Uffe Nielsen: Leading climate action from the ground up

When most people think of soil, they probably don’t imagine it as a front line in the fight against climate change. But for Professor Uffe Nielsen, soil is where the action is – whether in the icy expanse of Antarctica’s McMurdo Dry Valleys or on the fertile farmlands of NSW.

As a soil ecologist with global research experience, he studies the tiny organisms that live beneath our feet and their outsized role in keeping ecosystems healthy, productive and climate resilient.

Uffe completed his MSc in botany at Aarhus University in Denmark and his PhD in soil ecology at the (then) Macaulay Institute in Scotland.

He then moved to Colorado State University, USA, where he worked as a postdoctoral fellow with Distinguished Prof Diana Wall. This role spurred his interest in the benefits of soil biodiversity to ecosystem function and human wellbeing.

Since joining the Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment, Western Sydney University, in 2011, he has applied his expansive knowledge of soil ecology to practical challenges in agriculture and land management as Theme Lead for Soil Biology and Genomics.

Last year he joined the NSW Decarbonisation Innovation Hub as Land and Primary Industries (LPI) Network Lead, bringing together researchers, industry, farmers and government to deliver low-carbon outcomes across the state.

From soil to solutions

Uffe is on a mission to understand soils and put that knowledge to work in combating climate change.

“I lead a group of early career researchers addressing diverse questions in natural resource management and decarbonisation, including microbiome engineering to improve plant growth, pest and pathogen control, ecosystem services, and land conservation and restoration,” he said.

His research spans extreme and familiar landscapes. In Antarctica’s McMurdo Dry Valleys, he studied tiny soil organisms like nematodes, rotifers and tardigrades, uncovering how they survive in ice-free, nutrient-poor soils and drive key ecosystem processes. Insights from these simple communities help inform strategies for managing more complex systems, including NSW farmland.

But his work is not just about understanding soil, it’s about making a real difference on the ground. Several of his projects focus on restoring ecosystems to boost both biodiversity and carbon storage, while helping put these solutions into practice across the sector.

“Soil carbon is central to soil health, sustainable management practices and climate regulation,” he explained. “Improving soil carbon contents provides significant co-benefits towards food security and decarbonisation.”

Prof Uffe Nielsen in Antarctica during a research trip exploring extreme soil ecosystems.

Partnerships in practice

As LPI Network Lead, Uffe describes his approach as building collaboration through engagement – identifying common objectives, establishing trust and ultimately working together to develop projects that tackle key challenges.

For farmers, this can mean advice on practices that increase soil carbon, improve crop resilience or sustainably manage pests and pathogens. For industry, it can help identify low-carbon pathways while balancing production and biodiversity goals. For government, his team provides robust evidence to support policies and incentives that encourage decarbonisation without unintended consequences.

Uffe believes leadership is about creating a platform where everyone can contribute and grow. Mentoring early career researchers, building networks across sectors and translating science into action are all part of how he achieves results.

“I try to foster a collaborative and engaging environment that allows everyone to contribute meaningfully to meet common objectives, sharing knowledge and peer learning while providing opportunities and support for both work-related and personal skill development,” he said.

For anyone in NSW seeking guidance on sustainable land management or decarbonisation, Uffe is clear on what the Hub offers.

“We can provide support in multiple ways, including expertise in relevant areas, supporting or resourcing activities that address knowledge gaps to enable innovation and bringing key industry, government and other stakeholders together to co-design programs that address common objectives.”

A vision for NSW

Looking ahead, Uffe sees enormous potential for NSW.

“There are so many opportunities to improve practices and adopt new strategies and technologies to lower emissions in the land and primary industries,” he said.

“The challenge, and the opportunity, is to work together across sectors to make these changes effective, practical and sustainable.”

Uffe’s time in Antarctica continues to inform his approach.

Studying how simple soil communities persist and drive ecosystem processes under extreme conditions has taught him how even small interventions can have outsized impacts.

He now applies these lessons to improve the health, productivity and climate resilience of NSW landscapes.

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