ORCID Profile
0000-0003-4277-8040
Current Organisation
The Nature Conservancy
Does something not look right? The information on this page has been harvested from data sources that may not be up to date. We continue to work with information providers to improve coverage and quality. To report an issue, use the Feedback Form.
In Research Link Australia (RLA), "Research Topics" refer to ANZSRC FOR and SEO codes. These topics are either sourced from ANZSRC FOR and SEO codes listed in researchers' related grants or generated by a large language model (LLM) based on their publications.
Environmental management | Environmental Science and Management | Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Policy | Environmental assessment and monitoring | Environmental Management | Policy and Administration | Conservation and Biodiversity | Natural Resource Management | Environment Policy | Conservation and biodiversity | Environment policy | Freshwater Ecology
Ecosystem Assessment and Management of Fresh, Ground and Surface Water Environments | Environmental Management Systems | Effects of Climate Change and Variability on Australia (excl. Social Impacts) | Ecosystem Assessment and Management at Regional or Larger Scales | Environmental Services | Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Development and Welfare |
Publisher: Informa UK Limited
Date: 04-02-2022
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 09-11-2020
DOI: 10.1111/EMR.12442
Abstract: Volunteers and citizen scientists can make an important contribution to bird monitoring and threatened species conservation projects. Members of BirdLife Australia’s Threatened Bird Network (TBN), a programme which encouraged community participation in conservation projects for threatened birds, were surveyed in 2013 to gain an insight into their demographics and volunteering motivation and preferences. In the 2013 survey, a large proportion of survey respondents were aged between 55 and 74 years old and over half were retired, representing a higher proportion of retired participants than found in a similar study of TBN members in 2000. A large proportion (69%) of respondents had volunteered with TBN projects (occasionally or at least once per year), despite being involved with other environmental groups. Respondents that volunteered mostly preferred short‐term (one day) field‐based volunteer activities, with nearly half also preferring to travel 50 km or less to participate in a project. Less than one third of respondents had never volunteered with TBN projects this was attributed to not enough projects close to home, time restrictions and lack of transport. Preferences of volunteers in the 2013 survey were similar to those undertaken in 2000 for the majority of responses, including the preference for the activity occurring outdoors, the importance of regular feedback from the organiser, the moderate importance placed on seeing target species and the lack of importance for the provision of transport. A higher importance was placed on the following factors in the 2013 survey responses compared to 2000 (potentially influenced by the higher number of retirees): Having activities closer to home, the activity not being too physically demanding, the opportunity for free time during the activity, good weather was predicted on the day of the activity, existing skills were adequate for the activity, and accommodation was provided if required.
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 10-05-2011
Publisher: Informa UK Limited
Date: 02-04-2020
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 04-2007
Publisher: CSIRO Publishing
Date: 2011
DOI: 10.1071/MF09285
Abstract: Climate change is expected to have significant impacts on hydrologic regimes and freshwater ecosystems, and yet few basins have adequate numerical models to guide the development of freshwater climate adaptation strategies. Such strategies can build on existing freshwater conservation activities, and incorporate predicted climate change impacts. We illustrate this concept with three case studies. In the Upper Klamath Basin of the western USA, a shift in land management practices would buffer this landscape from a declining snowpack. In the Murray–Darling Basin of south-eastern Australia, identifying the requirements of flood-dependent natural values would better inform the delivery of environmental water in response to reduced runoff and less water. In the Savannah Basin of the south-eastern USA, dam managers are considering technological and engineering upgrades in response to more severe floods and droughts, which would also improve the implementation of recommended environmental flows. Even though the three case studies are in different landscapes, they all contain significant freshwater bio ersity values. These values are threatened by water allocation problems that will be exacerbated by climate change, and yet all provide opportunities for the development of effective climate adaptation strategies.
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 05-04-2017
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 03-03-2006
Publisher: IUCN
Date: 23-07-2018
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 07-2014
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 10-2004
DOI: 10.1007/S00267-003-0185-0
Abstract: A national approach to the conservation of bio ersity in Australia's freshwater ecosystems is a high priority. This requires a consistent and comprehensive system for the classification, inventory, and assessment of wetland ecosystems. This paper, using the State of Victoria as a case study, compares two classification systems that are commonly utilized to delineate and map wetlands--one based on hydrology (Victorian Wetland Database [VWD]) and one based on indigenous vegetation types and other natural features (Ecological Vegetation Classes [EVC]). We evaluated the extent of EVC mapping of wetlands relative to the VWD classification system using a number of datasets within a geographical information system. There were significant differences in the coverage of extant EVCs across bioregions, different-sized wetlands, and VWD wetland types. Resultant depletion levels were markedly different when examined using the two systems, with depletion levels, and therefore perceived conservation status, of EVCs being significantly higher. Although there is little doubt that many wetland ecosystems in Victoria are in fact threatened, the extent of this threat cannot accurately be determined by relying on the EVC mapping as it currently stands. The study highlighted the significant impact wetland classification methods have in determining the conservation status of freshwater ecosystems.
Publisher: IUCN
Date: 31-03-2017
Publisher: Cambridge University Press (CUP)
Date: 26-01-2018
DOI: 10.1017/S0959270916000538
Abstract: Over the last 25 years subspecies have become an important unit of bird conservation in Australia. Some have evocative common English names which have allowed the subspecies to be vested with meaning among conservation advocates, evoking feelings of concern, loyalty and affection. This suggests that providing subspecies with stable English names can allow development of a ‘brand’ among those in need of conservation action. Also, since scientific names often change with knowledge of taxonomic relationships among birds, a stable list of standardised English names for all species and subspecies can minimise confusion and ambiguity among the public and in legislation. Here we present the arguments for creating a standardised list of English names for Australian bird subspecies and set out principles for formulating subspecies names, along with a list of the names themselves, with the aim of building the general public’s attachment to subspecies, increasing interest in their conservation and as subjects of research.
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 04-05-2017
DOI: 10.1111/CONL.12243
Publisher: IUCN
Date: 14-11-2018
Publisher: CSIRO Publishing
Date: 2017
DOI: 10.1071/AM16017
Abstract: Macropodids are predominantly herbivores and their dentition reflects their foraging strategy. The sw wallaby (Wallabia bicolor) is considered to be a generalist browser, consuming a wide ersity of plants, from forbs, shrubs, grasses and sedges. However, there is some evidence that sw wallabies are opportunists. Here, I document the consumption of the wing of a dead seabird by a sw wallaby, the first detailed case of this species consuming carrion, and discuss other records of animal consumption in the Macropodiformes.
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 12-2004
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 02-2019
Publisher: Oxford University Press (OUP)
Date: 20-01-2021
Abstract: Measuring, reporting, and forecasting research impact beyond academia has become increasingly important to demonstrate and understand real-world benefits. This is arguably most important in crisis disciplines such as medicine, environmental sustainability and bio ersity conservation, where application of new knowledge is urgently needed to improve health and environmental outcomes. Increasing focus on impact has prompted the development of theoretical guidance and practical tools tailored to a range of disciplines, but commensurate development of tools for conservation is still needed. In the present article, we review available tools for evaluating research impact applicable to conservation research. From these, and via a survey of conservation professionals, we compiled and ranked a list of 96 impact indicators useful for conservation science. Our indicators apply to a logic chain of inputs, processes, outputs, outcomes, and impacts. We suggest the list can act as a clear guide to realize and measure potential impacts from conservation research within and beyond academia.
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 2011
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 19-11-2018
DOI: 10.1002/CSP2.1
Publisher: IUCN
Date: 21-04-2013
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 06-2019
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 08-06-2011
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 04-2008
Publisher: Frontiers Media SA
Date: 14-10-2021
DOI: 10.3389/FCOSC.2021.748127
Abstract: Protected areas are an essential component of global conservation efforts. Although extensive information is available on the location of protected areas governed by governments, data on privately protected areas remain elusive at the global level. These are areas governed by private in iduals and groups—ranging from families to religious institutions to companies—that meet IUCN's definition of a protected area: a clearly defined geographical space, recognised, dedicated and managed, through legal or other effective means, to achieve the long-term conservation of nature with associated ecosystem services and cultural values . As the world's governments prepare to adopt a new post-2020 global bio ersity framework to guide conservation over the next decade, we argue that, without complete data on privately protected areas, they do so without a vital piece of the puzzle.
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 03-04-2023
DOI: 10.1007/S00267-023-01817-W
Abstract: Globally, there is an urgent need for widespread restoration of coastal wetlands like mangroves and saltmarsh. This restoration has been slow to progress in Australia for a number of reasons, including legal issues surrounding land tenure, ownership and use. This paper uses the responses to a survey of coastal zone experts to identify and articulate these legal issues, before considering and analysing in-depth recommendations, solutions and levers to facilitate restoration, and areas where further research or possible policy and/or law reform is needed. It calls for legislative reform to clarify tidal boundaries generally and under sea-level rise, greater use of incentive schemes to encourage the uptake of restoration projects, and utilisation of contracts and land-based covenants to secure projects and carbon flows.
Publisher: Informa UK Limited
Date: 09-2015
DOI: 10.1071/MUV115N3_DLS
Publisher: The University of Kansas
Date: 18-01-2023
DOI: 10.17161/RANDA.V30I1
Publisher: IUCN, International Union for Conservation of Nature
Date: 20-11-2018
Publisher: Oxford University Press (OUP)
Date: 2019
DOI: 10.1093/JUE/JUZ018
Abstract: Urbanisation is a leading cause of bio ersity loss and habitat fragmentation internationally, and the conservation of representative native assemblages is a challenge confronting environmental managers in expanding urban landscapes. This study investigates the bird assemblages occurring in a rapidly growing regional centre, Ballarat, southeastern Australia. It aims to examine the relationships between urbanisation and bird communities in a regional city by investigating the differences in bird assemblage composition related to the type of vegetation (native or exotic) in urban streetscapes. Bird surveys were completed across four broad habitat types: remnant vegetation, exotic streetscapes, native streetscapes and newly developed streetscapes. Each habitat type had three 1 ha replicate sites. Results show that remnant vegetation fringing residential areas and native streetscapes supported around 60% more native bird species than exotic and newly developed streetscapes. Avian species composition was significantly different between broad habitat types, with remnant vegetation and native streetscapes maintaining representative native bird assemblages, but exotic streetscapes and newly developed streetscapes were dominated by introduced birds. Our results show that, for representative native bird assemblages to be maintained in urban areas, the maintenance of remnant and native vegetation is essential.
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 07-2017
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 19-06-2017
DOI: 10.1111/EMR.12267
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 07-08-2022
DOI: 10.1111/COBI.13958
Abstract: Achieving a sustainable socioecological future now requires large‐scale environmental repair across legislative borders. Yet, enabling large‐scale conservation is complicated by policy‐making processes that are disconnected from socioeconomic interests, multiple sources of knowledge, and differing applications of policy. We considered how a multidisciplinary approach to marine habitat restoration generated the scientific evidence base, community support, and funding needed to begin the restoration of a forgotten, functionally extinct shellfish reef ecosystem. The key actors came together as a multidisciplinary community of researchers, conservation practitioners, recreational fisher communities, and government bodies that collaborated across sectors to rediscover Australia's lost shellfish reefs and communicate the value of its restoration. Actions undertaken to build a case for large‐scale marine restoration included synthesizing current knowledge on Australian shellfish reefs and their historical decline, using this history to tell a compelling story to spark public and political interest, integrating restoration into government policy, and rallying local support through community engagement. Clearly articulating the social, economic, and environmental business case for restoration led to state and national funding for reef restoration to meet erse sustainability goals (e.g., enhanced bio ersity and fisheries productivity) and socioeconomic goals (e.g., job creation and recreational opportunities). A key lesson learned was the importance of aligning project goals with public and industry interests so that projects could address multiple political obligations. This process culminated in Australia's largest marine restoration initiative and shows that solutions for large‐scale ecosystem repair can rapidly occur when socially valued science acts on political opportunities.
Publisher: MDPI AG
Date: 08-2021
DOI: 10.3390/LAND10080809
Abstract: Urban forests provide many ecosystem services, such as reducing heat, improving air quality, treatment of stormwater, carbon sequestration, as well as bio ersity benefits. These benefits have resulted in increasing demand for urban forests and strategies to maintain and enhance this natural infrastructure. In response to a broader resilience strategy for Melbourne, Australia, we outline how a metropolitan-wide urban forest strategy (Living Melbourne) was developed, encompassing multiple jurisdictions and all land tenures. To this end, we mapped tree cover within the Melbourne metropolitan area, modelled potential habitat for some bird species, and investigated the role of tree cover for urban heat island mitigation. We outline the consultation and governance frameworks used to develop the strategy, the vision, goals and actions recommended, including canopy and shrub cover targets for different parts of the metropolitan area. The metropolitan-wide urban forest strategy acts as an overarching framework to guide local government authorities and various stakeholders towards a shared objective of increasing tree cover in Melbourne and we discuss the outcomes and lessons from this approach.
Publisher: The Nature Conservancy
Date: 25-11-2019
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 2019
Publisher: MDPI AG
Date: 13-07-2023
DOI: 10.3390/BIRDS4030022
Abstract: Given the prevalence of common and threatened bird species within cities, more research is necessary to determine human attitudes to urban birds and how this may affect conservation in urban areas In Australia, few studies have considered the impact of human attitudes on birds those that have focused primarily on particular species. In this study, we aim to understand the perceptions of urban residents of an Australian city (Ballarat) by examining the ways they categorise birds (using the multiple sorting technique). We found that people were particularly enamored by large, exotic species, but if familiar to them, native species were positively perceived by people. People tended to view aggressive species negatively, but only where this aggression was directed at humans. This approach gained important insight into the attitudes of these urban residents to local birds and their conservation. We used this insight to suggest how attitudes to avian species conservation may inform conservation initiatives and methods for maintaining biological ersity in urban areas.
Publisher: Cambridge University Press (CUP)
Date: 03-2008
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 2019
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 31-08-2020
DOI: 10.1111/EMR.12425
Publisher: Informa UK Limited
Date: 03-2005
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 23-04-2018
DOI: 10.1111/EMR.12308
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 23-02-2018
DOI: 10.1111/COBI.12991
Abstract: Finding sustainable ways to increase the amount of private land protected for bio ersity is challenging for many conservation organizations. In some countries, organizations use revolving-fund programs, whereby land is purchased and then sold to conservation-minded owners under condition they enter into a conservation covenant or easement. The sale proceeds are used to purchase, protect, and sell additional properties, incrementally increasing the amount of protected private land. Because the effectiveness of this approach relies on selecting appropriate properties, we explored factors currently considered by practitioners and how these are integrated into decision making. We conducted exploratory, semistructured interviews with managers from each of the 5 major revolving funds in Australia. Responses indicated although conservation factors are important, financial and social factors are also highly influential. A major determinant was whether the property could be resold within a reasonable period at a price that replenishes the fund. To facilitate resale, often selected properties include the potential for the construction of a dwelling. Practitioners face with clear trade-offs between conservation, financial, amenity, and other factors in selecting properties and 3 main challenges: recovering the costs of acquisition, protection, and resale reselling the property and meeting conservation goals. Our findings suggest the complexity of these decisions may constrain revolving-fund effectiveness. Drawing from participant responses, we identified potential strategies to mitigate these risks, such as providing adequate recreational space without jeopardizing ecological assets. We suggest managers could benefit from a shared-learning and adaptive approach to property selection given the commonalities between programs. Understanding how practitioners deal with complex decisions in the implementation of revolving funds helps identify future research to improve the performance of this conservation tool.
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 09-2008
Publisher: Informa UK Limited
Date: 2006
Publisher: CSIRO Publishing
Date: 2020
DOI: 10.1071/PC18084
Abstract: Migratory shorebird species depend on a suite of interconnected sites and protection of these sites as part of a network is an increasingly used conservation approach. Partnering sites based on shared migratory bird species can be a powerful tool for implementing conservation action. To assist the Adelaide International Bird Sanctuary (AIBS), South Australia, in expanding their conservation impact across the East Asian-Australasian Flyway, we generated a list of 81 sites to consider for potential partnerships. We developed the list using existing shorebird count data for seven high priority migratory shorebirds that spend the austral summer at AIBS, such as Bar-tailed Godwit (Limosa lapponica) and Great Knot (Calidris tenuirostris). We computed a scaled abundance across all species to develop a categorical indicator of importance of each potential site for its shared species richness and abundance. Based on assessments of literature, existing conservation plans, and interviews with experts, we also evaluated each potential site’s feasibility for ecotourism, conservation management, and existing or potential partnerships. This process resulted in a list of 20 sites for the AIBS to consider for possible partnerships in nine countries that met some combination of values for shared shorebird species, inclusion in one or more current site designation schemes, existing or potential opportunities for tourism, habitat management, or partnerships. Additional sites that either have high or medium abundances of shared shorebird species or that have been designated as important by other criteria (Ramsar, Important Bird and Bio ersity Area) were identified. We recommend this methodology be applied to other sites seeking to form cross-boundary partnerships to help further the conservation of highly mobile species.
Publisher: Elsevier
Date: 2020
Publisher: MDPI AG
Date: 23-02-2022
DOI: 10.3390/D14030158
Abstract: Northern Australian biomes hold high bio ersity values within largely intact vegetation complexes, yet many species of mammals, and some other taxa, are endangered. Recently, six mammal species were added to the 20 or so already listed in the Australian endangered category. Current predictions suggest that nine species of mammal in northern Australia are in imminent danger of extinction within 20 years. We examine the robustness of the assumptions of status and trends in light of the low levels of monitoring of species and ecosystems across northern Australia, including monitoring the effects of management actions. The causes of the declines include a warming climate, pest species, changed fire regimes, grazing by introduced herbivores, and diseases, and work to help species and ecosystems recover is being conducted across the region. Indigenous custodians who work on the land have the potential and capacity to provide a significant human resource to tackle the challenge of species recovery. By working with non-Indigenous researchers and conservation managers, and with adequate support and incentives, many improvements in species’ downward trajectories could be made. We propose a strategy to establish a network of monitoring sites based on a pragmatic approach by prioritizing particular bioregions. The policies that determine research and monitoring investment need to be re-set and new and modified approaches need to be implemented urgently. The funding needs to be returned to levels that are adequate for the task. At present resourcing levels, species are likely to become extinct through an avoidable attrition process.
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 28-01-2019
DOI: 10.1111/ANS.14997
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 05-2015
DOI: 10.1111/EMR.12159
Publisher: Wilson Ornithological Society
Date: 20-06-2019
DOI: 10.1676/18-138
Publisher: Pensoft Publishers
Date: 03-02-2015
Publisher: Frontiers Media SA
Date: 22-03-2021
DOI: 10.3389/FENVS.2021.643367
Abstract: The Ramsar Convention (or the Convention on Wetlands), signed in 1971, was one of the first international conservation agreements, promoting global wise use of wetlands. It has three primary objectives: national designation and management of wetlands of international importance general wise use of wetlands and international cooperation. We examined lessons learnt for improving wetland conservation after Ramsar’s nearly five decades of operation. The number of wetlands in the Ramsar Site Network has grown over time (2,391 Ramsar Sites, 2.5 million km 2 , as at 2020-06-09) but unevenly around the world, with decreasing rate of growth in recent decades. Ramsar Sites are concentrated in countries with a high Gross Domestic Product and human pressure (e.g., western Europe) but, in contrast, Ramsar Sites with the largest wetland extent are in central-west Africa and South America. We identified three key challenges for improving effectiveness of the Ramsar Site Network: increasing number of sites and wetland area, improved representation (functional, geographical and biological) and effective management and reporting. Increasing the number of sites and area in the Ramsar network could benefit from targets, implemented at national scales. Knowledge of representativeness is inadequate, requiring analyses of functional ecotypes, geographical and biological representativeness. Finally, most countries have inadequate management planning and reporting on the ecological character of their Ramsar Sites, requiring more focused attention on a vision and objectives, with regular reporting of key indicators to guide management. There are increasing opportunities to rigorously track ecological character, utilizing new tools and available indicators (e.g., remote sensing). It is critical that the world protect its wetlands, with an effective Ramsar Convention or the Convention on Wetlands at the core.
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 02-03-2011
Publisher: CSIRO Publishing
Date: 2015
DOI: 10.1071/RJ15047
Abstract: Native fauna in Australia’s arid zone has declined significantly since European settlement however, Martu country in the Western Desert of Western Australia retains a ersity of iconic and threatened species that were once more widespread. An innovative partnership between The Nature Conservancy, BHP Billiton and the Martu people (represented by Kanyirninpa Jukurrpa – KJ) is achieving positive social, cultural, economic and environmental outcomes, which builds on funding from the Australian Government for land management on Martu country. The partners support Martu people in fulfilling their desire to conserve the cultural and natural values of their 13.7 million ha native title determination area. Through KJ as the local delivery partner, Martu people are returning to work on country to clean and protect waterholes improve fire management control feral herbivores and predators manage cultural heritage and actively manage priority threatened species (such as the Greater Bilby and the Black-flanked Rock-wallaby). The project provides significant employment opportunities for Martu men and women in ranger teams working throughout their country. It is also generating measurable social, cultural and economic benefits for Martu people and environmental benefits for part of the most intact arid ecosystem anywhere on Earth.
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 27-09-2019
DOI: 10.1002/EAP.1997
Abstract: In an era characterized by recurrent large wildfires in many parts of the globe, there is a critical need to understand how animal species respond to fires, the rates at which populations can recover, and the functional changes fires may cause. Using quantified changes in habitat parameters over a ~400-yr post-fire chronosequence in an obligate-seeding Australian eucalypt woodland, we build and test predictions of how birds, as in idual species and aggregated into functional groups according to their use of specific habitat resources, respond to time since fire. In idual bird species exhibited four generalized response types to time since fire: incline, decline, delayed, and bell. All significant relationships between bird functional group richness or abundance and time since fire were consistent with predictions based on known time-since-fire-associated changes in habitat features putatively important for these bird groups. Consequently, we argue that the bird community is responding to post-fire successional changes in habitat as per the habitat accommodation model, rather than to time since fire per se, and that our functional framework will be of value in predicting bird responses to future disturbances in this and other obligate-seeder forest and woodland ecosystems. Most bird species and functional groups that were affected by time since fire were associated with long-unburned woodlands. In the context of recent large, stand-replacement wildfires that have affected a substantial proportion of obligate-seeder eucalypt woodlands, and the multi-century timescales over which post-fire succession occurs, it would appear preferable from a bird conservation perspective if fires initiating loss of currently long-unburned woodlands were minimized. Once long-unburned woodlands are transformed by fire into recently burned woodlands, there is limited scope for alternative management interventions to accelerate the rate of habitat development after fire, or supplement the resources formerly provided to birds by long-unburned woodlands, with the limited exception of augmenting hollow availability for key hollow-nesting species.
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 31-10-2011
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 2021
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 02-12-2022
DOI: 10.1111/CSP2.593
Abstract: This article considers how “rolling covenants” (i.e., covenants on land title that can operate in a “rolling” geographic area to keep pace with sea‐level rise) can be used to permit productive use of land in the short term, while ensuring land use can shift over time to allow for coastal ecosystem migration in the medium to long term. We use Australia as a case study, and through analysis of legislation and a series of semistructured interviews, we demonstrate how land title‐based covenants can be used to give legal effect to “rolling covenant” arrangements where land is subject to existing use and occupation. We then consider practical issues associated with drafting a rolling covenant arrangement, including an analysis of the types of events or scenarios that could be used as a basis for land use changing (e.g., projected sea‐level rise, actual ecosystem migration), and the advantages and disadvantages of each. We conclude that rolling covenants are a viable option for land management in the coastal zone, especially in circumstances where funding sources are available to incentivize uptake. Rolling covenants may provide opportunities for coastal wetlands to be maintained and even enhanced in cover, thereby delivering important ecosystem services (e.g., blue carbon) into the future.
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 05-2021
DOI: 10.1111/EMR.12484
Abstract: In 2021, as part of the Convention on Biological Diversity, the world’s nations will meet to determine bio ersity targets for this decade, including area‐based protection targets. Conservation tenders (a form of market‐based instrument) have been used in several countries for the protection and restoration of bio ersity and ecosystem services within a defined area, mostly on private land. Conservation tenders are promoted as delivering cost‐effective and targeted investment/outcomes in the context of limited funding for conservation. Despite the significant investment in the approach, the resultant bio ersity conservation outcomes from these tenders have received relatively little research attention. Key questions on the efficacy of conservation tenders for achieving bio ersity conservation outcomes are discussed, to inform policy makers, programme managers and researchers. Questions include the following: (i) What are the conservation objectives that conservation tenders seek to address that other mechanisms cannot?, (ii) What have been the bio ersity outcomes realised as they relate to ecosystem/habitat representation or ecosystem services?, (iii) How do policy makers plan to realise bio ersity values beyond the term of the agreement given no publicly stated strategy on securing long‐term outcomes?, (iv) Is reporting of activities and results sufficient to judge changed bio ersity condition or delivery of expected outcomes at the end of the agreement, and are there efforts lans/aims to follow up on outcomes post the agreement term?, (v) What proportion of successful tenderers have a protective conservation covenant in place prior to signing a tender or as a result of signing a tender agreement?, (vi) What do we know about the intentions and capacity of landholders beyond the term of the agreement and what has been the fate of agreements (and conservation outcomes) if they have changed hands during the course of the agreement?, (vii) Is the confidential nature of bidding in many conservation tenders missing the opportunity for collective or collaborative conservation efforts that can sustain learning and enthusiasm post‐tender?, and (viii) Is the information on ecological values (ecosystem type, quality, landscape context etc) presented or made available in a way to landholders that maximises likely bidding to ensure a large pool and thus programme efficiency?
Publisher: CSIRO Publishing
Date: 2016
Abstract: The world’s oceans cover about 70% of our planet. To safeguard the delicate ecological and environmental functions of the oceans and their remarkable bio ersity, networks of marine protected areas are being created. In some of these areas, human activity is restricted to non-exploitative activities and in others it is managed in a sustainable way. Australia is at the forefront of marine conservation, with one of the largest systems of marine protected areas in the world. Big, Bold and Blue: Lessons from Australia’s Marine Protected Areas captures Australia’s experience, sharing important lessons from the Great Barrier Reef and many other extraordinary marine protected areas. It presents real-world ex les, leading academic research, perspectives on government policy, and information from indigenous sea country management, non-governmental organisations, and commercial and recreational fishing sectors. The lessons learnt during the rapid expansion of Australia’s marine protected areas, both positive and negative, will aid and advise other nations in their own marine conservation efforts. The book is ideal reading for marine planners and managers across the globe academic institutions where research on marine environments occur government agencies across the world implementing and creating policy around MPA development non-government organisations involved in lobbying for MPA expansion and fisheries agencies and industry stakeholders.
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 23-03-2020
DOI: 10.1111/CSP2.198
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 08-2019
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 07-2016
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 12-2005
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 2012
Publisher: IUCN
Date: 11-03-2021
Publisher: CSIRO Publishing
Date: 2012
DOI: 10.1071/WF10148
Abstract: Fire is an important natural disturbance process within the Australian landscape, but the complex and hazardous nature of fire creates a conservation management dilemma. For landholders of private conservation lands, management for conservation of bio ersity and risk reduction is complicated. Private conservation landholders in eastern Australia directed far less effort towards fire management than other conservation management actions, despite clearly acknowledging the risk and associated responsibilities of fire management on their lands. Nonetheless, landholders did undertake actions to reduce fuel hazards and prepare for wildfire events on their land. Despite the established role and benefits of fire to many ecosystems in the region, landholder understanding of the ecological role of fire was generally poor. Few landholders were aware of ecologically appropriate fire regimes for the vegetation types on their property, and few undertook fire management actions to achieve ecological outcomes. Site-specific obstacles, lack of fire management knowledge and experience, and legal and containment concerns contributed to the low level of fire management observed. There is a need for property-specific fire management planning across all private conservation lands, to further integrate ecological fire requirements into bio ersity management, and prioritise actions that aim to improve conservation outcomes while safeguarding life and property.
Publisher: MDPI AG
Date: 20-02-2014
DOI: 10.3390/LAND3010167
Publisher: Royal Zoological Society of New South Wales
Date: 09-2018
DOI: 10.7882/AZ.2018.007
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 05-2021
DOI: 10.1111/EMR.12489
Abstract: The intent of The Nature Conservancy in Australia has always been to optimise conservation outcomes for people and nature, partnering with government, Indigenous and private landowners through a range of initiatives. James Fitzsimons chronicles some of the organisation’s projects and reveals some of its secrets to success.
Publisher: American Physical Society (APS)
Date: 29-07-2022
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 13-06-2018
DOI: 10.1002/FEE.1821
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 12-04-2023
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 06-2020
Publisher: CSIRO Publishing
Date: 2012
DOI: 10.1071/AM11026
Abstract: A survey to assess the distribution of two endangered marsupial species, the long-footed potoroo (Potorous longipes) and the spot-tailed quoll (Dasyurus maculatus) in the south and east of the Goolengook Forest Management Block was conducted in September and October 2006. Survey techniques consisted of hair-tubing, camera surveillance, collecting scat of target species and predators, and searching for activity and tracks of the target species. Eleven sites were surveyed. Twenty-eight records of long-footed potoroo were confirmed at nine of the sites, while one spot-tailed quoll record was confirmed from one of the sites. A record of the long-footed potoroo in the eastern Blackwatch Creek catchment extended, by several kilometres, the boundary of the known East Gippsland distribution at the time of the survey. Long-footed potoroos are distributed widely within the study area and are likely to form part of a contiguous population that extends across the Goolengook Forest and into adjacent forest.
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 29-03-2022
DOI: 10.1007/S13280-022-01725-Z
Abstract: Australia is experiencing mounting pressures related to processes of urbanisation, bio ersity loss and climate change felt at large in cities. At the same time, it is cities that can take the leading role in pioneering approaches and solutions to respond to those coupling emergencies. In this perspective piece we respond to the following question: What are the required transformations for prioritising, valuing, maintaining and embracing nature in cities in Australia? We adopt the mission framework as an organising framework to present proposed pathways to transform Australian cities as nature-positive places of the future. We propose three interconnected pathways as starting actions to steer urban planning, policy and governance in Australian cities: First, cities need to establish evidence-based planning for nature in cities and mainstream new planning tools that safeguard and foreground urban nature. Second, collaborative planning needs to become a standard practice in cities and inclusive governance for nature in cities needs to prioritise Aboriginal knowledge systems and practices as well as look beyond what local governments can do. Third, for progressing to nature-positive cities, it is paramount to empower communities to innovate with nature across Australian cities. Whilst we focus on Australian cities, the lessons and pathways are broadly applicably globally and can inspire science-policy debates for the post COP15 bio ersity and COP26 climate change implementation processes.
Publisher: MDPI AG
Date: 19-10-2021
DOI: 10.3390/BIRDS2040025
Abstract: The diets of raptors are some of the best studied and well-known of all bird groups. Raptors are typically carnivores, hunting and feeding on vertebrates and, for some species, invertebrates. Here, we described instances of the Black Kite (Milvus migrans) and Whistling Kite (Haliastur sphenurus) consuming non-native avocado (Persea americana) fruit in commercial orchards in northern Australia, over multiple years. This appears to be the first instance of frugivory by raptors in Australia. We review instances of frugivory for other raptor species globally. This review finds that 29 species of raptor from the families Falconidae, Accipitridae and Cathartidae have been recorded consuming fruit, significantly more than previous reviews.
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 10-2016
Publisher: Informa UK Limited
Date: 2001
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 23-07-2014
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 10-08-2008
DOI: 10.1002/AQC.867
Publisher: IOP Publishing
Date: 25-11-2013
Publisher: Informa UK Limited
Date: 11-2008
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 07-2020
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 03-2005
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 2019
DOI: 10.1111/CSP2.1
Publisher: Informa UK Limited
Date: 02-01-2015
Publisher: Springer International Publishing
Date: 2023
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 20-09-2018
DOI: 10.1111/COBI.13195
Abstract: Effective conservation management interventions must combat threats and deliver benefits at costs that can be achieved within limited budgets. Considerable effort has focused on measuring the potential benefits of conservation interventions, but explicit quantification of the financial costs of implementation is rare. Even when costs have been quantified, haphazard and inconsistent reporting means published values are difficult to interpret. This reporting deficiency hinders progress toward a collective understanding of the financial costs of management interventions across projects and thus limits the ability to identify efficient solutions to conservation problems or attract adequate funding. We devised a standardized approach to describing financial costs reported for conservation interventions. The standards call for researchers and practitioners to describe the objective and outcome, context and methods, and scale of costed interventions, and to state which categories of costs are included and the currency and date for reported costs. These standards aim to provide enough contextual information that readers and future users can interpret the cost data appropriately. We suggest these standards be adopted by major conservation organizations, conservation science institutions, and journals so that cost reporting is comparable among studies. This would support shared learning and enhance the ability to identify and perform cost-effective conservation.
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 07-2017
Publisher: CSIRO Publishing
Date: 2013
Abstract: Networks of land managed for conservation across different tenures have rapidly increased in number (and popularity) in Australia over the past two decades. These include iconic large-scale initiatives such as Gondwana Link, the Great Eastern Ranges Initiative, Habitat 141°, and the South Australian NatureLinks, as well as other, landscape-scale approaches such as Biosphere Reserves and Conservation Management Networks. Their aims have been multiple: to protect the integrity and resilience of many Australian ecosystems by maintaining and restoring large-scale natural landscapes and ecosystem processes to lessen the impacts of fragmentation to increase the connectivity of habitats to provide for species movement and adaptation as climate changes and to build community support and involvement in conservation. This book draws out lessons from a variety of established and new connectivity conservation initiatives from around Australia, and is complemented by international ex les. Chapters are written by leaders in the field of establishing and operating connectivity networks, as well as key ecological and social scientists and experts in governance. Linking Australia's Landscapes will be an important reference for policy makers, natural resource managers, scientists, and academics and tertiary students dealing with issues in landscape-scale conservation, ecology, conservation biology, environmental policy, planning and management, social sciences, regional development, governance and ecosystem services.
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 07-2017
Publisher: Frontiers Media SA
Date: 20-10-2023
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 12-2021
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 23-02-2021
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 04-2018
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 09-2021
DOI: 10.1111/EMR.12510
Abstract: The Darwin Agreement is a collective response from Australian national restoration organisations to the United Nation's declaration of 2021–2030 as the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration. The agreement functions as terms of reference for a new alliance, the Restoration Decade Alliance, to optimise on‐ground actions and advocacy to retain native ecosystems, reduce impacts upon them and restore them to the highest extent practicable. The Restoration Decade Alliance is expected to grow in membership and influence throughout the Decade and to help galvanise increased action and improved policy across the whole of Australian society including government, industry and community sectors. The UN Decade initiative seeks to reinforce efforts of all players, small and large, to help shift the currently destructive trajectory of humankind to a trajectory of recovery for the benefit of humans and nature.
Publisher: Informa UK Limited
Date: 02-01-2015
Publisher: MDPI AG
Date: 13-08-2018
DOI: 10.3390/LAND7030096
Abstract: There is a growing recognition of the contribution that privately-owned land makes to conservation efforts, and governments are increasingly counting privately protected areas (PPAs) towards their international conservation commitments. The public availability of spatial data on countries’ conservation estates is important for broad-scale conservation planning and monitoring and for evaluating progress towards targets. Yet there has been limited consideration of how PPA data is reported to national and international protected area databases, particularly whether such reporting is transparent and fair (i.e., equitable) to the landholders involved. Here we consider PPA reporting procedures from three countries with high numbers of PPAs—Australia, South Africa, and the United States—illustrating the ersity within and between countries regarding what data is reported and the transparency with which it is reported. Noting a potential tension between landholder preferences for privacy and security of their property information and the benefit of sharing this information for broader conservation efforts, we identify the need to consider equity in PPA reporting processes. Unpacking potential considerations and tensions into distributional, procedural, and recognitional dimensions of equity, we propose a series of broad principles to foster transparent and fair reporting. Our approach for navigating the complexity and context-dependency of equity considerations will help strengthen PPA reporting and facilitate the transparent integration of PPAs into broader conservation efforts.
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 27-09-2017
Publisher: BirdLife Australia, Ltd.
Date: 2022
DOI: 10.20938/AFO39045046
Publisher: Cambridge University Press (CUP)
Date: 07-06-2011
DOI: 10.1017/S0030605310000876
Abstract: Private nature reserves created by non-governmental organizations (NGOs) are increasing, and their growing number and extent means that they can potentially contribute to bio ersity goals at a global scale. However, the success of these reserves depends on the legal, economic and institutional conditions framing their creation and management. We explored these conditions, and the opportunities and challenges facing conservation organizations in managing private nature reserves, across several countries, with an emphasis on Australia. Results from 17 semi-structured interviews with representatives of private conservation organizations indicated that while private reserves may enhance the conservation estate, challenges remain. Legal frameworks, especially tenure and economic laws, vary across and within countries, presenting conservation organizations with significant opportunities or constraints to owning and/or managing private nature reserves. Many acquired land without strategic acquisition procedures and secured funding for property acquisition but not management, affecting the long-term maintenance of properties. Other typical problems were tied to the institutional capacity of the organizations. Greater planning within organizations, especially financial planning, is required and NGOs must understand opportunities and constraints present in legislative frameworks at the outset. Organizations must establish their expertise gaps and address them. To this end, partnerships between organizations and/or with government can prove critical.
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 07-2007
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 22-02-2022
DOI: 10.1111/CSP2.12660
Abstract: Globally, privately protected area (PPA) programs are increasing in size and number. Participating in a PPA program can be fiscally challenging for landholders (e.g., enrollment costs potential reduction in land value opportunity costs costs of ongoing management). Government and nongovernmental organizations often offer financial incentives to landholders, in addition to nonfinancial incentives, to encourage program enrollment and ongoing bio ersity management. In Australia, where conservation covenanting programs have been ongoing for several decades, a ersity of financial incentives is available to landholders. We surveyed 527 conservation covenantors from three states in southeast Australia to investigate the uptake, use, experience and preference for financial incentives. Less than half of covenantors received a financial incentive to enroll, but most applied for some form of incentive after enrollment, predominantly to help with management costs. Covenantors identified challenges in accessing incentives, such as being unaware of funding opportunities or experiencing confusing application processes. We found land rates rebates to be the preferred financial incentive among covenantors, in part due to the perception that covenantors should not have to pay full rates on covenanted land. Our results suggest that while covenantors do not participate in PPA programs for financial incentives, effectively and efficiently deploying financial incentives can reduce the financial burdens of PPA management, potentially increasing the effectiveness of conservation efforts.
Start Date: 01-2013
End Date: 01-2017
Amount: $497,576.00
Funder: Australian Research Council
View Funded ActivityStart Date: 07-2023
End Date: 06-2026
Amount: $359,810.00
Funder: Australian Research Council
View Funded ActivityStart Date: 11-2019
End Date: 11-2024
Amount: $779,000.00
Funder: Australian Research Council
View Funded Activity