Are possum parties disrupting your slumber? We sit down with Tara McKenzie, a PhD student from the University of Adelaide, and delve into the nocturnal antics of urban brushtail possums. In this enlightening podcast, Tara unpacks her research on these adaptable creatures and their secret urban lives. Despite their common presence, she exposes the conservation risks they face, challenging our perception of their success in cities. Learn about their quirky diets (peanut butter, anyone?), vital ecological roles, and how to coexist peacefully with them. This engaging discussion will equip you with ..read more

What's big, emits the stench of decaying flesh, and draws crowds of thousands? It's none other than the Amorphophallus titanum, commonly known as the corpse flower! In this episode, our guest Matt Coulter, the horticultural curator for the Botanic Gardens of South Australia, enlightens us about this botanical rockstar and much more. Embark on a damp and misty expedition through the Mt. Lofty Botanical Gardens with Matt as he guides our hosts, Alex and Kiri. Explore the Amorphophallus palace, a glasshouse where this master of disguise thrives and reproduces. Then, venture into other shade hous ..read more

The arid zone covers 70% of the Australian landmass. So, how can we restore and protect our country’s largest landscape?   Arid Recovery is a wildlife reserve dedicated to conservation research in South Australia’s arid interior. Dr Katherine Tuft is the CEO and manager, undertaking conservation research to find practical on ground solutions to restore the arid landscape.   Tori Love sits down with Katherine to discuss the challenges of drought, feral animals, and reintroductions. But, it certainly hasn’t all gone to pot! Katherine shares with us plenty of “nuggets of hope”. From bet ..read more

How can we strengthen the bond between people, our landscape and cultural ways of learning? The BSSA podcast is excited to present In The Spotlight, featuring voices of conservation within South Australia that you may not have heard of. Our first guest is Mark Koolmatrie, a Ramindjeri man of the Ngarrindjeri Nation, Chairperson of the State Aboriginal Heritage Committee, founder and educator. Mark uses his wisdom and knowledge to ensure culture is strong and ever present. If you enjoyed this conversation and want to learn more, join Mark on a tour through his website or follow him on twitter ..read more

In lieu of our annual BBQ and presentation, we have taken to our podcast to bring you this special Q&A panel. This recording brings together professionals from the industry to communicate some insights and grounding knowledge to the budding career conservationist or environmental scientist. Is it important to study the right taxon, or just get something done? What are the strengths of government and non-government conservation? What is it that is truly rewarding in conservation careers? What is most challenging? Find the answers and much more in this episode. Featuring Vicki-Jo Russell A ..read more

In this special episode of the BSSA Podcast host Bradley Bianco takes listeners on a short audio guided tour of the South Port Noarlunga Dunes system. The tour starts at the northern trailhead of a track that winds its way through these rare relics of sand hills that would have once spanned the Adelaide Coast. On the tour we have a look at many of the dune's native plants, listen out for some native animals, appreciate the views from the top of the tallest dune and learn about edible plants found growing in the sand. The tour starts here: [https://goo.gl/maps/eVs52c2nU6S7hUXw5] Enjoy ..read more

In today's episode host Bradley Bianco sits down with President of the Friends of Black Hill and Morialata Conservation Parks group, Liz Milner. Liz shares her story of how she became involved in the prominent Adelaide-based Friends Group and some of the amazing work that the Group has done to restore habitat for many species of Threatened fauna. Liz also goes into detail about her ground-breaking strategy to engage a younger audience in on-ground conservation work here in our own backyard. For more info on getting involved with the Friends Group, visit https://www.fobhm.org/ and check out the ..read more

What makes a species invasive? Turns out there's a lot of human behaviour at play between taking a species from the wild, and it becoming invasive in Australia. The story includes a complex pet trade, which is an ermergent global issue for wildlife. PhD Candidate Adam Toomes joins us to discuss the dynamics of alien vertebrate species establishing populations in Australia, and the key stages that we need to be looking at to combat the issue. Hosted by Bradely Bianco and featuring Adam Toomes, PhD candidate at the University of Adelaide. Adam is working with the Invasion Science and Wildlife Ec ..read more

It takes a lot to make a conservation happen. People and communities, and behaviour shifts are all essential ingredients, as well as as science and biology. PhD candidate Matt Bowie joins us to talk about social marketing, behavior, and economics in conservation projects, and how they come together for his study topic, coffee sustainability. Hosted by Bradely Bianco and featuring Matt Bowie, PhD candidate at the University of Adelaide. Follow Matt on all the social media channels: @bowscovery . Produced by Christopher Jolly and Myall Tarran; promoted by Adam Toomes; intro music by Darcy Whitta ..read more

Episode fourteen welcomes Tristan O'brien, an ecologist and environmentalist passionate about fostering a connection to nature. We have a chat with Tristan about relating to the land and nature around us, individually and as a society. Tristan draws on his experience running conservation awareness campaigns, and educating others about tuning into nature. Hosted by Bradely Bianco and featuring Tristan O'brien. Learn more about Tristan's work at https://www.1900footprints.com/ and https://www.facebook.com/1900Footprints instagram: @1900Footprints Produced by Christopher Jolly and Myall Tarran; p ..read more