Today we are mega excited to welcome Dr Kylie Soans - one of the judges for this year's 2024 Environment Award for Children's Literature judges.
These awards coincide with Nature Book Week, an incentive facilitated by The Wilderness Society to celebrate the best in nature-themed children's books.
Enjoy this exclusive Q & A with Kylie and don't forget to enter our Nature Book Week Giveaway running this week until Saturday!
What is your favourite book about nature? And what’s your favourite nature book to read or share with your kids?I really enjoyed Marty Crump's Headless males make great lovers: and other unusual natural histories. It's such a fun insight into the fact that the living world is, well, kind of bizarre, and that's a good thing.
As for the kids, a big favourite in our house at the moment is Ingenious Insects by Sarah Allen. It's a beautifully illustrated ode to our amazing native insects and is a regular bedtime story. My 5yo is now obsessed with finding a hercules moth one day.
I love reading old stories by David Fleay because his passion and excitement for native animals is utterly contagious. He was a highly regarded wildlife biologist, but never afraid to say 'Wow! How cool are echidnas?!" (I'm paraphrasing there).
Rachel Carson's writing is such a great example of using science to advocate for a better world. She drew together research and personal connection to craft a message that really connected with people and ultimately drove important changes to ban dangerous insecticides. I also adore Darryl Jones' writing about birds in cities as a great mix of science and personal connection. If my work could be a blend of the passion, wisdom, and tenacity of these three, I'd be pretty happy.
I’m also really inspired by fiction writers who tackle topics around environmental issues. People like Jane Rawson, Laura Jean Mackay, James Bradley and Lucy Treloar weave really powerful stories about our relationship with nature in ways that really stick with me and make me think more deeply about my role as a conservation scientist.
What inspired you to become a scientist and work to save nature?
I've always been drawn to nature – getting distracted by birds or butterflies, a really cool bug, or a kangaroo in the distance. But I grew up in a bit of a concrete jungle in north-western Melbourne and we didn't have much in the way of nature around. As I progressed through my science degree, I got the opportunity to visit amazing places, and work with some of our stunning native animals.
Holding my first sugar glider felt totally surreal! But I could never quite shake the feeling that everyone deserved to have access to nature - not just those of us who lived in nice bush blocks or could travel on outback treks. And as I learned more about urban ecology, I realised there was no reason that cities should be designed to be so hostile to nature. So my work now is all about finding ways to help nature thrive in cities – and this helps people thrive too.
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What do you love about Nature Book Week and the Karajia and Environment Awards for Children’s Literature?
It gives such a big platform to these wonderful books and opens people's eyes to what's out there. I think a lot of people think of nature books as just lists of scientific facts and figures (which kids love by the way!), but the shortlist showcases the incredible range of ways that we connect to nature through stories. There's a lot of love, awe, joy, wonder and, most importantly, hope in these books. And that's what we all need right now.
What advice would you give to young science and nature lovers?
Stay curious and keep noticing! Let yourself get distracted by that cool beetle. Noticing nature is a superpower – sharing that with others makes you a superhero.
Do you have a really cool science and nature fact you could share with us?
Owls can't roll their eyes! It's because their eyeballs aren't ball-shaped at all - they're long cylinders, more like a telescope shape. This means they can take in lots more light and see in even the darkest nights. The downside is they can't move their eyes at all. If they want to look at something different, they have to turn their whole head!
Dr. Kylie Soanes is an Australian scientist on a mission to save nature in our cities and towns. And she wants to share this mission with you. Her research brings together the fields of urban ecology and biodiversity conservation to ask ‘How can we make cities better places for wildlife?’ A leading expert in her field, she collaborates with councils, community groups, engineers and architects to make real change for wildlife in urban environments. Her projects include building rope bridges to help gliding possums cross roads, 3D-printing nesting hollows for powerful owls, and adding floating wetlands to busy city rivers.
Kylie is a prolific science communicator, using her trademark warmth and wit to make even the most complicated scientific concepts easily understood. You’ll often catch her sharing stories about neighbourhood wildlife, and the science that goes into saving them, on radio, blogs, and TikTok.