Amy Steel is a climate adaptation expert and PhD candidate with Adrift Lab at Curtin University, Western Australia. With over a decade of experience advising on decarbonisation and climate resilience, Amy is now focused on a vital question: should humans intervene to help ecosystems on the verge of collapse—and if so, how, where, and when?

Amy's research centres on the Yowli (otherwise known as Flesh-footed Shearwaters) breeding on islands in the Recherche Archipelago off Kepa Kurl, Esperance. These seabirds face increasing and worsening threats from lightning-ignited wildfires during their peak breeding season, impacted by climate change. Working with the Esperance Tjaltjraak Rangers, Amy is exploring how Wudjari cultural burning can protect these fragile habitats. Amy also reflects on moving from high-level strategy to hands-on fieldwork, the importance of Indigenous knowledge, and what it means to protect ecosystems in a rapidly changing climate.

In this episode, we discuss:

• Amy’s diverse background and what led her from leadership roles in climate strategy to research
• The long-term impacts of heat stroke that ended her competitive netball career and influenced her path
• Joining the Adrift Lab team and what inspired her to undertake a PhD
• Why islands and seabirds like the Yowli are critical indicators of ecosystem health
• The increasing severity of wildfires and extreme weather, and their impacts on vulnerable species
• Whether seabirds and other wildlife can adapt to human-driven climate change, and if natural checks and balances are breaking down
• The ethical and ecological questions around human intervention in collapsing ecosystems
• Working closely with the Esperance Tjaltjraak Rangers, and the role of Wudjari cultural burning in ecosystem resilience
• The importance of place-based policy and honouring Indigenous knowledge in climate responses
• How to communicate climate and conservation issues effectively, and create lasting change within communities
• Staying motivated in advocacy through collaboration and community action
• The role of athletes in climate conversations, and how to stay safe while being active in a changing climate
• What gives Amy hope as an environmental researcher

To view all the links to the websites and documents, visit the show notes on our website.

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Christelle Bakhache is a climber, conservationist, Lagoped ambassador, and Nature Sports Project Manager at Asters, the Conservatory of Natural Spaces in Haute-Savoie, France. With a background in environmental science and fieldwork that includes time with global organisations like WWF, Christelle brings a deep, practical understanding of conservation to her current work protecting some of France’s most fragile alpine environments.

Christelle works where outdoor adventure and environmental protection meet. She focuses on making sure that people can still enjoy the mountains without causing lasting harm to the ecosystems that make these places so special. Whether it’s shaping policy, supporting grassroots projects, or helping athletes think differently about their impact, she’s passionate about finding practical ways to balance human presence in these special and unique environments.

In this conversation, Christelle shares how her love for wild spaces fuels her mission, what she’s witnessing firsthand in the face of climate change, and how outdoor athletes and everyday adventurers alike can reduce their impact. She also reflects on her personal journey—blending exploration, advocacy, and a commitment to low-impact living to pursue a more sustainable future.

In this episode, we discuss:

• Christelle’s path into conservation and her drive to protect the natural world
• Life and work in Haute-Savoie, and how the region shapes her environmental outlook
• Her role at Asters and their mission to safeguard mountain biodiversity
• The rapid and visible impacts of climate change in the European Alps
• Conservation wins, persistent challenges, and reasons for hope
• The hidden environmental toll of large-scale sporting events
• What genuinely low-impact outdoor events could look like
• Sustainable training and travel tips for athletes and adventurers
• Practical ways we can all reduce our footprint in nature
• The influence of individual athletes and institutions advocating for change
• Christelle’s year of travelling simply and living with intention
• Steps toward becoming a more thoughtful, respectful presence in the outdoors

To view all the links to the websites and documents, visit the show notes on our website.

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Joseph Boctor is a PhD researcher at Murdoch University’s Bioplastics Innovation Hub and a passionate advocate for sustainable environmental solutions. Originally from Egypt, Joseph’s work is driven by a personal mission to address the growing plastic pollution crisis in the Nile River and other regions where waste management and recycling systems are underdeveloped or ineffective.

At the Bioplastics Innovation Hub — a collaborative initiative between Murdoch University, CSIRO, Australia’s national science agency, and industry partners — Joseph’s research focuses on developing innovative ways to break down plastics in environments where traditional approaches fall short. With expertise in chemical sciences and biotechnology, he’s helping pioneer next-generation strategies for plastic degradation and sustainable materials.

Together with the team at the Hub, Joseph is contributing to Australia’s efforts to rethink the plastic lifecycle, to create a cleaner, more resilient future for ecosystems around the world.

In this episode, we discuss:

• Joseph’s background and what sparked his passion for tackling plastic pollution
• The shocking scale of plastic waste in the Nile River and its broader implications
• The two sides to the plastic problem—beginning and end of life strategies
• His lead authorship on the paper “Microplastics and nanoplastics: fate, transport, and governance from agricultural soil to food webs and humans”
• Why micro- and nanoplastics are so concerning, and how their size makes them nearly impossible to escape
• From soil to salad: How micro and nanoplastics enter agricultural soils and what that could mean for our health
• The urgent need for regulation and standardised risk assessments of plastics in food webs
• Packaging solutions that don’t leave a legacy: The groundbreaking work of the Bioplastics Innovation Hub
• Australia’s love affair with plastic, and the alarming statistics behind our consumption
• Joseph’s lead authorship on the review “Nature’s Plastic Predators: A Comprehensive and Bibliometric Review of Plastivore Insects”
• The intriguing insects that can feed on plastics—and how they could revolutionise waste management
• The Hub’s Smart Sprays Project and its potential to transform the agricultural industry
• Practical steps we can take as consumers to reduce our plastic footprint and avoid contamination

Joseph offers a wealth of knowledge and insight. This episode will give you

To view all the links to the websites and documents, visit the show notes on our website.

Please support our work and enable us to deliver more content by buying us a coffee or becoming a member of Athletes for Nature.
Follow us on Instagram, Facebook and Bluesky, subscribe to this podcast, and share this episode with your friends and family.