People For Nature

Category: Nature Oasis

  • Meet the Banksia | Biodiverse Australia

    Meet the Banksia | Biodiverse Australia

    Found across much of Australia, the Banksia is one of the country’s most recognisable native plants, known for its striking flower spikes and distinctive woody cones.

    With 173 species occurring across a wide range of habitats, from coastal regions and tropical areas to deserts and sub-alpine environments, the Banksia demonstrates the remarkable adaptability of Australian flora.

    It is a reminder that Australia’s biodiversity is not only found in its animals, but also in the plants that support entire ecosystems.

    Why it matters

    Banksias play an important role in supporting wildlife and ecological health across Australia.

    🌸 Their flowers provide food for birds, insects and other pollinators

    🍂 Many species flower during autumn and winter when food resources can be limited

    🌰 Their cones provide food for species such as cockatoos

    🌿 They help support biodiversity across a wide range of Australian landscapes

    Through these interactions, Banksias help sustain the complex relationships that keep ecosystems healthy and functioning.

    Fun facts

    🤓 There are 173 Banksia species and all but one occur naturally only in Australia

    🤓 Banksias were named after Sir Joseph Banks, who collected the first specimens in 1770

    🤓 Each flower spike is made up of hundreds, and sometimes thousands, of tiny flowers

    🤓 Indigenous people in south-western Australia traditionally enjoyed Banksia nectar and used flower spikes to make a sweet drink

    A deeper reflection

    The Banksia reminds us that plants are often the overlooked foundation of biodiversity.

    While animals frequently capture our attention, native plants create the habitat, food and ecological connections that support life across entire landscapes.

    Many Australian plant communities now face pressures from land clearing, habitat fragmentation, invasive species and a changing climate.

    In a country with over 600,000 native species, most found nowhere else on Earth, the Banksia is a reminder that protecting biodiversity begins with protecting the ecosystems that sustain it.

    How we care for native plants today will shape the future of the wildlife that depends on them.

    From Wonder to Action

    Learn & understand

    Explore how biodiversity, climate, and land systems are deeply connected through our workshops with People For Nature.

    Create your Nature Oasis

    Plant native species to restore habitat and support the insects, birds, and wildlife that depend on them.

    Join citizen science

    Record native species around you on iNaturalist and contribute to real conservation data.

    (Special thanks to Simon Andrews, Ambassador for People For Nature, for helping shape this story)

    References:

    Australian National Botanic Gardens. Banksia.

    https://www.anbg.gov.au/gnp/interns-2002/banksia.html 

    Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions, Western Australian Government. Banksia Atlas.

    https://www.dbca.wa.gov.au/science-research/flora-conservation-research/banksia-atlas 

  • Meet the Giant Prickly Stick Insect

    Meet the Giant Prickly Stick Insect

    One of Australia’s largest and most striking insects, the Giant Prickly Stick Insect can grow up to 20 centimetres long and has evolved an extraordinary appearance that allows it to disappear into its surroundings.

    With its spiny, branch-like body and prickly legs, this remarkable insect resembles a twig or piece of vegetation and can even sway like a branch in the wind to avoid being detected by predators.

    It is a reminder that some of nature’s most impressive adaptations are hiding in plain sight.

    Why it matters

    The Giant Prickly Stick Insect is part of the rich diversity of insects that support healthy ecosystems.

    🍃 Stick insects are important herbivores that interact with native vegetation and contribute to ecological processes

    🕸️ They form part of food webs and provide prey for birds, reptiles and other animals

    🌿 Their presence reflects the health and complexity of native habitats

    🦗 They highlight the incredible diversity and adaptability of Australia’s invertebrate life

    Although often overlooked, insects such as the Giant Prickly Stick Insect are essential components of functioning ecosystems.

    Fun facts

    🤓 The Giant Prickly Stick Insect can grow up to 20 centimetres long, making it one of Australia’s largest stick insects

    🤓 If threatened by a predator, it can shed a leg or part of its body to distract the attacker and make its escape

    🤓 Females can reproduce through parthenogenesis, meaning they can produce offspring without mating

    🤓 Despite this ability, males remain important because they help maintain genetic diversity and long-term adaptability within the species

    A deeper reflection

    The Giant Prickly Stick Insect challenges the idea that conservation is only about protecting large or charismatic animals.

    Invertebrates make up the vast majority of biodiversity and perform countless ecological roles that support the health of ecosystems, yet they are often overlooked in conservation conversations.

    Like many native species, stick insects are vulnerable to habitat loss, climate change and the degradation of the environments they depend upon.

    In a country with more than 600,000 native species, many found nowhere else on Earth, the Giant Prickly Stick Insect reminds us that biodiversity includes the small, hidden and easily forgotten species that quietly keep ecosystems functioning.

    How we care for insects and their habitats will shape the resilience of Australia’s natural systems for generations to come.

    From Wonder to Action

    Learn & understand

    Explore how biodiversity, climate, and land systems are deeply connected through our workshops with People For Nature.

    Create your Nature Oasis

    Plant native species to restore habitat and support the insects, birds, and wildlife that depend on them.

    Join citizen science

    Record native species around you on iNaturalist and contribute to real conservation data.

    (Special thanks to Simon Andrews, Ambassador for People For Nature, for helping shape this story)

    References:

  • Meet the Superb Lyrebird

    Meet the Superb Lyrebird

    One of Australia’s most extraordinary birds, the Superb Lyrebird is renowned for its elaborate courtship displays and remarkable ability to mimic sounds from the natural world and beyond.

    With its ornate tail feathers forming the shape of a lyre, the male performs spectacular dances while imitating the calls of other birds, the sounds of animals and even human-made noises such as camera shutters and chainsaws.

    It is a reminder that some of Australia’s most impressive biodiversity is as much about behaviour and intelligence as it is about appearance.

    Why it matters

    The Superb Lyrebird plays an important role in maintaining healthy forest ecosystems.

    🐾 It scratches through leaf litter and soil in search of food, helping to aerate the forest floor

    🌱 Its foraging behaviour helps disperse seeds and recycle nutrients

    🌳 It contributes to the health and regeneration of forest ecosystems

    🕸️ It demonstrates the complex relationships between species and the environments they inhabit

    Through its daily activities, the Superb Lyrebird helps shape and maintain the forests it calls home.

    Fun facts

    🤓 The Superb Lyrebird has one of the most complex syrinxes, or vocal organs, of any bird

    🤓 It can imitate an extraordinary range of sounds, from the calls of other birds to human-made noises

    🤓 Male lyrebirds perform elaborate courtship displays using their distinctive lyre-shaped tail feathers

    🤓 Their vocal abilities have made them one of Australia’s most celebrated and recognisable bird species

    A deeper reflection

    The Superb Lyrebird challenges the way we think about animal intelligence and communication.

    Its ability to learn and reproduce such a diverse range of sounds highlights the remarkable behavioural complexity that exists within Australia’s native wildlife.

    Yet the species depends on healthy native forests that continue to face pressures from habitat loss, fragmentation and changing environmental conditions.

    In a country with more than 600,000 native species, many found nowhere else on Earth, the Superb Lyrebird reminds us that biodiversity is not only about the species we protect, but also the ecological processes and habitats that allow them to thrive.

    How we care for Australia’s native forests today will shape the future of one of our most fascinating and iconic birds.

    From Wonder to Action

    Learn & understand

    Explore how biodiversity, climate, and land systems are deeply connected through our workshops with People For Nature.

    Create your Nature Oasis

    Plant native species to restore habitat and support the insects, birds, and wildlife that depend on them.

    Join citizen science

    Record native species around you on iNaturalist and contribute to real conservation data.

    (Special thanks to Simon Andrews, Ambassador for People For Nature, for helping shape this story)

    References:

  • Meet the Lanternfish | Biodiverse Australia

    Meet the Lanternfish | Biodiverse Australia

    Hidden beneath the ocean’s surface is one of the most abundant groups of vertebrates on Earth, the lanternfish, a small deep-sea fish that plays an enormous role in keeping marine ecosystems healthy.

    With at least 250 species worldwide, many of which occur in Australian waters, lanternfishes spend their days in the deep ocean before rising towards the surface each night to feed.

    Their remarkable daily movements are part of one of the largest animal migrations on the planet.

    Why it matters

    Lanternfishes are essential to the health and functioning of ocean ecosystems.

    🐟 They provide an important food source for larger fish, squid and seabirds

    🌊 They help transfer energy between the ocean’s surface and deeper waters

    🌙 Their nightly feeding migrations contribute to the movement of carbon from surface waters to the deep ocean

    🕸️ They play a key role in supporting marine food webs across the globe

    Despite their small size, lanternfishes are among the ocean’s most important connectors, linking different parts of the marine ecosystem through their movements and feeding habits.

    Fun facts

    🤓 Lanternfishes get their name from light-producing organs called photophores on their bodies

    🤓 Their glowing photophores help them camouflage in dark waters and communicate with one another

    🤓 Although they are typically only 3 to 35 centimetres long, they are among the most abundant vertebrates on Earth

    🤓 Some species travel more than 500 metres every day during their vertical migrations in search of food

    A deeper reflection

    The lanternfish reminds us that some of the most important species on Earth are also among the least visible.

    Few people will ever see a lanternfish, yet these tiny deep-sea animals help sustain marine food webs and play an unexpected role in the global carbon cycle.

    Despite their abundance, lanternfishes face growing pressures from deep-sea fishing, climate change and light pollution, which can disrupt their natural migration patterns.

    In a country with more than 600,000 native species, many found nowhere else on Earth, the lanternfish is a reminder that biodiversity extends far beyond what we can easily see and that even hidden species can have global importance.

    How we protect our oceans today will influence the health of marine ecosystems for generations to come.

    From Wonder to Action

    Learn & understand

    Explore how biodiversity, climate, and land systems are deeply connected through our workshops with People For Nature.

    Create your Nature Oasis

    Plant native species to restore habitat and support the insects, birds, and wildlife that depend on them.

    Join citizen science

    Record native species around you on iNaturalist and contribute to real conservation data.

    Special thanks to Simon Andrews, Ambassador for People For Nature, for helping shape this story)

    References:

  • How citizen-led actions support Australia’s Nature Strategy

    How citizen-led actions support Australia’s Nature Strategy

    Australia’s Nature Strategy 2024–2030 outlines a bold vision for halting and reversing nature loss, reconnecting people with nature, and fostering a future where both our natural environments and communities can thrive. While the strategy presents ambitious national goals, citizen-led actions play a crucial role in turning these policies into reality on the ground.

    One of our key initiatives helping to advance this vision is Nature Oasis—a citizen-led movement that empowers individuals to take action in their own backyards, communities, and beyond. By becoming Nature Oasis Ambassadors, Australians can make a direct contribution to preserving and restoring our unique ecosystems. Let’s explore how these grassroots efforts align with the priorities of Australia’s Nature Strategy.

    Engaging All Australians in Conservation

    One of the main priorities of the strategy is to engage all Australians in caring for nature. The Strategy highlights the need for a culture of environmental stewardship, where people take active responsibility for the natural world around them.

    Citizen-led actions, like those championed by Nature Oasis, are integral to this objective. By providing accessible tools, resources, and workshops, initiatives like Nature Oasis bring environmental action into everyday lives. Whether it’s restoring a local patch of bushland, planting a native garden, or creating wildlife habitats, these small yet significant actions have a ripple effect, inspiring others to get involved.

    Nature Oasis encourages people from all walks of life to sign the Nature Oasis Charter, commit to best practices for supporting native wildlife, and contribute to a growing map of nature-positive spaces. This fosters a collective, national effort that aligns directly with the strategy’s call to empower Australians to take care of their environment.

    Protecting and Conserving Nature in Partnership with Communities

    Australia’s Nature Strategy places great emphasis on conservation efforts that are community-driven. It recognizes that the power to protect nature lies not just in policy but in the collective action of people working together.

    Citizen-led projects, such as Nature Oasis, contribute directly to this goal by creating spaces where individuals and communities come together to restore and protect local habitats. Every citizen-led restoration, whether it’s regenerating a small garden or protecting a local wetland, is a direct step toward halting the decline of biodiversity.

    Through programs that focus on building community involvement, these initiatives support Australia’s broader conservation goals. By planting native species, restoring vital ecosystems, and creating safe havens for wildlife, citizens become active participants in conservation, working in tandem with local and national efforts.

    Bridging the Gap Between Policy and Practice

    One of the biggest challenges in achieving national environmental goals is ensuring that policies translate into meaningful actions at the local level. The Nature Oasis initiative helps bridge this gap by providing a platform for individuals and communities to act in line with the national strategy.

    Each citizen-led action—no matter how small—contributes to the collective effort to enhance biodiversity and achieve the targets set out in the strategy. From urban backyards to regional parks, these grassroots actions make environmental policy tangible and accessible. By empowering citizens to become part of the solution, Nature Oasis fosters a sense of ownership and responsibility, helping to close the gap between policy ambition and practical outcomes.

    Why Citizen-Led Action Matters

    Australia’s Nature Strategy sets the stage for a future where nature is safeguarded and restored, but achieving its vision requires the participation of every Australian. Citizen-led actions make this vision possible. Initiatives like Nature Oasis demonstrate the power of individual and collective action in achieving national conservation goals. These grassroots movements ensure that conservation efforts are not confined to policy but are integrated into everyday life, bringing people closer to nature and ensuring the survival of our unique wildlife for generations to come.

    Ready to Get Involved?

    Nature Oasis invites you to become a Nature Oasis Ambassador and help us create a network of citizen-driven conservation efforts across the country. By signing the Nature Oasis Charter, you can commit to best practices that support the flourishing of native wildlife and flora in your own backyard.

    Let’s work together to make Australia’s Nature Strategy 2024–2030 a reality.

    Sign the Charter today and start your journey as a nature ambassador! 🌱

    Sign the Nature Oasis Charter

    Your donation supports citizen-powered change for nature.

    By contributing to People For Nature, you’re helping us empower everyday individuals to take meaningful action for the environment. Your support enables us to deliver education, foster community-driven conservation initiatives, and inspire a movement of citizen scientists and conservationists.

  • How to create a Nature Oasis

    How to create a Nature Oasis

    Every Nature Oasis—from a few square metres on a balcony to sprawling hectares of regenerating bush—is a small act of hope for biodiversity.

    What unites them all?

    A commitment to the Nature Oasis Charter and a shared vision for restoring Australia’s rich ecosystems, one patch at a time. 💚

    A platform for Everyone

    Soon, anyone will be able to register and share their oasis through our interactive map! Here’s how it will work:

    🌿 Sign the Nature Oasis Charter — a voluntary pledge to support native flora and fauna through nature-positive actions.

    📬 Wait for an email with your next steps.

    🗺️ Add your oasis to our map and become part of a growing community.

    💬 Inspire others by sharing your journey and becoming a Nature Oasis Ambassador.

    Empowering Citizen Conservation

    Nature Oasis is more than a project—it’s a citizen-led movement, aligned with Australia’s Nature Strategy 2024–2030, that empowers everyday Australians to take meaningful action where they live.

    “97% of Australians want more environmental action, but fewer than 5% volunteer in conservation. Nature Oasis flips the script—bringing conservation home and inviting everyone to get involved.”

    Together, we’re reconnecting people to nature through accessible tools, inspiring workshops, and local action that counts.

  • Join the Nature Oasis initiative 

    Join the Nature Oasis initiative 

    Nature is disappearing around us – quietly, rapidly, and often unnoticed. But together, we can reverse this trend.

    To bend the curve before 2050 and reduce biodiversity loss, we must pair ambitious conservation efforts with sustainable practices and behaviour change.

    That’s where the Nature Oasis initiative comes in

    The Nature Oasis network empowers all Australians to create and celebrate all vibrant spaces for native wildlife.

    What is Nature Oasis?

    Nature Oasis is a citizen-led initiative by People For Nature that enables Australians to turn any space – balconies, gardens, schoolyards, private properties, parks – into habitats supporting native biodiversity.

    Whatever the size, a Nature Oasis is a space where biodiversity flourishes, where nature is respected and allowed to thrive.

    A few flowers are enough to bring back Christmas beetles, native bees, and butterflies!

    So, say goodbye to uniform mowed lawns, long hedges of yew, and other ‘green deserts,’ as well as pesticides and other harmful practices… 

    Nature Oasis is not a gardening platform, it’s a network of people-powered actions to halt the decline of local biodiversity. 

    Join the Nature Oasis initiative

    1. Start here by signing the Nature Oasis Charter. This is a voluntary commitment to adopting best practices that support the flourishing of native wildlife and flora.

    2. Register your Nature Oasis (new or existing) and share its location on the map (coming soon!).

    3. As you expand your Nature Oasis, update the details (for example, if you currently have a pollinator garden, in future you may update to include you have also created a bee hotel).

    4. Inspire others to follow your lead – embrace your role as a nature ambassador!

    The Nature Oasis Charter

    Follow these 6 principles and help restore Australia’s rich ecosystems, one patch at a time 💚

    About the Nature Oasis network and app

    We’re building a national network of Nature Oasis spaces, creating the largest repository of citizen-powered conservation and regeneration spaces. 

    Inspired by French NGO, Humanité and Biodiversité, Nature Oasis aims to build a global network of these spaces. We’re creating a platform to connect citizens’ environmental actions to national conservation outcomes, powered by accessible, user-friendly tech.

    People For Nature is creating an app that will:

    💚 Build community through shared stories, actions, impact stats, and local nature challenges

    🗺️ Map and visualise each oasis across Australia

    📸 Foster and enable user participation. People will be able to register their oasis and share photos, data, or actions taken

    🌳 Gather ecological data to support research, species tracking, and restoration goals

    By leveraging technology and collaboration, we will connect individual actions to a national effort, gathering data to support scientific research, restore ecosystems, protect species, and foster a deeper connection to nature.

    Why it matters: Empowering Citizen Conservation

    Nature Oasis is more than a project—it’s a citizen-led movement, aligned with Australia’s Nature Strategy 2024–2030, that empowers everyday Australians to take meaningful action where they live.

    “97% of Australians want more environmental action, but fewer than 5% volunteer in conservation. Nature Oasis flips the script—bringing conservation home and inviting everyone to get involved.”

    Together, we’re reconnecting people to nature through accessible tools, inspiring workshops, and local action

    🌿 Join us and create your Nature Oasis today! 🌿

    Read some of our other blogs on this topic:

    🐨 How Citizen-Led Actions Support Australia’s Nature Strategy 2024–2030

    🧑‍🌾 Citizen Conservation in Australia

    🪴 How to teach sustainability at home

  • United by Nature

    United by Nature

    How a French NGO Inspired Our Citizen Conservation Movement

    At People For Nature, we believe the power to protect and regenerate nature lies in the hands of everyday people. This belief isn’t unique to us—in fact, it’s inspired by a global movement. One of the organisations that helped spark our vision is the French NGO Humanité et Biodiversité.

    A Shared Vision Across Continents

    Based in France, Humanité et Biodiversité is a pioneering organisation dedicated to strengthening the connection between humans and nature. At their core is the recognition that biodiversity is not just a matter for scientists or policymakers—it’s everyone’s business.

    Their purpose resonates deeply with ours: to empower individuals, communities, and decision-makers to value and protect biodiversity as a foundation for life, health, and resilience.

    Nature in the City: An International Imperative

    Both France and Australia face the pressing challenge of biodiversity loss in urban environments. As our cities expand and landscapes change, so too must our strategies for conservation.

    Humanité et Biodiversité responded with a powerful concept: “Oasis Nature”—a network of citizen-created spaces that welcome and protect biodiversity. These oases may be urban gardens, schoolyards, balconies, farms, or parks—anywhere people choose to give space back to nature.

    At People For Nature, we were inspired to bring this model to Australia, where over 500 threatened species now live in or around cities. Like our French counterparts, we’re building a movement that enables people to turn their own spaces—gardens, verges, rooftops—into living, breathing Nature Oasis.

    Local Roots, Global Impact

    What began in France is blossoming here in Australia. Guided by the same principles of citizen empowerment, ecological responsibility, and community connection, we’re working toward a national network of Nature Oasis—from backyards in Brisbane to balconies in Melbourne.

    Together, we aim to regenerate hectares of urban biodiversity habitat by 2030—powered not by large-scale development, but by thousands of small, citizen-led actions.

    Why Citizen-Powered Change Matters

    Both Humanité et Biodiversité and People For Nature understand that:

    🦋 Biodiversity is essential to human wellbeing, from pollination to mental health.

    🌱 Small-scale habitats matter, especially when they’re connected.

    👣 Everyone can act—no matter where they live or how much space they have.

    🤝 Change starts with connection, between people and between people and place.

    Growing Together

    This is more than a coincidence—it’s a convergence. As climate change and biodiversity loss threaten life across the planet, citizen-powered solutions are emerging everywhere.

    We’re proud to walk this path with French allies like Humanité et Biodiversité, reminding us that hope is a practice—and that every native plant, pollinator, and backyard frog call is part of something bigger.

  • Citizen conservation in Australia

    Citizen conservation in Australia

    A Powerful Path to Urban Nature Regeneration

    Australia is home to some of the most unique and diverse ecosystems on Earth, from lush rainforests to sun-drenched coastlines. But these natural treasures are under increasing pressure—from climate change, habitat destruction, invasive species, and pollution. Alarmingly, more than 500 threatened species now intersect with our cities.

    In the face of these challenges, citizen conservation has emerged as a powerful, accessible way for individuals and communities to regenerate nature in urban environments.

    Understand the Importance of Conservation

    Conservation is no longer just the domain of scientists and park rangers—it’s everyone’s business. Iconic Australian animals like the koala, platypus, and numbat are facing unprecedented threats. Urban expansion continues to fragment their habitats, yet cities also offer untapped potential to become havens for biodiversity.

    Recent research, such as ARUP’s Biodiversity in Your Backyard, highlights how urban planning can support nature. In Melbourne, Sydney, and Brisbane alone, we could regenerate 127 hectares of habitat—the size of 178 soccer fields—through the creation of habitat corridors and green spaces.

    Take Action in Your Own Backyard

    The beauty of citizen conservation is that you don’t need vast land or scientific expertise to make a difference. Here are practical ways to begin in your own space:

    🌿 Create Biodiversity-Friendly Spaces

    Start by planting midstorey vegetation, such as native shrubs and groundcovers from your local area. These plants attract insects, which form the base of a food web that supports birds, reptiles, and small mammals.

    🦎 Build Habitats

    Simple additions like logs, rocks, insect hotels, birdbaths, or nest boxes can provide crucial shelter and food sources for wildlife.

    🌼 Protect Threatened Species

    Support native flora by avoiding chemical-based garden products, mulching, and managing invasive species. Many nurseries offer tube stock of threatened or locally important plants—ask what’s available and get planting.

    ♻️ Support Conservation Through Lifestyle Choices

    Everyday choices add up. Compost your food scraps, reduce plastic waste, and avoid products with unsustainable palm oil. Choose local, sustainable produce, keep pets indoors, and use water and energy wisely.

    Participate in Citizen Science Projects

    By contributing your time and observations, you help researchers monitor and protect local ecosystems. Here are a few standout projects in Australia:

    • iNaturalist Australia – Upload your wildlife sightings for global biodiversity databases.
    • Aussie Backyard Bird Count – Record birds in your area and help track population changes.
    • FrogID – Record frog calls to support amphibian conservation.

    These initiatives turn your phone or backyard into a powerful conservation tool.

    🌿 Citizen conservation is about small, consistent actions that build a bigger future. By connecting with nature, making thoughtful lifestyle choices, and inspiring others to care, you become part of a national movement to protect what makes Australia special.

    No effort is too small—every native plant, recorded frog call, or compost bin helps protect our future.

    Our Vision: A National Network of Citizen-Powered Nature Oasis

    We imagine a future where neighbourhoods across Australia are home to thriving Nature Oasis—small but mighty patches of habitat nurtured by everyday people. From apartment balconies to schoolyards and street verges, each oasis plays a role in bringing nature back to our lives, cities, and communities.

    Together, these micro-habitats can reconnect fragmented ecosystems, support threatened species, and build climate resilience—from the ground up.

    Because the more we reconnect with nature, the more we regenerate—together.