Soil-Atmosphere-Anthroposphere Lab

I work with forests to rebalance our atmosphere; an urgent and critical mission on behalf of all species, at the same time one filled with wonder, learning and beauty. I lead the Soil-Atmosphere-Anthroposphere Lab at RMIT University; together with students and colleagues across Indonesia, Malaysia and Australia we are exploring how to bring the biophysical and social sciences together with community and government aspirations to restore tropical peatswamp forests. I come humbly to these tropical peatswamp forests, as a soil scientist expert in peat soils but novice in tropical forest ecology and Dayak, Indonesian and Malay cultures. We learn together, cycling through trialling and revising our ideas, marvelling at the resilience and fragility of these forests. Listening closely, I can hear them breathing, removing carbon dioxide and rebuilding oxygen. Every so often I catch a glimpse of majesty, their glorious green slow-moving expanse, inextricable from the dark peat waters within and surrounding them. This energising forest joy fortifies me for the emails, approvals, budgets, spreadsheets, contracts required to work with tropical forests and inspires me to share their wonder with my students and with you. Join us, join the tropical peatswamp forests, for a journey into a future that we create together by deep listening and authentic collaboration.