The project provides a broad range of resources for people to increase their knowledge on the wildlife that exists around them: in backyards, on balconies, in parks and disused industrial areas. By encouraging to pay attention to other living creatures, ranging from ants, spiders, and snails, to birds, possums, lizards, and even those wayward weeds emerging through cracks in the footpath, The Urban Field Naturalist Project invites new perspectives and ways of understanding urban environments. While having been slowly developing for about a year, the team decided to move forward more quickly in the hopes that these resources can be of particular interest to people who are self isolating due to COVID-19. Run from Australia, but including both local and global perspectives, the project publishes submissions from all over the world.
The project team
- A/Prof. Thom van Dooren
School of Philosophical and Historical Inquiry, University of Sydney / Oslo School of Environmental Humanities, University of Oslo - Prof. Dieter Hochuli
School of Life and Environmental Sciences, The University of Sydney - Dr John Martin
Institute for Science & Learning, Taronga Conservation Society Australia - Dr Zoë Sadokierski
Speculative Narratives and Networks Studio
School of Design, University of Technology Sydney - Dr Andrew Burrell
Speculative Narratives and Networks Studio
School of Design, University of Technology Sydney
Invitation to contribute
The Urban Field Naturalist Project aims to engage people with the biodiversity in their backyards, on their balconies, seen from their kitchens, wherever they can access it in their local area, and welcomes contributions in the format of short stories. More information about contributions can be found here.