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
Sustainable development in urban environments: maximising biodiversity conservation where people live. This project directly addresses the National Research Priority of An Environmentally Sustainable Australia. This is achieved by a pioneering approach that links socio-economic variables with settlement design and biodiversity status. Human settlements have substantial capacity to support a rich biodiversity. Developing ecologically sensitive management strategies here will not only ensure the c ....Sustainable development in urban environments: maximising biodiversity conservation where people live. This project directly addresses the National Research Priority of An Environmentally Sustainable Australia. This is achieved by a pioneering approach that links socio-economic variables with settlement design and biodiversity status. Human settlements have substantial capacity to support a rich biodiversity. Developing ecologically sensitive management strategies here will not only ensure the conservation of many native species, but also provide considerable opportunities for interaction between people and nature. This can have significant social benefits including improved health, increased community well-being and greater understanding of the environment. It also ensures ready access to a broad range of ecosystem goods and services.Read moreRead less
The impact of high kangaroo populations on regeneration of arid woodland tree species. Remnant arid woodland in south-eastern Australia is threatened by regeneration failure resulting from high grazing pressure from sheep, rabbits and kangaroos. Elimination of sheep grazing, reduction in rabbit populations as a result of RCD and a decision to cull kangaroos has provided an unprecedented opportunity to ascertain the impact of kangaroos on regeneration, in particular the degree to which kangaroos ....The impact of high kangaroo populations on regeneration of arid woodland tree species. Remnant arid woodland in south-eastern Australia is threatened by regeneration failure resulting from high grazing pressure from sheep, rabbits and kangaroos. Elimination of sheep grazing, reduction in rabbit populations as a result of RCD and a decision to cull kangaroos has provided an unprecedented opportunity to ascertain the impact of kangaroos on regeneration, in particular the degree to which kangaroos put a selective pressure on seedlings of overstorey species. Research proposed in association with Parks Victoria, will make a major contribution to understanding of the need for active management of remnant woodlands and assist in the preservation of significant communities.Read moreRead less