Cara Penton

I am a cross-cultural ecologist and research fellow at Warddeken Land Management Ltd and Charles Darwin University, working in partnership with local communities in the remote stone country of West Arnhem Land. I am deeply committed to supporting Indigenous-led conservation and strengthening the role of community-driven monitoring and management in protecting Australia’s unique biodiversity.

Over the past five years, I have led several conservation projects funded through the Australian Government’s Environment Restoration Fund, Saving Native Species, and Priority Places programs. My practitioner work focuses on adapting scientific approaches to support local values, priorities, and cultural governance. From fire and feral animal management to threatened species monitoring, I work alongside Indigenous rangers to co-develop practical tools and strategies that support long-term ecological and cultural outcomes.

With the rapid advancement of technology, I have become increasingly interested in how AI can enhance community engagement in ecological monitoring and intersect with research, environmental management, and community-led conservation outcomes. I aim to explore how to design ethical AI systems that are transparent, context-aware, and capable of supporting meaningful outcomes for both people and the environment.

I hold a PhD in conservation ecology and bring a unique systems-thinking lens to conservation challenges. Grounded in long-term partnerships and on-ground experience, my approach is collaborative, adaptive, and driven by a belief that the most enduring conservation outcomes are those led by the people who know Country best.

Through my Fellowship, I will travel overseas to research community led approaches to AI in conservation, learning how ethical, locally grounded technology can support biodiversity and empower Indigenous land management.