In Conversation: Urban Living & Secondary Forests

Robert Zhao Renhui (b. 1983, Singapore) is a multi-disciplinary artist and the founder of the Institute of Critical Zoologists.   

His artistic practice addresses humanity’s relationship with nature, and is characterised by a longstanding interest in investigating sites defined by the conflation of wilderness and urbanisation.

Yong Ding Li is a conservation biologist with a particular interest in tropical rainforests and migratory birds. He currently coordinates BirdLife International’s work on the conservation of migratory species in Asia. Ding Li obtained his doctorate from the Australian National University where he studied birds and insect communities in woodland and farming landscapes. Ding Li has written several papers and seven books on the biodiversity of Asia and Australia, including the upcoming Field Guide to the Birds of Singapore. He draws and records natural sounds during his free time.

Kang Min Ngo is currently an environmental consultant at EnviroSolutions & Consulting, a local consultancy with a regional presence. As a forest ecologist, she has conducted research on the trees of Singapore and in the region for over 15 years. In particular, she has done extensive research on the tree ecology of Bukit Timah Nature Reserve, using a long-term research site that is now 30 years old.