Identifying cost-effective reforestation approaches for biodiversity conservation and carbon sequestration in the Australian wet tropics. There is great potential for rainforest reforestation to help in the protection of Australia's tropical flora and fauna. Little is known, however, about how to reforest pasture to rainforest for the purpose of maximising the recovery of native biodiversity. We propose a unique experimental study of rainforest reforestation practices with biodiversity conservat ....Identifying cost-effective reforestation approaches for biodiversity conservation and carbon sequestration in the Australian wet tropics. There is great potential for rainforest reforestation to help in the protection of Australia's tropical flora and fauna. Little is known, however, about how to reforest pasture to rainforest for the purpose of maximising the recovery of native biodiversity. We propose a unique experimental study of rainforest reforestation practices with biodiversity conservation as a primary goal. Reforestation is currently an unlikely option for most landholders in Australia's tropics given the lack of data on the economic benefits obtainable from such efforts. Our study examines the profits obtainable through the carbon market for each reforestation approach with the goal of increasing the feasibility of rainforest reforestation in North Queensland.Read moreRead less
Setting Geographic Priorities for Integrated Landscape Restoration in a Fragmented Agricultural Region. This research project aims to develop the theory and application of integrated landscape restoration in a fragmented agricultural region - the Mt. Lofty Ranges of South Australia. Spatially explicit priorities will be set for the type and location of habitat to be restored for the benefit of the natural biodiversity within a physical environmental, economic and social context. Heuristic and op ....Setting Geographic Priorities for Integrated Landscape Restoration in a Fragmented Agricultural Region. This research project aims to develop the theory and application of integrated landscape restoration in a fragmented agricultural region - the Mt. Lofty Ranges of South Australia. Spatially explicit priorities will be set for the type and location of habitat to be restored for the benefit of the natural biodiversity within a physical environmental, economic and social context. Heuristic and optimisation models will be created within a Geographic Information System (GIS) and assessed for their ability to set such priorities in integrated landscape restoration. The techniques will help sustain ecological, physical and human systems in many other over-cleared regions.Read moreRead less