Michael Wells

Mike Wells is a professional ecologist and ecourbanist with over 35 years of consultancy experience and 45 years in ecological science. He co-founded Biodiversity by Design Ltd in 2006 with the express aim of focusing on creative multifunctional ecology. Mike's key interests lie in exploring the opportunities for biodiversity enhancement and ecological education in the creative gaps between ecology and other disciplines, including architecture, landscape architecture, civil and structural engineering, and art. He has led the ecological design of several exemplars of ecourbanism, including the Athletes' Village (now East Village) Stratford for the 2012 Olympic Games and the regeneration of the Greenwich Peninsula, both in London. Mike has practiced globally in over 20 countries and published widely in relation to the ecological aspects of urban regeneration, masterplanning, and design. He is an expert in innovative habitat creation, including multifunctional wetlands, vegetated architecture, and biophilic design. Over the past few years, Mike has been providing the ecological inputs to a new Landscape and Biodiversity Strategy for Monaco. In 2021, for lifetime achievements in ecological design, Mike was elected a Royal Designer for Industry by the Royal Society for Arts, the first ecologist to secure that recognition. Mike is a very experienced design panelist, having served for many years on both the UK Design Council and Design West.