ISSUE 30 August 2012

Connections research for a sustainable future Many other organisations also made their own commitments. From the Director When we stop and look at these commitments we could readily think that they do not really impact on us as a research institution. And we CONTENTS could continue along our merry and productive way without reference to From Director 1 the Conference or the 49 page Opinion- Prof Allan Curtis 2 paper. Director’s Activities 2 If we did that we would miss a golden opportunity to make On the International Stage- 3 something of our combined skills -GEO 5 report 3 and expertise. We could contribute to many of the issues raised in The -Nature article 4 Our International Reach Future We Want. The current edition -Proceedings of the Royal 5 By Prof Max Finlayson of this newsletter contains many Society B paper examples of the international reach The Rio+20 United Nations Conferences/Workshops 5 Conference on Sustainable of our research. Development, held in Brazil in SRA Update 6 June, marked the 20th Global issues Events 7 anniversary of the 1992 United Nations Conference on This is one way where we can seek Farewell-Prof Nick Klomp 8 Environment and Development, to have an influence on global New Network 9 and the 10th anniversary of the issues. We could also potentially 2002 World Summit on make more of our position in the Profile-Luke Pearce 10 Sustainable Development. What Murray-Darling Basin. Many of the Projects 11 did it achieve? issues we have faced and face in the It produced a 49 page paper “The Basin can be readily transferred to -Namoi ground-water survey Future We Want” with a renewed other parts of the world. We could do -Murrumbidgee monitoring political commitment to sustainable worse than consider ourselves as development and the promotion of a part of a living work space, a -Social resilience sustainable future. laboratory for social, economic and Visitors environmental investigation and experimentation, and with a local -Prof Steve Vanderheiden 14 Outcomes and a global audience. -A/Prof Eric Toman I am not convinced that we have yet Important outcomes included: Awards & appointments 14 support for the development of a set grasped the opportunity to make the of measurable targets aimed at most of living and working in the Publications 15 Basin, with outcomes for the Basin, promoting sustainable development New Grants 16 globally; shoring up of the UN and as a springboard for helping Environment Programme; a proposal others elsewhere. We have the to seek alternatives to GDP and to capability. And some people are take into account the ecosystem working on the mechanisms – as services provided by nature; calls to individuals and in teams – we need a return ocean stocks to sustainable bit more if we are to be seen as levels and to implement science- making the best of the opportunity. based management plans; and And it is close by. Your input and reaffirmed commitments to phase contribution are welcomed. out fossil fuel subsidies.

of developed economies on food often purchased directly from local Opinion production in developing nations. suppliers, which they or hired help Think fish and cat food. Just as prepare. Even middle class Asians arguments can be advanced are not as wealthy as we might suggesting there will be a future food believe. Indian professionals receive crisis, counter arguments can be put about 10% of the income of forward suggesting that we will comparable Australians. And as continue to muddle through. New economists explain, as incomes rise, farmland is being developed in people typically spend a smaller South America, rising global proportion of their income on food. In temperatures should increase the India, increased incomes are more area of arable land in north America likely to be spent on motorbikes, and northern Europe and improved phones, computers, education, and governance in Africa is leading to housing than on food. There is increased food production there. already a substantial cohort of wealthy consumers in Asia, but no Australia not suited to capture real evidence of increased demand rising world demand By Prof Allan Curtis and prices for Australian farm This analysis appeared in The A key point is that Australia is products. The one exception is Conversation, July 13, and unlikely to make a substantial possibly lamb, and the story there is summarised Allan’s views in talk he contribution to solving world hunger. of marketing to cultures that prefer gave, as the special after-dinner We simply don’t produce that much lamb. food and poor people cannot afford speaker at the Real Estate Institute So, both price and cultural our farm products. We have plenty of of Victoria rural conference held at preferences will be crucial factors food and export about half of what Bendigo, July 3-4. The piece influencing demand for food in Asia we produce, but that is a tiny fraction generated plenty of comments and and for Australian products. The of the global food supply – of which led to debate in the media. mining analogy is flawed: Australia is we supply about 1%. Australian typically a low-cost producer of coal farmers are efficient in terms of the Australia’s place in the global and iron ore; it is much easier to food and fibre produced per unit of food chain: time to wise up increase the supply of farm products labour input, but most of our farming as demand rises; and there is In recent weeks Australia’s PM, a systems are based on high inputs of increasing demand for the consumer shadow minister, and a state premier expensive fuel, fertiliser, chemicals, products and urban lifestyles that have heralded the opportunities for and machinery. With very high wage rely on mining outputs. There will be Australian farmers to capitalise on a costs and a high Aussie dollar, it is opportunities for Australians to global food-shortage and, in increasingly difficult for Australia to export to Asian markets, but success particular, rising demand for high hold existing markets. quality food amongst the middle cannot be assumed. Farmers will classes in Asia. It seems Australia is What about the opportunities for need to keep their costs down, but in the perfect position to do well and Australia to export into Asia? Firstly, government and industry need to act to do well. Closer examination we need to recognize that there is rather than simply telling farmers suggests that many of the capacity to increase food production that the future is rosy and they have assumptions underlying these in Asia. Farm incomes in Asia are the same opportunities as the pervasive beliefs are problematic. I typically too low to keep most miners. don’t think Australians can simply farmers producing food. As farmers wait for the rising tide of Asian move to cities in search of higher demand to improve the incomes and paid work, and that typically is only Director’s Activities around $2-$3 per day, large areas of Prof Max Finlayson was in Europe to livelihoods of Australia’s farmers. If th there are opportunities, they will land have become less productive. attend the 11 Conference of the have to be identified and pursued in Indeed, in parts of India, minimum Parties to the Ramsar Convention on a highly competitive environment. prices are set at local markets to Wetlands, held in Bucharest, encourage farmers to grow food. Romania, July 6-13. There he Food production rises with good facilitated the discussion on a governance To the extent that markets emerge resolution on climate change and or are developed, Australian Let’s examine some of the wetlands and ran a technical side exporters can expect intense event on climate change and underlying assumptions. Is there competition from lower cost, larger really a global food crisis? There are wetlands. He also gave a scale producers in South America, presentation at a side event on hungry people and this is a tragedy Africa and even, North America. that should not be trivialised. At the wetland restoration. Post- Chile and South Africa, for example, conference, July 14-18, he went on a same time, most of the world’s are also southern hemisphere population does get sufficient food boat trip with other conference producers able to meet out-of- delegates to the Danube Delta (the each day. As the UN Special season food demand in Asia. Rapporteur on Food recently biggest reeded in Europe and acknowledged, hunger in the 21st Time for a realistic reappraisal second largest river delta) where he Century is largely the outcome of saw the Dalmatian Pelican, the Most middle class Indians I’ve met poor governance and the influence largest bird in Europe. Read more almost exclusively eat Indian foods,

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wise use’ in Aquatic Conservation: small victories are outweighed On the International Marine and Freshwater Ecosystems by the losses”. Stage where he wrote about the continued • The benefits that people get How can you influence international loss and/or degradation of different from biodiversity are at risk policies that will help protect and wetland types and their species.) and are unequally shared around the world. Richer conserve the world’s biodiversity? GEO is a global environment outlook countries in the world like undertaken by the United Nations There are a number of ways but for Australia, the U.S. and parts every three years to five years to academics these include being of Europe obtain a lot of the provide assessments of the state of published in the world’s leading benefits derived from the environment; inform scientific journals and contributing to biodiversity compared to governments and other world-wide environmental reports. developing countries. organisations around the world of However, as the populations That has been the case recently, the opportunities to do something in many developing countries with the release of the UNs Global about the state of the environment; are increasing rapidly and Environmental Outlook-5 (GEO-5), a and options to take actions. report on the state of the world’s consuming more we can environment, on June 6. Institute Max says the value of such a report, expect the overall pressure on director Prof Max Finlayson was a to which experts around the world biodiversity to increase. • co-ordinating lead author on the contribute, was it provides a global While we have been doing overview of the world’s biodiversity, report’s chapter on biodiversity. The more around the globe to following day a letter titled land, water and atmosphere. protect biodiversity, such as ‘International trade drives increasing our national parks biodiversity threats in developing A picture at a global level and protected areas to 13% of nations’, which was co-authored by all land mass; introducing more regulations to Institute adjunct Barney Foran, was “We often assess things locally in encourage sustainable land published in the international journal our own country or areas but we practices and reduce water Nature. need a picture at a global level pollution; and increasing because many of the processes and The messages from both are clear. international financing for changes operate at the large scales, The world’s biodiversity is under biodiversity conservation, this not just locally,” he says. “The UN is serious threat if we, as in the human has failed to reduce the loss trying to provide a picture for all race, don’t change our ways. and degradation of governments so we can take global biodiversity. Ongoing and Also on the “international stage” was action.” a journal article in the Proceedings concerted effort is needed. The main messages in the report re. of the Royal Society B: Biological “Our responses are inadequate, biodiversity are: Sciences by A/Prof David Watson says Max. “We have had some and Matt Herring on their large-scale • The pressures on biodiversity successes but we need to do more; mistletoe removal experiment, are increasing and climate we need to have an ongoing and published on-line, July 11. change will add to that. A lot concerted effort to stop and reverse of the world’s biodiversity the loss of biodiversity.” GEO-5 report already been lost. For He says governments around the Global biodiversity is continuing example coral reefs are in world now have an information base to decline despite various decline; 95% of wetlands in from which they can take action. conservation efforts including an some areas have been lost; “We have globally agreed targets for increase in protected areas (now between 2000 and 2005, the biodiversity but what we really need at 13% of land mass) and greater world lost over 100 million ha. to do now is translate that international financial aid (now at of forest; and two-thirds of the information and knowledge into US3.1billion a year) according to world’s largest rivers have action in all parts of the world,” he the GEO-5 report. been fragmented by dams says. “ Australia, unfortunately, has and weirs and in many cases a very bad record of biodiversity loss “We have had some successes no longer flow to the sea. around the world but we need to do but we do have a lot of information • There has been and still is a more,” says Prof Max Finlayson, and our institutions are strong and in major loss of species around who has contributed to similar global place." the world. For example, 30% reports on climate change, water of vertebrate species are in “What we need to do in Australia is management, ecosystem services decline; two-thirds of species to transfer that knowledge and and the environment. “We need to are facing extinction; and the information into on-going action. have an on-going and concerted fastest decline of species loss And while we are taking action in effort to stop and reverse the loss of is in the tropics and in Australia, we can also help a lot of biodiversity.” freshwater and marine other countries who may not have (Earlier this year Max, a member of ecosystems. While there have the same science or information the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands been some successes in base that we have. We have Scientific and Technical Review bringing species back from expertise that we can share with Panel, had an article titled ‘Forty the brink of extinction, “these other countries.” years of wetland conservation and

ILWS Newsletter Issue 30 – 2012 3

Nature letter world with the biggest consumers are three to six major papers that The letter which appeared in Japan, North America and the EU. have to be developed that will deal with the issues we raised in regards Nature has been described as the In some countries (Indonesia, to threats to biodiversity in a lot ‘headline’ of the research findings Papua New Guinea, Madagascar, more detail,” he says. from a team of researchers from and Sri Lanka) this species threat Sydney University and Institute was as high as 50 to 60%.“In other The research work that Barney is adjunct Barney Foran. (pictured words the developing world gives doing with the team of researchers below) and the developed world is on-going. “What I would really like consumes,” says Barney. to do is a country by country investigative report on each of the The Nature paper was couched at G-20 nations looking at their real the global policy level. Its authors impact is on the globe, including suggest trade in at-risk commodities threats to biodiversity,” says Barney. be suppressed, specifically using Article XX of the General Agreement Barney sees the recommendations on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) which in the Nature paper adding to those is still in effect under the World in the GEO-5 report. “This just adds Trade Organisation (WTO) and another one which is to stop or which allows for ‘measures relating hinder the trade of products to the conservation of exhaustible implicated in species threats,” he natural resources.’ says. “We need to put trade barriers in place against products and “According to that article you could production chains that threaten slap a border tax on a good, either a biodiversity.” The Integrated Sustainability raw or fully produced good, that has Analysis group are led by Prof implicated in it activities that cause In the past identifying those products Manfred Lenzen, from Sydney threats to threatened species,” and production chains that University’s Physics department. explains Barney. “We already have threatened biodiversity was The work is the culmination of a 10 a lever in the world trade considered “far too complex.” “It still year effort using super computers agreements that we can use to start is complex,” says Barney “but we and sophisticated mathematics to thinking about how we can now have the capacity to be able to build a detailed set of environmental implement changes.” do so.” accounts for the world economy. The paper makes the point that, “We are looking at the whole Product labelling because the world’s economic economic structure of the globe in all structure is structured as it is, there the dimensions that hurt or harm the Another suggestion to help protect were three parts or levels at which environment with biodiversity one of threats to biodiversity was to something could be done about the the eight to 10 issues that we are introduce labelling of products which threat to biodiversity. dealing with,” says Barney who took into account a product’s “One is the producers, they have to describes his role as “the policy and (including those that contain a mix of practical filter.” produce ‘right and proper’,” says domestic and imported products) Barney. “Then there are the middle Other issues being investigated threat to biodiversity. The labelling men, they should only buy properly include energy, greenhouse, could also take into account the certified produce, and then there are ecological footprint, water scarcity, product’s carbon footprint. the consumers, who as I’ve said for and employment. “Eventually what “This would lead, eventually, to a Australia, should buy Australian- we would like to be able to do is, for global protocol for global marketing,” produced products and ask for each production chain, is give a says Barney. “At its simplest think of sustainability labels. summary of those issues in regard a green, a yellow and a red in terms to what the world does, and what the “Also, when we are part of of threat to threatened species, or organisations, we should suggest impacts of those economies and carbon or a combination of those.” production chains are,” says Barney. that our university or firm or From the domestic point-of-view, whatever to procure wisely....there is For the Nature paper the group Barney’s advice is to consume no such thing as cheap farm-shrimp looked at threatened animal species, Australian products. from south-east Asia or cheap linking 25,000 species threat records photocopy paper from Indonesia. from the International Union for “Despite whatever ‘fish-hooks’ there Conservation of Nature’s Red List to are in Australian production systems “They all come at a cost and a lot of more than 15,000 commodities and of course there will be some, we that cost is a biodiversity cost. There produced in 187 countries and tend to do better at trying to manage is no such thing as a free feed as far evaluated more than 5 billion supply these things than many other as the environment is concerned.” chains in terms of their impacts on countries that don’t have the biodiversity. It found that 35% of institutions and governance that we In the News species threats in developing do,” says Barney. A record of members’ recent media countries were due to those Barney describes getting the letter activities is on our web pages at In countries’ exports to the developed out in Nature as the first ‘headline’ of the News. the work the team has done. “ There

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The Mistletoe paper greater than you would expect based Conferences/ The paper, ‘Mistletoe as a on how abundant the keystone is. keystone resource –an “For example, the Northern Workshops experimental test’ was published Cassowary, a big bird in our in the prestigious Proceedings of rainforests, is the only bird big US Mussel Research the Royal Society B: Biological enough to swallow a heap of fruits Sciences journal. and therefore is the only thing It summarises the findings from a dispersing the seeds from certain five year large-scale Australian trees,” says Dave. “You would ecological removal experiment (2003 expect that if you took that one of to 2008) funded by the Australian type bird away from the forest, there Research Council where the would be a whole lot of trees that are parasitic plant mistletoe no longer being dispersed.” (Loranthaceae) was removed from One of the best ways to demonstrate 17 sites on private properties near whether or not something was a Holbrook in the southern Riverina. keystone was with removal There were an additional 11 control experiments. “However almost no- sites and 12 sites in which mistletoe one has done them as they are just was naturally absent. The sites too hard,” says Dave. “This study [on Prof Caryn Vaughn (L) & Christine Reid ranged in size from five to 25 ha. mistletoes] will be a text book Christine Reid, who is undertaking example of how to do this kind of her PhD on palaeo and study and of the kinds of clear-cut contemporary mussels of the patterns you get from doing it. It is a Murray-Darling Basin, visited the nice example of large scale University of Oklahoma, USA, in experimental ecology in natural April. She also attended a systems, something which is hard to Freshwater Molluscs Conservation do, risky, takes time to do and Society conference “Incorporating generally doesn’t work out the way environmental flows, climate change you planned. and ecosystem services into freshwater mussel conservation and Mistletoe’s influence management” at the University of Georgia, April 19-20. “When I first suggested mistletoe The purpose of the trip was to probably was a keystone I was collaborate about current research of convinced it was because of two mussels as research on freshwater things - a lot of things eat it and lots mussels is lacking in Australia. of things nest in it. Of all the Above. Amyema miquelii –pic by Dave Christine learnt how to conduct predictions I tested in this study, Watson functional trait analysis (filtration, neither of those two were supported respiration & excretion rates) of that strongly. Indeed, I think “This is the first time you can really mussels with Prof Caryn Vaughn, mistletoe’s influence is far more say with any degree of certainty Presidential Professor of Zoology, subtle and has to do with the way what effect this plant has on its and assisted in fieldwork with her nutrients are recycled in woodlands surrounding community,” says Dave. team of students in the Little River, through leaf litter, through “By removing it we were able to get south-eastern Oklahoma. a really clear window into causation, reallocating a lot of nutrients in the tree and making them available to a which is something ecologists rarely Shells& pollution do. In this case we can talk about whole lot of other woodland plants Dr Julia Howitt attended ECSA 50- causes and direct effects because and animals. It works like a fertiliser Today’s Science for Tomorrow’s we did this manipulation.” and has a positive effect on th woodland.” Management, (the 50 conference of A major finding from the study was the Estuarine and Coastal Sciences that where the mistletoe had been Dave says the patch-scale removal Association), Venice, Italy, June 3-7 removed from the woodlands, a third experiment he undertook is novel where she presented a paper (co- of the woodland birds disappeared. because these kinds of experiments authored by Dr Julie Mondon, The sites where the mistletoe was are either logistically or ethically Deakin University on ‘Complex left alone gained 10%. difficult to undertake. pollutant exposure and the Pacific Oyster, Crassostrea gigas: Shells as “According to the paper’s referees, “However mistletoe is a relatively an indicator and archive of metal this is the most rigorous test of a minor component of a woodland system and it is possible to remove exposure. Dr Mondon then keystone ever undertaken,” says presented a second paper (co- David. He explains that the influence them without damaging the trees or authored by Dr Howitt) on ‘Structural of a keystone (a term first applied to system,” he says. Alterations in Soft Tissue and Shell particular species in the environment of Bivalve Molluscs as Specific but now broadened to include Biomarkers of Complex Pollutant environmental resources) was much Exposure and Effect.’

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Social justice in water reform New and old connections were SRA Update ILWS post-doc Anna Lukasiewicz forged with social scientists from gave a public lecture based on her USA, Canada, Nepal and Australia. Field trips reinforced similar Improving Rural Livelihoods in PhD titled “Social justice in water Developing Countries reform”, at the Fenner School of challenges facing Canada to Environment & Society, ANU, on Australia regarding loss of peri-urban By Dr Joanne Millar June 14. She examined how agriculture, engagement of The group has two projects under principles of social justice are landholders and indigenous people way. The first one, with team incorporated into Australian water in land stewardship and the growing members PK Basu, Peter Wynn, Jo reform by investigating how impacts of mining for oil and Millar, Calvin Wang, Rosy Black, Australian governments codify and minerals. David McGill and Sahibzada interpret justice principles in reform Shafiullah, is exploring “Rural policies, how these principles are Wind farming Entrepreneurship in Developing then implemented and how they are Dr Ingrid Muenstermann attended Countries”. Two research officers perceived by non-government and presented at two conferences in (funded by ILWS and the Faculty of stakeholders. Europe in July. Business) have been employed in Her presentation to the 11th World Bathurst under guidance of PK Basu Seven social researchers shine at Wind Energy Association to write a literature review on: ISSRM 2012 in Canada Conference, entitled Community • What is already known about Seven women social researchers Power – Citizens’ Power (July 3-5, the role of entrepreneurship in from ILWS attended the 2012 Bonn, Germany) was on ‘Wind developing countries in International Symposium for Society Farming in Australia versus the ‘Big human development and and Resource Management in Carbon’s Plan: Mine Coal, Sell Coal, environmental stewardship Edmonton, Canada from 17-21 Repeat until Rich’. (Pearse, 2010). and the factors influencing June. They included Dr Joanne This presentation dealt mainly with entrepreneurship? Millar, Dr Emily Mendham, and Dr the anti-wind-farm movement and • What is known about the Emily Sharp with their respective the coal industry. relationships between PhD students Jane Roots, Katrina nd different types of Sinclair and Andrea Rawluk and Her second presentation at the 22 entrepreneurship in Masters Student Michelle Smith World Congress of Political Science, developing countries? (pictured below with a team entitled Reordering Power, Shifting • formation of ISSRM). Boundaries (July 8-7, Madrid, Spain) What are the research gaps? was on Wind Farming in Australia Once we have identified the The presentations showcased the and Some Opposition – NIMBYism knowledge gaps, we will explore diverse and rich research being and the Coal Industry. It dealt mainly funding options for a researcher to carried out by ILWS researchers in with the Not-in-my-Backyard take on the project (ie PhD or the field of social science and syndrome. postdoctoral fellow). resource management. Papers explored research on “community At the first conference was a The second proposed research perceptions of fire risk and climate representative of the one and only project, led by Dr Rik Thwaites, will change”, “transformation in community-owned wind farm in explore the implications of global Australian agriculture”, “the role of Australia the Hepburn Community environmental policies on land use trust in groundwater and fire Wind Farm in Australia which won decisions and livelihoods in management”, “land use planning in the World Wind Energy Award 2012. developing countries. An Interact amenity landscapes”, “food security www.WWindEA.org project site has been created to and conservation in Laos”, create a discussion hub for “demographic change and its impact development of ideas and exchange on NRM” and “governance and of resources. A literature review will power in groundwater management”. be undertaken to identify research gaps and design a full project. The group also welcomes new PhD students Karma Tenzing from Bhutan who is researching the livelihoods of yak herders in alpine environments of Bhutan; Chaka Chirozva from Zimbabwe who is researching co-management relationships in the Greater Limpopo National Park, and Paul Amoateng from Ghana who is looking at "Urbanization and the changing spatial extents of water bodies and wetlands in cities in developing countries: the case of Kumasi in Ghana."

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“During the workshop we creeks than run east west, and Events investigated the other things we can concentrating on north banks. “The do, specifically how practical they further south you go the more Climate Adaptation Options are and how applicable they are to important the north bank becomes in Workshop the three catchments we have terms of getting shade over the Climate change is expected to selected.” river,” says Peter. have major impact on the health of rivers in South Eastern The workshop is an integral part of Australia. So far the emphasis, Anna’s research project, ‘Identifying particularly in the Murray Darling low risk climate change mitigation Basin, seems to have been on and adaptation in catchment environmental flows as a means management while avoiding of keeping our rivers healthy but unintended consequences,’ with what other options are there and principal investigator Institute are they practical and cost- director Prof Max Finlayson and co- effective? researcher Dr Jamie Pittock, from ANU. The project is funded by the With this thought in mind, the National Climate Change Adaptation Institute hosted a ‘Low-risk Climate Research Facility. Change Adaptation Options’ technical workshop focussing on The three Catchment Management river management, at the Lake Authorities involved in the project are Hume Resort, May 7 to 9.The the Goulburn Broken in Victoria and the Lachlan and Murray in NSW. workshop was attended by 24 From the participants.... scientific experts including Allan Lugg, the senior fisheries Fin Martin, water theme leader with representatives from the three conservation manager with NSW the Lachlan CMA Catchment Management Authorities Department of Primary Industries, where the options are to be tested, gave two presentations at the “Essentially the workshop was about the Murray Darling Basin Authority, workshop, one on cold water looking at what we are doing and government agencies. pollution from large dams caused by already; what options there are for low-level off-takes; and the other on the future; and a discussion of those “A lot of things catchment options (are they relevant or not, are management authorities are doing weirs and other fish passage barriers. they easily implemented etc.). The already, everyday management benefit to us is that it is a bench- actions, haven’t been thought of as One of the adaptation options marking exercise comparing what climate change adaptations but they explored at the workshop was the our thinking and programs with other could well be,” says conference use of riparian revegetation to help CMAs and organisations throughout organiser and ILWS post-doc Anna counter one effect of climate change, the Murray Darling Basin. It is Lukasiewicz. “Other than using an increase in river and stream important in that way because there environmental flows and engineering water temperatures. are potential opportunities not only to approaches to help conserve learn from others but also to freshwater ecosystems, there are “You can use riparian) replanting to control how much shade you get implement different programs to complementary proposed actions achieve better outcomes.” that may improve how these over the rivers,” says workshop’s ecosystems adapt to climate presenter Prof Peter Davies, Sarah Ning, waterways project change. (pictured right) a freshwater officer – wetlands with the North ecologist from the University of East CMA (L to R) Anna Lukasiewicz, Prof Max Western Australia. “By doing that Finlayson, Prof Peter Davies & Fin you can keep the rivers cool enough “Taking part in the workshop has Martin, Lachlan CMA to enable animals to persist. What been a really interesting exercise in we have found is that shading has a terms of you don’t always think of all big influence on the things that need to be water temperature considered in your region with so by being smart regards to impacts of climate about where we change. It has allowed me to replant and by broaden my thinking...one of the prioritising where things that struck me was that we we replant, we can have a lot of similarities in terms of have what we are dealing with and how improvements we are dealing with them. That along the whole reinforces for me that we need to be river system. ” sharing knowledge and information and working together.” He recommended planting along the For the full report on the workshop: parts of rivers and http://www.csu.edu.au/research/ilws/ streams that get research/projects/climate_change_m lots of sunlight i.e. tg.pdf

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Marianas Wide & Kiska Systematics. She was also the editor Farewell A/Prof Dirk Spennemann of other journals at different times, namely Reproduction, Fertility & photographic exhibition ‘Marianas Professor Nick Klomp Wide’ is on at the NMI Museum of Development, and Marine & History and Culture, Garapan, Freshwater Research (of which Prof Saipan, CNMI until August 18. The Max Finlayson is now Editor-in- exhibition, which opened June 13 Chief). captures a fleeting moment of “Four years ago we changed our Marianas history--a two-week period model for publishing journals and in early August 2011. Shot on Guam, organised all our journals so they run Saipan and Tinian, his images were like other journals with external taken using a vintage 1960s Panon editorial boards and editors and, are Widelux. These Japanese 35mm film managed by journal publishers cameras were designed to within CSIRO Publishing,” says reproduce a panoramic image Camilla who had been an in-house covering 120 degrees; the same managing editor, responsible not breadth of vision that the human eye only for the scientific content of the sees. journals but their commercial Another display of Dirk’s development as well. “I then became photographs, ‘Kiska: A World War II a journal publisher which meant I managed a group of seven journals Battlefield Landscape’ is part of the exhibit "When Over There Was through their newly established Here" currently on show at the editorial boards.” Before the former Dean of the Alaska State Museum, Juneau, AK, After a year’s break for Long Service University’s Faculty of Science, until October 13. Leave Camilla returned to CSIRO Professor Nick Klomp (pictured Publishing a year and a half ago, did above with project officer Liz Chubb Publishing with Impact Workshop her Certificate 4 in Training and who has since retired), left the Judging by the very positive Assessment and, now as a University after 21 years to take up comments from the eight ILWS PhD workshop facilitator, develops and the position of Deputy Vice- students and post-docs who took runs Scientific Publication Training Chancellor (Education) with the part in a “Publishing with Impact” and Workshops for CSIRO University of Canberra on July 5, we workshop held at the Albury- Publishing, which is an independent had the opportunity to speak to him Wodonga campus June 14 - 15, the business unit within CSIRO. on three topics: his views on the workshop was a resounding Institute, research in rural areas and “I’ve gone from making decisions as success. science communication. an editor on papers, to managing The workshop was presented by Dr journals, to now teaching people Nick has been the Dean of the Camilla Myers from CSIRO how to write for journals,” says Faculty of Science for the past five Publishing and covered topics such Camilla. “With the courses I run, I’m years and prior to that was Head of as understanding the culture of really giving them from the editor’s the School of Environmental science publishing and why it is perspective. They’ve been driven by Sciences for five years. As a leading important to publish; the skills seeing the kind of errors that authors ecologist, he was also a member of required to write well structured and make in putting their papers together the Institute and was acting director easy-to-read scientific articles; how and trying to help them not make of the Johnstone Centre for Natural the editorial decision-making and those.” Resources and Society when it peer-review process works; and the morphed into the Institute in 2005. Currently, Camilla runs three protocols and ethics of scientific workshops: the two-day Publishing publication. About the Institute..... with Impact workshop; a shortened Nick recalls how the original focus of one-day version of that called Camilla has worked for CSIRO the Johnstone Centre, before it was Essentials of Writing for Publication; Publishing for 14 years - 10 years of officially made a University research and a new course on writing grant which she was journal editor of centre in 1991, was on protected applications. A new course on Wildlife Research, Emu-Austral areas. “But it became very clear in writing scientific reports for Ornithology and Invertebrate the early 90s that a lot of the government and environmental management efforts industry is und had to be not just in protected areas er development. but over the broader environment

including altered landscapes,” says (Left) Dr Camilla Nick.That broadening of research Myers with focus was further expanded when workshop the Institute was formed in 2005 to participants include researchers from the Centre for Rural Social Research and a team of CSU economists. (next page)

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The University recognised that on research money into environmental The article slowly took shape as we the strength of what the Johnstone and agricultural issues is spent in learned more about each others’ Centre had achieved - certainly the metropolitan areas,” says Nick. “I experiences and developed ways of researchers involved - could make think that is missing opportunities to jointly editing an article over the ILWS a research flagship of the grow regional areas and to internet. We are now in the process University,” he says. “Since then concentrate the research where the of submitting the finished product to other research centres at that time, action is.” Water Alternatives journal. similarly funded, have come and Writing the article made us aware of gone but ILWS has proven it was the On science communication.... the need for a trans-disciplinary, right concept. Because of its outputs Nick was a weekly science inter-institutional, collaborative and achievements, it has continued correspondent on ABC Radio for 11 research network aimed at early to be supported review after review years, something he finally stopped career researchers. So we set one by the University.” last year officially though he still is up. We’ve expanded into other Nick says that what has also been regularly asked most weeks to do an activities and are trying to expand exciting is that another of the interview on a science-related topic. and diversify our membership to University’s research centres, which “I think that talking on radio is include more senior researchers as has grown equally in strength and particularly important for rural and well as other stakeholders in water status, has been the EH Graham regional areas,” says Nick. “In governance research. Centre for Agricultural Innovation. metropolitan areas you can turn the The Fresh Water Network’s aim is to “I think that has been really dial or walk to another suburb and build our own capacities as appropriate,” says Nick. “ILWS get to another radio station, to researchers in order to shape and looks, from an environmental another guest speaker, another influence both the research and science and an environmental museum, another visiting academic practice of water governance. management point of view, at the from overseas...access you simply We intend to do this by undertaking best way to manage lands but takes don’t have in a regional area. collaborative activities such as: into account different land uses; “Really a regional university needs to whereas the EH Graham Centre almost double its efforts on • Maintaining an online looks at managing land from an communication of the various presence via our blog site agricultural land use point of view disciplines (but let me pick on http://freshwatergovernance.w but takes in account environmental science) to the communities ordpress.com/ management needs. because if the university isn’t doing it • Writing papers “The two centres have kept each in the region, you really can’t rely on • Sharing and learning about other honest and there have been the resources of metropolitan areas our research some terrific synergies. I think that leaking out very much to the regional • Initiating and facilitating has been helped a lot by two areas.” discussions about issues directors that absolutely understand pertinent to water governance each other’s positions but are really New Network • Taking advantage of passionate about their own research opportunities to extend our centres and directions. I think CSU network through participation The Fresh Water Network has really enjoyed the benefits under at conferences and the leadership of those two centres.” By Anna Lukasiewicz workshops Nick says ILWS was one of the first It started innocently enough at a Members of network are engaged in research centres in Australia to water governance workshop for early several activities including: recognise that environmental career researchers organised through NCCARF in April 2011. • Planning a workshop for management was so much more ECRs at the Tapping the Turn than the science. “Many research Seven participants from six different conference in November 2012 institutes and centres around the universities in four different states • Preparing to write a short country have now recognised the came together and decided that as a ‘commentary’ piece about the human dimensions of environmental practical outcome of the workshop, process of writing the article management, but ILWS is certainly a we would write a paper about water for Water Alternatives. leader in that area,’ says Nick.“It governance from an early career combines economics, politics, researcher’s perspective. As a group Become involved by contributing to cultural awareness and social assets we were a mixture of social and our blog, participating in an ongoing along with the best science available biophysical scientists including activity, or becoming an ‘activity to make decisions on the sustainable ecologists, lawyers, institutional & leader’ by initiating and organising use of land and environmental political analysts. The first step was an activity or project. We want to management more broadly.” to learn about each other’s hear from you! disciplinary conceptualisations of On research in regional areas..... water governance. If you are interested in joining The “When it comes to environmental Our conversations demonstrated the Fresh Water Network, let me know management and sustainable importance of inter-disciplinary at [email protected] agriculture, the action is all in dialogue and the complexity of water regional centres and it annoys me governance as a field of research. that some estimates put it at 80% of

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“They were in two Profile wetlands, but since the drought in 2005, Luke Pearce those populations The tiny Pygmy Perch, one of seem to have Australia’s smallest freshwater disappeared as the fish and now listed as a wetlands just weren’t threatened species in NSW, has getting water on a its own champion. regular enough basis “The little guys really are in trouble,” to maintain the fish says Luke Pearce,(pictured right) a and the habitat they NSW Fisheries Conservation need. Water plants, Manager and Masters student. In which are now three years he has seen the missing from a lot of numbers of Pygmy Perch found at our wetlands and streams, are vitally one site in the Upper Murray drop from 2500 to four. important for Pygmy Perch.” Other than some early work in the up. A decision was made to take the “But they are a great little fish, really fish from the wild (about 2000) that cute and attractive,” says Luke. The 1970s and a little ad hoc work since, there has been little research done would have otherwise perished and fish, which grow to just 9cms in put them into a breeding program at length, have orange to red fins. Their on pygmy perch...that was until Luke stepped in. DPI’s Narrandera Fisheries Centre in scales vary in colour from cream to February 2009. gold/orange to reddish brown. “Through my role with DPI Fisheries But it seems an even bigger threat “Historically there has always been a which involves monitoring of, and trying to secure, fish populations, I than drought to the perch’s survival focus on large fish, like Murray Cod were the major floods that occurred and Golden Perch, because they could see what was happening to pygmy perch,” says Luke who began in December 2010, January 2011 have an economic and recreational and again in March this year which value,” says Luke. “So often it’s the monitoring Pygmy Perch numbers in an informal way in 2006. “So I took it have resulted in a dramatic downturn little guys, particularly wetland in Pygmy Perch numbers. species like pygmy perch, that are upon myself to try and do a little bit forgotten about and it becomes more which is how I came to be In 2010 Luke was unable to sample difficult to attract funding to help doing my Masters with Charles Sturt his sites (ten altogether) along conserve them.” University in 2010.” Coppabella Creek because of the Luke, whose supervisor is Dr Paul floods and by the time he was able However, there was a time, not all to sample in 2011 he could only find that long ago, when Pygmy Perch Humphries, is researching the impact of changing environmental two Pygmy Perch. “It looks as if the were plentiful throughout the Murray floods have washed them away,” Darling Basin. When their numbers conditions (droughts, floods and exotic fish) on Pygmy Perch says Luke. “Because they are so were high, they were an important small, and populations are so low, food source for larger fish and populations in Coppabella Creek, a tributary of the Upper Murray near trying to find the fish and where they waterbirds. “They were really may have been swept to, if they abundant up until the 1970s and Jingellic, one of three known remnant populations of Pygmy Perch haven’t died that is, was like trying to early 1980s,” says Luke. “I have a find a needle in a haystack.” fishing book written in the late 1970s in NSW. The other two are in the with a section in it on how to use Upper Billabong system near This year when he sampled in April pygmy perch as live bait; they were Holbrook; and the Upper Lachlan he found just four fish. “But that’s that plentiful. system near Yass. better than two but there’s still got a “I have a passion for all fish and long way to go to recover to what “Originally Pygmy Perch would have they were,” says Luke. been in most the wetlands along the their ecosystems but once you start Murray and its tributaries but they working with a particular species like “Historically there would have been are now no longer found in any of Pygmy Perch, you become more sufficient numbers of these fish and the wetlands along the Murray in attached and more involved with enough robustness in the population NSW. (pic by Luke Pearce of pygmy them and get to really like them,” for them to be able to survive perch) says Luke who found 2500 Pygmy through these extreme events. Now Perch in Coppabella creek in 2009. they are in such low abundances in At that time such small fragmented and isolated the biggest areas, they are a lot more threat to the susceptible to events like floods and fish was droughts and a population in an area drought as can be wiped out completely.” the pools of Read the full story at water along the creek http://www.csu.edu.au/research/ilws/ were drying news/feature/docs/luke_pearce_perc h.pdf

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more hours on farm and were more “Industry groups were still getting Projects concerned about economic threats. both types so they would be a way of reaching both groups if you were “This group were more likely to be Namoi Groundwater Management trying to engage with people about undertaking actions which would Survey water use efficiency practices. You allow them to maintain or expand A survey of groundwater users in would then also need to tailor your their production i.e. they were more the Namoi catchment in Northern communication outreach to each likely to be involved in the water NSW has found that more than 75 group’s beliefs and values. ” percent feel they are not able to market, buying temporary and adapt to further cuts in ground permanent water; and they were The survey also identified that and/or surface water entitlements. also more likely to be undertaking respondents in the environmental property management actions that sustainability group were more likely As well, around half of groundwater would help them with water use to trust the NSW Office of Water, the users don’t trust the state agency, efficiency such as dividing their agency responsible for managing NSW Office of Water, to manage dams into cells, deepening their ground water, and to trust the groundwater in a sustainable dams, doing soil moisture mapping science that was used in the Murray manner. etc.. Darling Basin Plan. The 20011 Namoi Groundwater “The second type was more “Respondents in the other group Management Survey was conducted concerned with environmental were less likely to find the NSW by post-doc Dr Emily Sharp and Prof sustainability. These landholders Office of Water trustworthy and be Allan Curtis. The survey is part of a were typically on smaller properties, willing to rely on it to manage larger project funded by the Cotton worked more hours off farm, had groundwater sustainably,” says CRC and the National Centre for more pro-conservation values and Emily. “We did notice that about a Groundwater Research and Training beliefs. They were more likely to third of respondents answered (NCGRT) assessing the social, believe in climate change, that its questions about trustworthiness as environmental and economic impacts would be negative, and that ‘unsure’ which we actually think is a impacts of reduced water availability they could adapt to the impacts of good thing for the Office of Water as (as a result of climate change and climate change. This could be that there are 33% of respondents who water reform) in the Namoi because they worked off-farm and don’t really have a formed opinion so catchment. were less dependent on farm there is the potential, with good For that project, an integrated model income.” engagement, to bring those people on board.” to predict those impacts is being While the survey analysis did not developed with inputs from detail how many licence holders fell Emily says the Namoi Catchment ecologists, hydrologists, economists into the two categories, Emily says was chosen for the survey because and governance researchers from the larger properties, with a greater good data on the catchment for use the University of Western Australia investment in irrigation, tended to be in the larger integrated project that and ANU. The survey, which was lower in the catchment in the cotton- Institute researchers are part of was sent to 447 groundwater license growing areas. already available. holders in the Namoi Catchment, a 42,000 sq. km area, had a 54% As to whether the findings from the response rate. It asked a number of survey could be applied to other questions about the draft Murray parts of Australia, Emily says: “It is Darling Basin Plan which came out contexted opinion. I would hesitate October, 2010. to say this could be applied everywhere. For example we “At the time [July 2011] 78% of our measured some items about climate respondents said they did not feel change in the Namoi that Allan had they could adapt to further measured in North East Victoria and reductions in groundwater or surface we found that there were a larger water entitlements,” says Emily. proportion of licence holders in the “There have been two versions of Cotton crop in the Namoi –pic D. Pannell Namoi that were climate change the plan since then but I think what sceptics than in North East Victoria.” the respondents are saying is that “The implication for NRM agencies regardless of what version comes is that one way of reaching both *Emily presented her findings out they won’t they feel they will be groups is to use local industry relating to trust from the survey at able to adapt to having less water.” platforms as there was a large the International Symposium on proportion (around 68%) of Society and Resource Management From the respondents’ answers to respondents who are members of in Canada, June 17 to 22. the survey, two main types of licence industry groups whereas only 30% The report is available on the web at holders were identified. “One type were members of Landcare groups,” was more concerned with farm says Emily. “What we found was that http://www.csu.edu.au/research/ilws/ business viability,” says Emily. if you compared people with more research/reports.htm “Those respondents were more likely environmental beliefs to those with to have larger properties, larger more business beliefs there wasn’t a areas under irrigation and cultivation, significant difference in the groups larger total dam capacity, worked they belonged to.

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Monitoring Shows Success river regulation which, combined with Murray-Darling rainbow fish and The monitoring of the ecological the impacts of the millennium Bony bream, with juveniles of these response to environmental water drought ultimately left the wetlands species detected in February 2012 in the mid-Murrumbidgee last year entirely cut off from the river, with which was very exciting. has scientists optimistic that over many sites not receiving water for “The final addition to the native fish time the mid-Murrumbidgee more than a decade,” says Skye. community was adult and juvenile wetlands can be restored to Golden perch which we collected in In 2010 widespread rain across the health following. April 2012 after major natural Murrumbidgee catchment resulted in flooding in the Murrumbidgee River ILWS ecologist Dr Skye Wassens natural overbank flooding which in March 2012.” led a team of researchers who reconnected the mid-Murrumbidgee monitored the response of wetland wetlands. In June 2011 the NSW Skye says one of the interesting fauna (fish, frogs and tadpoles, Office of Environment and Heritage trends was the dominance of native waterbirds and freshwater turtles) (OEH) managed the delivery of species, with native species out and flora from August 2011 to April 160GL (110 GL of Commonwealth numbering exotic species by more 2012 from the delivery of environmental water, 23 GL The than three to one throughout spring environmental water in 2011. The Living Murray, 21 New South Wales and summer, with Carp becoming study was funded by the Environmental Water Allowance and dominant only after the natural flood Commonwealth Department of 8 GL private donations). A further 98 event in March 2012. Sustainability, Environment, Water, GL of NSW environmental water was “Having seen these wetlands at their Populations and Community with released in December 2011. These worst during the millennium drought, additional in-kind contribution from flows were delivered to aid in the it was very exciting to discover that OEH. long-term recovery of the mid- some native fish had survived, but I Murrumbidgee wetlands. “The 2011 watering was not a quick can’t help feeling sad about the fix, but with a long-term commitment Six native and five introduced fish species that we have lost,” says to environmental watering informed species were recorded during the Skye. “It would be great to see the by good monitoring and adaptive study. Silver Perch and the Purple Spotted management we should be able to Gudgeon in the mid-Murrumbidgee rebuild our native fish communities Native fish changes again.” in the Murrumbidgee,” says Dr The mid-Murrumbidgee wetlands are Jennifer Spencer, Senior still in a recovery phase. It is Environmental Scientist with the “Native fish communities changed expected that wetland refuges will NSW Office of Environment and over time, with small natural and start to dry out from the middle of Heritage. managed top-up flows in spring and summer helping more native fish 2013. The mid-Murrumbidgee wetlands are species to move into the wetlands,” “Providing environmental flows to a series of ox-bow lagoons and says Skye. “In August 2011 the two connect these wetland refuges with meander cut-offs associated with the most common native fish species, the main channel to the Murrumbidgee River between Carp gudgeon and Australian smelt Murrumbidgee River in summer- Wagga Wagga and Hay in south dominated wetland fish communities. autumn 2013 is likely to help fish western NSW. “During the October and December move back to the river rather than “These nationally important wetlands 2011 surveys we recorded small become stranded in the wetlands as have been severely impacted by numbers of Un-specked hardyheads, they dry out,” says Skye. The study also identified key wetlands that historically retained water over longer time frames and might help re-establish healthy populations of native fish and freshwater turtle in the region in future years. “Continued monitoring of the Murrumbidgee system is critical as it provides the information needed to guide decision-making,” says Skye. To view the report go to: http://www.environment.gov.au/e water/publications/ecosystem- response-monitoring- murrumbidgee-2.html

Left. Setting fyke nets at McKennas Lagoon, April 2012 . Pic by S. Wassens.

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New research on social resilience In May 2012, Dr Helen Boon and Dr adaptation looking at, among things, to natural disasters in Australia Joanne Millar presented a summary the question of financing adaptation Australia has experienced frequent of the qualitative and quantitative programs and how to decide how to natural disasters in the last decade. findings to the NCCARF Emergency use our limited human and economic So are we becoming more or less Management panel and key resources. emergency managers in Canberra. resilient to natural disasters in “Broadly I’m interested in the Five other projects also presented Australia? How do people’s governance of environmental their results and/or progress so it preparedness, response and systems,” says Steve whose book, was an opportunity to compare recovery vary across different Atmospheric Justice: A Political information arising from the communities and types of disasters? Theory of Climate Change (Oxford, research. A poster was presented at Do people link these disasters to 2008) won the 2009 Harold and the National Climate Change climate change and are they Margaret Sprout award from the Adaptation Facility 2012 conference prepared for future disasters? International Studies Association for in Melbourne in June 2012 on the best book on international These questions have been explored climate change perceptions from the environmental politics. in a research project funded by the four case studies. Department of Climate Change and Steve’s presentation looked at food For more information and copies of Energy Efficiency via the NCCARF security and the politics around publications, contact Dr Joanne Emergency Management research efforts to either reduce or eliminate Millar [email protected] program. The project involved mal-nourishment. It considered collaboration between social obstacles to more effective food researchers at James Cook Visitors security regimes and suggested University (JCU) in Townsville and strategies to overcome these. Charles Sturt University at Albury. The project team led by Dr Helen Analysing the United Nations’ Boon at JCU, engaged CSU Millennium Development Goal to researcher Dr Joanne Millar to reduce by half the proportion of the conduct interviews and a survey of world’s population that is hungry community experiences with Steve says: “We do have the bushfires around Beechworth and production capability or capacity to drought around Bendigo in Victoria, produce enough food to feed whilst the JCU team studied everyone. The fact that we still have Queenslanders experiences with somewhere around 16% of the flooding at Ingham and Cyclone global population [7billion people] Larry at Innisfail. chronically hungry speaks not of a production problem but a distribution Prof Steve Vanderheiden problem. Primarily it is a problem It’s always interesting to be given that affects people in the developing another perspective on an important world but of course it affects all of us topic....which was just the case in one way or another. “ recently when Professor Steve Steve says waste [of food] was part Vanderheiden, (pictured above) a of the problem as was that some professorial fellow with the parts of the world consume too much University’s Centre for Applied food while others were starving. “For Philosophy and Public Ethics, people living in food insecure presented a seminar on “Human circumstances nothing can really be Rights and Food Security” at the more important than food security,” Albury-Wodonga campus on July 11. (Above) Dr Joanne Millar presenting a he says. “And there are interactions paper on “Individual and community Steve, who is also an Associate between food security and other resilience to natural disasters: a Professor of Political Science and global issues such as poverty, comparison of bushfire and drought Environmental Studies at the climate change which is an events in Victoria” at the ANZ Disaster University of Colorado at Boulder, exacerbating factor - there is an and Emergency Management expectation that crop yields in some conference. spends four to five months a year in Australia, based at the University’s of the world’s most insecure food Research findings were presented at campus in Canberra. Steve, whose regions will be affected by climate the first Australian and New Zealand research is the disciplines of change so we have to think and plan Disaster and Emergency Applied Ethics, Political Science and ahead – environmental change, Management conference held in Environmental Science, has done a population change etc.” Brisbane from 16-19 April 2012. The lot of research on the development Steve says governments have been project team presented three papers of international institutions that try to committed to the ideal of global food on the qualitative results from regulate greenhouse gases in the security for some time and in some Ingham, Innisfail and a comparison interest of preventing climate change instances, pledged the resources of bushfire and drought experiences or adapting to it. Currently he and needed to end hunger. “Each time in Victoria. The papers can be found other colleagues at CAPPE have put we’ve fallen short,” says Steve. in the conference proceedings at forward an ARC Discovery grant www.anzdmc.com.au proposal on climate change

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“It’s a hard problem to solve largely how people respond to changing because of political will but even environmental conditions.” While fire Awards & then it’s a hard problem to continue is his main area of research, he also Appointments to solve. It’s not something we can has some on-going projects related Congratulations to all those who wipe out a single time and be done to climate change adaptation, were recipients of recent CSU with, it’s a constant concern and primarily around agricultural awards. They included: something that is going to become management practices and water harder and harder to solve. And quality. Prof Kishor Sharma who received a that’s true in the developed world as Vice-Chancellor’s award for Eric first visited Australia in June last well as the developing world. leadership excellence year when, as a leader of his “Australia obviously has a set of university’s Study Abroad course, he Dr Geoff Burrows who received a worries about agriculture and more took 30 university students on a Vice-Chancellor’s Award for teaching chronic drought.” three and a half week class that Excellence toured Northern Queensland. While Dr Branka Krivokapic-Skoko who in Australia he caught up with Allan Assistant Professor Eric Toman received a Faculty of Business and they devised a list of possible Individual Award as did Professor joint research projects for which Eric Mark Morrison advertised for interested PhD

students. Institute adjunct Prof Kathleen During Eric’s recent visit to Australia, Bowmer has recently accepted a which again coincided with a Study two year appointment to the Abroad class, Eric again met up Commonwealth Environmental with Allan as well as their new PhD Water Advisory Council. student from America, Theresa Groth who is based at CSU in Michael Mitchell has accepted a Albury. Theresa will be looking at the two-year Post Doctoral Research management of multi-functional Fellowship with the University of landscapes for both the agricultural Tasmania but will be based, as an and the ecosystems services they ILWS adjunct, at CSU Albury. The Another American to visit the provide as that relates to the position is part of the Landscape and Institute in July was Assistant landholders’ occupational identity. Policy Hub, one of five national Professor Eric Toman from The Ohio research hubs recently funded to “Hopefully there will be a second State University’s School of study biodiversity conservation by PhD student from the US starting Environment and Natural Resources. the National Environmental here next year who will be working Research Program (NERP) for four A former PhD student of Prof Bruce on a fire-related topic,” says Eric. years (2011‐2014).Michael will be Shindler (a colleague of the “The project that is most likely to be working with the Social and Institute’s Prof Allan Curtis), Eric’s looking at bushfire/wildfire Institutional Futures project, led by main research interest is wild land management and how we approach Dr Michael Lockwood (UTAS) and fires (bushfires) and the human the evacuation of citizens comparing Assoc Prof Sue Moore (Murdoch). dimensions of fire and fire US and Australian approaches.” management. His PhD, completed in His research will involve applying Eric, Allan and Dr Emily Sharp also 2005, was on the social acceptability social science theories and methods have a two year research project of different fuel treatments on public to improving biodiversity that has been selected for funding lands and the different conservation planning in two case under the nationally competitive communication approaches used for study sites – the Australian Alps research fund - Joint Fire Science working with local communities. (covering ACT, NSW & Vic) and the Program. The project will look at the Midlands of Tasmania. The main Before joining the staff of Ohio State management of multi-functional focus is to draw on resilience University as a lecturer/researcher landscapes at the interface between thinking to assess how it can be four years ago, he completed a public and private land in rural areas, practically used to improve policy fellowship in the Climate Program incorporating the effects of climate and planning. Office of the National Oceanic change. Atmospheric Administration CSU has recently joined as a “Essentially we will be looking at how (NOAA), a federal agency, in collaborating organisation in the private and public natural resource Washington D.C.. His supervisor Landscape and Policy Hub, and managers think about the systems was the lead US negotiator for Allan Curtis is working with newly they manage in the face of human adaptation to climate change appointed ILWS Post Doctoral environmental change,” says Eric. for the UN Framework Convention Research Fellow Chris Raymond on “We will then test the effectiveness on Climate Change. His duties in this another project within the Hub. of a participatory planning approach role including participating as a US as a method to reach agreement on delegate to UN Framework acceptable management Convention negotiations. PHD News approaches now and in the future, Details of our many new “Broadly speaking my research is comparing results between study international and local PhD students looking at the human dimensions of locations in the US and Australia.” will be in our next issue.

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Publications building for livestock development in Book Chapters Lao PDR: strategies to improve Hanjra, M. A., Ferede, T., outcomes for upland rural Peer-reviewed Papers Narayanamoorthy, A and R. J. development. Journal of Mekong Culas (2012): Global Poverty: Culas, R. J (2012): REDD and Societies .Vol 8 (1) pp 137-159. Definition and Measurement Issues - Forest Transition: Tunnelling through Chapter 3, In: Tavidze, A (edited) the Environmental Kuznets Curve, Simmons P. and Walsh, B. (2012) Public Relations and Organisational Progress in Economics Research, Ecological Economics, 79(2012): 44- Volume 26, Nova Science 51. Justice: More fairness or just more cooperation, Public Relations Publishers, Inc. Hauppauge, NY, Cobbinah, P.B. & Amoako, C. Inquiry, 1(2), 141-157 USA (2012) Urban Sprawl and the Loss of Muenstermann, I. (2012), Wind Peri-Urban Land in Kumasi, Ghana. Triplett, S., Luck, G.W., Spooner, P. (2012). The importance of Farming and the Not-in-My-Backyard International Journal of Social and Syndrome: A Literature Review Human Sciences. 6 388-397 managing the costs and benefits of bird activity for agricultural Regarding Australia’s Challenge in Finalyson, C.M. (2012) Forty years sustainability. International Journal Relation to Climate Change and of wetland conservation and wise of Agricultural Sustainability, 1-21. CO2 Emissions, pp. 451-476. In use .Aquatic Conservation: Marine Stephen S. Young & Steven E. and Freshwater Ecosystems, Nimmo, D.G., Kelly, L.T., Spence- Silvern (Eds.), International 22:139-143 Bailey, L.M., Watson, S.J., Haslem, Perspectives on Global A., White, J., Clarke, M.F., & Environmental Change. Horwitz, P & Finalyson, M. (2012) Bennett, A.F (2012) Predicting the IntechWeb.Org. Water and Health: On the Notion of century-long, post-fire responses of a Healthy Wetland. Human reptiles. Global Ecology and Conference Papers Evolution/Global Bioethics. 27.1-3 Biogeography, DOI: 10.1111/j.1466- Khair, S. M., and S. (65-69) 8238.2011.00747.x Culas, R.J Mushtaq (2012). Evaluation of the Lenzen, M., Moran, D., Kanemoto, Watson, S.J., Taylor, R.S., Nimmo, financial impact of electricity subsidy K., Foran, B., Lobefaro, L., & D.G., Kelly, L.T., Clarke, M.F., on the returns of tube well owners Geschke, A. (2012) International Bennett, A.F., (2012) The influence and water buyers under declining trade drives biodiversity threats in of unburnt patches and distance water tables in Balochistan, developing nations. Nature 486:109– from refuges on post-fire bird Pakistan, Proceeding of the 41th 112 doi:10.1038/nature11145 communities. Animal Conservation Australian Conference of Matthews, A. and Green, K. 2012. DOI: 10.1111/j.1469- Economists (ACE12), Victoria Seasonal and altitudinal influences 1795.2012.00542.x University, Melbourne, Australia. 8- 12 July on the home range and movements Razeng, E. & Watson, D.M. (2012) of common wombats in the What do declining woodland birds Krivokapic-Skoko, B., Duncan, R., Australian Snowy Mountains. eat? A synthesis of dietary records. and Tilbrook, K. (2012) The Use of Journal of Zoology 287: 24-33. Emu: Austral Ornithology 112(2) the Time Diary Method to Explore Boon, H. Cotterill, A., Stephenson, 149-155 Academic Time Management: R, Millar, J. King D, Lake, D. (2012) http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/MU11099 Insights from an Australian University; 11th European Bronfenbrenner's bioecological Watson, D.M. & Herring, M. (2012) Conference on Research theory for modelling community Mistletoe as a keystone resource: an Methodology for Business and resilience to natural disasters experimental test. Proceedings of Management Studies (ECRM 2012), Natural Hazards Volume 60, Issue the Royal Society B. doi: June 28-29, University of Bolton, UK 2, Pages 381-408 10.1111/j.2041-210X.2012.00221.x Lukasiewicz, A., Bowmer, K. H., Mitchell, M., Curtis, A., Sharp, E., McBride, M. F., Garnett, S. T., Davidson, P., and Syme, G. (2012) & Mendham, E. (2012). Directions Szabo, J. K., Burbidge, A. H., Contested knowledge: government for social research to underpin Butchart, S. H. M., Christidis, L., and landholders perceptions of improved groundwater management. Dutson, G., Ford, H. A., Loyn, R. H., climate change and water reform. Journal of Hydrology, 448-449, 223- Watson, D. M. and Burgman, M. A. Practical Responses to Climate 231. (2012), Structured elicitation of Change National Conference, the http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jhydrol.20 expert judgments for threatened National Convention Centre, 12.04.056 species assessment: a case study Canberra, May 1-3 Mitchell, M., Curtis, A., & on a continental scale using email. Davidson, P. (2012). Can triple Methods in Ecology and Evolution. Millar, J., Boon, H., Stevenson, B., bottom line reporting become a cycle doi: 10.1111/j.2041- Cottrell, A., King D., Stelling, A. and for “double loop” learning and radical 210X.2012.00221.x Rogers, M. (2012) Individual and community resilience to natural change? Accounting, Auditing and Zukowski, S., Watts, R.J. & Curtis, disasters: a comparison of bushfire Accountability Journal, 25(6), 1048- A. (2012) Linking biology to fishing and drought events in Victoria. 1068. regulations: Australia’s Murray Proceedings of the Australian & New http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/095135712 crayfish (Euastacus armatus). Zealand Disaster and Emergency 11250242 Ecological Management & Management Conference. Brisbane, Restoration 13 (2), 183-190 Photakoun, V, Millar, J., Race, D. April 16 – 18, 2012. Pp. 285-300 (2012) Factors influencing capacity

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Stelling, F. & Smallbone, L. (2012) Fisheries Research & Development Fellowship grant from AusAID A Socio-ecological examination of a Corporation. $195,000. This project ($136,606) & CSU ($26,930). regenerating rural landscape in is looking at the wild-catch Collins, J. & Krivokapic-Skoko, B south eastern Australia. Paper commercial fish sector and the key . (2012-2015) presented at ‘Agriculture in an influences on resource-access New Immigrants Urbanising Society’, International decisions. It will be examining how Improving Productivity in , RIRDC, Conference on Multifunctional concerns about sustainability, animal Australian Agriculture $436,932 Agriculture and Urban-Rural welfare, competition with Relations, Wageningen, The recreational fishers etc. influence Curtis, A. (2012 -2014) Integrating Netherlands 1st-4th April, 2012. policy as well as how commercial Community Values into Regional fishers might more effectively Sustainability Planning: The Technical Reports engage in decision-making Lower Hunter Region, NSW. Chris Armenteras, D. & Finlayson, C.M. processes. Raymond, post-doc. SEWPAC, $175,000 (2012) Co-ordinating lead authors, Matthews, A. & Dehaan, R. (2012- Chapter 5, Biodiversity, and Pt 1: 2015) Quantitative assessment of State & Trends, Global Environment feral horse density in the Consultancies Outlook -5 (GEO-5) Assessment Australian Alps. Australian Alps Finlayson, M. (2012) Evaluation of Report, pp 134-166. United Nations Liaison Committee. Funding will Caring for our Country outcomes- Environment Program support PhD student Mike Male. High Ecological Value Aquatic Ecosystems. Consultancy through Wassens, S., Watts, R.J., Spencer, $80,000 Alluvium Consulting funded by J.A., Howitt, J., McCasker, N.A., Finlayson, M. & Robinson, W. (2012- SEWPAC. $12,320 Griese, V., Burns, A., Croft, R., 2014) Developing Fish Friendly Zander, A., Amos, C. and Hall, A. Design Criteria for Small Hydro Internal Grants (2012). Monitoring of ecosystem Facilities. Australian Centre for responses to the delivery of Renewable Energy through DPI Finlayson, M., Watts, R., Kopf, R., environmental water in the NSW (Fisheries), $144,000 Wassens, S & Humphries, P. (2012) Murrumbidgee system. Institute for Freshwater ecological monitoring Land, Water and Society, Charles Howard, J. (2012-2015) in the MDB. (for purchase of Sturt University, Report 2 Institutional Conditions for a equipment (i.e. loggers) for regional level NRM governance, ecological monitoring in the Edward- Book Reviews PhD student Jolyon Ritchie, DECC, Wakool river system, Murrumbidgee $15,000 and Lachlan rivers and wetlands and Watson, J.J. Birds of Melanesia. the Ovens and Broken Rivers) CSU Australian Birdlife vol. 1-1. pg 77. Howard, J. (2012-2015) Building RIGB grant ($80,000) and ILWS Capacity to respond to climate ($20,000) Other change at a local level, PhD THECA Connections: Spatial, Social student Michelle Olivier, DECC. Morrison, M. (2012) ILWS software & Temporal Links for Biodiversity. $15,000 and equipment support. (for purchase of software and J.J. Watson (Ed). Theca News 14 Finlayson, M. (2012-2015) specialised computer systems to (Special Issue). FORUM 2012. Ecological Characterisation and deliver high grade Choice Scenario Setting for Lake Cowal - Modelling). CSU RIGB grant, $5000. New Grants PhD Scholarship, Lake Cowal Foundation, $90,000 Finlayson, M. (2012-2015) Strengthening livelihood security Duncan, R. (2012-2015) The Value of River Health to the Residential and adapting to climate uncertainties in Chilika Lagoon, Community of the Georges and India. Wetlands International – Cook River Catchments, Sydney South Asia (WISA) in partnership Metro Management Catchment with Chilika Development Authority, Authority, $30,000 post-doc Dr Mariagrazia Bellio. Wassens, S. (2012) Monitoring of CONTACT $62,500 Ecosystems response to the Margrit Beemster Watts, R., Kopf, K., Wassens, S., & Delivery of Environmental Water Communications Coordinator Howitt, J .(2012) Monitoring and in the Murrumbidgee, SEWPAC. evaluation of 2011-12 Additional funding of $20,000 Institute for Land, Water and Society Commonwealth watering actions Da Silva, D. (2012) Perception and Charles Sturt University in the Edward-Wakool River Ph:02 6051 9653 Awareness of Regional Cities of Email: [email protected] System. SEWPAC. In partnership NSW, Evocities project led by with the Murray CMA (Bowen, P. & ASCET, $13,163 P.O. Box 789 Conallin, J.), Monash University Hicks, J., Sharma, K., Basu, P.K. & ALBURY NSW 2640 (Haldyz, S., Grace, M., & Thompson, AUSTRALIA R.) and the Wakool River Bandara, Y. (2012) Achieving www.csu.edu.au/research/ilws Association. $218,000 Balanced Growth in Domestic and External Markets in China. Mazur, N., Curtis, A., & Bodsworth, Australian Leadership Awards A. (2012-2014) Let’s Talk Fish.

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