Steven J Cooke – The Conversation

The Avon River in Christchurch, New Zealand runs through the city’s botanic gardens. Adele Heidenreich/Shutterstock

May 6, 2026

How to build cities for wildlife, not just people – new research

Helen A. L. Currie, University of Portsmouth; Irene Gregory-Eaves, McGill University, and Steven J Cooke, Carleton University

Urban waterways sit at the heart of the global nature crisis.

A woman kayaks near Pigeon Lake in central Ontario in 2021. Canada is rich in natural resources and freshwater, but those resources aren’t infinite. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Fred Thornhill

May 12, 2025

‘Elbows up’ in Canada means sustainable resource development

Steven J Cooke, Carleton University; Christina M. Davy, Carleton University; Dalal Hanna, Carleton University, and Joseph Bennett, Carleton University

Accelerated resource development in Canada should not burden future generations with environmental destruction.

Caribou face a range of threats in Canada. Shutterstock

October 14, 2019

Nature matters to Canadians, so conservation should be an election issue

Joseph Bennett, Carleton University and Steven J Cooke, Carleton University

Canadians are more concerned about the environment than ever before. Here’s how to judge a party leader’s perspective on protecting biodiversity.

A dry river bed in south Australia. (Shutterstock)

February 3, 2019

How drought affects freshwater fish

Robert Lennox, Carleton University and Steven J Cooke, Carleton University

Freshwater fish are suffering as drought becomes more common and severe. Whether they survive will depend on how governments manage rivers and lakes, and on taking action against climate change.

Spawning sockeye salmon make their way up the Adams River near Chase, B.C. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jonathan Hayward

January 22, 2019

Freshwater wildlife face an uncertain future

Andrea Reid, Carleton University and Steven J Cooke, Carleton University

Populations of freshwater species are in a state of deep decline. But we know why and we can reverse the trend.

Black tip sharks swim with tropical fish in a lagoon in French Polynesia. (Shutterstock)

June 6, 2018

Killing sharks, wolves and other top predators won’t solve conflicts

Robert Lennox, Carleton University; Austin Gallagher, University of Miami; Euan Ritchie, Deakin University, and Steven J Cooke, Carleton University

When humans have conflicts with wildlife, the first reaction is often to cull them. But there’s little evidence to show that it works, and removing predators can even backfire and make things worse.

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