Behind the Foundation is a team of thoughtful, experienced people with a great deal to contribute to public conversations about forests, land management and care for Country.
This page brings together thought pieces, essays and commentary written by members of our team in their individual capacity. It is a space to share the ideas they care deeply about and the expertise they bring to their work.
The views expressed are those of the individual authors and do not necessarily represent the formal position of the Healthy Forests Foundation.
After fire, before recovery
Pia Angelike, Forest systems analyst
28 March 2026, Substack
This article explores the narrow window after fire, when recovery pathways are still flexible and the choices that follow matter most. Pia brings together on-ground observation, ecological science and First Nations knowledge to show why greening is not the same as recovery, and why damaged forests may need more than time alone. It is an engaging piece about fragility, intervention and what it really means to restore a forest.
Read the full article on Substack.
We Keep the Benefits. We Export the Costs.
Monique Dawson, CEO
20 March 2026, Substack
This article explores how privilege shapes public debate, especially when people insulated from the consequences dismiss the trade-offs others have to live with. It looks at the tension between amenity and livelihood, and challenges the habit of exporting environmental and economic costs to communities with less power. It is a thoughtful piece about responsibility, lived experience and the need for more honest conversations about who pays.
Read the full article on Substack.
Dear Scientists: Science Is Too Important to Be Weaponised
Monique Dawson, CEO
11 March 2026, Substack
This article argues that science is too important to be turned into a weapon in public debate. It examines what is lost when evidence is overstated, complexity is flattened, and scientific authority is used to shut down scrutiny rather than invite it. Using forests as one example, it makes the case for a more disciplined, transparent and self-critical science culture – one that protects public trust by staying true to inquiry rather than advocacy.
Read the full article on Substack.
What does it mean to be a “good” environmentalist?
Monique Dawson, CEO
5 March 2026, Substack
This article looks at what it means to be a good environmentalist, and argues that environmental stewardship cannot be reduced to simple ideas of what is good or bad. Instead, it makes the case for a more grounded ethic – one that recognises humans as part of nature and takes seriously the different needs, trade-offs and constraints that shape people’s lives. It is a thoughtful piece about complexity, responsibility and a more honest kind of environmentalism.
Read the full article on Substack.
Reflections on becoming a “villain”
Monique Dawson, CEO
25 February 2026, Substack
Drawing on her prior experience as an executive public servant, Monique reflects on what it means to work in sectors under intense public scrutiny. She explores how dehumanising leaders can narrow public debate, shifting focus from the issue to the individual. It is a thoughtful and personal piece about what is lost when criticism becomes personal, and why that can make important public leadership roles less desirable for capable, committed people.
Read the full article on Substack.
Forests precede civilisations, deserts follow – right?
Pia Angelike, Forest systems analyst
16 February 2026, Substack
In her first Substack essay, Pia Angelike challenges the idea that the best thing humans can do for forests is simply step away. Drawing on European forestry traditions and Australia’s current debates, she argues that clearing forests and caring for them are fundamentally different – and that failing to recognise this leaves little room for stewardship, adaptation or repair. It is a thoughtful piece about how the stories we tell shape what we are willing to do for forests.
Read the full article on Substack.
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