Dr. Iain Gordon is Honorary Professor at the Australian National University, and Adjunct Professor at Central Queensland University, James Cook University, and Lincoln University. He obtained his BSc from the University of Aberdeen and his PhD from the University of Cambridge. Throughout his career, he has played an active role in promoting the value of biodiversity and its importance in the provision of ecosystems services and human wellbeing. From 2015-2019, he acted as Deputy Vice Chancellor for Tropical Environments and Societies. He is Emeritus Fellow of the James Hutton Institute, the largest research institute in the UK specializing in agriculture, environment, and rural development. In recognition of his research contributions, he has also been elected as Fellow of the Royal Society of Biology and Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh. Dr.

Adrian Manning is Professor at the Fenner School of Environment and Society at the Australian National University. He obtained his BSc from the University of Edinburgh and his PhD from the Australian National University. His research expertise is in conservation, reintroduction biology, landscape and restoration ecology. He is Research Leader of the long-term 'Mulligans Flat - Goorooyarroo Woodland Experiment" - a government-university-NGO research partnership aiming to understand ways of restoring critically endangered box-gum grassy woodlands. Through this work, Professor Manning was instrumental in the development of the Mulligans Flat Woodland Sanctuary (mulligansflat.org.au) - a major ecological restoration and community outreach project. A key aspect of his research is the reintroduction of locally extinct species, particularly those that return key ecological functions.