In Episode 8 of the Global Alliance for the Rights of Nature (GARN)’s podcast Conversations with Mother Nature, we sit down with Dr. Mika Peck, Professor of Conservation Ecology at the University of Sussex, founder of EcoForensic, and pioneer of the groundbreaking field of paraecology. Speaking from Siena, Italy in 2022, Mika shares stories from decades of fieldwork, landmark legal cases, and grassroots collaborations that are transforming how we defend the natural world.
Paraecology, as Mika describes it, is about creating “paramedics for the planet”, empowering people living in biodiversity-rich or climate-impacted regions to monitor and protect ecosystems themselves. This approach has already proven powerful in Ecuador, where ecological data gathered by communities helped secure a historic victory in the Los Cedros Rights of Nature case, halting a mining project that threatened a critically endangered ecosystem.
Mika also introduces the concept of ecological forensics, the integration of science and law to ensure communities have the evidence they need to defend their territories in court. Through initiatives like EcoForensic, he works to bridge gaps between scientists, lawyers, and local defenders, strengthening their capacity to uphold the Rights of Nature.
At the heart of Mika’s work is a belief in shifting away from the notion that humans are separate from Nature. He shares powerful stories from Ecuador, where Indigenous communities say, “We are not defending the jungle, we are the jungle defending itself.” It’s a perspective that challenges dominant worldviews and offers a new vision for conservation: one grounded in education, empowerment, and deep relationality with the living world.
🎧 Listen to the full episode: garn.org/conversations-with-mother-nature
