Farmer Adoption of Sustainable Land Management Practices in the Fitzroy Basin, Central Queensland. The research project will identify the barriers to, and facilitators of, the adoption of sustainable land management practices in the grazing industry in the Fitzroy Basin, Central Queensland. Current agricultural extension approaches to environmental innovations in grazing have been criticised for their inability to facilitate rapid implementation of necessary on-ground changes. This research is s ....Farmer Adoption of Sustainable Land Management Practices in the Fitzroy Basin, Central Queensland. The research project will identify the barriers to, and facilitators of, the adoption of sustainable land management practices in the grazing industry in the Fitzroy Basin, Central Queensland. Current agricultural extension approaches to environmental innovations in grazing have been criticised for their inability to facilitate rapid implementation of necessary on-ground changes. This research is significant in identifying key socio-economic and environmental factors that need to be considered in developing regional policy approaches to sustainable agricultural development. Outcomes will include better uptake of environmental measures by graziers and policy advice to government and industry on sustainable development options.Read moreRead less
Novel, Cost-Effective Methods for Measuring Methane Emissions from Grazing Livestock. Agriculture is second only to energy generation as a source of greenhouse gas emissions in Australia. Methane from cattle and sheep constitute 60% of these agricultural emissions. Their abatement is a win-win goal for the agricultural industry, reducing greenhouse emissions while increasing food efficiency. This project will develop a novel, cost- and-labour efficient method for on-farm measurements of the emis ....Novel, Cost-Effective Methods for Measuring Methane Emissions from Grazing Livestock. Agriculture is second only to energy generation as a source of greenhouse gas emissions in Australia. Methane from cattle and sheep constitute 60% of these agricultural emissions. Their abatement is a win-win goal for the agricultural industry, reducing greenhouse emissions while increasing food efficiency. This project will develop a novel, cost- and-labour efficient method for on-farm measurements of the emissions of methane from free-grazing cattle and sheep in their undisturbed environment. The method will be used to assess the dependence of methane emissions on factors such as diet and the efficacy of proposed methods for abatement of methane emissions, as well as providing improved data to the National Greenhouse Gas Inventory.Read moreRead less
Plant diversity in restored native vegetation of agricultural landscapes. This project will assess the success of current practices of native vegetation restoration in agricultural regions, ie whether they provide sustainable habitat for native plant species. While there is currently a massive expenditure on revegetation in agriculture, there has been almost no assessment of whether it works well or not. This study will compare the plant species present in restored and comparable native vegeta ....Plant diversity in restored native vegetation of agricultural landscapes. This project will assess the success of current practices of native vegetation restoration in agricultural regions, ie whether they provide sustainable habitat for native plant species. While there is currently a massive expenditure on revegetation in agriculture, there has been almost no assessment of whether it works well or not. This study will compare the plant species present in restored and comparable native vegetation. Additionally, intensive study of some key plant species will be undertaken to determine what features of these plants enable them to persist in restored patches. Outcomes include new assessment techniques and original data.Read moreRead less
Molecular tracing of spectacled flying-fox (Pteropus conspicillatus) movements in rainforests and orchards of wet tropical Queensland. This project uses molecular markers to trace movements of spectacled flying-foxes in the wet tropics of north Queensland. The intention is to determine the origins of bats visiting orchards, determine patterns of seasonal and intra-seasonal migration of bats and to document the significance of such migrations to estimation of population numbers and trends. These ....Molecular tracing of spectacled flying-fox (Pteropus conspicillatus) movements in rainforests and orchards of wet tropical Queensland. This project uses molecular markers to trace movements of spectacled flying-foxes in the wet tropics of north Queensland. The intention is to determine the origins of bats visiting orchards, determine patterns of seasonal and intra-seasonal migration of bats and to document the significance of such migrations to estimation of population numbers and trends. These data are critical to conservation of bat populations, to the ecologically sustainable development of fruit growing in the region and the long term sustainable management of the Wet Tropics World Heritage Area.Read moreRead less
Engaging Visions: Configuring a model for cultural practitioners to assist catchment communities in addressing natural resource management issues. Communities need new approaches to complex natural resource management issues. To achieve environmentally sustainable practices society not only requires reliable information but also the motivation for its uptake. Configuring an effective model for cultural production and distribution will inspire innovative cultural practice and enhance community na ....Engaging Visions: Configuring a model for cultural practitioners to assist catchment communities in addressing natural resource management issues. Communities need new approaches to complex natural resource management issues. To achieve environmentally sustainable practices society not only requires reliable information but also the motivation for its uptake. Configuring an effective model for cultural production and distribution will inspire innovative cultural practice and enhance community natural resource management. The Project draws upon, and contributes to, the national and multi-State mandates of both Project partners. The Project, and the partner Investment Plan it will inform, contributes to National Priority 1, An Environmentally Sustainable Australia, and Priority Goal 1, Water - a critical resource.Read moreRead less
Sustainable Public Art: Testing experimental technologies and ecological models for new interdisciplinary installations aimed at regenerating degraded sites. The project develops new models of public art that combine natural and manufactured energy in ways that promote a culture of awareness about pressing environmental issues. The research highlights the need for an environmentally sustainable Australia and effective management of the nation's biodiversity by embodying these concerns in novel a ....Sustainable Public Art: Testing experimental technologies and ecological models for new interdisciplinary installations aimed at regenerating degraded sites. The project develops new models of public art that combine natural and manufactured energy in ways that promote a culture of awareness about pressing environmental issues. The research highlights the need for an environmentally sustainable Australia and effective management of the nation's biodiversity by embodying these concerns in novel aesthetic systems that test clean energy production and its efficient storage. The latter have implications beyond the project for light industry, telecomunications and public utilities. Utilizing a range of adaptive technologies and natural elements in experimental ways, the project offers creative responses to critical questions of sustainability capable of being profiled internationally.Read moreRead less
Community variations in crime: A spatial and ecometric analysis. Collective Efficacy (CE) is a new theoretical construct (that has never been investigated in Australia). It is a task-specific process for mobilising social capital to tackle specific neighbourhood problems. Research in Chicago finds that communities with high levels of CE experience lower levels of violence regardless of poverty levels. We will conduct a spatial and ecometric analysis of CE and crime using a survey of 3000 residen ....Community variations in crime: A spatial and ecometric analysis. Collective Efficacy (CE) is a new theoretical construct (that has never been investigated in Australia). It is a task-specific process for mobilising social capital to tackle specific neighbourhood problems. Research in Chicago finds that communities with high levels of CE experience lower levels of violence regardless of poverty levels. We will conduct a spatial and ecometric analysis of CE and crime using a survey of 3000 residents in 50 Brisbane communities. We will compare similar data from Chicago and Stockholm to investigate the Australian contribution of CE to spatial crime patterns and its potential for future crime prevention programs.Read moreRead less
More than a Roof Overhead: Meeting the Need for a Sustainable Housing System in Remote Indigenous Communities. Many Indigenous Australians live in substandard and over-crowded accommodation, and experience poor health, education, family stability and child-safety outcomes as a result. The lack of improvement in this situation is largely due to levels of funding and approaches to construction and management inadequate to the scale of the problem. This situation is changing and new funding and po ....More than a Roof Overhead: Meeting the Need for a Sustainable Housing System in Remote Indigenous Communities. Many Indigenous Australians live in substandard and over-crowded accommodation, and experience poor health, education, family stability and child-safety outcomes as a result. The lack of improvement in this situation is largely due to levels of funding and approaches to construction and management inadequate to the scale of the problem. This situation is changing and new funding and policies are being established. The researchers will work alongside housing providers and selected Indigenous communities in Western Australia and Northern Territory to develop procurement, construction and housing management practices that will meet the critical need for more affordable, appropriate and sustainable housing.Read moreRead less
Building Capacity for a Sustainable Future. The concept of sustainability has been proposed as a practical and useful concept capable of providing solutions to social, environmental and economic problems. Global interest in the concept also stems from the advantages that organisational change for sustainability can impart, including improved efficiency and profitability. The project will develop sustainability capabilities of graduates entering a diverse range of industries, enhancing the nation ....Building Capacity for a Sustainable Future. The concept of sustainability has been proposed as a practical and useful concept capable of providing solutions to social, environmental and economic problems. Global interest in the concept also stems from the advantages that organisational change for sustainability can impart, including improved efficiency and profitability. The project will develop sustainability capabilities of graduates entering a diverse range of industries, enhancing the national skills base. The models and processes of institutional change developed in this project can be adopted by universities, governments and corporations throughout the world, enhancing Australia's reputation as a world leader in institutional and corporate sustainability.Read moreRead less
Mechanistic and probabilistic approaches to assessing the impact of pesticide mixtures in Australian waterways. This project will provide vital information on the impacts of pesticide mixtures in Australian waterways and will also provide information with respect to safe levels of pesticides for water quality management. This information will be used to develop scientifically sound management policies and provide advice to regulatory authorities such as the NSW Department of Environment and Cons ....Mechanistic and probabilistic approaches to assessing the impact of pesticide mixtures in Australian waterways. This project will provide vital information on the impacts of pesticide mixtures in Australian waterways and will also provide information with respect to safe levels of pesticides for water quality management. This information will be used to develop scientifically sound management policies and provide advice to regulatory authorities such as the NSW Department of Environment and Conservation and the Federal Department of Environment and Heritage. Specifically the results will contribute to ensuring the use of pesticides in market gardens close to Sydney does not threaten the health of local rivers. Read moreRead less