Scientists' Declaration: Strong legislation needed to curb Australia's accelerating rate of land clearing

Australia remains a global deforestation hotspot(1).

Eastern Australia has recently experienced unusually intense fires, and much of the region is drought affected. Large-scale clearing of woody native vegetation contributes to increased fire risk by exacerbating climate change through carbon emissions and increasing the severity and duration of droughts through changes in local and regional climates (2–4).

In the past, New South Wales and Queensland have had stronger laws to protect native vegetation, and they worked: rates of land-clearing fell significantly. But these laws have been relaxed in the last decade and rates of land clearing are increasing as a result (5–7). Some other states still lack integrated, cohesive state legislation protecting native vegetation from land-clearing and there is limited Commonwealth oversight.

The cost to society of repairing and countering the negative effects of excessive native vegetation clearing, through restoration and replanting, is substantial.

Australian tax payers have spent $2.55 billion to fund carbon abatement activities including planting trees under the Emissions Reduction Fund. This abatement will be nullified by the recent increase in emissions from land clearing in Australia. The cost of replanting woodland is up to $20,000 per hectare and that of restoring tropical rainforest $20,000-30,000 per hectare. These investments only partially re-establish biodiversity and ecological function after 2-3 decades (8–10). Retaining native vegetation avoids these costs.

Avoiding large-scale land clearing is essential to reducing harm to industry, society and native flora and fauna (11). Australia continues to record increasing numbers of threatened species, often exacerbated by threat of land clearing (12–14). Native vegetation protects soil integrity, water quality in freshwater and marine systems, stabilizes local climate, and supports native wildlife, which in turn provide crucial ecosystem services that support agricultural production (15–19).

Today, scientists call upon Australian governments at all levels to return to, or pass new, effective legislation, supported by sound regulations, to protect native vegetation from broad-scale land-clearing. We call for the prevention of a return to damaging high rates of woodland and forest destruction, to protect society, industry, and our unique biodiversity for future generations.

References

1. Reside, A. E. et al. Ecological consequences of land clearing and policy reform in Queensland. Pacific Conserv. Biol. 23, 219–230 (2017).

2. McAlpine, C. A. et al. A continent under stress: interactions, feedbacks and risks associated with impact of modified land cover on Australia’s climate. Glob. Chang. Biol. 15, 2206–2223 (2009).

3. McAlpine, C. A. et al. Modeling the impact of historical land cover change on Australia’s regional climate. Geophys. Res. Lett. 34, L22711, doi:10.1029/2007GL031524 (2007).

4. Deo, R. C. et al. Impact of historical land cover change on daily indices of climate extremes including droughts in eastern Australia. Geophys. Res. Lett. 36, L08705, doi:10.1029/2009GL037666. (2009).

5. QDES. Land cover change in Queensland 2016–17 and 2017–18: a Statewide Landcover and Trees Study (SLATS) Summary Report. Department of Environment and Science, State of Queensland. (2018).

6. Office of Environment and Heritage. NSW Report on Native Vegetation 2014-2016. Office of Environment and Heritage. (2018).

7. WWF-Australia and Nature Conservation Council of NSW. Bulldozing of bushland nearly triples around Moree and Collarenebri after safeguards repealed in NSW, Specialist Report. (2018).

8. Catterall, C. P. & Harrison, D. A. Rainforest Restoration Activities in Australia’s Tropics and Subtropics, Rainforest CRC, Cairns. (2006). Available at: http://www.jcu.edu.au/rainforest/reports.htm.

9. Catterall, C. P., Freeman, A. N. D., Kanowski, J. & Freebody, K. Can active restoration of tropical rainforest rescue biodiversity? A case with bird community indicators. Biol. Conserv. 146, 53–61 (2012).

10. Shoo, L. P., Freebody, K., Kanowski, J. & Catterall, C. P. Slow recovery of tropical old-field rainforest regrowth and the value and limitations of active restoration. Conserv. Biol. 30, 121–132 (2016).

11. Mitchell, C. D., Harper, R. J. & Keenan, R. J. Current status and future prospects for carbon forestry in Australia. Aust. For. 75, 200–212 (2012).

12. Taylor, M. F. J. & Dickman, C. R. Native animals lost to tree-clearing in NSW 1998-2015. WWF-Australia, Sydney. (2018).

13. Wayne, A. F., Wilson, B. A. & Woinarski, J. C. Z. Falling apart? Insights and lessons from three recent studies documenting rapid and severe decline in terrestrial mammal assemblages of northern, south-eastern and south-western Australia. Wildl. Res. 44, 114–126 (2017).

14. OECD. Environmental Performance Reviews: Australia 2019. OECD Environmental Performance Reviews. OECD Publishing, Paris. (2019).

15. Kearney, S. G. et al. The threats to Australia’s imperilled species and implications for a national conservation response. Pacific Conserv. Biol. doi:org/10.1071/PC18024 (2018).

16. Wenger, A. S. et al. Predicting the impact of logging activities on soil erosion and water quality in steep, forested tropical islands. Environ. Res. Lett. 13, 044035 (2018).

17. Pielke, R. A. et al. Land use/land cover changes and climate: modeling analysis and observational evidence. Wiley Interdiscip. Rev. Clim. Chang. 2, 828–850 (2011).

18. Watson, E. M. et al. The exceptional value of intact forest ecosystems. Nat. Ecol. Evol. 2, 599–610 (2018).

19. Alberto, F. J. et al. Potential for evolutionary responses to climate change – evidence from tree populations. Glob. Chang. Biol. 19, 1645–1661 (2013).

Media coverage

Australia’s land clearing “crisis”: 300 scientists call for crackdown (ABC AM)
To reduce fire risk and meet climate targets, over 300 scientists call for stronger land clearing laws (The Conversation)
Experts call for dramatic decrease in land clearing (The Wire)

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Sign the community petition here.

Scientist signatories

Academics

Dr Andrea Griffin, Senior Lecturer, University of Newcastle
Prof Martine Maron, ARC Future Fellow, University of Queensland
Prof Lesley Hughes, Distinguished Professor in Botany Macquarie University
Prof Chris Dickman, Professor in Terrestrial Ecology, The University of Sydney
Prof Richard Kingsford, Director of Centre for Ecosystem Science, University of New South Wales
Matt W. Hayward, Associate Professor of Conservation Biology, University of Newcastle
Prof Tim Flannery, Honorary Professorial Fellow, Melbourne Sustainable Society Institute, University of Melbourne
John Evans, Professor, Australian National University
Professor Kingsley Dixon, John Curtin Distinguished Professor, Curtin University
Erik Wapstra, Associate Professor, Evolutionary Ecology, University of Tasmania
Dr John Morgan, Lecturer in Plant Ecology, La Trobe University
Louise Gilfedder, Associate Terrestrial Ecologist, University of Tasmania
Vera Weisbecker, President, Australian Mammal Society
Don Driscoll, President Ecological Society of Australia, Professor of Terrestrial Ecology, Deakin University and Ecological Society of Australia
April Reside, Postdoctoral Research Fellow, University of Queensland
Dr Geoffrey Wescott, Honorary Reserch Fellow, Deakin University
Dr Michalis Hadjikakou, Research Fellow, Deakin University
John A. Endler, Professor and Fellow of the Australian Academy of Scineces, Deakin University and James Cook University
Andrew T.D. Bennett, Professor, Deakin University
Mike Weston, Deakin University
Dr Anita Chalmers, Lecturer in Sustainable Resource Management, The University of Newcastle
Leanda Mason, Research Associate, Curtin University
Nick Porch, Senior Lecturer in Environmental Earth Science, Deakin University
Georgia Garrard, Senior Research Fellow, RMIT University
Euan Ritchie, Associate Professor in Wildlife Ecology and Conservation, Deakin University
Maggie Watson, Lecturer, Charles Sturt University
Benjamin Allen, Senior Research Fellow, University of Southern Queensland
Jennifer Firn, Associate Professor, Queensland University of Technology
Dr Grant Hamilton, Senior Lecturer, QUT
Max De Antoni, research associate, Queensland University of Technology
Adam Cardilini, Teaching Scholar/Associate Lecturer, Deakin University
Dejan Stojanovic, Postdoctoral Fellow, Australian National University
Peter Biro, Associate Professor, Deakin University
Dr Claire Runge, Sustainability Research Fellow, UiT The Arctic University of Norway
Jon Woodhead, ARC Laureate Fellow, The University of Melbourne
Dr Emma Razeng, Research and Teaching Associate, Monash University
Dr Mathew Hardy, Research Officer, RMIT University
Dr LJ Boscacci, Postdoctoral Research Associate, University of Wollongong
Perpetua Turner, Honorary Associate, University of Tasmania
Dr Tim Doherty, Research Fellow, Deakin University
Susanna Venn, Senior Lecturer, Deakin University
Ayesha Tulloch, ARC DECRA Fellow, University of Sydney
Dr Luke O’Loughlin, Postdoctoral Fellow, Australian National University
Mylene M Mariette, ARC DECRA research fellow, Deakin University
Libby Robin, Emeritus Professor, Australian National University
Frances Flanagan, University of Sydney Fellow, University of Sydney
Jayden Engert, Research Assistant, James Cook University
Kate Buchanan, Professor, Deakin University
Mark Westoby, Prof Emeritus, Macquarie University
Anita Smyth, Visiting Fellow, The University of Adelaide
William F. Laurance, Distinguished Professor, James Cook University
Professor Steve Turton, Adjunct Professor of Environmental Geography, Central Queensland University
Sarah Bekessy, Professor, ARC Future Fellow, RMIT University
Prof Stuart Bunn, Director, Australian Rivers Institute, Griffith University
Kate Buchanan, Professor, Deakin University
Heloise Gibb, Associate Professor, La Trobe University
Dieter Hochuli, Associate Professor, The University of Sydney
Megan Barnes, Research Fellow, The University of Queensland
Professor James Watson, Director, Centre for Biodiversity and Conservation Science, University of Queensland
Reid Tingley, Lecturer, Monash University
Andy Baker, Researcher, Southern Cross University
Robert Davis, Senior Lecturer, Edith Cowan University
Dr James Radford, Principal Research Fellow, La Trobe University
Dr Bek Christensen, Vice-President, Ecological Society of Australia
Catherine Lovelock, Professor, The University of Queensland
Adela Harvey, Lecturer, La Trobe University, Melbourne
Vanessa Adams, Senior Lecturer, Conservation and Planning, University of Tasmania
Richard Shine, Professor in Biology, Macquarie University
Kaya Klop-Toker, Post-doctoral researcher, University of Newcastle
Nigel Stace, Project Officer, CRC CARE, University of Newcastle
Tim Roberts, Emeritus Professor of Biology, University of Newcastle
Dr Anna Scott, Senior Lecturer, Southern Cross University
Catherine Price, Postdoctoral Researcher, Sydney University
Chad Beranek, Ecological Scientist, University of Newcastle
Tim Cohen, Associate Professor, University of Wollongong
Diana Fisher, Associate Professor, The University of Queensland
Prof. Michael Archer AM, Professor of Biological, Earth & Environmental Sciences, University of New South Wales
Stephen Bonser, Associate Professor, UNSW Sydney
Matthew Bulbert, Senior Lecturer, Macquarie University
Kate Umbers, Senior Lecturer in Zoology, Western Sydney University
David Kennedy, Director, Office for Environmental Programs, The University of Melbourne
Russell Drysdale, Associate Professor and Reader, University of Melbourne
Darren Hocking, LTO, University of Melbourne, School of Geography
Rachel Hughes, Senior Research Fellow, University of Melbourne
Karina Sorrell, Research Assistant, University of Melbourne
Paul Boon, Honorary Professorial Fellow, University of Melbourne
Peter Spooner, Associate Professor, Charles Sturt University
Richard Hobbs, Professor, University of Western Australia
David M Watson, Professor of Ecology, Charles Sturt University
Andy Le Brocque, Associate Professor (Ecology & Sustainability), University of Southern Queensland
Mark Hall, Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment, Western Sydney University
William Stock, Professor, Edith Cowan University
Jose M. Facelli, Associate Professor, The University of Adelaide
David Gillieson, Honorary Professorial Fellow, University of Melbourne
Nathalie Butt, Researcher, The University of Queensland
Aaron Greenville, Lecturer, The University of Sydney
Dr Justin A. Welbergen, President, Australasian Bat Society
Hans Lambers, Emeritus Professor Plant Ecology, University of Western Australia
Uffe N Nielsen, Senior Lecturer, Western Sydney University
Cayne Layton, Postdoctoral Research Fellow, University of Tasmania
Ian Wright, Professor, Macquarie University
Keith Christian, Professor – Environmental Science, Charles Darwin University
Lachlan Charles, Postdoctoral researcher, University of California Riverside
David Keith, Professor of Botany, University of NSW
Dr Thomas Newsome, Academic Fellow, The University of Sydney
Dominique Potvin, Lecturer, University of the Sunshine Coast
Giles Hardy, Professor Forest Pathology, Murdoch University
Christa Beckmann, Lecturer in Biology, Western Sydney University
Skye Cameron, Postdoctoral Research Fellow, University of Queensland
Siegy Krauss, Adjunct Professor, University of Western Australia
Glen Bann, Fellow, University of Wollongong
Dr Hayley Bates, Lecturer, UNSW Sydney
Dr Fran Humphries, Senior Research Fellow, Griffith University
Dr David Tierney, Research Assocaite, University of Sydney
Ben Moore, Senior Lecturer, Western Sydney University
John Martin, Adjunct Lecturer, UNSW
Dagmar Meyer Steiger, Research Fellow, James Cook University Cairns
Dr Philip Zylstra, Fesearch Fellow – fire and fauna modelling, University of Wollongong
Paul McDonald, Associate Professor of Animal Behaviour, University of New England
Professor Richard Fuller, Professor, University of Queensland
Pierre Horwitz, Professor, Edith Cowan University
James Baxter-Gilbert, Researcher, Stellenbosch University
John T. Hunter, Adjunct Associate Professor, University of New England
Barry Fox, Honorary Visiting Professor, University of New South Wales
Dr John Pickard BScAgr MSc PhD PhD, Honorary Associate, Macquarie University
John Bailey, Emeritus Professor in Environmental Science, Murdoch University
Sue Gould, Adjunct Research Fellow, Griffith Climate Change Response Program
Alison Peel, Senior Research Fellow, Griffith University
Rachael Nolan, Lecturer, Western Sydney University
Darren Crayn, Professor and Director, Australian Tropical Herbarium, James Cook University
Dr Pia Lentini, Research Fellow, The University of Melbourne
Philip Ladd, Retired, Murdoch University
Prof Brendan Mackey, DIrector Griffith Climate Change Response Program, Griffith University
Dr Leigh Martin, Scholarly Teaching Fellow, University of Technology Sydney
Professor Don Bradshaw, Senior Honorary Research Fellow, University of Western Australia
Chris Johnson, Professor of Wildlife Conservation, University of Tasmania
Stephen D. Hopper AC, Professor of Biodiversity, The University of Western Australia
Robert Kooyman, Hon. Research Fellow, Macquarie University
Belinda Medlyn, Professor, Western Sydney University
Rebecca Wheatley, Postdoctoral Research Fellow, University of Tasmania
David Bissell, Associate Professor of Geography, The University of Melbourne
Dr. Mike Perring, Adjunct Researcher, The University of Western Australia
Graham Fulton, Editor Pacific Conservation Biology & Research Fellow The university of Sydney, Murdoch University
Dr Nick Schultz, Lecturer, Federation University Australia
Professor Jenny Davis, Co-Director, Research Institute for Environment and Livelihoods, College of Engineering, IT and Environment, Charles Darwin University
Glenda Wardle, Professor of Evology and Evolution, The University of Sydney
Dr geoff macfarlane, Senior Lecturer, University of Newcastle
David Paton AM, Associate Professor, University of Adelaide
Nicole Mcmullen, Associate Lecturer, University of the Sunshine Coast
Dr Emma McIntosh, Conservation Scientist, University of Oxford
Anthony J Bebbington, Australia Laureate Fellow, Professor, University of Melbourne
Professor David Goldney AM, Adjunct Professor, Charles Sturt University
Dr Jill Lancaster, Senior Research Fellow, University of Melbourne
Dr Stephen Bell, Conjoint Fellow, University of Newcastle
Liz Cameron, Prof. Director Institute of Koorie Education, Deakin University
Jeff Powell, Associate Professor, Western Sydney University
Dr Sarah Hill, Research Fellow, University of New England, Armidale
Dr Ian Lunt, Adjunct Associate Professor, Institute for Land, Water and Society, Charles Sturt University
Manu Saunders, Research Fellow (Ecology), University of New England
Christopher MacGregor, Senior Research Officer, The Australian National University
Wayne Houston, Senior Research Officer, Central Queensland University
Ajay Narendra, Senior Lecturer, Macquarie University
Harriet Mills, Sessional Academic, Edith Cowan University
Prof Lesley Head, Head, School of Geography, The University of Melbourne
A/Prof Mathew Crowther, Associate Professor, University of Sydney
Jochen Zeil, Em Prof of Ecological Neuroscience, The Australian National University
Susan Baker, Research Fellow, University of Tasmania
Bethany Hoye, Lecturer, University of Wollongong
Tim Rawling, Associate Professor, University of Melbourne
Dr Gilad Bino, Research Fellow, University of NSW
Kate Brandis, Research Fellow, Centre for Ecosystem Science, University of New South Wales
Lauren Bennett, Associate Professor, The University of Melbourne
Stefania Ondei, Postdoctoral Research Fellow, University of Tasmania
Hamish Campbell, Associate Professor, Charles Darwin University
Mark Kennard, Associate Professor, Australian Rivers Institute, Griffith University
Saul Cunningham, Professor, ANU
Byron Lamont, Distinguished Professor Emeritus, Curtin University
Timothy Clark, Associate Professor, Deakin University
Gerry Quinn, Chair in Marine Biology, Deakin University
Richard Duncan, Professor, Institute for Applied Ecology, University of Canberra
Sandra Vardeh, Postdoctoral researcher, JLU Gießen
Andrew F Bennett, Professor in Ecology, La Trobe University
Angie Haslem, Research Fellow, La Trobe University
Richard Peters, Senior Lecturer, La Trobe University
Michelle Leishman, Distinguished Professor, Head of Department, Macquarie University
Mariella Herberstein, Professor, Macquarie university
Nola Hancock, Research Fellow, Macquarie University
Joe Fontaine, Environmental Scientist, Murdoch University
Alan Andersen, Professorial Fellow, Research Institute for the Environment and Livelihoods, Charles Darwin University
Ascelin Gordon, Senior Research Fellow, RMIT University
Zan Hammerton, Adjunct Lecturer, Southern Cross University
Nicholas Williams, Associate Professor, The University of Melbourne
A/Prof Sarah Wright, Associate Professor, Geography and Environmental Studies, The University of Newcastle
Philip K. Seccombe, Conjoint Associate Professor, The University of Newcastle
Dr William Chivers, Lecturer, The University of Newcastle
Meg Sherval, Senior Lecturer, The University of Newcastle
Hugh Possingham, Professor, The University of Queensland
Caralyn Kemp, Lecturer, Unitec (NZ, because it’s hard to get work in Oz)
Ralph Mac Nally, Centenary Professor, University of Canberra
Thomas Schmidt, Postdoctoral research fellow, University of Melbourne
Prof Alan York, Professor (Landscape Biodiversity), University of Melbourne
Reece Pedler, Project Co-ordinator, Wild Deserts, University of New South Wales
Dr Daniel Falster, Senior Lecturer, University of New South Wales
David McCurdy, Associate Professor, University of Newcastle
Mark Lucock, Associate Professor, University of Newcastle
John Clulow, Associate Professor, University of Newcastle
Michelle Duffy, Associate Professor in Human Geography, University of Newcastle
Robin Offler, Conjoint Assoc. Professor, University of Newcastle
Dr Liam Phelan, Convenor, Bachelor of Science, University of Newcastle
Marcel Maeder, Emeritus Professor, University of Newcastle
John Rodger, Emeritus Professor, University of Newcastle
Tianyi Ma, Lecturer, University of Newcastle
Khay Fong, Lecturer, University of Newcastle
Aleona Swegen, Postdoctoral fellow, University of Newcastle
Brett, Professor of Biotechnology, University of Newcastle
Karl Hassan, Research Fellow/Senior Lecturer, University of Newcastle
Hannah Power, Senior Lecturer, University of Newcastle
Cynthia Riginos, Associate Professor, University of Queensland
Jessica Walsh, Post-doctoral Research Fellow, University of Queensland
Kate Reardon-Smith, Research Fellow, University of Southern Queensland
Emily J Flies, Postdoctoral Research Fellow, University of Tasmania
Daniel Ramp, Associate Professor, University of Technology Sydney
Tanya Mason, Adjunct Research Fellow, UNSW
Pawel Waryszak, Research Assistant, Deakin Uni
John Patrick, Emeritus Professor, University of Newcastle
Angus Morrison-Saunders, Professor, Environmental Management, Edith Cowan University
S. Petit, Associate Professor in Wildlife Ecology, University of South Australia
Christine Connelly, Lecturer in Environmental Science, Victoria University
Sue McIntyre, Honorary Professor, Australian National University
Megan, Lecturer, The University of Newcastle
Linda Beaumont, Associate Professor, Macquarie University
Dr Rohan Clarke, Senior Lecturer, Monash University
David Guez, conjoint Lecturer, The University of Newcastle
Brad Woodworth, Postdoctoral Research Fellow, University of Queensland
David raubenheimer, university professor, university of sydney
Gabriel Machovsky-Capuska, Senior Researcher, University of Sydney
Libby Rumpff, Senior Research Fellow, University of Melbourne
Anne Peters, associate professor, Monash University
Dr E.C.F. Bird, Honorary Fellow, Department of Geograohy, University of Melbourne
Erica Wanless, Professor, University of Newcastle
Carla Catterall, Professor Emeritus, Griffith University
Colin Trainor, Adjunct Fellow, Charles Darwin University
Yung En Chee, Senior Research Fellow, The University of Melbourne
Sam Banks, Professor, Charles Darwin University
Lori Lach, Associate Professor, James Cook University
James Cook, Professor, Western Sydney University
Eddie van Etten, Senior Lecturer, Edith Cowan University
Associate Professor Karl Vernes, Convenor of Ecosystem Management, University of New England
Jodi Price, Senior Lecturer in Vegetation Ecology, Charles Sturt University
Dr. Julian Caley, Adjunct Professor, QUT and JCU
Dr Deborah Bower, Lecturer in Ecosystem Rehabilitation, University of New England
Laura Brettell, postdoctoral research fellow, Western Sydney University
Devi Stuart-Fox, Associate Professor, The University of Melbourne
Luke Mosley, Associate Professor, University of Adelaide
Nigel Andrew, Professor of Entomology, University of New England
Dr Graeme Taylor, Honorary Fellow at the Global Change Institute, University of Queensland.

Practitioner

David Harbison, Director, D R Agriculture Pty Ltd
Ainsley Seago, Entomologist, NSW DPI
Khorloo, Scientist, Arthur Rylah Institute
Georgia Watson, Research assistant (biology), UOW
Joel Stibbard, Senior Ecologist, Biodiversity Conservation Trust
Emma Bennett, Principal Ecologist, Elmoby Ecology
Jo Cosham, Public Servant, Government
Jo Cosham, Member, Ecological Society of Australia
Dr Sarah Pearson, Independent, Independent
Brett Docherty, Director, Docherty Surveying
James Shugg, Arboriculturalist, Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria
Ian McMillan, Honorary research fellow, Queensland Museum
Lincoln Kern, Ecological Consultant and Managing Director, Practical Ecology Pty Ltd
Noel Preece, Director, Biome5 Environmental
Ben Stepkovitch, Technical Officer, Hawkesbury Institute of the Environment
Phillipa Holden, Manager Strategy & Engagement, NRKI
Dr Ian Baird, Ecologist, Independent consultant
Jane Williamson, Senior Ecologist, GIS Environmental Consultants
Dr Richard Glatz, Principal Scientist, D’Estrees Entomology & Science Services
Tim Vale, Fire Management and Policy Officer, Conservation Council SA
Diana Kuchinke, Sessional teacher, Federation University
Dr Graeme T. Hastwell, Independent researcher & consultant, No affiliation
Lee Belbin, Director, Blatant Fabrications Pty Ltd
Sue Murray-Jones, Marine advisor, Myanmar, and casual academic staff,, Fauna & Flora International, and Flinders university of SA
Bill (W.E.) Richdale, self-employed ecologist, consultant ecologist
Paula Peeters, CEO, Paperbark Writer
Pat Hutchings, Senior Fellow, Australian Museum
Wendy Hawes, Principal Ecologist, The Envirofactor
Joshua Lee, Director, North Coast Environmental Services
Dr Jeff Foulked, Conservation Programs Manager, Nature Conservation Society of South Australia
Gregory D Kerr, Senior Ecologist, Nature Glenelg Trust
Barbara Stewart, Consultant ecologist, Landmark Ecological Services Pty Ltd
Nicole Maher, Landcare Coordinator, Murrumbidgee Landcare
Don Butcher, Outdoor educator, Latrobe University
Anna Povey, Director, Bush Matters
Alan House, Principal Ecologist, Red Gum Ecology
Dr Graeme Lorimer, Principal Environmental Scientist, Biosphere Pty Ltd
David Roshier, South East Regional Ecologist, Australian Wildlife Conservancy
Caitlin Selleck, Research scientist, Department of Jobs, Precincts and Regions
Kevin Taylor, Ecologist, Nature Conservation Council of NSW
Graham Griffin, Partner, Datasticians
Annette Cook, Wildlife ecologist, Independent
Timothy Wills, Technical Director – Botany, GHD
Maree Treadwell, Ecologist, N/A
Ayesha Burdett, Ecologist, River Bend Ecology
Dr Jessica Marsh, Honourary Research Associate, South Australian Museum
Dr Sarsha Gorissen, Ecologist, Independent
Shoshana Rapley, Research Assistant, Australian National University
David Smith, Research Ecologist, Australian National University
Dr. Hugh Spencer, CEO/Director, Australian Tropical Research Foundation
Dr Ros Blanche, Retired Ecologist, CSIRO
Julie Schubert, Environmental Scientist, Duke Environmental
John Read, Director, Ecological Horizons
Dr William Steele, Consulting Ecologist/ Biodiversity Scientist, Ecology Balance/ Melbourne Water Corporation
Grant Buller, Research Assistant, Edith Cowan University
Dr Malcolm Lindsay, Ecologist, Environs Kimberley
Paul Revie, Ecologist/Zoologist, Envirosphere Consulting
Patrick Malone, Environmental Consultant, Envirosphere Consulting Pty Ltd
Mallory Wilson, Member, ESA
Amanda Todd, Senior Technical Officer, Griffith University
Marita MCGuirk, Ecologist, Manage Your Habitat
Berin Mackenzie, Scientist, NSW Office of Environment & Heritage
Louise Gilfedder, Associate, University of Tasmania
Mick Roderick, Woodland Bird Program Manager, BirdLife Australia
Tricia Stewart, Natural Areas Team Leader, Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria
Maria Cardoso, Field Ecologist, Landcare
Peter, Valentine, Adjunct Professor, James Cook University
Jennifer Anson, Senior Ecologist, Australian Wildlife Conservancy
Dr Lachlan Fetterplace, Researcher, Fish Thinkers Research
Steven Towner, Managing Director and Principal Consultant, Envirosphere Consulting

Student

Stephanie Hernandez, PhD Candidate, James Cook University
Eilysh Thompson, PhD candidate, Deakin University
Chris Jolly, PhD Candidate, University of Melbourne
Sara Balouch, PhD student, Deakin University Australia
Brodie Verrall, HDR Candidate, Griffith University
Sonya Fiddes, PhD Student, University of Melbourne
Robert Scanlon, PhD Candidate, University of Newcastle
Barbara Fraser, PhD candidate, Sessional Academic, University of Newcastle
Andrew Colefax, PhD Candidate, Southern Cross University
Peter Butcherine, PhD Student, Southern Cross University
Matthew Nimbs, PhD Candidate, Southern Cross University
Katie Kelly, Honours Student, Southern Cross University
Jamie David, PhD scholar, Southern Cross University
James Tucker, PhD Student, SCU
Sophie Pryor, PhD candidate, National Marine Science Centre
Nicola Fraser, PhD Candidate, Southern Cross University
Sarah Maclagan, PhD candidate, Deakin University
Anthony Schultz, PhD Candidate, University of the Sunshine Coast
Daniel Huston, PhD Candidate, University of Queensland
Pauline Lenancker, PhD student, James Cook University
Carrie Sims, PhD Student, University Of Queensland
Valerie Hagger, PhD candidate/Ecologist, The University of Queensland
Roshan Sharma, PhD Student, RMIT University
Patrick Norman, PhD Candidate, Griffith University
Michelle Ward, PHD Candidate, UQ
Darcy Watchorn, PhD student, Deakin University
Elise Verhoeven, Student, University of Technology Sydney
Amelia Saul, PhD Candidate, University of Sydney
Bernardo J. O’Connor, PhD Student, University of Adelaide
Guyo Gufu, HDR candidate, Macquarie university
Nicholas Wilson, PhD Student, University of Wollongong
Sean Walsh, PhD Student / Tutor, University of Melbourne
Kita Ashman, PhD Candidate in Ecology, Deakin University
Casey, PhD, The University of Sydney
Callum McDiarmid, PhD student, Macquarie University
David Clarke, PhD student, Monash University
Thomas Sayers, PhD student, The University of Melbourne
Margreet Drijfhout, PhD student, La Trobe University
Luke Florence, Student, Southern Cross University
Anita Huber, Postgraduate student, University of New England
Andrew Katsis, PhD candidate, Deakin University
Kyle Hemming, PhD student, University of Canberra
Jasmine Lee, Post-doctoral Researcher, Monash University
Claire Brandenburger, PhD candidate, UNSW Sydney
Justin Chan, PhD Student, UNSW
Casey O’Brien, PhD candidate, Adelaide University
Alicia Merriam, PhD Candidate, University of Adelaide
Kit Prendergast, PhD researcher, Curtin University
Josephine Woods, PhD candidate, Biosciences, Melbourne Uni
Jessica Rowland, PhD candidate, Deakin University
Fred Rainsford, PhD researcher, La trobe University
Annette Cavanagh, Student, La Trobe University
Brody Loneragan, Honours candidate, Murdoch University
Natasha Tay, PhD Candidate, Murdoch University
Rebecca Groenewegen, PhD Candidate, The University of Melbourne
Lily van Eeden, PhD student, The University of Sydney
Sandra Penman, PhD Candidate, University of Melbourne
Carol Martin, PhD Candidate (Sustainable Resource Management), University of Newcastle
Michelle Mogilski, PhD candidate, University of Queensland
John Lamaris, Student, University of Queensland
Josephine Potter-Craven, PhD Candidate, University of Tasmania
Tom Le Breton, PhD Candidate, UNSW
Nicolas Stephenson, Third year Envirnmental science student, Murdoch University
Stephen Kearney, PhD candidate, University of Queensland
Linda Parker, PhD candidate, The University of Melbourne
Alan Stenhouse, Doctoral Researcher, University of Adelaide
Kelly Dixon, PhD candidate, Australian National University
Claire Greenwell, PhD Candidate, Murdoch University