Dr Dick Williams is one of Australia’s leading plant ecologists, with over 30 years’ research experience in both northern and south-eastern Australia. He has a PhD in Plant Ecology from the University of Melbourne, and has published widely in the fields of fire ecology, savanna ecology, alpine ecology, fire regimes, biodiversity and carbon dynamics. He has a particular interest in the ecology and management of Australian fire regimes, especially those of the tropical savannas of the Top End, and the alpine landscapes of Victoria. He recently retired from CSIRO Ecosystem Sciences in Darwin, where he was a Senior Principal Research Scientist. He is currently an Honorary Research Fellow with CSIRO, and an Adjunct Professorial Fellow with The Research Institute for the Environment and Livelihoods at Charles Darwin University. Dick is a passionate champion of the role of science in society, loves communicating science to diverse audiences, and works hard to ensure that landscape management is based on sound ecological principles.