Our Projects

Society, Nature and Place

Shaping the Future of People and Planet

At the Society, Nature and Place lab, we bridge the gap between social science and environmental conservation. Our research goes beyond the ‘what’ of ecology to explore the ‘how’ and ‘why’ of human behaviour. By understanding the deep connections between people and their environments, we develop evidence-based strategies to foster a more sustainable and resilient world.

Theme 1: Promoting Conservation Stewardship

Our research explores which stewardship activities should be prioritised, promoting uptake across the broader community, and exploring how experiences of stewardship can influence people to get more involved. Current activities:

Theme 2: Nature Experiences

Our research explores how people connect with and experience nature in both urban and blue space settings. We examine how these experiences influence emotional wellbeing, foster support for conservation initiatives, and can be made accessible to everyone in an increasingly urbanised world. Current activities:

Theme 3: Participation and Collaboration

Our research examines citizen science and other participatory models where community members are involved in environmental monitoring and research. We explore the social impacts of these programs and how they provide entry points for broader citizenship activities and collective action for the environment. Current activities:

Theme 4: Coexisting with Wildlife

Our research explores the social dimensions of human-wildlife interactions, particularly when conservation generates conflict between social groups or between people and wildlife. We investigate how values, life experience, and social context can be better understood to find solutions that support both conservation outcomes and community wellbeing. Current activities:

Theme 5: Supporting Ecosystem Restoration

Our research explores which restoration and stewardship activities should be prioritised, ways to promote uptake across the broader community, and how hands-on experiences can influence people to become more involved in protecting and restoring natural environments. Current activities:

Theme 6: Water for People and Nature

Our research examines how people connect with blue space, from rivers and lakes to coasts and oceans. We explore how these connections influence support for sustainable urban water management, waterway protection, and marine conservation, and investigate strategies to promote effective water stewardship. Current activities:

Understanding People and Nature

Research That Makes a Difference

We explore how people connect with the environment from urban green spaces to ocean reefs, and develop strategies to promote conservation stewardship and meaningful engagement with the natural world. Through citizen science, community partnerships, and innovative communication strategies, we’re working to strengthen the connections between people and nature for lasting conservation impact.