ESA 50th Anniversary

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1960 - 2010 ESA CELEBRATES 50 YEARS!

ESA proudly celebrates 50 years as an incorporated society working to promote the scientific study of all organisms in relation to their environment, and encourage the application of ecological principles in the development, use and conservation of Australia's natural resources.

In our anniversary year we have a number of events and activities organised so check this page regularly to find out what's on now and what's coming up. Help us celebrate.

ESA 50th Anniversary Cameo Series

a series of cameo historical perspectives from Australian ecologists started in 2010 and continuing in 2011..

Read Cameo #18 “The Continuing Education of an Ecologist" Margaret Friedel, CSIRO, Alice Springs.

This series of Cameo Perspectives in Australian Ecology will progressively bring together brief reflections on the science and practice of ecology in Australia over the last 50 years. Pubished weekly in ESA e-news, and on the web and linking to a discussion forum on facebook, these will be short written contributions (snapshots, commentaries, reminiscences, critiques, or other forms of perspective), which look at the development, between 1960 and 2010, of: (1) the science or practice of ecology in Australia; and/or (2) activities within the ESA.

Contributions are welcome (500-1500 words)

contact executiveofficer@ecolsoc.org.au

Previous Cameos:

Cameo #1 'How the Open Forum Evolved' Professor Barry Fox

Cameo #2 'The Changing Role of Women in Australian Ecology" Carla Catterall

Cameo #3 Ecology in Arid Australia – A Personal Perspective' Steve Morton

Cameo #4 'Early days with ESA' John Carnahan, Foundation Member & Retired ANU

Cameo #5 I attended the inaugural meeting of ESA, Jiro Kikkawa, Professor Emeritus, UQ

Cameo #6 'My Ecological Journey' Dr Sue Briggs, Adjunct Professor, University of Canberra

Cameo #7 'Environmental Probity in Ecological Employment' Professor Jamie Kirkpatrick, University of Tasmania, ESA President 1996-97 and Gold medalist 2009

Cameo #8 'Fifty years of Quaternary palynology in Australia’ Peter Kershaw, Director, Centre for Palynology and Palaeoecology, Monash University.

Cameo #9 'The Ecological Society of Australia - a perspective of its growth over two decades (1990-2010) Craig James, CSIRO Ecosystem Science and the CRC for Remote Economic Participation.

Cameo #10 ' The Link between Ecology and Conservation, Prof Pat Dale, Griffith School of Environment

Cameo #11 ' Frontier Science: the role of Territory government researchers in understanding the ecology of arid Australia' Chris R. Pavey, Biodiversity Conservation Division, NT Department of Natural Resources, Environment, Arts and Sport, Alice Springs.

Cameo #12 ' Out on a Limb – Research in Australia’s Forest Canopies” Meg Lowman, North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences, North Carolina State University

Cameo #13 ' Bogong High Plains and Melbourne Botany School” David W Goodall, Edith Cowan University.

Cameo #14 "Long term research sites” Bob Johnson, Retired Director, Queensland Herbarium, & ESA President 1985-6.

Cameo #15 "A Half Century of Change in Australian Fire Ecology: Personal Glimpses, 1960 to 2010, A. Malcolm Gill, Visiting Fellow, Fenner School of Environment and Society, Australian National University.

Cameo #16 " “The stopping of land clearing in Queensland: an ecologist’s perspective”, Rod Fensham, The Ecology Centre, School of Biological Science, University of Queensland"

Read Cameo #17 “A wetland odyssey – from ecology to ecosystem services and community" Max Finlayson, Institute for Land, Water and Society, Charles Sturt University.

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2010 ‘Ecology in Action’

Photographic Competition

Congratulations to all the winners and thankyou to everyone who entered. The competition was a popular success. Stay tuned for more in 2011!

All entries still available for viewing on facebook and winning entries were on display at ESA10

And the winners were!

Judges Choice

Ecologists in Action

1. “There’s a bat up there” by Gemma Deavin, Photographer/writer, Tellwell Communications

2. Manwurrk Ranger Emmanuel Namarnyilk getting close to a Giant Frog during a frog survey at Makkalarl, Arnhem Land, N. T. By Emilie Ens, Centre for Aboriginal Economic Policy Research, ANU

3. Small Inspiration, by Alan Kwok, PhD student, UNSW

Highly commended:

Barred galaxias, by Donovan Wilson, Horticulturist, self-employed

Connectivity across the continent 1 - field ecology on the Eyre Peninsula, South Australia By Nick Murray, PhD Student

Ecology in action

1. Vector, by David Black, Research Assistant, Griffith University

2. The March of the Lichens, by Michele Kohout, Ecologist, Arthur Rylah Institute, Department of Sustainability and Environment

3. Grubs Up! By Mark Sanders, Principal Ecologist, EcoSmart Ecology

Highly commended:

Juvenile Eastern Stone Gecko, by David Wong, Postgraduate student, Institute for Applied Ecology, University of Canberra

The Australian Emperor, Hemianax papuensis, in flight, by Ben Twist, Student, La Trobe University

People's Choice:

Ecologists in Action

1. Boris Branwhite with one of the new Orchid species he has found. by: Debra Raymont, Nature Photographer

2. Smile for the camera, by Kristin “Bluey” Donaldson, PhD student, UQ, School of Biological Sciences

3. Who said ecology isn't sexy? Andre believes otherwise. By Brad Farmilo, PhD Candidate, LaTrobe University

Ecology in Action
1. Night Fight, by Alan Kwok, PhD student, UNSW

2. Fighting for a female... who could not care less? By Kristin “Bluey” Donaldson, UQ, School of Biological Sciences

3. Thelymitra adorata, by Boris Branwhite, Community volunteer flora and flora researcher

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2010 ‘Ecology in Action’ Photographic Competition

This year the ESA is holding a photographic competition as part of celebrations to mark the 50th Anniversary of the Society. The competition aims to create a visual record of ecologists and their work and engage members in celebrating themselves, the work they do, and their colleagues / students / supervisors.

A panel of judges will determine the main prize winners, but ESA members will also be invited to vote for images to determine prizewinners for the ‘People’s choice’ award via the ESA’s new Facebook page.

Entries are invited under two categories:

1. Ecologists in Action.

Interesting portraits of ecologists in the lab, office, lecture theatre, policy arena or field. Preference will be given to images that provide a good portrait of an ecologist, and also convey what the person works on, or issues pertinent to their field.

Each image must be accompanied by a short description (minimum 200 words, maximum 250 words) that describes the ecologist and their work. Images must either be taken in Australia or its territories, or illustrate he work that Australian ecologists are undertaking in other countries.

An ecologist is defined as anyone undertaking ecological research or management (including conservation and restoration).

Prizes: 1st $500, 2nd $300, 3rd $200, Highly commended(2) $150, People’s choice 1st $100, 2nd $75, 3rd $50

2. Ecology in Action

Images of plants, animals, ecological communities, landscapes, study sites, experiments, people, or any other subject that illustrate ecological principals, models, theories, projects, patterns, interactions or processes. Each image must be accompanied by a short description (minimum 200 words, maximum 250 words) that describes the subject and its relevance to ecology. Images must either be taken in Australia or its territories, or illustrate he work that Australian ecologists are undertaking in other countries.

Prizes: 1st $400, 2nd $200, 3rd $150, Highly commended(2) $100, People’s choice 1st $100, 2nd $75, 3rd $50

NOTE: Maximum file size for images 5MB!

Important dates

Entries open June 28 2010

Entries close September 17 2010

People’s choice award open for voting October 2010

Winners will be notified in December 2010, and winning entries will be displayed at the ESA 2010 conference in Canberra.

FOLLOW ENTRIES ON FACEBOOK

How to enter

Entry is free and you do not have to be an ESA member to enter.

Entry Form and consent form is available here

How to enter and Conditions of entry available here