Plover.

Join us in this short episode to learn about this delightful bird. Only a handful of Hooded Plovers are left in NSW, listed as Critically Endangered under the  New South Wales Threatened Species Conservation Act, 1995.

Find out why Hoodies are more than just pretty plumage. Learn about the crucial roles they play in our ecosystem, the threats they face and, as a beachgoer, what simple things you can do to help protect them.

Sustainability is a buzzword and a concept that has been around for decades. Businesses have recognised the importance of running their enterprise with minimal negative impact on the environment, community and society. In this episode, we will dive right into where many of these processes start - at the sourcing end of supply chains.

Supply chains are inherently complex, creating challenges in identifying, measuring and tracking the sustainability of the process. However, some new market-led, science-based global frameworks are enabling us to get closer to achieving ambitious sustainability goals - and nature is guiding the decision-making.

Join us in this episode as we delve into how one organisation helps businesses to green their supply chain and identify, assess and manage nature-related dependencies, impacts, risks and opportunities.

If you’d like to learn more about the organisations and initiatives that appear in this podcast, please use the links below:

Sustainability Advantage

It’s big.  It's slimy. It’s fluorescent pink. Join us as we slip into the world of a Giant Pink Slug. Slugs don't have a great reputation and are known by many as unwanted garden guests. But they are misunderstood molluscs, which play a crucial role in our environment. In this episode, we’ll explore the benefits of slugs and learn about the 'poster boy' slug of them all - the Giant Pink Slug.

With its flamboyant colouring, these unique slugs were identified as part of a threatened ecological community that includes 11 species of snail in 2013.  Tune in to discover where these slugs live and what projects are helping to protect them. Now that we have finally found these quirky slugs, we certainly don't want to lose them.

When we think of drought, what often comes to mind is the impact on farmers and the food and fibre they produce, but what about the broader impact on native plants, animals, and their habitats?

Hear from three people who are working to bring back biodiversity and profitability to build resilience in the face of drought.

Guests featured:

“It’s not easy being green.”  - Kermit The Frog. Why are frogs important? What is putting frogs at risk? 

Welcome to our first Business of Biodiversity ‘bite’. This is a short, bite-sized episode that draws you into the wild world of the Green and Golden Bell Frog. It is listed as endangered under the New South Wales Threatened Species Conservation Act, 1995.

Discover how these beautiful, endangered creatures are like fortune tellers - giving us a glimpse into the future of what’s happening in the environment. Tune in to appreciate how these frogs help humans, wildlife and ecosystems and what you can do to help them in return!

Can we, or should we, put a dollar sign on nature? Should we put a price on water, carbon, forests, and air? If so, what would this accomplish and how would it be done? In this episode, we look at valuing nature and biodiversity. #Biodiversity, and the ecosystems that stem from it, provide invaluable benefits to our everyday lives, yet it’s often not fully recognised or appreciated. But there is hope. The United Nations has recognised that the economic valuation of biodiversity is crucial for our health and well-being, and there are organisations undertaking this critical work.

So how do we go about ‘valuing’ nature? Some tactics provide economic incentives for behaviour change, and others focus more on preserving the intrinsic value of nature from a social and cultural viewpoint.  Tune in to hear from three individuals involved in valuing biodiversity. Their methods are diverse; including offset agreements, environmental accounting, carbon farming and cultural fire credits.

If you’d like to learn more or invest in any of the initiatives that appear in this podcast, please use the links below:

Aboriginal Carbon Foundation

This month we’re excited to share an episode from the fantastic ‘Branch Out’ Podcast from the Royal Botanic Gardens. It’s a very timely topic about a contagious disease - but not for humans! In this episode, we’ll learn about Myrtle rust, a plant disease threatening many of our iconic species. Listen to this episode to hear how this killer works and what scientists are doing to stop it. You’ll discover cutting-edge science that is used to try and protect our environment.

September is biodiversity month, highlighting that we have more than 1,000 threatened species in NSW alone. Now is the perfect opportunity to learn about how we depend on biodiversity in everyday life, often in ways that are not always apparent or appreciated. Did you ever realise that much of our food, energy, medicine, economic opportunities, cultural identity and overall well-being depends on the biodiversity of plants, animals and insects? In this episode, you'll hear from an ecologist and an astrophysicist who shed some light on some of the unexpected ways we rely on threatened species.

‘Dr. Matt Agnew is working with the Saving our Species program on the Threatened Connections awareness campaign mentioned in this episode.’

Thank you to our guests:

Heidi Kolkert - Impact Ecology

Matt Agnew - https://www.drmattagnew.com/

Did you know that over half the world’s population, that’s more than 4 billion people, now live in urban areas? As our population grows so does our urban development. This concrete sprawl negatively impacts biodiversity in these changing ecosystems. But it’s not all doom and gloom.

In this episode we’ll hear how three businesses are bringing nature back into the urban jungle to help communities and wildlife thrive. From DIY residential gardens to commercial scale greenwalls and biosolar roofs as well as indigenous cultural landscape design. All three have different approaches, but there is a shared end vision – plant a rich variety of native species that will encourage biodiversity and make our urban environment hum a green tune.

Guests featured in this episode include:

Liz Smith and Erryn Blacklock - Bushy Landscapes

How many species of flora and fauna do you think exist in Australia? Well there’s about a few hundred thousand that we’ve identified. But did you know there’s a bunch more out there that haven’t got a name yet? What’s amazing is that, when we get around to classifying them, that information could be worth billions of dollars to Australia’s economy.

So in this episode we’re talking to a scientist who’s had a spider named after him and an economist who’s worked out what all that is worth. Because sometimes, if we can put a dollar figure on nature – people value it more

Thank you to our guests:

Birds are an iconic species of our Australian environment. And whether you’re in the bush or the backyard, they play an important role with things like keeping pesky insects at bay, pollinating plants and they can even increase your property values. But sadly loss of habitat across both urban and agricultural landscapes has impacted many species of birds with some becoming endangered or threatened. So in this episode we’re talking to a bunch of passionate twitchers who are creating habitat for some threatened species to help nurture the birds and ensure they have a future.

We would like to thank all the guests featured in this episode:

Lea-Ann Ledden - urban bird lover

The beaches and our river systems are a popular place for recreation. But they're also home to some of our threatened and endangered native wildlife. So as we head into summer with people gathering along the NSW coastline, we’re taking a look at our native marine wildlife, the people who care for them when they get sick or injured and how we can do our bit.

Guests featured in this episode

Olly Pitt - General Manager of Australian Seabird Rescue

Only one quarter of known Australian threatened species are protected in conservation reserves. Some threatened species are confined to small areas in cities, on farms and along roadsides. Engaging the broader community in conservation efforts is essential to their survival. In this episode we speak to 3 people who are beating the drum for threatened species and bringing the public along for the ride.

Standing around the kitchen table in rural communities, talking about Land management can be just as divisive as politics and religion. But biodiversity loss and threatened species is a problem for us all. So how do people work together towards restoration?

In this episode we’re looking at the Australian made Landcare movement. We’ll talk to passionate people working at all levels of the organisation and we’ll hear the secret to their success towards biodiversity and threatened species

People we hear from in this episode: