ABOUT US
What is FOUNDATION Ecology?
FOUNDATION Ecology is a social enterprise specialising in building community biodiversity literacy and providing bioblitz workshops direct to landowners, empowering them to become citizen scientists and champions of biodiversity. By bringing people together through interactive educational workshops and collaborative investigations of ecosystems, together we can re-establish our connection with the land and come to understand and respect the biological systems of which we are all a part.
OUR PURPOSE
To improve the community’s biodiversity literacy and empower people to become active stewards of biodiversity and champions of environmental conservation. To foster a deep appreciation for the natural world and inspire a sense of responsibility towards its protection
OUR MISSION
To foster a thriving community of passionate and informed citizen scientists, utilising technology to monitor, protect, and enhance biodiversity. By embracing an optimistic vision of a future where nature and community are intricately interwoven, we plant the seeds of positive change.
Core Values
EDUCATION
We prioritise education and knowledge-sharing, equipping people with the skills and understanding to appreciate, conserve, and improve biodiversity.
EMPOWERMENT
We aim to empower individuals to become Citizen Scientists, cultivating a strong connection and sense of responsibility for the environment
WELLBEING
We create an inclusive and supportive operational environment, provide enjoyable client experiences in nature, promote mental and physical health, and foster a sense of belonging to a supportive community.
THE NATURALIST
GEOFFREY COX
FOUNDATION Ecology is the latest stage in my personal journey of discovering the biodiversity in South Australia. Through my investigations extending over the last seven years I’ve come to understand the vast chasm that exists between our community’s understanding of the species that live around us and the true depth and breadth of this biodiversity.
This enterprise is my way of sharing my journey. A platform created to introduce people to the depths of biodiversity on a personal level, and one that can translate this complexity into easy to digest information for the general public.
MY WORKS
From my nature encounters I’ve created more than 31,000 digital species occurrence records on iNaturalist. These records have been synced with Australia’s pre-eminent open biodiversity database, the Atlas of Living Australia.
In 2019 I established the ‘South Australian iNaturalists’ project to bring together local nature enthusiasts and encourage the wider community to take part in Citizen Science.
I’ve assisted the community with over 35,000 identifications on species occurrence records, helping to improve the value of these records to researchers, government agencies, community and education groups.
I built the ‘Protected Parks of South Australia’ iNaturalist project in 2019, which brings together biodiversity records from more than 450 publicly accessible protected natural areas across South Australia
Uncovering urban biodiversity I’ve established the ‘Backyard Biodiversity’ project, creating over 6,000 species occurrence records and encountering more than 750 species living in or visiting my suburban property.
The ‘Epistemic Curiosity’ blog established in 2020 is dedicated to the informal study of biodiversity in South Australia, the promotion of Citizen Science through the use of iNaturalist, and participation in BioBlitz events.
