When I started this project, I knew it wouldn’t feel complete until I spoke with the incredible urban ecologist Dr Kylie Soanes. I’ve long admired Kylie’s work, and the way she’s helped people better understand the importance of nature in our cities.

We met in Docklands, in Melbourne/Naarm. Kylie arrived on her bike, and we set off walking along the Birrarung, finding a spot to stop and talk along the way.

As we walked, it became clear how connected Kylie is to this place. At one point, someone stopped to chat about the swans using the floating wetlands she helped create. Moments like that came and went as we moved through the space, and the conversation shifted with them.

Beside us were the floating wetlands Kylie helped bring to life. It’s not a typical conservation setting. Concrete, water, buildings and movement surround us, and right there, a small patch of habitat quietly doing its work.

We talk about how these wetlands came to be, what they’re already supporting, and what they represent in a city like Melbourne/Naarm right now.

Kylie also shares her journey into conservation, and how that’s shaped the way she sees cities. The conversation explores the kinds of places we create, and how they can invite biodiversity back into our cities.

This one’s about shaping our future, making sure we’re living alongside nature rather than at the expense of it.