Project Description
Grassland Resurrection – Connecting Knowledge, Research & Management Forum
8 May, 2026. Fitzroy Town Hall , Melbourne, Victoria
Kai Lane
Kai is a proud Yorta-Yorta Barapa-Barapa man, with connections to Dja Dja Wurrung and Wurundjeri, who is passionate about his culture and loves to share his knowledge. Growing up near the Murray River he now lives in Geelong working in the ecology and restoration field. Kai is Vice president to Eco Warriors Australia which is a non for profit that focuses on empowering individuals and groups to come together, take action and strengthen our natural ecosystems through hands-on restoration and education initiatives with a strong focus on indigenous led projects with over 60% of the board being Traditional Owners. Kai also co-leads ERA’s ‘Habitat Warriors’ initiative, delivers curriculum based community projects to schools and other community groups, including cultural knowledge sessions and hands on conservation workshops. Kai is super passionate about teaching how traditional ecological knowledge can enhance scientific research.
Habitat Warriors- Creating a living classroom for students
Students from Kerang South Primary School are leading the restoration of a registered native grassland in their hometown, demonstrating how young people can play an active role in protecting biodiversity. Ecologists surveying the site identified a healthy population of the endangered Grey-crowned Babbler (listed in Victoria) and sightings of the native Blue-banded Bee, despite a concerning absence of key pollinator plants. The once-abundant Chocolate Lily—a culturally and ecologically significant grassland species—has sadly disappeared from the site due to past chemical use. Working alongside professional ecologists and local Traditional Owners, students participated in three on-site excursions, a hands-on plant propagation and seed collection workshop, a community planting day, and a follow-up monitoring session. During monitoring, students collected and analysed data to assess the overall health of the grassland three months after planting. Through this project, students are not only restoring habitat for threatened species but also building skills in conservation science, cultural knowledge, and environmental stewardship—becoming the next generation of land carers and citizen scientists.
Questions from the Forum
Kai, I admire your clear hope! With the significant threats to grasslands and other ecosystems, how can we foster more hope?
I try to focus on the positive stories about grasslands, even if those stories can sometimes seem small. Working in the ecology industry, I need that “buzz of hope” because hope is what keeps me passionate and motivated.
If I can’t teach with passion and inspire others to care, then our grasslands will continue to decline. Real change happens when people step up as role models, share knowledge, and encourage others to take action. Every person who learns, cares, and gets involved gives me hope that we can create a better future for our grasslands and the species that depend on them.
How easy would it be to scale-up the work you are doing?
Scaling up the work I do would be very achievable with the right funding and support. However, more importantly, I believe the key to long-term success is capacity building. I am always looking for opportunities to train Rangers, ecologists, and community members so they can develop the skills and confidence to continue this work themselves.
Any plans to engage secondary school students?
Yes, I am already involved with secondary schools, and engaging young people is something I am very passionate about. Through Habitat Warriors, many of our projects take place in local parks and natural areas, providing hands-on experiences on Country.
One challenge we have found is that secondary schools often have less flexibility in their timetables than primary schools, which can make it more difficult to get students out on Country and involved in field-based activities. However, that doesn’t mean we aren’t trying.
