Professor Stephen Hopper AC is global leader in botany and conservation biology, as creator of one of the world's keystone biodiversity theories; he is also somewhat of a local star in the WA Great Southern. Often quoted in news stories and opinion pieces, such as The Conversation, his expertise has landed him the position of South West environmental expert. 

It may be a surprise then that he started out studying nuclear physics.

“I fairly quickly realised physics wasn’t for me and found myself wanting to study living things: botany, zoology, anthropology,” Steve says.

Undertaking a Bachelor of Science (Honours) in Botany and Zoology at The University of Western Australia, Steve’s passion for the South West blossomed, thanks in part to Associate Professor Sid James, who would later go on to be his PhD supervisor.

“He inspired me to explore the field, and pursue research, as we were on the edge of discovering the incredible biodiversity and unique nature of the South West region,” Steve says.

Knowing he thoroughly enjoyed fieldwork thanks to his undergraduate years, Steve began his PhD researching the iconic Kangaroo Paw, of which only 12 species were known of at the time. Later, Steve would appoint the plant his totem; an Indigenous practice that binds the individual to the health of that species for life.

Despite hailing from NSW, Steve fell in love with the South West, continuing his work through his appointment as Western Australia’s first Flora Conservation Research Officer, in 1977, eventually rising to the rank of Senior Principal Research Scientist and Officer in Charge of the WA Wildlife Research Centre, in the Department of Conservation and Land Management.

“At this time, I had seen how research can be turned into application, and policies – and I realised that botany, and the environment, weren’t quite at the top of the priority list within government,” Steve says.

Fortunately, Steve would shortly be offered the role of Director of Kings Park, an opportunity that taught him the importance of managing a large organisation, and how to connect people with nature.

“It was an opportunity to show how important the environment and biodiversity of the South West was to people, and tell its story,” he says.

Returning to UWA in 2004 as Foundation Professor of Plant Conservation Biology, Steve took a broader look at the WA environment, and created the now foundational theory explaining how old, climatically buffered, infertile landscapes can support incredible biodiversity.

Alongside the creation of new Conservation Biology degrees at UWA, he began to mentor students, early career researchers and continued to undertake ground-breaking field research.

He was then offered another role of a lifetime; Director of the Royal Botanic Gardens, at Kew, in London. The Kew Botanic Gardens are a World Heritage site owing to its history as palace gardens of the 18th century turned globally renowned institution for plant and fungi research. 

Image: The Palmhouse at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.

“Most research into biodiversity and the world’s richest floras was done in the Northern Hemisphere, so I thought, 'that’s it, I’ll go, and learn all I can'. I stayed for six years,” Steve says.

“I travelled extensively, collaborating with researchers from countries around the world, meeting others that were researching their own environment using the old, climatically buffered, infertile landscapes theory.”

Retiring from the position at Kew in 2012, Steve returned to WA as Professor of Biodiversity at the UWA Albany Campus and found his interest in anthropology had resurfaced.

“I had a realisation that we should be learning from the experts, the Aboriginal people of the southwest,” Steve says.

Image: The old, climatically buffered infertile landscape (OCBIL) that is usually a hilltop and rock formation, is known as kaart in Noongar, and the young, often disturbed fertile landscape (YODFEL) holds the beeliar (fresh water), where First Nations people traditionally hunted, camped and travelled. Credit Steve Hopper.

“And one of the first conversations I had with Lynette Knapp had me realising that my old, climatically buffered, infertile landscapes theory was already common knowledge and had been told as the story of kaart and beeliar,” he says.

Steve has worked closely with Lynette Knapp, a Merningar Barduk Elder, across many projects which aim to conserve the biodiversity of the South West.

“Sometimes, we need to just ask, and listen. Not to assume we know what is right but respect the years of knowledge Aboriginal people have of their land, and simply offer an ear,” Steve says.

“Of course, we should always offer our own knowledge and research, share what we know and show that respect.”

Now supervising various Masters and PhD students in Albany and lending his knowledge to research projects, Steve is continuing to champion a passion for biodiversity, alongside the skill of simply listening.

Professor Steve Hopper is active in several current research projects, including: the PEAT Project, supported by The Ian Potter Foundation and Walking Together, supported by Lotterywest, and Healing Land, Healing People: Novel Nyungar Perspectives, supported by the ARC Discovery Indigenous Grant.