Frances Taylor

I'm

About

I am an urban ecologist who works on restoring ecosystems and human connection to nature inside cities. I do this by building indigenous green corridors through training and enabling civic society to restore their own ecosystems.

Who am I?

I am a driven self-starter who has learned a lot from founding and leading a grassroots non-profit over the past 7 years. I have worked on and am passionate about combining collaborative ecological restoration with social justice. My set of skills is well suited to translate grassroots action into strategic policy, and I aim to work on methods to replicate, scale and translate existing efforts.

  • Hobbies: Gardening, birdwatching, drawing, writing, DIY
  • Languages: English (mother tongue), Afrikaans (basic), Spanish (B1), Dutch (beginners), Zulu (beginners)
  • Traveled to: Botswana, Zimbabwe, Namibia, Zambia, Lesotho, Tanzania, Kenya, Zanzibar, Mozambique, Ghana, Senegal, Thailand, Cambodia, India, Czech Republic, The Netherlands, Belgium, Sweden, Spain, Portugal, Morocco, Colombia, Peru, Panama

Resume

Education

Science, Nature & Democracy

2019

University of Cape Town

This course unpacked the history and politics of science, and how our cultural biases and values have shaped our relationship with nature and how this comes into conflict with democracy.

MPhil Environment, Sustainability and Society

2013-2015

University of Cape Town

This degree was trans-disciplinary, and my classes included urban ecology, queering the anthropocene, the rise, fall and reconstruction of apartheid cities. My thesis focused on the social reproduction of apartheid boundaries and how everyday mobility practices can redraw those lines.

BSc Hons Ecology

2004-2008

University of Witwatersrand

This degree covered the basics of a science degree including biology, chemistry, physiology, as well as specific animal, plant, and environmental sciences, including systems ecology.

Professional Experience

Untraceable University
Co-founder

2022 - Present

South Africa and Colombia

  • Project conceptualisation, design, partner network building, and pilot preparation

Fynbos Corridor Collaboration
Co-founder

2019 - 2022

Cape Town, South Africa

  • I initiated and co-founded a city-wide collaborative effort to:
    • co-ordinate existing greening efforts across the city,
    • build access to high quality green spaces for all income brackets,
    • raise the standard of greening to fall in line with international ecological principles of the Society of Ecological Restoration.
  • I co-authored a city-wide greening strategy
  • I co-developed online tools to make key ecological knowledge accessible to the public.

Communitree
Co-founder and Director

2016 - 2022

Cape Town, South Africa

  • I started and grew this organisation from scratch
  • We created a network of 18 community urban restoration gardens along two urban riverine corridors
  • I trained diverse community groups in scientifically- sound ecological restoration principles, skills and care
  • We successfully reintroduced 2 endangered species through community-run restoration
  • I managed, trained and mentored a team of four full-time staff
  • Our work was featured on CNN and Deutsch Welle

Publications and media

Over the years I have written a number of articles, developed strategies, presented my work, and I have been featured in the media. Below are a few of the highlights.

  • All
  • In the media
  • Presentations
  • Publications

Services

I am an independent consultant, available for the following:

Ecological training

I offer a basic ecological knowledge and skills course for members of the public to learn how to garden within ecological restoration principles. This work is catered to the ecosystem of the city. Can be online or in-person.

Eco-corridor strategy development

I develop ecological corridor building strategies that allows members of the public to meaningfully participate in ecological corridor building in cities. Example: Cape Town

Online tool development

I develop online tools that help with site selection and plant selection to support members of the public, local greening organisations, and municipalities to collaborate on corridor building. Example: Fynbos Corridor Collaboration

Qualitative and quantitative research

I am trained in urban ecology, ecological restoration, queer ecology, feminist ecologies, and mobilities. I am particularly interested in research in urban ecological corridor building and urban utopias.

Contact

Location:

Rosebank, Johannesburg (South Africa)