👉 Register to join the CIMB Working Group kick-off meeting
Tuesday 24 February | 6–7 pm

The CIMB Working Group reconvenes in 2026

The response was impossible to ignore.
Over summer, two AABR information sheets on the use of chemicals in bush regeneration sparked hundreds of comments, tens of thousands of views, and some very frank conversations across the community. Questions about safe practice, glyphosate bans and on-ground decision-making struck a nerve. The message was clear. There is a real hunger for well-researched, balanced information. In response, AABR is reconvening the Chemicals in the Management of Biodiversity (CIMB) Working Group in 2026.

Those two information sheets travelled far.
More than 60,000 views on Facebook, shared widely among bush regenerators, volunteers, land managers and allies. The comments ranged from thoughtful to heated, curious to cautious. Many people were asking the same things in different ways.

What does safe use actually look like in the field?
How do we work within changing regulations and bans?
How do we talk about glyphosate without collapsing into polar positions?
And how do we make decisions that align with ecological outcomes, worker safety and community expectations?

These are not abstract questions.
They show up every day in bushland management, contract specifications, volunteer programs and council policies.

That’s where CIMB comes in.

The Chemicals in the Management of Biodiversity Working Group is AABR’s vehicle for doing this work properly. Bringing together experienced practitioners and researchers to review evidence, test assumptions and translate complexity into clear, usable guidance for the bush regeneration community.

In 2026, the Working Group will pick up where the information sheets left off.
The first task is to sit with the responses. To explore what people are really asking. To identify common points of confusion, concern and contention. From there, the group will begin developing a set of FAQs, grounded in research and practice, that speak directly to the issues raised over summer.

This is also about being proactive.
Not just responding to controversy, but planning a year of thoughtful communication. Anticipating questions before they escalate. Supporting practitioners, volunteers and land managers to make informed decisions in a space that is often politicised and emotionally charged.

The kick-off meeting for 2026 will be held online:

Tuesday 24 February | 6–7 pm. Register to attend

This meeting will set priorities for the year ahead.
What needs clarifying first.
What resources will be most useful.
And how CIMB can best support the broader AABR community through credible, careful work.

If you followed the summer conversations closely.
If you shared the information sheets, commented, or simply watched the discussion unfold.
Or if you’ve been grappling with these questions in your own work.

This is the place to be.

👉 Register to join the CIMB Working Group kick-off meeting
Tuesday 24 February | 6–7 pm