ANU Sociology Seminar Series: "Urban ecology: Biodiversity at home, in the neighbourhood and community" with Dr Anita Peerson (ANU Visiting Fellow)

[Thao Phan]

Dear colleagues,

Please join us for the next seminar in the ANU Sociology Seminar Series with Dr Anita Peerson (Visiting Fellow, ANU School of Sociology). Details of the seminar are below:

Urban ecology: Biodiversity at home, in the neighbourhood and community
Speaker: Dr Anita Peerson (Visiting Fellow, ANU School of Sociology)

Date: Monday 18 August, 2025
Time: 12 – 1pm, AEST
Location: Room 4.69 RSSS Building and online

Join Zoom Meeting
https://anu.zoom.us/j/82667926104?pwd=YP1jYwnr34amaeJgZQnQUhbrSn3OMW.1&from=addon

Meeting ID: 826 6792 6104
Password: 824240

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Urban ecology: Biodiversity at home, in the neighbourhood and community

Urban ecology is often thought of as a human-nature relationship occurring in the urban setting. Mostly in city parks, botanic gardens and nature reserves, surrounded by a built environment. I discuss other ways of viewing urban ecology. By considering diverse concepts, a multiple evidence base and transdisciplinary approaches to enhance biodiversity at home, in the neighbourhood and community. Given transdisciplinary interests in urban ecology: i) why are sociological perspectives important?; and, ii) how can sociology contribute to urban ecology research, practices and policy?

Author bio

Anita Peerson is a health professional and social scientist interested in public health, food systems, health literacy, climate change, agriculture, environment, conservation and biodiversity with extensive experience in policy research, community-stakeholder engagement, and collaborative practice. Her lived experiences of residency and work in urban, rural, coastal and remote communities, plus travel overseas, provide unique insights in time and place, context and scale. Prompting many reflections at the ‘science-practice-policy interface’. Her current projects include: exploring pathways to sustainable food systems and governance; creating a naturalistic garden; menopause and culture. At the School of Sociology, ANU, she is collaborating with multidisciplinary colleagues to develop the Environment, Nature and Society node and design of a new urban ecology course.