Holly is an urban ecologist specialising in the interdisciplinary application of ecology to urban planning and design. An expert in animal movement and spatial modelling, for the last five years Holly has been using this knowledge to plan cities that support and enhance urban biodiversity. She has been working on a series of action-research projects understanding how Biodiversity Sensitive Urban Design (BSUD) can be implemented in different urban developments, from greenfield residential sites to high-rise inner-city buildings. Holly’s work on ecological connectivity has been used to create biodiversity plans for the City of Melbourne, Australian Capital Territory and Knox City Council.

She is currently developing an open-access tool to help decision-makers prioritise places and actions for urban biodiversity conservation, funded by an ARC Industry Fellowship. Holly is passionate about translating scientific theory into positive on-ground action for people and nature.