In this episode, we’re joined by Clancy Lester (AKA Bee Man), a passionate environmental educator, documentary director, and native bee advocate, whose work is dedicated to protecting pollinators and rewilding the places we live.

Specialising in native bee conservation, native plants, and science communication, Clancy combines hands-on ecological research with a gift for making complex ideas accessible and engaging. Through his social enterprise Bees and Blossoms, Clancy creates native bee habitats, delivers workshops, and champions nature-based climate solutions across urban and regional Australia.

Driven by a deep commitment to restoring biodiversity, he shares practical, hopeful insights into how Australia’s native bees are faring, and what we can all do to support pollinators and wildlife, no matter where we live.

In this episode, we explore:

• Clancy’s background, his connection to the natural world, and how his fascination with native bees began
• His experience in the Wattle Fellowship at the University of Melbourne and working with remote Aboriginal communities in north-east Arnhem Land
• Bee Hotels 101: What they are and why they matter
• The challenges pollinators face in urban environments, and how cities can better support them through habitat and native planting
• Clancy’s workshops, what gives him hope for the future, and how he inspires people to connect with nature
• His role as Director of 7 Seasons, and key moments from making the documentary that reshaped his thinking
• The importance of genuine collaboration and two-way learning with Indigenous communities
• Why honouring thousands of years of on-Country knowledge is essential for climate adaptation
• Staying connected to Country in urban environments
• Using social media for climate advocacy
• A fun breakdown of Bee Movie—what it got right (and wrong) about pollinators

To view all the links to the websites and documents, visit the show notes on our website.

Please support our work and enable us to deliver more content by buying us a coffee or becoming a member of Athletes for Nature.
Follow us on Instagram and Facebook, subscribe to this podcast, and share this episode with your friends and family.

In this episode, we’re joined by Richard Neville, NZILA Registered Landscape Architect and Director of Neville Design Studio. Richard’s work is grounded in regenerative design and a deep respect for the relationship between people and land. Driven by a belief that landscapes can reconnect us, both with nature and with each other, Richard creates spaces that are both meaningful and enduring.

An award-winning landscape architect, his work spans residential, rural, community, and commercial projects, and has been featured in several magazines, including Landscape Architecture Aotearoa. Alongside his practice, Richard is an active voice in the industry, most recently delivering the keynote at the 2025 New Zealand Gardens Trust Conference, sharing his perspective on how our cultural relationship with land and gardens is evolving.

In this episode, we explore:

• Richard’s background and passion for nature
• What led him to landscape architecture
• Landscape architecture as an interconnected system of ecology, people, and place
• The evolution of the discipline: from controlling nature to embracing wildness, beauty, and ecological complexity
• Rewilding gardens—why less paving, fewer lawns, and more plants create healthier, more resilient spaces
• How small, everyday moments in nature can have a lasting impact
• The ecological and human benefits of thoughtful landscape design, and how it fosters a deeper connection
• Richard’s work in schools and the importance of openness, curiosity, and unstructured interaction with nature
• Our relationship with Papatūānuku, and why biodiversity is essential for life
• The power of positive storytelling in reconnecting people with the environment
• Practical ways to bring nature into daily life, even in small or urban spaces

To view all the links to the websites and documents, visit the show notes on our website.

Please support our work and enable us to deliver more content by buying us a coffee or becoming a member of Athletes for Nature.
Follow us on Instagram and Facebook, subscribe to this podcast, and share this episode with your friends and family.

In this episode, we’re thrilled to welcome back Andre Borell, an impact filmmaker, investor, and co-founder and director of the Envoy Foundation. A self-described maker of good trouble (and one of our all-time favourites here at the podcast), Andre is driven by a deep love of marine life and a determination to leave the world better than he found it. He builds businesses, brands and films that challenge the status quo and create meaningful, measurable impact.

After witnessing the devastating effects of shark nets in Australia, Andre turned conviction into action with his powerful documentary Envoy: Shark Cull. His work shines a spotlight on Australia’s outdated and brutal shark control methods, exposing their ecological consequences and challenging the policies that allow them to persist.

In this episode, we explore:

• An update on Andre’s work, global adventures, and relocation to Aotearoa
• Practical strategies to bring Australia’s shark control programs out of the dark ages
• Innovations in shark safety—from deterrent wetsuits to AI drone surveillance on our beaches
• Current narratives around sharks and shark bites—separating fact from fiction
• The importance of shark education and understanding the conditions that increase risk
• Andre’s upcoming book projects, including Great White Lies
• The UN’s recently adopted High Seas Treaty and what it means for marine protection
• Policy-driven change and the influence of business in accelerating reform
• Progress on the Nordic Whale Reserve
• How to support the ongoing work of the Envoy Foundation

To view all the links to the websites and documents, visit the show notes on our website.

Please support our work and enable us to deliver more content by buying us a coffee or becoming a member of Athletes for Nature.
Follow us on Instagram and Facebook, subscribe to this podcast, and share this episode with your friends and family.