Barbara Stewart

Barbara Stewart - Profile

I am an Australian ecologist based near Byron Bay on the east coast of the continent.

My interests revolve around trees, forests and ecological restoration. My first degree, a Bachelor of Science with Honours in botany, was undertaken in the temperate island state of Tasmania. Later, I moved on to warmer climates and undertook a PhD in subtropical rainforest regeneration ecology. Research, tertiary teaching, consultancy and plenty of travel have now taken me to places where exotic plants and amazing vegetation flourish throughout Australia, Asia and Central and South America. The environment is not faring so well in many places, and it is satisfying to be able to use my skills to contribute very directly to conservation management.

I enjoy communicating material and ideas from my areas of expertise and experience to a general readership. As so much of ecology is interesting and useful to me, I hope that others out there will appreciate having convenient access to information. Hence I regularly write for newsletters and local media as well as for scientific and technical purposes.

Currently, I am a director and ecological scientist with a consulting firm. It is a flexible position that allows me to travel, write and work on conservation projects. My current focus is in Ecuador, where I have links to a local conservation organization and an ecological restoration project on the Galapagos Islands.

Much of my spare time is taken up in management of my own rainforest property, but I also enjoy ocean swimming, bushwalking and studying Spanish.