A six year - $250,000 Environmental Trust project enabled a community group to formally identify threatened species, record and monitor the local flora and fauna and undertake bush regeneration which has aided connectivity and set the multiple public reserves on a recovery trajectory. An assortment of community engagement events were undertaken and a plethora of [...]
The Koorangie Marshes are part of the Kerang Wetlands Ramsar site that is culturally significant to the Barapa Barapa people. Prolonged waterlogging and rising salinity, which resulted in the death of River Red Gum and Eumong canopies, had historically impacted almost half of the Koorangie marshes. In partnership with the Barapa Barapa peoples the regeneration [...]
Rainforest restoration pioneers, Big Scrub Landcare, are again at the forefront of restoration ecology investigating solutions to the problem of genetic inbreeding in the hundreds of thousands of Big Scrub plantings. With the long term viability of the Big Scrub and associated investment at stake, they have developed a strategy to test for genetic diversity, [...]
Comprehensive strategic planning and site assessments, coupled with thinking creatively around landscape connections are some of the ingredients required to scale up projects. By understanding the capacity of assisted regeneration, a spectrum of bush regenerator skill levels and resources can be utilised to maximise outcomes. Jen Ford provides two examples that explore how the planning [...]
Jen Ford’s presentation showcases a well planned, 10 year funded, Threatened Species offset project. Detailed examples of four Species of National Environmental Significance are discussed and picture-perfect photopoints utilised to highlight the changes that have resulted from dedicated professionals undertaking assisted regeneration supported by hazard reduction burns. The project not only achieved the 2 for [...]
Tein McDonald provides a detailed explanation of the concept of ecological restoration as intended by the National Standards for Ecological Restoration. Tein outlines the restorative activities continuum and provides examples of where various restoration projects may reside along that spectrum. Ideologies such as ‘restorative thinking’ and ‘ecological civilization’ are considered within the context of the [...]
The north Australian savannas are vast and have the potential to provide significant indigenous business opportunities for markets in greenhouse gas emissions, living tree biomass and non-living biomass as shown during the Carbon Farming Initiative. Jeremy Russell-Smith provides an overview of the fire management strategies that have been undertaken within the context of indigenous management [...]
Be prepared to take a deep breath as Prof Lesley Hughes walks through the known data and possible futures in a climate-changing world. The evidence for climate change is outlined, the trends discussed and impacts of extreme events elaborated. Examples of future scenarios are provided within the context of bushfire impacts, particularly in NSW. A [...]
Urban creeks in the City of Onkaparinga hold some of the last remnants of bushland within the city as well as containing valuable public recreational space. The ‘Creek Heroes’ project informed and activated the community to care for the creeks by crafting clever ‘heroes and bullies’, listening to the residents and providing opportunities to experience [...]
Todd explores the concept of ecocentricity and how it provides an ethical and social framework for both restoration and our relationship to the environment. An outline of the social, and individual benefits that have been produced on the Skyline tier project exemplifies how a changed worldview can unite a community. Todd, along with Michael Leunig [...]
