SUGi Talks — Biodiversity & Belonging
2nd September 2025
Why Wild Urban Spaces Matter for our health and well-being.
Join us this September for an in-depth conversation with leading experts in the fields of ecology, urban greening, and community development.
Together with internationally recognised author of The Nature of Our Cities, Dr. Nadina Galle; founder of Nowadays on Earth, Kalpana Alejandra Arias; and our very own SUGi UK Forest Lead, Adrian Wong, we’ll dive deep into bold ideas and real-world solutions for transforming urban life with wild biodiverse Nature.
From building climate resilience and restoring lost biodiversity to mitigating the mental health crisis in our cities, we’ll explore how community action, science, and Nature unite to reshape what cities can become, and how we can better work together to make it happen.
Time & Dates
- Tuesday 2nd September, 2025
- Online Event
- 17:00 - 18:30 (BST)
Meet the panel:
Kalpana Arias
Founder of Nowadays & Glitch
Kalpana Arias is a guerrilla gardener, technologist, nature rights activist and food grower, writer, speaker and the founder of Nowadays, a social enterprise fighting for urban nature. Alongside Nowadays, Kalpana campaigns for the right to grow and nature rights through urban gardening projects and tech policy reforms, has been researching technological ecologies for over 7 years, delivered a global TED talk, spoken at the United Nations, featured on Evening Standard's 30 under 30 list of Climate Activists On A Mission To Save London and Vogue, and is a trustee for GROW charity and National Park City. Kalpana is currently an environmental consultant for corporations and governments and works with leading charities, institutions, brands and grassroots change-makers.
Dr. Nadina Galle
Ecological Engineer & Technologist
Dr. Nadina Galle is a Dutch-Canadian ecological engineer, keynote speaker, and author of the #1 Amazon bestseller The Nature of Our Cities. Internationally recognized as the pioneer of the Internet of Nature movement, she works at the intersection of ecology, technology, and urban design to create resilient, nature-rich communities. Her projects range from "talking" trees and AI-powered biodiversity monitoring to citizen science campaigns like the City Nature Challenge. Nadina also hosts the Internet of Nature Podcast, where she features pioneers reshaping the relationship between people, nature, and cities. A National Geographic Explorer and Forbes “30 Under 30” honoree, her work has been featured by Bloomberg, NPR, CNBC, and BBC Earth.
Adrian Wong
SUGi UK Forest Lead
SUGi UK Forest Lead Adrian is a dedicated regenerative planting specialist with a keen interest in replicating natural ecosystems to benefit biodiversity. As a student of the natural world, he strives to bring nature into the Urban landscape. A passion developed from his time travelling and observing how society benefits most when nature and humanity can coexist.
Hosted by Áine Devaney
Áine Devaney is a multidisciplinary storyteller with a background in the arts and NGO sector. Having lived across Europe, she has contributed to influential publications such as Resident Advisor, Crack Magazine, and Huck Magazine, while also creating audio work for the BBC, Rádio Quântica, and guest appearances on NTS. Her passion for documentary and audio production has led her to expand into wider content creation, blending journalism, sound, and storytelling across platforms.
As a freelance producer and storyteller, Áine continues to explore the intersections of culture, community, and sound—bringing nuanced narratives to life through thoughtful curation and collaboration.
