ISSUE 58 August 2020

Connections research for a changing world

New Mobile Apps Just one example of how our researchers are con- tinuing to engage with CONTENTS their stakeholders in a COVID-19 world was the From the Director 2 successful on-line launch for new mobile Apps Opinion 3 developed by the Paki- stan groundwater project New Projects 4 team, with the Australian High Commissioner to Pakistan, Dr Geoffrey Shaw and ACIAR CEO Prof Project Updates 6 Andrew Campbell. Read more Completed Projects 18 International news Community engagement 20 ILWS researchers are key contributors Stakeholder engagement 21 to two reports that have made head- Engagement: Events 22 lines around the globe. Professor Lee Media engagement 25 Baumgartner is one of the authors of the Engagement: Living Planet Index Research activities 27 for Migratory Fish published by the World Fish Migration Foundation and the Zoological Society of London which has found that migratory freshwa- Profiles ter fish are declining globally by dramatic rates. Read more A/Prof Faye McMillan 30 Associate Dale Nimmo is one of 10 authors of an interim report for WWF A/Prof Andrew Peters 33 , Australia’s 2019-2020 Bushfires: The wildlife toll, which esti- mates more than 3 billion Australian animals were killed or displaced as a Members’ News 35 result of the devastating summer bushfires. Read more Adjunct News 36 Profiles Post-graduate News 41 This issue we profile two ILWS members, Associate Professor Andrew Peters, and Associate Professor Faye McMillan, both based at the Wagga Publications 44 Wagga campus. Andrew is a wildlife health scientist and Faye an Indig- enous health researcher. Both are very passionate about their work and both bring diverse research skills and interests to the Institute. Read more our colleagues with more frequent meetings tended to be dominated From the Director emails, telephone and video calls. by the largest room.

Picking up the phone and calling I think this additional ability and co-workers to clarify a small issue acceptance of meeting online has can lead to wider ranging con- contributed to the three major structive conversations that keep multi-institutional inter-disciplinary us connected. research funding bids, that all require VC approval due to their Sustainable Futures has led to size, ILWS has prepared over the an additional layer for approving past five months. expenditure and activity across the university. The ILWS Busi- I have been exceptionally busier ness Team, with acting business than I expected I would be when manager, Kris Gibbs, deserving we first started working from special mention, has been work- home. ing hard behind the scenes with the Research Office, Office of the (It has also been highlighted to me DVCR, People and Culture, and through this period how valuable Finance to keep ILWS operations a grants officer within ILWS would running remarkably smoothly. be.)

We have appreciated the patience by Associate Professor Andrew shown by ILWS members, espe- Hall, Acting Director cially when we have requested much more explanations than Five months in, we are now firmly usual to justify expenditure, in adapted to working with the order to gain approvals from impacts of COVID-19. higher level decision makers. The current restrictions on our As I continue to work from home, research working environment will with even my occasional days on likely remain in place until at least campus unavailable to me due to the start of next year. the Victorian border closure, I con- tinue to interact in cross-campus We have adapted to travel restric- and cross-institutional meetings tions, lack of access to on-campus that have been democratised facilities and a greatly reduced through Zoom, whereas before ability to meet in person. In addi- tion, managing broader budget impacts on the university through Below: Like so many of us Andrew, who lives in Wooragee in , is Sustainable Futures reviews and working from home and has been attending all his meetings on-line (aver- adapting on-campus teaching aging 15 hours a week.) Good to see he is still smiling! to meet ever evolv- ing levels of restric- tion has added a not inconsiderable work- load for many.

It is nevertheless clear that ILWS research has continued to grow in 2020, as reflected within this issue of Connections.

It is important to remind ourselves that those casual corridor/ morning tea/lunch- time interactions are not happening, and continued effort is needed to interact with ILWS Newsletter Issue 58 - 2020 2 Opinion This could help maintain a work- life balance for staff, help with enhancing morale and satisfac- by Dr Stacey Jenkins, School of tion, reduce overall operating Management and Marketing costs and lead to a more effective transition. Transition back to work during COVID-19 – an Mental health support evolving situation Due to operational requirements, some workplaces will have had to Just as many Australians were let some staff go. starting to feel a sense of relief that it was safe to transition back So as staff return to the office, to work recent spikes in infection app. they may be returning to a work- rates have caused alarms of a place where some colleagues are second wave of COVID-19. Considerations around if staff can no longer present. This can impact perform the inherent requirements their mental health and productiv- This complicates an already dif- of their role from a remote location ity levels. ficult situation for employers and will need to be part of key delib- employees given the inter-link erations. Some staff may have also found between the economic wellbeing the isolated work environment of business and family house- Flexible work arrangements detrimental to their heath due to holds. loneliness and their own personal Legally organisations need to con- circumstances. Organisations should proceed with sider flexible work arrangement caution and address key consid- requests. To help address this, a holis- erations. tic workforce wellness strategy Some staff may have carer’s should be implemented to ensure COVIDSafe policies and action responsibilities, or are more vul- appropriate support in the work- plans nerable to the virus than others, place is occurring. so this will require additional con- Being agile in response to safety templation. I stand with UNICEF, Par- requirements for staff is a neces- ents At Work, PANDA, Kari- sity. Business need to revisit their Employers should be taking the tane and APLEN who recently COVIDSafe plan. opportunity to carefully weigh up released nine key family-friendly the pros and cons of staff work- workplace recommendations to It is of paramount importance that ing from home, not just for safety bridge the work and family divide leaders consult staff, communicate reasons but for productivity and beyond COVID-19: what has been considered and put organisational culture outcomes. • Normalise flexible work agreed measures in place. • Strengthen health, family Some employers and staff may Depending on local environments and wellbeing find that their output has increased business may need to continue • Provide new parent support through working remotely from to scale up and down. This can home. • Address family and domestic mean different arrangements are violence required for different parts of the Originally some staff may have • Provide financial wellbeing business. dreaded working from home but services to families may now have happily adapted, Organisations, at a minimum, • Review family leave policies yet some may have always been need effective risk management • Support childcare keen and still relishing the oppor- strategies to ensure systems are • Educate leaders tunity to work from home. Moving in place for maintaining effective back to the office could be shock • Promote gender equality hygiene, health monitoring and to the system. cleaning.

In this case, there should be As part of their plan, employ- consideration of a reintegration ers should not interfere with the plan or hybrid model which fosters private life of staff. For example, alternative work arrangements employers should merely encour- including the option, where appro- age employees to download the priate, to work when and where federal government’s COVIDSafe employees want. ILWS Newsletter Issue 58 - 2020 3 New Projects model wildlife health surveillance ported decision-making, of family system in the , NSW. carers of people diagnosed with severe mental illness, of depres- The ever-changing restrictions They will initially create knowledge sion and recovery, and of perinatal caused by the ever-evolving about the perceptions and values depression and anxiety. COVID 19 pandemic may well be of wildlife health biosecurity, the impacting on how our researchers needs and potential uses of wild- The project aims: work. Nonetheless our research- life health surveillance, and the • To examine experiences of ers continue to be successful capacity to contribute to wildlife physical health and mental in securing funding for new and health surveillance in an unprec- health among a diverse existing research projects which edented diversity of stakeholders sample of people living in bodes well for the future. (including community groups). Australia. • To create a publicly avail- The list of new grants secured by This knowledge will be used to able, uniquely Australian members in the past three months design, build and test an innova- health experience online is indicative of the multi-discipli- tive new wildlife health surveil- resource aimed at informing nary research undertaken by our lance system. researchers. and supporting people with lived experiences of mental Equally Well. Roberts, R. (2019- and physical health issues, Worth mentioning is that, in the 2021) National Mental Health their partners and families, last three months, funding has Commission. Contract variation and informing and educating been received for three new $115,019. Total value of project health professionals, service major projects that sit under the $229,709. “society” part of the Institute for providers, policy-makers and the wider community. Land, Water and Society – in this The Equally Well project received instance all sit under the Institute’s an additional $115,019 in June The online resource (and any “rural and regional communi- this year to extend the project until other resources developed pend- ties” theme with one that also sits the end of June 2021. under the Institute’s “biodiversity ing additional funding) will sup- port the NSW Lived Experience conservation” theme. HealthTalk-Equally Well. Rob- Framework through promoting a erts, R. (2020-2022) National better understanding of the lived Rural and regional communities Mental Health Commission, experience of physical health of $120,000 mental health consumers, includ- Society and science: a new ing attempts to improve physical This project, which is being under- approach to wildlife disease health, experiences of physical taken in collaboration with RMIT surveillance. Peters, A., Master- health supports and care, and the University’s Social and Global man-Smith, H., Rafferty, J. (2020- identification of needed support Studies Centre, the project lead, 2023) NSW Environment Trust, and care to support better physical builds on the current Equally Well $200,000 health outcomes. project. This project is also associated This focus on lived experience will with the Biodiversity Conservation The project aims to address help general health services and theme. the gaps in research and online mental health services prioritise provision of resources addressing the physical health of mental Wildlife diseases are of signifi- experiences of mental health and health consumers and adopt cance to conservation, agriculture physical health using the proven person-centred care. and human health. Effective Healthtalk methodology. The quali- surveillance for wildlife disease is tative methodology underpinning Activating financial markets recognised as instrumental to its the project was developed by the to reward soil stewardship. management and mitigation. internationally-renowned Univer- Pawsey, N., Oczkowski, E., Lynch, sity of Oxford Health Experiences J., Frost, M., Coghlan, I., Allan, C., Australia’s wildlife health system Research Group (HERG) and Nayeem, T. (2020-2023) CRC for underpins its biosecurity and trade modified for the Australian context High Performance Soils, $355,000 but is resource intensive, has con- by Professor Renata Kokanović, siderable gaps in taxonomic and who has used it to produce an Collaborators on this project are spatiotemporal coverage, and is of online repository of exceptional Federation University, Western limited utility to many stakeholders Australian health information Australian No-Tillage Farmers including conservation entities and resources. Association, Riverine Plains the public. Inc. Birchip Cropping Group Inc Healthtalk Australia (http://health- and the University of Southern For this multi-disciplinary project talkaustralia.org/) details, among . the researchers are undertaking other health issues, experiences a novel approach to developing a of severe mental illness and sup-

ILWS Newsletter Issue 58 - 2020 4 This project builds on the findings pation, and the few remaining Private Philanthropic Donation or from the Collaborative approaches remnants are mostly degraded Gift to innovation project, also led by and fragmented. Changes in Eavesdropping on wetland Dr Nick Pawsey, which identified disturbance regimes had dramatic birds. Watson, D., Znidersic, L. how uncertainty regarding the and rapid effects—the removal & Towsey, M.(2020-2021) CSU financial returns from soil stew- of fire and introduction of live- Foundation Trust, $200,000. ardship, limited financial incen- stock grazing resulted in the local tives and poor connection among extinction of grazing sensitive and Environmental Water research, grower and financial fire-dependent species, and led to Basin-scale Evaluation and stakeholders promotes underin- an increase in exotic species. All Research Services. Stage 2. vestment in soils. temperate grasslands in southern Wassens S., Baumgartner, L. Australia are endangered or criti- (2020-2022) CEWO with Univer- While finance stakeholders cally endangered. Recently, fire sity of lead organisation. believe that good stewards tend to has been re-introduced into long $55,581. be profitable, many also recognise unburnt landscapes to restore a significant opportunity to further both biodiversity and Indigenous Standing Offer Arrangement for test and unpack this assumption. connection to country. Commonwealth Environmental Water Services. Wassens, S., This project will co-develop novel This provides a rare opportunity Hall, A., Allan, C. Baumgartner, L., financial mechanisms that improve to examine if the return of cultural Watts, R., Doyle, K., Humphries, connections among research, burning to southern Australia’s P., Mitchell, M., Pawsey, N., Li, grower and finance stakehold- landscapes can restore plant M., Horta, A., Pillai, K., Khan, M. ers and facilitate the activation of diversity. This project will draw (2020-2025) CEWO financial markets and mechanisms upon an ambitious cultural fire to reward soil stewardship. program in central Victoria, which A multi-disciplinary team of ILWS has recently commenced following members has been selected by A three stage approach will build a landmark agreement between the Commonwealth Environmen- on the pathways to change that the state government and the Tra- tal Water Office (CEWO) as a were co-developed with 50 par- ditional Owners, Dja Dja Wurrung. preferred tenderer for providing ticipants in 2019, leading to the capabilities in: development, trial and evaluation The 20-year plan secures Dja Dja • Environmental Water of one or more financial mecha- Wurrung involvement in fire man- Monitoring, Evaluation and nisms to reward good soil stew- agement, and signifies the first Research ardship. Aboriginal-led burns in the region’s • Environmental Analytics and public lands for over 180 years. Modelling Impact of IFRS Adoption in Aus- These cultural burns, or djadak wi, tralia: Evidence from academic involve the deliberate burning of • Environmental water deliv- research (2015-2020). Pawsey, parts of the landscape for eco- ery services N. (2020) Australian Accounting logical and cultural purposes. The - coordinate and manage Standards Board, $4960 location of fires is determined by requirements for minor and/ elders, and are carried out by Dja or temporary works required to This project will update the 2016 Dja Wurrung people along with enable delivery of Commonwealth report undertaken by Dr Pawsey management agencies. environmental water to priority and reflect subsequent updates in sites (e.g. regulators, fish screens, this field of research from 2015- Working together with Dja Dja block banks, cuts to channel etc.) 2020. Wurrung, this project endeavours or channel infrastructure mainte- to determine the plant community nance (e.g. weed removal, repair) Biodiversity Conservation responses to cultural fire, and identify the conditions under which -provide services in the The effects of fire on arid fungal cultural fire results in positive out- removal and/or relocation of fish communities. Nimmo, D., Green- comes for biodiversity. and native aquatic species, includ- wood, L. (2020-2021) Australasian ing, but not limited, to carp, turtles Mycological Society, $3000 This project is significant in filling and native fish an important ecological knowledge Grassland responses to the gap in determining the recovery reintroduction of cultural burns. of grasslands with the return of Price, J., Nimmo, D. (2020- cultural burns, and will be an 2023) Hermon Slade Foundation, exemplar collaboration between $83,462 scientists, government agencies, and Traditional Owners. Temperate grassy ecosystems in southern Australia have been decimated since European occu-

ILWS Newsletter Issue 58 - 2020 5 Internal grants Specific research unpacking con- The desire and capability for sumers’ notion of ‘environmentally The University has provided suicide among older adults friendly production’ may open up $200,000 for research that during the COVID-19 pandemic. opportunities for better informing explores the impacts of COVID-19 McLaren, S., Burmeister, O., consumers about soil manage- and how to deliver solutions for Klein, B (Federation University), ment practices. post-COVID-19 rebuilding. Castillo, P., Tindle, R., Corboy, ILWS researchers are leading four D. (Blue Sky Mind Training and The project is developing and of these 12 research grants. Research Consultancy) (2020) trialling a range of communication CSU, $27,000 materials to educate and promote Projects led by an ILWS member: soil stewardship to consumers. Designing privacy-preserving The mental health and stress and secure contact tracing It seeks to determine whether it is impacts of COVID19 on frontline mobile app to combat COVID- possible to increase consumers’ human service staff - Police, 19. Kabir, A., Ul-Haq, A., Bur- willingness to pay for soil stew- Ambulance and Family and meister, O., Zheng, L., Islam, Z., ardship, or to purchase products Community Services, Com- Rahman, F. (Google) (2020) CSU, made using soil stewardship prac- munity Nurses (WNSWLHD). $12,000 tices, so that farmers are better Roberts, R., Dwivedi, A., Jenkins, rewarded for implementing prac- S., Bamberry, L., Sutton, C., Project Updates tices by higher farm-gate prices. Frost, M., Neher, A., O’Meara, P. The project will also engage (), Young, R. Rural and regional communities (2020) CSU, $30,000 with value chain stakeholders (food producers, manufacturers, CRC for High Performance Soils Metabolic and inflammatory retailers, and others) to better - Consumer demand, the value understand their perspectives on health in COVID-19: potential chain, and communication strat- mechanism for alleviation of consumer willingness to pay; inter- egies for promoting soil stew- est and perceived obstacles to disease severity. Marino, F. ardship. Morrison, M., Saliba, A., (2020) CSU, $8821 rewarding farmers for soil stew- Allan, C., Oczkowski, E., Godfrey, ardship; and specific informational S., Nayeem,T., Small, F., Hatton requirements for rewarding farm- Modelling firewall strategies for MacDonald, D, Grimmer, L., & controlling COVID-19 outbreak ers for products made using soil Tinch, D. (2018-2021) CRC for stewardship practices. in , Australia. High Performance Soils, $372,584 Rahman, A., Ip, R., Demskoy, D., (CSU) and $86,200 (UTAS) Bewong, M. (2020) CSU, $7925 This research will provide criti- cal insights into how to develop This project sits under the Soil Understanding risk perceptions, consumer markets to reward soil CRC “Investing in high perfor- management, and which commu- knowledge and preventive mance soils” program. health behaviour of Austral- nication strategies are likely to be most effective. ians in rural, regional remote It builds on initial research under- Western NSW during Covid-19 taken by ILWS researchers includ- Pandemic. Kleinschafer, J., Bur- ing a scoping study, Activating meister, O., Fuller, G., Saksena, markets to create incentives for T., Munro, A., (Western Local improved soil management: Liter- health District) Lock, M. (Western ature scoping study (2017-2018) , Local Health District Research which identified a lack of research Network) and Allan, J. (Univer- on what consumers know about sity of Wollongong) (2020) CSU, soil stewardship and how that may $28,000. impact consumer demand.

Projects where ILWS members The current project is in partner- are members of the research ship with researchers from the teams are: University of , with the lead organisa- Developing an intervention tion. model to assess effectiveness of policy measures on COVID- It initially investigated what 19 outbreak in Australia. Ip, R., Australian food consumers know Demskoy, D., Rahman, A., Zheng, about soil and soil stewardship, L. (2020) CSU,$2536 and current and potential future demand.

ILWS Newsletter Issue 58 - 2020 6 Environmental Water

Monitoring, Evaluation and Research – Murrumbidgee. Was- sens, S., Hall, A., Michael, D., Bourke, G. (2019-2022), CEWO

Complementary research Researchers undertaking regular monitoring for the Monitoring, Evaluation and Research-Murrum- bidgee project are “value-adding” to that work by doing two addition- al complementary research activi- ties while out in the field - one a study on grey snakes; the other on tree-dwelling lizards and geckoes.

“Generally the MER project is focussed on fish, frogs, tadpoles to do was undertake some com- Above: Grey snake. Pic J. Cambell and waterbirds but many water plementary research projects planners as well as scientists to look at how certain terrestrial recognise that environmental groups respond to environmental parts of Australia there weren’t water can influence and benefit water. One of the key groups is many truly aquatic snakes in the non-aquatic species,” says team reptiles, particularly semi-aquatic Murray-Darling Basin. member Dr Damian Michael. and wetland dependant snakes.” “There are about 12 species of “There has been some research Damian says in Australia while snakes, one of which is the IUCN done on woodland birds which we do have freshwater aquatic listed endangered grey snake found they respond to environ- snakes (file snakes and the water (Hemiaspis damelii), that are mental water so what we decided python) that live in the Northern common or restricted to the flood- plain regions of the Basin and of Below: The grey snake found in the wetlands of the Lower Murrumbidgee. which we know very little about Pic D. Michael their ecology,” says Damian.

The researchers hope to rectify that lack of knowledge with their current study on the grey snake.

The snake’s core range is in the Northern Basin, from the Macquar- ie Marshes north to the Gwydir, Namoi and Condamine River sys- tems into southern Queensland.

However there was an isolated population of grey snakes recog- nised in the Lower Lachlan [Great Cumbung swamp] that hasn’t been sighted for about 65 years.

“Some early herpetologists, e.g. Charles Tanner, collected half a dozen specimens in the early 1950s but then there has been a hiatus in records, it just wasn’t sighted, or if it was it wasn’t reported,” says Damian.

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ILWS Newsletter Issue 58 - 2020 7 “Nothing was being added to the regimes as well as Atlas of Living Australia until we current watering came along and started working actions.” in the region and found a highly significant population, which also The species satis- represents the first confirmed fies a number of records for this nocturnal, frog-eat- criteria for being ing species south of the Murrum- listed as threat- bidgee River.” ened, particu- larly in having an It was only when Damian, who just extremely frag- happens to have an avid interest mented distribution in snakes, joined the research and small area of team two years ago that the snake occupation across (which other team members have its entire range. noticed before) was positively identified. Since then, over 30 indi- “Being a frog vidual snakes have been recorded specialist it is will from five different wetlands south be impacted by of the Murrumbidgee which repre- cane toads as this sents a southerly range extension invasive species of approximately 40 km. migrates south, which means that “Previously they were only known the Murrumbidgee Above: Team member Dr Damian Michael weighing one to occur north of the Murrumbidg- population is likely of the grey snakes ee in the lower Lachlan catchment to be the only pop- so these are the first confirmed ulation that doesn’t is done out in the field with the records in the Lower Murrumbidg- encounter cane toads in the next snakes then weighed, measured ee even though there were several 20 to 50 years,” says Damian. and sexed before being released. sightings that went unreported by Every time the team is out in the consultants working in the region Study on grey snake field for the MER monitoring work in 2014,” says Damian. The discovery of the grey snakes – four times a year, in September, November, January and March - In 2017, Damian was involved in in the Lower Murrumbidgee has the team searches for grey snakes a workshop which reclassified the prompted a broader study which as well. species as endangered using the began in summer 2019/2020 to IUCN (International Union for the look at the ecology and distribu- “We hope to encounter the snakes Conservation of Nature) classifi- tion of the species – the first we have micro-chipped again so cation. The species has always ecological study to be done on the we can calculate growth rates been considered as threatened species. and population estimates,” says in Queensland and Damian Damian. “Quite interestingly they hopes that recent conservation The study’s two main research are very hard to find when there listing advice he provided to the questions are: is no water in the wetlands. We Federal Government will see the • What is the snakes’ relation- have 12 fixed sites – where we species listed under the Federal ship with wetland vegetation are monitoring for frogs anyway – threatened species legislation, the and hydrology but when there is no water or very EPBC Act. • What is the snake’s popula- little water in the wetlands it is tion density and movement near impossible to find the snakes The species is considered ter- patterns active on the surface. restrial. While it has been sighted “But when the water is high there swimming, it forages for frogs on “Within an hour of searching along are a lot more snakes moving land during warm nights and lives a two to three hundred metre around.” in soil cracks during the day. transect we can usually find five individual snakes,” says Damian That relationship is being explored “Basically it is only found then who has been micro-chipping the in more detail by Honours student water levels are high, frogs are snakes he has been able to catch Emma Stevens who is looking at abundant and weather condi- at key wetland sites where they the relationship between where tions are suitable” says Damian. are finding the snakes in high the snakes are being found and “Interestingly, we are not recording densities and are more likely to the abundance of variables such the species when the wetlands are get recaptures. as frog diversity and hydrology. in a dry phase, suggesting that its ecology and conservation could So far six snakes have been Emma, a part-time distance stu- be linked to historical watering micro-chipped. The micro-chipping dent began her study in June last ILWS Newsletter Issue 58 - 2020 8 year. Her field data has been col- skinks living there,” says Damian. lected which she is now analysing. One hundred and twelve ABCs were set up in August last year The species is venomous, more across 14 wetland sites across so than previously thought. “It pro- the MER selected area. duces fairly nasty pro-coagulant toxins which clots your blood,” “After we’ve finished processing says Damian. “So we are very the fish as part of our MER moni- careful and make sure we wear toring work, we quickly check gloves and full protective clothing.” the covers, some of which are on trees in the water and others The species is also nocturnal and away from the water’s edge,” relatively small, only growing to says Damian. about 60 cm. The study on the Six checks of the covers have snakes is expected to run for five been done so far and to date four years, the duration of the MER species of reptiles – the southern project. marbled gecko, the tree dtella gecko (pictured below right), Study on arboreal reptiles the tree skink and the ragged snake-eyed skink (locally known The second study the research as a fence or wall skink) and two Above: Eva Moore checking the ABCs. team is doing is on arboreal reptile species of frogs- Peron’s tree frog Pic D. Michael species that live in trees in and and the threatened southern bell around wetlands. frog - are using the covers. other animals.” Damian says it does appear that “Across the wetlands there are “When the water rose and we had using the bark covers is an effec- lots of tree-dwelling species such to wade out to our tree covers, we tive survey method. as geckoes and tree skinks which were getting dozens of tree frogs live under the bark of river red using the covers which we didn’t “Effectively we are using this gums,” says Damian. “However really expect, though with hind- method to evaluate habitat use they are really hard to survey sight I suppose we should have,” of these species which is what without removing the bark from says Damian. The researchers Honours student, Eva Moore, the tree.” also discovered “lots and lots of from the School of Agriculture and tree huntsman spiders which are Veterinary Science, who came on To avoid that difficulty, Damian likely to eat the geckoes when the board at the start of the year is is using a non-invasive survey geckoes are young, but then be doing,” says Damian. “Basically method which involves putting eaten themselves by the geckoes she is able to use data collected artificial foil covers around trees. when they get big enough.” from ABCs to model occupancy (He used a similar methodology in patterns of these common lizard box gum grassy woodlands and The key aims of the study are: species. other researchers have used it in • To determine whether or not Queensland’s savannahs.) using artificial barks covers “The covers have a dual purpose. is an effective method for They are providing a resource “We call them artificial bark covers surveying arboreal reptiles where there is a limited resource (ABCs), effectively they are yoga in a floodplain system as well as a non-destructive mats with a silver back fastened • To better understand the dis- method of survey to collect useful to the tree with an elastic strap tribution of arboreal species ecological information.” which, when we survey, we undo, across the floodplain and peel back the cover and then model their habitat use and Damian says the methodology hand-capture the geckoes and occupancy patterns being used could be “scaled up right across the Basin. Research- “Given the floodplain vegeta- ers in other areas could adapt this tion has had a long history of so you actually have some Basin- logging, we don’t know the area monitoring of these groups effects of that disturbance on which aren’t, at the moment, a key the distribution of tree-dwell- focus of environmental water. ing reptiles,” says Damian. “Conserving these reptiles “However if the grey snake, for is important because they example, does get listed there will contribute to the broader be some responsibility of the Gov- ecological food web by feed- ernment to investigate the species ing on invertebrates, and further and manage for its habitat they themselves are food for requirements.” ILWS Newsletter Issue 58 - 2020 9 Monitoring, Evaluation and Research – Edward/Kolety- Wakool. Watts, R., Howitt, J., McCasker, N., Liu, X. & Trethewie, J. (2019-2022) CEWO, $3.15M

Turtle research Freshwater turtles have declined by up to 90% in some parts of the Murray-Darling Basin. While the decline is largely due to foxes destroying turtle nests, the risk for turtles of wetland drying in winter is dire.

‘‘If a hibernating turtle, which is Above: Dr James Van Dyke and Tracey Hamilton measuring a turtle. Pic G. Stock- cold-blooded, finds itself in a dried field wetland, it is much more vulner- able to predators, especially foxes as the cold turtle simply can’t caught, measured, and individu- can make a significant contribution move fast enough to escape’,” ally marked over 200 of the three to research and environmental says Dr James Van Dyke. local turtle species (Chelodina management projects.” expansa, Chelodina longicollis, Environmental watering of wet- and Emydura macquarii). There (summarised from an article in the lands in winter may be important were good numbers of turtles Edward/Kolety-Wakool system to keep turtle habitat flooded while caught at wetlands that are almost Environmental Flows Newsletter, they hibernate. always flooded, and smaller num- Issue Number 2) bers caught at wetlands that dry The research on turtle popula- out more frequently. Fish spawning research tions in the Edward/Kolety-Wakool River system, under the MER As part of the research an acous- Fish larvae were monitored in program, commenced in October tic receiver network has been Yallakool Creek and the Wakool 2019. A collaboration between established in six wetlands and River for over five years as part of , Yarkuwa along the Edward/Kolety River. the LTIM program. The data from Indigenous Knowledge Centre, Some turtles were tagged with that monitoring was used to inform Charles Sturt University and NSW acoustic tags to remotely track water management and promote Department of Primary Industries where they go in different seasons and support native fish breeding. (Fisheries), the project aims to see throughout the year, and see if whether connectivity of wetlands they avoid wetlands that are likely Between 2014 and 2019 there affects turtle distribution, move- to dry during winter. was limited evidence of silver ment, and body condition. perch spawning and no evidence Over summer the researchers of golden perch spawning in the In the first few months of the pro- tracked some turtles that were Wakool River and Yallakool Creek. ject the team (below. Pic L. Ross) leaving drying wetlands and are interested to see whether the “However local fishers had turtles came back before winter. observed fish, including golden Most of the fieldwork for the pro- and silver perch, congregating ject was done by Joseph Briggs, downstream of Stevens Weir Liticia Ross, Tracey Hamilton, and during late spring which sug- Brandon Cooper from Yarkuwa gested that the Edward/Kolety Indigenous Knowledge Centre in River may be a spawning area for . this species,” says project leader Professor Robyn Watts. “Their local knowledge and experi- ence has been fundamental to the As a result of these observations, project’s success,” says program a collaborative research project leader Professor Robyn Watts. “It on fish spawning in the Edward/ has also provided them an oppor- Kolety River involving Charles tunity to learn some new skills Sturt University and the Edward- about how to trap, handle and Wakool Angling Association monitor turtle populations and is a (EWAA) was initiated as a compo- great example of how local people nent of the current MER project.

ILWS Newsletter Issue 58 - 2020 10 Using drones to detect changes in the condition of river banks Riverbanks influence the velocity of flow, depth of water and provide sediment and habitat for flora and fauna.

“River bank condition is influenced by the flow regime, including Above. Drone and remote control at Colligen Creek. unregulated flows and Pic N. Sutton the regulated deliv- Above: Anthony Jones and Dan Hut- ton from the Edward-Wakool Angling ery of operational and riverbanks that was not previously Association environmental water,” says project possible using manual survey leader Professor Robyn Watts. techniques,” says Robyn. “Quantifying the relationship Each week, from October 2019 between flows and bank condition through to the end of February “Imagery collected by the drone can help water managers deliver 2020, members of EWAA set will be compared between differ- flows that enhance ecological drift nets at three locations in late ent flow events (including unregu- objectives (e.g. river bank vegeta- afternoon and then retrieved the lated flows, operational flows and tion establishment) and minimise nets and collected the samples environmental flows) and will be any potential unintended conse- the following morning. The moni- used to measure the change of quences.” toring program was undertaken by riverbank physical condition over

Anthony Jones, Warren Parsons, time.” In an exciting use of new technol- Alec Buckley and Zak McCullock ogy, local research/consulting who detected the first Murray The research is being undertaken company Streamology (founder cod larvae in the samples before in three reaches: and technical director, ILWS Christmas. The samples were • the upper Edward/Kolety Adjunct Dr Geoff Vietz) has processed through microscopy at River in the Murray Valley been contracted to undertake a Charles Sturt University to identify National Park – Millewa research project under the MER the very small eggs or fish larvae program that is exploring the • the Edward/Kolety River in the samples. effectiveness of drone-based downstream of Stevens Weir methods to detect changes in the in Werai Forest “Employing locals with appropriate river banks. • Colligen Creek skills and knowledge to undertake the field work ensures multiple “Drone technology and a whole lot “The ‘bird’s eye’ view, captured by successful outcomes,” says local of computing power provide the the drone, is excellent for describ- EWAA member Dan Hutton, who opportunity to detect changes in ing the larger-scale macro chang- coordinated the EWAA field work. es occurring in the waterway, allowing managers to understand “The collaboration has provided which banks are likely to be most local employment and training, affected from future flows,” says program cost savings and ensures Robyn. monitoring results and findings are quickly communicated to the “The detailed 3-dimensional view local community. “This research provides great insights into the provides an important platform for micro-scale activity occurring on valuable local input into manage- the steep banks, identifying notch- ment of the local waterways.’’ es and increasing our understand- ing of the influence of prolonged (summarised from Edward/Kolety- transfer flows on physical form.” Wakool system Environmental Flows Newsletter, Issue Number (summarised from Edward/Kolety- 3) Wakool system Environmental Right. Neil Sutton from Steamology Flows Newsletter, Issue Number doing initial site survey on the Edward/ 3 ) Kolety. ILWS Newsletter Issue 58 - 2020 11 New Flow-MER website The Commonwealth Environmental Water Office’s new Flow-MER website, which promotes its on-ground Moni- toring, Evaluation and Research program, was launched on June 4.

The website, https://flow-mer.org.au/, is a public window for the continuing work CEWO is undertaking in partner- ship with scientists, water managers and communities across the Murray-Darling Basin to better understand how fish, birds, vegetation and river connectivity are responding to Commonwealth environmental water.

Institute researchers are among the more than 120 scientists working on Flow-MER at sites across the Murray- Darling Basin, often with the involvement of Traditional Owners, local water managers and landholders. The program builds on 10 years of scientific monitoring and research into how plants and animals respond to water for the environment and allows scientists, with a range of expertise, to continue to share the latest findings of their research with managers of environmental water.

The Flow-MER program is being undertaken across seven Selected Areas within the Basin. Charles Sturt Uni- versity, through the Institute, leads the MER program for the Murrumbidgee River System (led by Skye), and the Edward/Kolety-Wakool River System (led by Professor Robyn Watts.) Other team members for the Murrumbidgee project are Associate Professor Andrew Hall, Dr Damian Michael, Gaye Bourke, Dr Gilad Bino, Dr Kate Brandis, Dr Yoshi Kobayashi, Dr Jennifer Spencer, Dr Rachael Thomas and Dr Jason Thiem. Other team members for the Edward/Kolety-Wakool project are Dr Nicole McCasker, Dr Xiaoying (Sha Sha) Liu, John Trethewie, Associ- ate Professor Catherine Allan, the late Dr Julia Howitt, and Dr Jason Thiem, Dr Meaghan Duncan and Dr Daniel Wright (NSW DPI), Dr Geoff Vietz and Neil Sutton (Streamology), Prof Nick Bond, Dr James Van Dyke and Dr Andre Siebers (La Trobe University), and Sascha Healy (NSW DPIE).

ILWS Newsletter Issue 58 - 2020 12 One of the important aspects of the Flow-MER project is that local community groups are collaborating on some of the research. Projects on turtles and aquatic vegetation in the Edward/Kolety-Wakool Selected Area are being undertaken in collaboration with the Yarkuwa Indigenous Knowledge Centre in Deniliquin. The Edward-Wakool Angling Association are collaborating on a fish spawning project and the Western Murray Land Improvement Group based in Barham are involved in the coordination of community workshops. These collaborations with local organi- sations provide an opportunity for local people to be involved, learn new skills and share their knowledge.

The web pages for each of the Selected Areas contains comprehensive information (and lots of great photographs taken by Institute researchers) about the respective river systems, the research approach, current activities, the research team, current activities, what’s been learnt so far, and the latest updates.

As well Institute researchers are contributing to the research being undertaken for three of the program’s six Basin- wide themes, namely the Biodiversity, the Fish theme and the Food webs & water quality theme.

The Biodiversity theme aims to evaluate the contribution of Commonwealth environmental water to achieving biodiversity outcomes. It is focussing on a range of species including waterbirds, frogs and freshwater turtles that are likely to have been protected or restored by Commonwealth environmental water. Associate Professor Skye Wassen is a member of the Biodiversity theme team. She is the project leader for the theme’s Species Evaluation research project which will draw together monitoring data about threatened species across the Selected Areas and the Basin Themes to assess which animals are influenced by the delivery of environmental water.

The Fish Theme will evaluate the benefits Commonwealth environmental water provides to native fish populations, and improve understanding of flow-related ecology and population dynamics of native fish to ultimately inform fish outcomes in the future. Fish theme team members from ILWS are Professor Lee Baumgartner, and Insti- tute Adjunct Dr Jason Thiem who are expected to be involved in the theme’s two new projects on fish population models, and flow, movement and fish population dynamics. Its web pages include “Calling all fish!”, a story which discusses work undertaken during the previous Environmental Water Knowledge and Research (EWKR) project written by the project’s team which includes ILWS researchers Associate Professor Paul Humphries, Dr Nicole McCasker and Institute Adjunct Dr Keller Kopf.

The Food webs & water quality theme aims to understand, and be able to predict how Commonwealth environmen- tal water in the Murray-Darling basin influences water quality (nutrients, temperature, light, and salinity), which in turn can regulate rates of metabolism and productivity (energy availability for higher order consumers). Food webs and water quality theme team members associated with ILWS include ILWS Adjuncts and CSIRO researchers Dr Paul McInerney and Dr Gavin Rees. Paul co-leads the theme with Professor Darren Ryder from the University of New England and both he and Gavin will focus on the basin-wide research components of the program.

“The Flow-MER website is a great step towards improving transparency of our decision making. It offers people a way to engage with the scientists and see for themselves the thinking behind when and where we deliver water for environment,” Commonwealth Environmental Water Holder Jody Swirepik said in the CEWO Media Release)

*Link to MER highlights from Jan to March 2020. http://www.environment.gov.au/water/cewo/monitoring/highlights There a map with short summary to each Selected area in the MDB.

ILWS Newsletter Issue 58 - 2020 13 Biodiversity Conservation

Advancing fish-protection screening at Australian water diversions. Baumgartner, L., Bretzel, J. (PhD candidate) (2019- 2022) NSW DPI, $95,000

The aim of the project is to evalu- ate the performance of a modern fish-protection screens in the Macquarie River at the Trangie- Nevertire Irrigation Scheme (TNIS) which services 33 farmers in the region.

The specially designed fish-pro- tection screen (pictured right) is the largest of its kind on a pump diversion and its installation and fish are sucked out of waterways Joachim will investigate the fish evaluation is being funded through and farmers need to deal with fish protection credentials of the the NSW Department of Planning, and debris clogging filters, siphons Trangie screen – along with others Industry and Environment, Energy and sprinklers. The screens we in the Murray-Darling Basin. His and Science (NSW DPIE EES) are showcasing have a much finer results will be critical in demon- Drought Relief Initiative. The first mesh, expose fish to much lower strating to industry that modern of its size in NSW, the screen will velocities and are equipped with fish-protection screens can work stop debris being sucked into the self-cleaning brushes.” under Australian conditions, whilst pump, along with adult and juve- at the same time not impacting the nile fish and their eggs. The screen installed at Trangie is a delivery of irrigation water. U.S. designed conical screen, built Its performance, along with other in Australia by AWMA Water con- To celebrate the installation of the screens, will be evaluated by trol Solutions and applies design screen, a media event was held on recently appointed PhD student criteria that have been tailored to June 18. Lee and Joachim trav- Joachim Bretzel under the super- Australian conditions. elled up to the site, using the days vision of Professor Lee Baum- before the media launch to meet gartner and DPI Fisheries Senior “If we can modernise screens on with the Fisheries team and to Researcher and ILWS Adjunct many more diversions we will keep help Joachim with his experimental Dr Craig Boys. “Most pumps are millions of fish in the river where design. either unscreened or use ‘trash they belong, leading to healthier guards’ that don’t protect fish or native fish populations and better “It’s very much a nice public, stop much debris entering the fishing opportunities,” says Craig. private, government, academia, diversion,” says Craig. “As a result, partnership and we now have a student [Joachim] who is at the L to R: Dr Craig Boys, Joachim Bretzel and Professor Lee Baumgartner at forefront of this, assessing the first the Trangie channel Pic. T. Rayner screen of its kind on the Macquarie River,” says Lee.

The Trangie project is a collabo- ration between TNIS, NSW DPI Fisheries, NSW Department of Planning, Industry and Environ- ment, Energy and Science (NSW DPIE EES) and AWMA Water Control Solutions.

The project will also contribute more broadly to the ‘Screens for Streams’ research and exten- sion program being undertaken by ILWS and DPI Fisheries and funded by the NSW Recreational Fishing Trust and the Ian Potter Foundation. ILWS Newsletter Issue 58 - 2020 14 Sustainable Development (Inter- national)

Assessing fisheries mitigation measures at Xayaburi Dam in Lao PDR. Baumgartner, L., Rob- inson, W., McPherson, J., Ning, N. (2018-2022) ACIAR, $1.4M

Quantifying improved fisher- ies productivity at fish pas- sage rehabilitation sites in Lao PDR. (2016-2020) Baumgartner, L., Ning, N., Horta, A., Conallin, J., Robinson, W. with Thorncraft, Above: Dr Wayne Robinson and Thonglom Phommavong, Deputy Dean of the Fac- G. (National University of Laos), ulty of Agriculture, National University of Laos, with fish they have bought from local Phonekhampheng, O. (National fish traders from which they have obtained otoliths. University of Laos), Sing- hanouvong, D. (Living Aquatic Resources Research Centre), otherwise would not have been overseas. This has been largely Cooper, B. (UniSA) Marsden,T., possible. because Laos has been some- (Australasian Fish Passage what unaffected by Covid 19 with Services) Australian Centre for “Having Wayne in Laos has been few cases and travel permitted,” International Agricultural Research really helpful,” says Professor Lee says Lee. (ACIAR) & USAID, $2.6M (initial Baumgartner. “We have our three funding of $1.8M plus an addition- projects in Laos at the moment Wayne has also been able to al $800,000 in 2018) and Wayne’s been able to keep assist ILWS PhD student Vu Vi them going. He has done regular An with An’s additional research Diadromous fish of the Mekong: field trips to our fishway site at project (funded by ACIAR) by managing long distance fish Pak Peung and he’s also been up making a field trip to Southern and migrations at mainstream dam to Xayaburi Dam to keep our PIT Central Laos to collect Mekong sites. Baumgartner, L., Vu, A. [Passive Integrated Transponders] River fish species from which he (2020) ACIAR internship, $19,000 tag research going.” then extracts the otoliths.

As mentioned in the last issue of Wayne has visited the Xayaburi “Wayne, and the team in Cam- the newsletter Dr Wayne Rob- Dam site twice now to continue bodia, collected some ‘awesome’ inson, who was in Laos when training its staff in how to insert fish for An,” says Lee. “An [who is the COVID-19 pandemic hit, has and monitor PIT tags in fish for in Australia and was unable to go made the decision to stay in a the tagging trials being conducted back the Lower Mekong region to country that he calls his “second to assess the effectiveness of the do this component of his field work home” for the time being. fishways that have been built. and is so excited that scientists rallied to help him out .” That decision has meant pro- “During May and June Wayne has gress has been able to be made been one of the rare people able (more next page) on three Institute projects which to do field work Below: Thonglom Phommavong and graduate student Below: Dr Wayne Robinson inserting a PIT tag into a fish Miss Malaiyou collecting fish from local fishermen in Thakek, central Laos

ILWS Newsletter Issue 58 - 2020 15 (Two separate teams have been “Whilst we have been in social helping An out. The team in Laos isolation, we’ve been having from the National University of fortnightly meetings with the engi- Laos is led by Wayne; the team in neers over there and are getting Cambodia is led by Mr Sok Heng.) to the stage where we will have a tender drafted soon as we are The otoliths will then be posted to hoping to build the fish ladder later Australia where An will process this year,” says Lee. “We have them. The research team are submitted a report to the Depart- negotiating with the Australian ment which has been approved.” Synchrotron to go to later in the year to do more analy- The fishway will be built at the sis, additional to the analysis done Shain Gaing sluice near Bago, at the end of last year. Myanmar. Wells is an App that can be Myanmar’s first fish ladder Improving groundwater man- downloaded on a mobile phone. agement to enhance agriculture Farmers can use the App to: Work has also been progressing and farming livelihoods in Paki- • Record information about well for a fish ladder that is to be stan. Hall, A., Punthakey, J., Allan, individual wells such as the built in Myanmar under the addi- C., Mitchell, M., Khan, M. (2016- owner’s name, location, and tional funding that was received in 2020) ACIAR & CSU ($100,000), a custom name the user 2018 to “scale-out” the fish pas- Total value of the project $2.15M selects for that entry. sage research in Laos to include • Report a well reading on four additional countries in the An exciting development for this a daily basis i.e. well ID, Lower Mekong Basin. project has been the creation of EC (electrical conductivity some easy-to-use mobile phone as a measure of salinity) Since July last year, when the and web-based spatial applica- and water depth. (Farmers team (Professor Lee Baumgartner, tions to be used by the project’s involved in the project have Dr John Conallin and Adjuncts farming stakeholders. already been given sensors professor Martin Mallen-Cooper to take these measure- and Tim Marsden) ran a Master- The applications have three inte- ments.) class Workshop at the Irrigation grated components – Apna Pani Technology Centre in Bago, Myan- (meaning “our water”), and its two • Check all the wells and their mar, for 30 of that country’s irriga- additional modules, Wells and readings on graphs which tion and fisheries staff, the team Apna Farms. While both Wells and include data from previous have been working with Myanmar Apna Farms are mobiles readings so comparisons department to finalise the design Apps, Apna Farms is also avail- can be done. of its first fish ladder. able as a web-based application enabling users to estimate crop “Through this App while they are taking measurements out in the Below: Being in Laos, Dr Wayne Rob- water requirements, drawing on inson was able to attend the wedding information made available on field, farmers are able to upload of Dr Phouvin Phousavanh, from the groundwater quality and quantity, their data,” explains Moby. “And National University of Laos, a visitor soil quality (for selected project they can use this application at to the Institute in 2012. areas) and established crop profit- multiple locations which gives ability profiles. them a spatio-temporal monitoring option. So if they see groundwater “Each of the components are inte- levels dropping or salinity increas- grated but can also be used as a ing in a particular well, they can stand-alone application,” says Dr then make farm management Moby Khan, (pictured above right) decisions accordingly.” a spatial scientist now based at Charles Sturt University, who Apna Farm (‘our farm”), an App leads the spatial component of the which can also be downloaded on project. a mobile phone, allows farmers to access specific information for As he explains, the development their farms’ location about: of these decision support tools, • The latest weather informa- which started about three and a tion half years ago, is just one compo- • Soil attributes (texture, salin- nent “maybe 10%” of the overall ity) project, sitting alongside other • Soil fertility (organic matter) socio-economic and groundwater modelling components. • Groundwater depth

ILWS Newsletter Issue 58 - 2020 16 • The profitability of various application they can locate their agement decisions. crops farms and: • See (again) weather infor- The long-term goal of this pro- “By using this App farmers can mation. ject, as its name suggests, is to compare, for example, their actual enhance farming family’ liveli- • Calculate different crop readings on groundwater depth hoods by improving how ground- water requirements so they with other groundwater depth water is managed. can compare various crop information for that locality,” says options. Moby. “I’m happy that our research is • Fetch the data for each farm being applied in the field and that “And through our links with the already stored on the Apna the farming community is using provincial agricultural depart- Pani mobile App. the outcomes of the research,” ments, we have developed a crop says Moby. For this project we are profitability profile so farmers can “The web-based tool only requires supported by both the Australian immediately know which crops are farmers to select location and and Pakistan Governments…and profitable in various geographical crop type and area, afterwards then there are all our colleagues areas.” the system computes crop water and partners, 15 or 16 organisa- requirements automatically, tions in all. At this stage, this information making it much simpler for them is only available for farmers in to consider which crops might be “Our payback is that at least we Punjab province, one of the pro- best to grow and when to irrigate,” now have some tools that the ject’s three case study locations in says Moby. farmers can start using.” different agro-ecological settings, Moby says the intention is to but the intention is that compara- “This tool will mostly be used further extend the tools, not only ble information will be made avail- by extension workers [rather by making them available to those able for the case study locations in than the farmers themselves] to involved in into other two project other provinces, Sindh (Shaheed assist farmers with their decision study areas, but in general. Benazirabad and Naushahro making. But in Pakistan through Feroze districts), and Balochistan. our project’s youth movement, “I feel that there is a lot more which has been established by the work that needs to be done,” says “During the webinar [project socio-economic team in several Moby. “If you feel we have to launch on July 27] there was a case study areas, they are actu- reach say stage five, I feel we are lot of interest to extend these ally helping us devise different only at stage two and a half. We functionalities to our other case approaches to help people adopt need to work quickly and we need study areas, and in general across this technology and make them to work hard.” Pakistan as well, so we will have fully capable of using it.” to see if we can do this,” says Launch of Apna Pani Moby. “I will need to talk to the Moby says while the technology other team members as to how to could be used here in Australia, A successful webinar to launch the do this as it will require a lot more and similar technologies are new tools was held on Monday, data.” already being used here, it has July 27. The project was launched been designed specifically for by the Australian High Commis- When Apna Farm is used as a farmers such as those in Pakistan, sioner to Pakistan, Dr Geoffrey web-based tool, farmers, when who don’t have access to (or the Shaw, and ACIAR’s CEO, Prof. they log into the internet and the resources to buy) more sophis- Andrew Campbell. ticated technology This was followed by a presen- Below: The project was launched by the Australian High to help with tation and demonstration by Dr Commissioner to Pakistan, Dr Geoffrey Shaw farm man- Moby Khan who explained how the Apps work and the reasoning behind their development. Paki- stani farmer Sharaz Akhtar, from the village of Cheecha Watni in Punjab then shared his experi- ences of using the Apps.

“Sharaz is very enthusiastic about the applications which he has already used while we were developing it,” says Moby. ”He is already seeing the benefit of using this new innovative technology. (more next page) ILWS Newsletter Issue 58 - 2020 17 important,” says Moby. “We need to have close training, only with the actual users. I am making a plan for this, mobilising teams in Pakistan.”

The training out in the field will be done, one to one, face to face “with all of our users, all our partners.” It will be delivered by groups of extension offices that Moby will have trained on-line in how to use the Apps.

Above: Also launching the project was funding body ACIAR’s CEO, Pro- Completed project fessor Andrew Campbell Environmental Water He is also the ‘voice’ in his village and through him we are approach- The engagement and reach on Long Term Intervention Moni- ing neighbouring areas as well.” Twitter from the launch has been toring project - Edward Wakool described as “pretty incredible” Selected Area. Stage 2. Watts, The project’s leader and Institute totalling around 3.4million twitter R., McCasker, N., Howitt, J., Kopf, Adjunct Professor, Jay Punthakey impressions. Shared screen shots R.K. with NSW Department of also presented, giving a brief led to a post by the Australian Primary Industries (Fisheries), introduction to the overall project. High Commissioner (31.5K follow- Monash University (Water Studies The event was moderated by Dr ers), followed by Pakistan Minister Centre), , NSW Michael Mitchell. for Science and Technology (3.3 OEH, and Murray LLS. (2014- million followers), national journal- 2019) CEWO, $3.36M Included in the 60 plus attendees ists (e.g. Jamshed Baghwanwith, for the one and a half hour long 15K followers) and the Nether- The monitoring undertaken for this webinar were the project’s in- lands Ambassador to Pakistan project has provided important country partners, representatives (16K followers), among many information for water managers. from NGOs, donor agencies such others. Some of the key findings are sum- as USAID, and local farmers. marised on the new Flow-MER Following the launch the next website (see story on page 12) “What started out as a chance step, which started August 5, is under “What we’ve learned”. for Moby to reach out to users on-line training in how to use and to explain the App and improve install the mobile Apps. This will Lateral and longitudinal con- its use became a much bigger be done at the village level with nectivity and more fabulous affair” says 10 to 15 farmers at a time in each Michael. “For this we give credit to of the project’s three provinces in Environmental watering actions in ACIAR’s Country Manager, who Pakistan. the Edward/Kolety-Wakool river was able to generate huge inter- system are managed within regu- est in the event.” “These on-farm trainings are very lar operating ranges, as advised by river operators, to avoid third party impacts. The types of flows Below: Sharaz Akhtar at the August 6 on-farm training day with farmers at the that can be achieved with envi- project’s 11L distributary case study community near Sahiwal, Punjab ronmental water under current operating ranges are in-channel base-flows and small freshes.

Environmental water delivered as base flows in winter is critical to maintain longitudinal connectivity and prevent cease-to-flow condi- tions in the Yallakool-Wakool and Colligen-Niemur River systems. Base flows provide opportuni- ties for fish movement and seed dispersal, as well as maintain- ing critical overwinter habitat for turtles and other animals that have small home ranges. ILWS Newsletter Issue 58 - 2020 18 Small freshes delivered under tal water has maintained good rhizomes, but the recovery normal operating rules can result water quality and not resulted will be over multiple years. in small increases in lateral con- in any adverse outcomes in the nectivity, with variation among system. Under some circum- Native fish outcomes sites due to differences in river stances, refuge flows provided shape. These flows have resulted from good water quality sources Commonwealth environmental in some benefits to water quality, during unregulated floods can be water has supported fish move- river productivity, vegetation and effective in mitigating the risk of ment and maintained habitat for the fish community. hypoxic (low oxygen) water condi- fish. tions. A flow trial undertaken in August- The overall health of the Edward/ September 2018 to examine the Small freshes delivered under Kolety-Wakool fish community outcomes of a slightly higher peak normal operating rules can result decreased from 2015 to 2019 discharge than current operating in small increases in lateral following poor water quality and rules highlighted: connectivity and provide small associated fish deaths during an • there was increased lateral increase in river productivity. unregulated flood in 2016. connectivity within the river system compared to flows Flows through Millewa Forest The fish community is currently in delivered under normal have been demonstrated to a state of recovery. A slow recov- operating rules. provide a productivity boost into ery of the Murray cod population the Edward/Kolety-Wakool River appears to be underway, and • the importance of planning system. The forest of the NSW this system also appears to be a flows with local land holders, mid-Murray forests can also play nursery area for Silver perch, with agencies and community an important role in providing food periods of high flow in summer members. to the rivers and creeks that are seeming to trigger spawning. The • the need to have access to connected to them if environmen- absence of Golden perch spawn- alternative water delivery tal water is delivered at a cooler ing or recruitment in this system arrangements (such as via time of year to avoid poor water highlights the importance of the Murray Irrigation net- quality. Golden perch migration into this work) in the event that Water system from the Darling and/or the NSW infrastructure is unable Vegetation outcomes Murray systems. to meet target flow rates. • that inundation of some low- Water for the environment has A number of flow-related mecha- level private bridges may improved the condition of river- nisms may contribute to the recov- occur under higher flows. bank and aquatic vegetation. ery of fish populations at a local Due to careful planning and scale. These include: consultation this did not limit There was consistently higher • the persistence of refuge landholders access to their numbers of species in river reach- habitat at low flows or properties during the trial. es that received environmental during adverse water quality water, than in those reaches that events. Winter flows received no or minimal environ- • the presence of diverse mental water. However, a large in-channel and off-channel Winter environmental flows unregulated flood in late 2016 habitats. maintain longitudinal connectivity considerably reduced the aquatic and prevent disconnection of the vegetation in this system. Flows • opportunities for move- smaller tributaries into a series of provided since 2016 have been ment that enable the re- disconnected pools. Winter flows used to assist with the recovery of distribution of individuals have improved water quality in in-stream aquatic plants through- and promote emigration and the lower Wakool River, as well as out the system. immigration. increasing river productivity and assisting with the movement of The researchers found: The results of native fish move- ment and survival following the native fish throughout the system. • Providing a slow rate of unregulated flood in 2016 has recession to flows enables emphasised the importance of The impact of providing winter native water plants to avoid providing connectivity between flows for other plants and animals being stranded and drying the River Murray and anabranch that were not monitored, such as out. freshwater mussels and Murray systems. It is vital that connectivity • The delivery of environmen- crayfish, is yet to be explored. is maintained prior to, during and tal water in winter can main- after these events to allow fish tain aquatic vegetation and Water quality and productivity to disperse and seek refuge and can protect plants from frost outcomes then return to the anabranch after damage and improve their the event has passed. rate of recovery the following Commonwealth environmen- spring frost damage to plant ILWS Newsletter Issue 58 - 2020 19 ers were social scientist Assistant Community Engagement Professor Petra Buergelt and planning expert Professor Barbara Norman.

The experts addressed three questions:

How have the fires forced us to rethink ourselves, our communi- ties and our relationship with nature?

What lessons have we learned?

How can we prevent disasters in the future?

The event was chaired by Nicole Hasham, Environment + Energy Editor at The Conversation.

“COVID-19 has occupied our minds of late but we can’t forget the terrible bushfires that came before it,” says Nicole. “The NLA Hop Into Frogs Currently Alex is a lecturer in envi- panel was a great opportunity to ronmental management with the get three experts from different The primary school learning and School of Environmental Sciences disciplines together, to reflect on teaching resource that Dr Alex- based at CSU’s campus in Port the horror start to 2020 and how andra Knight has been working Macquarie. best to pick up the pieces. on with District Landcare over the last few years has been To access the resource go to “Each panellist made a fascinating released. https://www.corowadistrictland- contribution. While they hail from care.org.au/hop-into-frogs. different fields, a few common The resource titled Hop Into Frogs themes emerged: chiefly, that we – A teaching resource about frogs should listen to and adopt Indig- and wetlands around Corowa and From the ashes: Australia enous ways of being in this land, districts contains an introductory Re-imaged and that no matter how grim the video for the resource’s two com- situation, there’s cause for hope.” ponents:- a teaching resource with Associate Professor Dale Nimmo class activities; and an interactive was one of three members of an By July 27, the video had presentation which contains infor- expert panel who took part in a had 596 views. Watch it here mation on frog facts, Corowa’s free webinar “From the ashes: https://www.youtube.com/ local frogs, local frog habitats, and Australia Re-imaged” presented watch?v=1Psn0wJyex4 threats to frogs. by The Conversation and the National Library of Australia (NLA) The resource which was devel- on June 19. The other present- oped with assistance from the NSW Government through its Environment Trust also features the song, sung by South Corowa Primary School children, that Alex wrote after completing her PhD on “The case for Sloane’s Froglet: Generating ecological knowledge with the intent to benefit biodi- versity” in 2015. The frogs in the song are named after Professor Murray Littlejohn, who discovered Sloane’s Froglet back in the 1950s and his late wife Patsy.

ILWS Newsletter Issue 58 - 2020 20 Understanding Ageing Stakeholder Engagement A free on-line course developed by CSU lecturer Robin Harvey and Regional National ILWS member Dr Belinda Cash on Visit by DAWE executive team Understanding Ageing has had a SEGRA webinar series “fantastic response” according to Members of the Institute were Belinda. During the COVID-19 shutdown, among the researchers who gave SEGRA (Sustainable Economic presentations on their research The course, which was officially Growth for Regional Australia) set to the Department of Agriculture, launched by the Federal Member up a series of webinars called “A Water and the Environment’s for Indi Dr Helen Haines on Conversation for Regional Aus- Executive Leadership Team who July 22, is designed to increase tralia about COVID-19” as a forum visited the University’s Wagga knowledge about ageing and for those who live, work and invest Wagga campus on July 21. later life for community members in regional, rural and remote and prospective students. It also Australia. While on campus delegates from challenges common myths and the Department including Depart- misconceptions that often sur- The goal of the webinars is to ment Secretary Andrew Metcalfe round ageing. enable regions to get a greater toured CSU’s facilities, including understanding of the issues and National Life Sciences Hub, Vet- Dr Haines commended the fore- pool their ideas and initiatives to erinary Clinical Centre, the Univer- sight and leadership of Charles ride out the storm. Impacts will sity farm and Rhizolysimeter. Sturt academics in developing be felt across health, the broader and delivering such an important economy, education, business, ILWS researchers who presented and timely program, reflecting lifestyle and our social fabric. The (by Zoom) at a research show- on the importance of strategies webinars commenced on March case introduced CSU’s Professor such as this that work to improve 20 and are still continuing. of Food Sustainability the Hon. how older adults are viewed and Niall Blair were Professor Lee valued in our community. Webinar 20 on “COVID-19 Recov- Baumgartner who spoke about ery: Next Steps” was presented by fisheries research conducted by The course is an initiative of the the Chair of SEGRA Kate Char- ILWS with a focus on the Murray- Leadership in Healthy Ageing ters, who is also an ILWS Adjunct Darling Basin, and Associate Network and follows the success- and Robert Prestipino, Principal Professor Skye Wassens who ful webinar Exploring impacts of of Vital Places, who reflected on leads CEWO’s the Monitoring, social isolation on older adults, the insights, actions and outcomes Evaluation and Research program presented by Belinda on April 28. from SEGRA’s 19 conversations/ for Murrumbidgee river system. webinars. They pulled out key “We already had 100 or so people action agendas, best ideas and Reviewing Basin Plan Evaluation who started the course even priorities to help post pandemic Reports before we did the launch so it cer- regional Australia. tainly seems to be filling a need,” The Murray Darling Basin Author- says Belinda. “The course pro- For access to all of the webinars ity (MDBA) is due to report on the vides a great opportunity to share go to https://segra.com.au/latest- achievements of the Basin Plan evidence-based information about news/category/webinars for the past five years with the ageing and age-friendly communi- Evaluation Reports for 2014-2019 ties in a format that is accessible Culturally safe workplaces being drafted. Professor Lee to a wide range of participants” Baumgartner is one of five aca- Associate Professor Faye McMil- demics appointed by the MDBA to Currently there are 231 students lan was on a panel talking about review the reports. enrolled in the course which is creating culturally safe workplaces self-paced and flexible. as part of the 7th Western NSW Health Research Network Sympo- International sium which, in light of the restric- International Webinar tions around COVID-19, has been repackaged as a combination of Professor Manohar Pawar was on-line webinars, workshops and invited by the Indian Academy of writing groups, held from June 11 Applied Psychology to deliver a to December 10. lecture in an international webinar on ‘Applied Social Psychology: Potential to flourish’ on July 16.

ILWS Newsletter Issue 58 - 2020 21 Engagement: Events spectives - frogs and rep- monitoring programs frog surveys. tiles in Victoria, Dr Rob Hale Identifying the potential impacts of (DELWP) cane toad invasion on frog eating National • Water management per- snake species is also a priority for spectives - frogs and the northern populations.” Frogs and flow workshop reptiles in , Rupert Mathwin, (Flinders Multiple groups in the MDBA are The successful delivery of what University) Kate Mason, employing autonomous audio was to have been a two day face- Stephanie Robinson and recorders (Audiomoth and Song to-face workshop sponsored by Courtney Monk (Landscape Meter) as part of their frog moni- ILWS on frog and reptile respons- SA) toring programs. The performance es to environmental water man- Link to the presentations of recogniser models can vary agement at CSU’s campus https://charlessturt.zoom.us/rec/ considerably between species as a one day on-line workshop share/_cFWEq-q_HtLYYnNtkzwS- and locations and users express using zoom is indicative of the JIKRZbieaa80XMe-qcNmk7qmh- similar concerns regarding: effec- resourcefulness and adaptability Gftgjq2tiFQIbDXHU6 tive management of data files and of our researchers in these current data storage, linking call data to times. Skye, Dr Rupert Mathwin and Dr environmental conditions, and Deb Bower identified four key developing cost-effective and “The workshop was really well themes from the workshop and robust methods of screening and attended by state and common- areas for further collaboration validating output data. wealth agencies and scientists which were: and the scope and quality of the “Using audio recorders to monitor • The role of pumping and water management processes, frog populations is a relatively new carp management in pro- monitoring, evaluation and approach,” says Skye. “There is moting wetland health and research being carried out across scope for future research and dis- frog breeding the Basin is truly impressive,” says cussion between teams working organiser Associate Professor • Water management for with audio data so there is greater Skye Wassens. floodplain snakes sharing of expertise, recogniser • Audio-data management models and approaches and pos- There were seven presentations • Freshwater turtles sibly establishing a shared library given for the workshop, held on “The pumping and water manage- of reference calls and recogniser July 1, to an audience of nearly ment to exclude carp that is being models for MDB frog species.” 60. They were: undertaken in the Murrumbidgee, • Introduction to water mid and lower Murray in South Freshwater turtles face multiple dependent snakes and Australia has demonstrated clear threats including disconnection lizards, Dr Damian Michael improvements in frog recruit- and drying of isolated waterbod- (ILWS) ment (including the southern bell ies and fox predation on eggs. • Introduction to freshwater frog) as well as improvements in While freshwater turtle movement turtles, Dr Deb Bower (UNE) vegetation and water quality,” says is being evaluated across multiple and Dr James Van Dyke Skye. “However there is scope to areas, there are opportunities to (LaTrobe University) aggregate data and review out- evaluate turtle movement during environmental water management • Introduction to frogs, Associ- comes across multiple systems so using the same acoustic arrays as ate Professor Skye Wassens we can identify trends and gener- those of fish movements. (ILWS) alisations across multiple regions and develop best practice man- • Water management per- agement that could consider how “Communication between manag- spectives - frogs and reptiles to best support turtle survival.” ers and researchers could provide in the northern basin, Dr opportunities to research manage- Deb Bower (UNE) and Dr ILWS researchers are currently ment actions such as transloca- Carmen Amos (NSW DPI), undertaking a study on grey tions, disconnecting waterbodies, Martin Dillon, (Northern snakes, one of the Basin’s flood- and quantifying population esti- Tablelands LLS), Dr Mark plain snake species. (See story on mates when waterbodies dry out,” Southwell (Eco Logical page 8) says Skye. Australia) • Water management per- “Currently that work is only being “Knowing how management spectives - frogs and undertaken in the Murrumbidgee decisions (such as relocations) reptiles in the central basin, selected area,” says Skye. “How- affect turtles would be valuable in James Maguire, (NSW DPI) ever surveys through core parts trying to address issues of aging Luca Ferla, (CEWO), Dr of the species’ range using active populations and low recruitment in Carmen Amos, James Dyer nocturnal surveys through wet- turtles.” (NSW DPI) lands in the northern MDB could • Water management per- be aligned with ongoing frog ILWS Newsletter Issue 58 - 2020 22 International World Fish Migration Day

Every two years, the World Fish Migration Founda- tion hosts a series of global events to celebrate the importance of free-flowing rivers.

These World Fish Migration Day events usually take place on rivers, and ILWS researchers were plan- ning a local event, but then socially, culturally and economi- the online forum “RiverDialogue: COVID-19 came along. cally for most of the world, but fish Rivers on Fire Forum” held on July have a need to migrate at some 6-7. With most of the world in lock- stage of their life.” down at the time, the foundation Despite it being only six months decided to move the celebration to The event was very well-attended. ago it feels a distant reality that an online platform for the first time There were 427 registrants with bushfires were ravaging our coun- this year. It ran a non-stop 24-hour an average of 250-300 attending tryside. The forum was devel- “Global Swimways Webinar each talk. Some people logged oped to bring this topic back into Marathon” commencing May 14 in for specific presentations while focus. Experts from government, which started in Oceania, focus- others attended the whole ses- industry, science and the com- ing on Australia, New Zealand, sion. munity gathered to share valuable Papua New Guinea and Indone- knowledge and consider the way sia, before moving west around “We had a good mix of people call forward. the world. The webinar included in from 41 countries across the presentations from over 50 local, world and a range of professions In partnership with the Interna- national and global experts over from academics, managers, fish- tional Rivers Foundation, Insti- nine sessions. ers, community members, teach- tute researchers freshwater fish ers, and policy makers,” says scientist Adjunct Dr Luiz Silva Charles Sturt hosted the Oce- Lee. “It was great to see so much and freshwater ecologist Dr Katie ania session with Professor Lee interest. We had more questions Doyle were involved in the organ- Baumgartner giving a presentation than we had time to answer in the ising committee and facilitated on “300 hundred years of decline; allotted time. This was great as it some of the sessions on Day 2. status and trends of native fish stimulated a lot of discussion. In across Oceania”; and Institute the end it was well worth doing, Altogether 11 experts from Aus- Adjunct Professor Martin Mallen- ran remarkable smoothly and tralia and overseas shared their Cooper spoke on the “The Darling extremely successful. The organ- current research and personal River catastrophe: Can we fix it?” isers are already talking about stories on the impacts of fire and running another one next year.” climate change on our waterways. Lee says the free event highlight- ed the work being done around Links to the presentations https:// The presentations stressed the the globe to conserve a precious www.worldfishmigrationfounda- urgent need to rethink the man- resource, with estimations less tion.com/global-swimways-webi- agement of our vulnerable water than 60 per cent of the world’s nar-marathon/ infrastructure, dams, treatment rivers are free flowing. plants as well as managing the Links to the video recordings of devastating impact on our aquatic “The development of rivers for the sessions https://www.youtube. ecosystems. Stories highlighted water supply, hydropower and com/playlist?list=PLCZw4vlkdudW the risks to our communities, irrigation has not only blocked CyNlk_tZ-3LnGdWy5XZt6 our drinking water supplies and fish migrations, but fundamentally questioned what is needed to changes the way rivers function,” RiverDialogue: Rivers on Fire restore health to our catchments he says. “For instance, in the Mur- Forum going forward. The multiple fac- ray-Darling Basin, river regulation By Simone Engdahl tors contributing to the mega scale has led to fish communities now of these fires, climate change, being less than 10 per cent of pre- Twenty five researchers and drought, heat waves mean our old European levels. Fish are, glob- adjuncts from Charles Sturt models and management options ally, an important source of protein University and seven alumni were need to be reconsidered. for many people and important among the 120 people attending (more next page)

ILWS Newsletter Issue 58 - 2020 23 Another output was the publica- tion of a “Letter to the editor” in the journal Global Change Biology.

Silva, L.G., Doyle, K.E., Duffy, D., Humphries, P., Horta, A. and Baumgartner, L.J. (2020) Mortality events resulting from Australia’s catastrophic fires threaten aquatic biota. Glob Change Biol. Accepted Author Manuscript. doi:10.1111/ gcb.15282

This article was chosen by Global Change Ecology as the subject of a promotional summary video. Check it out at https://youtu. be/6495Lwmooyw

Day one of the forum focussed fish as an “insurance population” Coming Up on the human dimensions of fires was thwarted by a major rainfall and rivers. Presentations cov- event a few days later, turning the Social Sciences Week September ered how the bushfires impact creek into sludge. 7-13, 2020 Australia’s drinking water sup- plies, Indigenous perspectives on More on this story “Before and Coordinated by the Academy of caring for country, learning to work after: see how bushfire and rain the Social Sciences in Australia, productively with fire, and building turned the Macquarie perch’s this week-long series of events resilience capacity. home to sludge” featured in The held across Australia offers an Conversation July 10. The article opportunity non-academic audi- Day two focussed on stream is part of Flora, Fauna, Fire, a spe- ences with to engage with cutting health and included presenta- cial project by the Conversation edge social science research, tions by ILWS adjunct members, tracking the recovery of Australia’s where our researchers will show- Fisheries Manager for the Greater native plants and animals after case the diversity and relevance Murray with NSW DPI Fisheries last summer’s bush fire tragedy. of social science. Mr Luke Pearce, and Principal Research Scientist at CSIRO It’s authors are Professor Lee 2020 is the third year Social Sci- Land and Water Dr Gavin Rees. Baumgartner, Dr Kate Doyle, Insti- ence week has been held and tute Adjunct Dr Luiz Silva, Luke despite the challenges of the Luke shared his personal story of Pearce and Dr Nathan Ning. global pandemic the program will the impact of the Dunns Road fire https://theconversation.com/ go ahead as a digital format and on his family farm and the days of before-and-after-see-how-bush- events will be all live streamed working to save the houses and fire-and-rain-turned-the-macquar- and available online. https:// livestock. As the Dunns Road fire ie-perchs-home-to-sludge-139919 socialsciences.org.au/socials- front merged with Talmalmo and ciencesweek Green Valley to form a mega fire Steps forward his concern turned to the Mannus Last year Charles Sturt Social Creek area, the site of a very vul- IRF are planning a face to face Scientists participated for the first nerable population of Macquarie forum to continue these important time and ran a public lecture in Perch. discussions in early 2021 and are Canberra, a webinar on social working on a draft Call to Action justice, a report launch in Bathurst Luke has been researching this on the impacts of fires on Water- and an Explorations series public population since 2009, with the ways. lecture in Albury. assistance of the ILWS fish team for the last three years. Luke said They are seeking suggestions This year ILWS researchers and he was astounded by the devasta- from participants on what should social scientists from across tion as he went into assess the be included in the call to action Charles Sturt will be offering fire damage two days later. He and also on topics and presenters events ranging from podcasts, said the severity, intensity and for the forum next year. webinars, an online book launch, scale of these fires are hard to * The forum was one of the presentations on zoom and inter- comprehend, the trail of death and planned outputs from a new ILWS views of expert panels and a radio destruction was like a war zone. research group established last program. year focussed on the impacts of His urgent attempts to save some fires on freshwater ecosystems.

ILWS Newsletter Issue 58 - 2020 24 Topics include: • Conflict & extremism in invasive species manage- ment: perspectives from the social sciences • Book launch: Constitutional Reform as a Remedy for Political Disenchantment in Australia: The Discussion we need • Collections from the lunatic asylum: Past lives; present tense • Christianity, Disability and Indigenity: What do these mean for person-directed practice, policy and politics in pluralist Australia? • Webinar: Visions for 2020, true measure of effect of Austral- Culture” August publication 4 presentations by an expert ian bushfires , July 30 with Associ- with Institute Adjunct Profes- panel ate Professor Dale Nimmo fea- sor Martin Mallen-Cooper • Radio Program Information tured as a member of a team that on the front cover and the and Society: Empowering compiled a report for WWF about articles “Outlook for interna- Access the three billion animals affected tional scientific collaboration Dates and details on how to regis- by the bushfires, and Charles in the Mekong region” fea- ter for each event can be found at Sturt expert co-authors world-first turing Professor Lee Baum- https://www.csu.edu.au/research/ report on migratory fish declines , gartner, PhD student Vu Vi ilws/engagement/external-events/ July 28 with Professor Lee Baum- An; “Connectivity of Mekong social-science-week-2020 gartner featured as a co-author fishes between freshwater of a world-first report that has and Marine habitats” writ- found that migratory freshwater ten by Vu Vi An, Professor Media Engagement fish populations have declined Lee Baumgartner, the late globally by an average of 76 per Dr Julia Howitt, Professor cent between 1970 and 2016, Karin Limburg, Dr Juliane While it may seem that almost that received international media Reinhardt, Professor Martin everything in the news these days coverage. Both reports also had Mallen-Cooper and Profes- relates to COVID-19, a check international media releases. sor Ian Cowx. http://www. of the number and content of mrcmekong.org/news-and- media releases put out by CSU As part of the coverage Lee was events/newsletters/catch- Media that features our members featured in National Geographic and-culture-environment-vol- certainly indicates that, as well as who had asked for comment 26-no-2/ COVID-19, there are still plenty of specifically on the situation in “other” stories to be told. Australia (ash from wildfires killing Nationally stories that attracted fish and the drought that led the good media attention were: In the past three months, CSU to dry up killing mil- Media has released 14 releases lions of fish). • The Conversation article by featuring our members, six of Associate Professor Andrew which relate to COVID-19 or Stories about the report on the Peters “ Death by irony: the new COVID-19 related research affect of the bushfires on our mystery of the mouse that projects. wildlife went around the globe and died of smoke inhalation was picked up by The Guardian, but went nowhere near a For the full list of CSU Media The Indian Express, USA News fire” resulted in interviews Releases with ILWS members Hub, NBC Palm Springs and the for ABC regional radio that go to https://www.csu.edu.au/ World Economics Forum, to name were aired across eastern research/ilws/news/media-releas- but a few. Australia, and a story in the es-2 Daily Bulletin Other international media cover- However it is the stories featured age included: (more next page) in the two most recent ILWS-relat- • Research being undertaken ed releases: in the Mekong Basin was featured in the Mekong River Three billion animals affected is a Commission’s “Catch and ILWS Newsletter Issue 58 - 2020 25 • Dr Melanie Massaro com- liamentary inquiry into koala in the Murray-Darling Basin: the ments on a photograph of populations which found that success story of the Winton Wet- socially distanced galahs the Riverina was one of only lands” reached 298 people with 41 taken near Bathurst that three koala model regions engagements. went viral saying the birds’ having little or no areas in a “social distancing “ behav- bushfire ground The post promoting the Sloane’s iour may be a clue to their For a full wrap up of what media Froglet teaching and learning relationship status with only coverage members got in the last resources developed by Dr Alex couples sitting close togeth- three months, please go to In the Knight and Corowa District Land- er made the ABC News and News. care reached 478 people with 40 then MSN news engagements on June 2. • Professor David Watson Social Media -by Simone Engdahl recounting his experiences Twitter The Conversation as a PhD student in 1997 on In June the Charles Sturt Library field visits to Mexico to study shared via Twitter a link to Mas- Several of our researchers had birds that live in the cloud sive Science article “Tweeting articles in the Conversation in the forests was featured on ABC about research results in three last three months. Radio National’s “Off track” times more citations. Social series media is proven to help share new Associate Professor Peter science with the public”. https:// Andrews’ ‘Death by irony’: The • Professor Russell Rob- massivesci.com/notes/tweet- mystery of the mouse that died erts comments on a new science-communication-research- of smoke inhalation, but went research project to look at public/ nowhere near a fire appeared the effects of dealing with a in the Conversation on July 12, pandemic and the impact on The top July Tweet with 996 2020. It has 45,294 reads and the mental health of front- impressions was one promoting was reprinted by 11 external line workers a new journal article by Melanie publishers including ABC, Austral- • Associate Professor Maree Massaro on male Adélie Penguin ian Geographic, Down to Earth Bernoth speaking about food preferences. It remains to (India), Phys.org. The readership Australia’s aged care indus- be seen if this has an impact on was predominantly from Australia try in light of COVID-19 and citations for that article however in but did include 3,745 readers in all that has happened coming months we will be working the USA, 545 from the UK, 499 • Emerging fish screen tech- with our researchers to promote from India, New Zealand 299, nology benefiting both fish more of their new publications on Germany 112 and Singapore 97 and irrigators (Dr Craig Boys Twitter. The June top Tweet was among others. and Professor Lee Baum- a promotion of the free online gartner) Webinar From the Ashes: Australia Associate Professor Dominic Reimagined with Dale Nimmo on O’Sullivan’s article on ‘Why Regional stories that got the the panel of presenters, reaching Trump’s Make America Great media’s attention were: 1,359 impressions. Sharing Issue Again hat makes a dangerous • A free on-line course about 3 of the Bidgee Bulletin on our souvenir for foreign politicians, working with/caring for older Twitter channel in May earned 599 in the Conversation May 26, had people (Dr Belinda Cash impressions. 33,688 reads, of which 20,921 and Robyn Harvey) were from the United States, and Facebook Top posts 5,478 from Australia. The reader- • Institute Adjunct Associate The 20 July post headed “Dams ship included Norway 168, South Professor Bruce Pennay don’t make it rain” where Profes- Africa 261, New Zealand 1,736 speaking about the closing sor Lee Baumgartner was quoted and Canada 898. of the NSW/Victoria border in the Wall Street Journal – this from an historical perspec- Facebook post reached 368 In June an article by Professor tive on ABC Goulburn people with 31 engagements Lee Baumgartner, Dr Katie Doyle Murray and ABC Sheppar- and Dr Jamin Forbes, ‘Don’t ton, and, for another news Our Facebook post promoting count your fish before they hatch: items, about Albury’s original the RiverDialogue: Rivers on Fire experts react to plans to release 2 name- Bungambrawatha- Forum that ILWS partnered with million fish into the Murray Dar- getting a higher profile the International Rivers Founda- ling had a total of 13,1189 reads. • Associate Professor Andrew tion reached 847 people with 63 5,328 were from the United Peters saying that a colony engagements on July 1. States and 5,085 from Australia. of koalas at Narrand- The reach of the article included era could prove ‘insurance’ A post sharing the link to the 20 Sweden, Germany, India and against extinction by 2050, July Conversation article co- Singapore. in response to media enquir- authored by Adjunct Professor ies relating to a NSW Par- Max Finlayson, “Restoring a gem

ILWS Newsletter Issue 58 - 2020 26 Engagement: Research Activities

and 20 to 23 Regional students across various degree Longitudinal bird study in Sturt programs. National Park continues despite COVID-19 “We do the creek line surveys of Despite the disruptions being birds as a dem- caused by COVID-19, Profes- onstration of this sor David Watson has been able as a method just to continue his long-term study as is pitfall trap- monitoring birds in Sturt National ping for reptiles Park in the arid, far north-western or harp trapping corner of NSW. for bats or mist Above: A stunning sight. A rainbow above the old Mt Wood netting for birds,” shearers’ quarters which is used as a base. Pic D. Watson, Transect surveys recording bird says Dave. species richness have been early summer when we get more conducted along four ephem- “Normally it would be me and warmth in the soil,” he says. “But eral creek lines - Arcoola Creek, many helpers walking up and all the indicators are this will be Mistletoe Creek, Stud Creek and down the creeks but this year the a good year. We saw little button Thompson Creek- in the south- 18 day field trip for students was quail, one of the indicators that eastern corner of the park every postponed until October/Novem- this will be a really good year, one winter, every year (with the excep- ber.” tion of 2005 and 2013) since the in 10.” study on bird distributional dynam- However Dave was keen to con- David has been able to “value- ics in arid landscapes commenced tinue with the mid-year monitoring add” to the project with the instal- in 2003. and received permission from the lation of four acoustic recording DVC (Research and Engagement) sensors (acoustic monitoring Dave describes the creek lines Professor Heather Cavanagh stations) in 2014, one at each of (which may only have water in to make the week-long field trip the creek lines. This was done as them one or two days every four in July with Matt Gill, Institute part of the ARC Discovery grant or five years) as “little threads of Adjunct Dr Helen Waudby, and project Bio-Acoustic Observa- green in a vast red expanse”. As “long-time helper on the desert tory: Engaging Birdwatchers to such they are provide vital habitat trips” Gary Phillips, a former orni- Monitor Biodiversity by Collabora- and resources for Australian birds thology degree student. that live in arid landscapes. tively Collecting and Analysing Big Audio Data Roe, P., Brereton, M., “Conditions were very interesting,” . & Watson, D, M. (2014-2017) “This year marks the project’s 18th says Dave. “Which I guess is one year,” says Dave who has recently of the joys of long-term monitor- The acoustic monitoring stations returned from his annual “desert” ing, to see landscapes change, to at (all bar one trip. see things come and go. I think of the original devices which is still the drought in inland Australia functionally well) were replaced Normally the mid-year trip coin- has really knocked the ferals right last year with updated models, cides with the annual student trip down. We didn’t see a single developed as part of the ARC for the subject Principles of Field rabbit or a single cat the entire LIEF project Ecology with Dave, technical staff trip.” Nor did the team see a single Acoustic Obser- pig, the only goats were on the vatory: a network to monitor

way to the park, and they saw biodiversity across Australia (2017-2020) led by Queensland Below: This year’s survey team. Pic D. one fox on the way back. University of Technology with Watson “Basically it was a feral-free ILWS team members Watson, D., zone,” says Dave. Luck, G. & Nimmo, D. He says because there have “The beauty of these machines, of been good autumn rains in this approach, is that they record western NSW there were lots of everything 24/7,” says Dave. wildflowers, birds breeding “all sorts of fun things.” (more next page) “This year was a good year but it will be spectacular in late Spring/

ILWS Newsletter Issue 58 - 2020 27 Watson, D. & McDonald, *Dave has written a fun piece for P. (2020-2023). This time the Urban Naturalist Project called the project is being led by “Tri -State Twitch” about the time but a Grey Falcon “an unprepossess- Dave is again a member of ing name for the most enigmatic the research team. Australian bird. Trickiest of all the falcons,” interrupted the traditional “The project will not just student cricket match at Cameron be a desk top study,” says Corner. in 2014 Dave. “Basically it will do what we have done with The match is a tradition of the Dave Smith’s Honours, but student desert trips, where, “with at scale. It will compare a carefully arranged field, stu- how wildlife monitoring dents batting in South Australia hit normally works.. you catch the ball clear across New South things, you record things, Wales only to be caught out in you spend a lot of time out Queensland.” in the field…, with this new way of recording sounds. The game was underway and then So let’s do both, in a range the bird came into view.....and, as of different systems, and Dave writes, “I pointed emphati- compare one to the other cally, bowler and batsman fol- and see what sorts of lowed my gaze along with the rest Above. One of the study sites which Dave has groups of animals, what of the field. Some scrambled for called Mistletoe Creek. Pic D. Watson sorts of questions, what cameras or binoculars, other just sorts of habitats is acoustic stood and watched it glide over- monitoring a worthy tool head. Without a moment’s hesita- While in the field the team suc- to add to the mix, and for tion, I vaulted the chain around the cessfully completed their sur- which systems traditional methods survey marker, jumped up and sat veys, retrieved the data from the are still your best bet.” upon the corner post, in so doing acoustic recorders and checked/ seeing a Grey Falcon from all maintained the acoustic monitor- Dave says that this project is “on three states at the same time!” ing stations. Sturt National Park hold” at the moment because of was one of the three sites that the COVID-19. Sturt National Park https://www.urbanfieldnaturalist. team visited. They also main- may be one of its study sites but org/stories/tri-state-twitch tained and retrieved data from the that still needs to be discussed by four sensors installed last year at the team as a whole. MDBA Consultancy Toorale National Park near Bourke and established a new site sat Meanwhile he intends to continue Murray River PIT Tagging. Binya State Forest, near Leeton, with his study in Sturt National Baumgartner, L., McPherson, J. where David has been doing work Park “for as long as I can. It’s one KarlTek Pty Ltd & Australasian on mistletoe and mistletoe birds of those things that is relatively Fish Passage Services (Adjunct for a long time. easy to do. The real value comes Tim Marsden) (2020) MDBA, from the continuation; doing it $17,693 As it happened, while they were in year in, year out, in good years the field, a paper, based on David and bad years.” In June two electrofishing teams Smith’s Honours project came (from ILWS and Ecology Australia) out which compares conventional The study itself is unfunded but as were funded by the Murray Darling bird surveys with the information Dave says it has been associated Basin Authority to PIT (Passive coming from the acoustic monitor- with four ARC projects to date. Integrated Transponder) tag native ing stations. (Smith, D., Trusk- fish in the River Murray below inger, A., Roe, P. & Watson, D.M. “It’s one of those things I’ve just Mildura. (2020) Do acoustically detectable done,” he says. “I think for Early species reflect overall diversity? Career Researchers, for PhD Over a period of 10 days, a total of A case study from Australia’s arid students or for people just work- 571 Native fish were PIT Tagged zone. Remote Sensing in Ecology ing out how to be a researcher, ranging from 120mm to 1.18 and Conservation.) spending time in the natural world, metres. A combination of Golden just quietly looking at things, just Perch, Murray cod and Silver Funding has been secured for walking along and writing things perch were tagged. another ARC funded project down, you are doing environmen- Acoustics for large scale bio- tal science right then and there “PIT tagging these fish will allow diversity assessment. Schwar- and good things come from just MDBA to continue to monitor fish zkopf, L., Fuller, R., Roe, P., that.” movement along the River Murray

ILWS Newsletter Issue 58 - 2020 28 Above: Murray PIT map database (FishNet) which col- lects transmitted data from the The data being collected is being PIT system on a daily basis. All used to (a) record total distances and assess the performance of PIT tagged fish were added to the moved, (b) relate movements to the Sea to Hume Fishways,” says FishNet database which contains factors like environmental water Professor Lee Baumgartner. the details of over 40,000 PIT release (c) investigate recoloniza- tagged native fish since 2001. tion of the Darling River by fish Lee has been associated with the migrating from the River Murray, project since its inception in 2003 Since then ILWS has been and (d) gain valuable information when the first micro-chip read- involved in a number of small on the performance of a Denil ers were installed at Lock 8 on projects associated with analys- fishway at Lock 11 as currently, the Murray. In 2001, the Murray- ing and interpreting the data PIT detection data indicates a Darling Basin Commission (now including the ANDS Collection limited number of native fish are Murray-Darling Basin Authority) Enhancement Project. Finlay- utilising it. initiated a program to improve son, M. (2017) Monash University, fish passage to over 2000 km of $30,000 and then the PIT tag International the Murray River, from the sea to data analysis project. Huang, Hume Dam, by constructing 14 X., Baumgartner, L., & Li, J. (2018- Meaning of sport new fishways. A monitoring and 2019) Karltek Pty Ltd., $25,000. assessment program was estab- Professor Rylee Dionigi is a lished to determine if the reinstate- “It’s good that this is the legacy of member of a Canadian/Austral- ment of passage was providing 20 years of work, that people are ian research team that has been benefits to fish communities in the still using this system and that it is awarded a CAD$81,170 Insight Murray-Darling Basin. still up and running,” says Lee. Grant by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of In 2012 a state-of-the-art PIT “However one of the conclusions Canada for a three year (2020- monitoring system was finalised from the most recent studies is 2023) for a project called: “Sport, which will help to determine if the that there is not enough tagged aging, and disability: International reinstatement of fish passage was fish left in the river, fewer than perspectives on the meaning of providing benefits to the Murray– 10,000 fish. Over the last few sport in the lives of older adults Darling Basin fish communities. years a lot of the tagged fish have living with a disability”. just got old and have naturally The PIT system involved installing died, or been caught by fishermen. The research team comprises of detection antennas within each So we made the recommendation Professor Sean Horton, University of the 14 new fishways, and PIT to the MDBA that it initiate some of Windsor; Canada, Professor tagging wild native fish to assess tagging so we get the numbers Rylee A. Dionigi, CSU; Profes- their movements along the river. back up. sor Patti Weir and Assistant The systems scan for tagged fish, Professor Paula van Wyk, Univer- several times per second, every “We realised that if we didn’t so sity of Windsor; Professor Joseph day of the year and have now something soon we are going to Baker, York University, Canada; been operating almost continu- stop getting important data about and Associate Professor Michael ously for ten years. fish movement along the river and Gard, . how the fish are using the fish- The project is being managed by Underpinning the effectiveness of ways.” the University of Windsor. the PIT system is a cloud-based ILWS Newsletter Issue 58 - 2020 29 Profiles given the opportunities education- grandmother, my grandmother, wise that we had. When we my mum and then us,” says Faye. Associate Professor Faye moved back to Trangie she was “And life was good. We weren’t the cleaner at our school – no job well off but we were happy.” McMillan was ever too menial – she did whatever she could to support After her mother remarried when mum, and mum did exactly the Faye was in her early teens they same, she cotton-chipped, did moved to Emerald in Central whatever work she could get. Queensland. After 18 months they moved to Rockhampton where “In one generation, from Nan’s Faye completed high school children down to us we’ve been after which she did an assort- able to take up so many oppor- ment of jobs including waitress- tunities that just weren’t there ing, cleaning hotel rooms and previously. At one point there, reception work. At 18 she left from eight children and umpteen home to “spread my wings and grand-children, there were 23 follow young love” and moved to As new ILWS member Associate under-graduate degrees, three Frankston in Victoria. Professor Faye McMillan (above) Masters and two PhDs. Before my tells the story of the path that took sister passed she was undertak- Again she did a variety of jobs her to her current role as Director ing her Masters in Education. for two years before returning to of the University’s Djirruwang Pro- Rockhampton. But it wasn’t long gram you quickly get the sense “I’ve really got to see how edu- before she moved again, this of just how important “family” is to cation can transform lives. I’ve time to where she worked Faye, a yinaa (woman). received emails from past stu- mostly in the hospitality industry dents thanking me because and then for a communications It’s a family that encompasses not they’ve changed their lives. They company. only her own immediate family have changed their lives and and relatives within the Wiradjuri behaviours. Nation but the Indigenous commu- They go to Below: Associate Professor Faye McMillan received the nity as a whole. work every day. NSW Aboriginal Woman of the Year in 2019 They are set- “I’m one of five and my mother ting examples and grand-mother grew up in of what they policy eras that really didn’t want their chil- acknowledge or celebrate Aborigi- dren to believe nal culture in the way that it does is possible for today,” says Faye an Indigenous them. And when health researcher based at the you get those campus. emails you go, yep, I know why “My Nan had eight children. I am doing what She was a single parent as my I do.” grand-father passed away when the youngest ones were still very Faye, who was young. So she brought up eight recognised as children and then brought up the NSW Abo- another five when mum moved riginal Woman back home [Trangie] with us. of the Year last year, grew up “Nan was a very dignified person. in the small I’ve never to this day met anyone country town of as dignified as my Nan. She Trangie in Cen- witnessed things that, as children, tral West NSW you’re not sure what happened, with her mother but she was dark-skinned and and extended as a child I saw her spat on and family. excluded …but I never saw her respond in rage or anything like “At one stage that but again it was part of that we had four era. generations living in the one “She and her children weren’t house, my great ILWS Newsletter Issue 58 - 2020 30 “And then, again following love, the Tiwi Islands, off the coast of and I moved back to Trangie It was the start of what was a Darwin.“It was an absolutely mag- where I got a job as a pharmacy tough four years. Faye was driving nificent time, very healing,” says assistant at the local pharmacy,” back to Cowra each Friday to do Faye. says Faye. Not only did that set the do the weekend shifts at the Faye on the path to becoming a takeaway; she needed tutoring She returned to Wagga and CSU pharmacist, it also gave her the in maths and chemistry; and her in 2003 to take up two part-time opportunity to spend a lot of time eldest sister, with three children, positions:- one as Executive with her grandmother, Daphne. became ill and passed away in Assistant to the Director of the “I have really, really wonderful 2001. Djirruwang Program; the other as memories of that time,” says Faye. a pharmacy academic with the “I got to know Nan in a way that as “At first, I didn’t do well and was University Department of Rural a child you don’t get to know your put on academic probation within Health (UDRH) - an arrangement grandparents. It was really beauti- the first six months,” says Faye. that CSU had with Sydney Univer- ful.” “But I knuckled down, moved out sity’s Pharmacy School. of the caravan park, rented my When she was 26 years old, maths tutor’s spare room, and In 2004 Faye moved to Wollon- Faye moved to Cowra and with made use of the Indigenous Stu- gong to take up a position as the her mum, Robyn bought a small dent Centre at Wagga. I saw uni under-graduate coordinator for takeaway business.“But I knew as a job and irrespective of what the Bachelor of Health Science that wasn’t what I was going to do my time-table said I started uni (Indigenous Health) with the Uni- forever,” says Faye. “I had really every day at 8am and finished at versity of Wollongong. During that enjoyed working at the pharmacy 6pm.” time she also got married, had two and in the time I was there the sons (Kye, is now 13, Ethan, 12) pharmacist had trained me in the Faye’s determination and hard and then separated. She returned dispensary and when I made a work paid off and in 2001 she to Wagga in 2011 to take up her passing comment one time that I graduated with her peers.“I have to current full-time position as the would like to be a pharmacist, he say CSU was absolutely wonderful Djirruwang Program Director within didn’t say no.” during that time,” says Faye who the School of Nursing, Midwifery did her pharmacy pre-registration and Indigenous Health. In February 1997 after making a year in Wagga. “And even though call to CSU to find out what sub- most of my fellow students were a The Djirruwang Program is a jects she needed to do at TAFE to lot younger than me, straight out of restricted entry program that CSU qualify for entry into the Bachelor high school, they gave me amaz- has for Aboriginal and Torres Strait of Pharmacy course, she was ing, amazing support.” Islander-only students to gain skills invited by Professor Mark Burton, as mental health professionals Head of the School of Biomedical But rather than work as a pharma- to work with all members of the Science at the time, to tour the cist after her studies, Faye decided community. “Because Aboriginal Wagga Wagga campus. He offered to instead work for the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people her a place in the course and and Torres Strait Islander Com- are impacted by mental health within the week Faye had got a mission (ATSIC) in Wagga. She disproportionately there was a caravan and moved into a caravan then took up an offer of six months strategic push to increase the work park in Wagga. locum work as a pharmacist on force so CSU came on board with NSW Health through its Djirruwang Below: L to R, Dr Jane Havelka (a Wiradjuri Woman), Vice Chancellor Profes- Program,” says Faye. sor Andy Vann and Associate Professor Faye McMillan As Director, she is the discipline lead for the program’s Bachelor of Health Science (Mental Health). “I love my job,” says Faye. “I can’t say I like the bureaucracy and sometimes the institutions are a struggle from an Indigenous point- of-view and that’s sometimes a point of tension but I certainly love what I do, helping to provide the opportunity for people to use edu- cation to transform their lives. It’s a gift that I’m glad I can be part of the wrapping process.”

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ILWS Newsletter Issue 58 - 2020 31 Faye says she doesn’t see herself Research Activities as academic but a look at her list of academic qualifications certainly Associate Professor Faye McMillan Faye is an active researcher with says otherwise. Since obtaining a research focus on the importance of sovereign relationships and the her first degree in 2001 she has impact on mental health and well-being of First Nations peoples, and on added various other academic Indigenous women in leadership. As an Indigenous researcher, she brings qualifications including her Mas- additional expertise to the Institute’s team of multi-disciplinary researchers. ters of Indigenous Health Studies, from the “I want to make sure that Indigenous voices are represented,” says Faye. in 2006; a graduate Certificate in “That they are represented accurately and that we are doing research Indigenous Governance from the ethically and Yindyamarra which is respectfully and also acknowledging University of Arizona in 2014; a the breadth and depth of other Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people Graduate Certificate in Wiradjuri within research and academia. We come with a whole other skillset as Language, Culture and heritage well. We have our professional skill sets but we also come with a cultural from CSU in 2016, the year she skillset which is often something that people do want. I do get mindful that also completed her Doctor of I don’t say yes to everything which makes it very challenging. The univer- Health Science; and a Graduate sity doesn’t have many Indigenous academics so trying to make sure they Certificate in Education from the are represented as well as being able to do my day to day job is a really in 2018. important.”

Part of Faye’s journey includes Faye, whose exegesis for her Doctor of Health Science was on “Shared being an Inaugural Fellow of the meanings of leadership through accounts of the experiences of Indig- global Atlantic Fellows for Social enous/First Nations women leaders” has been and is involved in a range of Equity program. She been a research projects since re-joining CSU in 2011. These include: Senior Fellow since 2019. Included • Research Assistant for an ARC project which looked at Indigenous in her many external activities and sovereignty through the lens of three Indigenous nations – Wirad- appointments, Faye has a number juri, Gunditjmara and Ngarrindjeri. Indigenous Nationhood in the of Ministerial appointments and is absence of recognition: Self-governance insights and strategies on the Board of Directors for the from three Aboriginal communities, (2015-2019) ARC Linkage Murrumbidgee Local Health Dis- grant. $600,000 Led by University of Technology, Sydney. trict. She is also on the Board of • Chief Investigator for Age of Opportunity - engaging adolescents Directors for the Australian Phar- to improve mental health care in Indigenous primary healthcare macy Council; is part of the Abo- services: A multi-site mixed methods study. (2020-2022) ARC riginal and Torres Strait Islander Discovery Indigenous grant. $699,000. Led by Central Queensland Mental Health & Suicide Preven- University. tion Project Reference group. • Chief Investigator for a Collaborative Indigenous Research Initiative project with (lead institution), As to the future? Evaluation of a bush medicine-based treatment for scabies in Australian Aborigi- nal Children, (2016-2017) $100,000 “Big sky dreaming, I do want to live in a world that is equitable,” says • Chief Investigator for 2018 Medical Research Futures Fund Clinical Faye. “But for small, day to day, Trials - Rare Cancers, Rare Diseases and “Unmet Need” (2019- life is coming full circle with my 2022), $1,294,542, led by the University of Canberra. This clinical trial mother now living with me and my is assessing the efficacy and safety of a gel formulation of tea tree sons. I am her full-time carer - she oil (TTO), a traditional Aboriginal bush medicine, in the treatment of is undergoing treatment for cancer scabies in remote-dwelling Aboriginal children. again - but it’s a privilege to be Another project Faye is currently involved in is SISTAQUIT, (Support- able to care and it’s a privilege to ing Indigenous Smokers to Assist Quitting). This Commonwealth funded be able to have time with her. project, led by the University of Newcastle, aims to improve health provid- ers’ skills when offering smoking cessation care to pregnant Aboriginal and “But that process has emphasised Torres Strait Islander women. It is based on the mid-north coast of NSW. for me that we need to look at our health system. When the timing Faye has also worked on a number of smaller projects funded internally is right and the energy levels are looking at the appropriateness of mental health tools in Indigenous com- there that is something I would munities. She is also involved in the Equally Well project which is funded like to tackle. Whilst we do have a by the National Mental Health Commission and led by the Institute’s Pro- good health system in Australia it fessor Russell Roberts. Research projects in the pipeline (funding applica- could be better.” tions have been submitted) include one with Associate Professor Dominic O’Sullivan and Professor Oliver Burmeister to develop an on-line cultural competency framework (Cultural Safety Accreditation) with an Indigenous research company Committix; and another, again with Dominic and Oliver but also including Russell for the establishment of a National Network for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health researchers.

ILWS Newsletter Issue 58 - 2020 32 Associate Professor Andrew Peters While he may have trained as a vet and spent his early career working as one, these days Asso- ciate Professor Andrew Peters sees (right) himself first and fore- most as a wildlife health scientist.

“What I love about my field – I consider myself essentially a wild- life health scientist – is that while wildlife health science is tradition- ally a neglected area of conserva- tion and wildlife science it is a field of emerging relevance and impor- tance,” says Andrew. hood interest, an interest in birds, There was also a lot of genetic “It is an extremely complex field and develop his skills in bird medi- work including phylogenetics which I find incredibly fascinating. cine. In 2006, he moved to Sydney which led to the discovery of an There is a huge social element to to work at a general practice that unprecedented diversity of the wildlife health that I think is one of had developed a reputation over parasite “which actually gave rise the emerging challenges but also 30 years as a leader in avian to most common non-viral sexu- one of the most exciting areas to health. ally transmitted infection of people, be working in. Most wildlife health Trichomonas vaginalis.” problems are driven by human During his time with the practice behaviours and I’ve formed some he saw about 1500 bird cases Andrew says the PhD was a exciting research partnerships.” a year, about 600 reptile cases fantastic experience, far more a year as well as a lot of wildlife enriching and enjoyable, than he Another thing he enjoys about his including more than 300 bats a had expected it to be. When it field is that it is a “very collegiate year. He also became a member was completed he took on a job at field of science. I have very strong (by examination) of the Australian CSU, based at the Wagga Wagga relationships and friendships and New Zealand College of Vet- campus, as a lecturer in veterinary across this field…it is inspiring to erinary Scientists in Avian Health, pathology. He still teaches pathol- work in a field of science which is a semi-specialist qualification in ogy to under-graduate veterinary so altruistic and generally gener- 2008. students, something he really ous and collegiate. It’s one of its enjoys, and also supervises a great strengths.” “But after spending two and a half number of veterinary honours years there my interest in science students who have wildlife focused Andrew, originally from South and more in wildlife populations projects. Africa before his family moved to drew me back to university,” says Melbourne when he was seven, Andrew. He has continued researching bird says he has had an interest in viruses and parasites but also, natural history and the environ- He spent a few months in 2008 increasingly, new approaches to ment “from before I can remember, acquiring skills in molecular biol- wildlife health more broadly. As at least the age of six.” ogy and field ornithology which he well he does wildlife pathology then applied while undertaking his diagnostics for veterinary cases at “As a teenager the career path PhD from 2009 to 2013 under the the Veterinary Diagnostic Labo- that seemed most logical was supervision of CSU’s Professor ratory at the Wagga campus of to become a vet,” says Andrew Shane Raidal. Charles Sturt. who graduated with a Bachelor of Veterinary Science (Honours) from For his PhD study Andrew looked “One of the most recent cases that the in 2004. at a group of parasites, Tricho- we’ve submitted for publication From there he went into a mixed monas, that infect native pigeon was on the effect of smoke inhala- practice on the north coast of NSW and doves in Australasia. The tion caused by the bushfires near (Wauchope), an area he “fell in study involved considerable field Canberra earlier this year on a love with right away” where he work as Andrew sampled birds native rodent, the Smoky Mouse, treated both companion and pro- across a huge area from the which were in a captive breeding duction animals. Victoria River on WA/NT border facility,” says Andrew. all the way to Papua New Guinea While he enjoyed the work, he and then down into south eastern (more next page) decided to pursue another child- Australia around Wagga Wagga. ILWS Newsletter Issue 58 - 2020 33 “That highlights the other types of ing and helping train a number of “What’s become clear, particularly cases we see. We are really very animal scientists and biologists in in the last year, is that wildlife responsive to what’s happening at animal health, particularly wildlife health, both because of its impacts the time and what we are sent by health in PNG. This led to the on wildlife but also on people and other vets.” training of PNG’s first female vet- on agriculture is really a significant erinarian Tania Areori who gradu- emerging field,” says Andrew. Andrew’s decision to become a ated from CSU this year. It has member of the Institute last year also led to the establishment of a “There have been some real gaps has led to his forming new partner- $1M DFAT funded project aimed at in terms of integrating all the differ- ships with ILWS researchers from developing paraveterinary training ent disciplines needed to come up other disciplines including envi- in the Pacific over the next three with solutions to some of the very, ronmentalist Dr John Rafferty, and years. very complicated problems in this sociologist, Dr Helen Masterman- space.” Smith. Because of Andrew’s connection to the mid-north coast of NSW in Andrew has been a member of The three have a new project, 2013 he and his wife acquired a the Wildlife Disease Association of funded by the NSW Environment 170ha warm temperate rainfor- Australasia, the preeminent scien- Trust, to develop a new model for est property near Dorrigo. The tific organisation for wildlife health, doing wildlife health surveillance in property will become part of the for 20 years. From 2014 to 2019 the Riverina. Australian Acoustic Observatory (a he was chair of the Australasian project co-led by Professor David section and since 2019 has been “It’s pretty much a pilot study Watson) and is one of only two vice-president of the international focused on identifying community private properties in the country Wildlife Disease Association. needs and offerings in this space to become part of that network. A which has never been done before number of threatened species live Since 2014 he has been a anywhere around the world,” says on the property including stutter- member of the management com- Andrew. “Most wildlife health ing barred frogs and spotted-tail mittee of Australia’s peak body surveillance is focused entirely on quolls. for wildlife health, Wildlife Health government and national needs, Australia, and Deputy Chair since occasionally co-opting the public Importance of wildlife health 2019. to provide data, but we are turn- research ing this approach on its head In those roles, Andrew has been a to explore how a wildlife health The global COVID-19 pandemic key driver of a new and emerging surveillance system can serve the has certainly turned the spotlight initiative - the Australian Wildlife public. Working with experienced on across the world on the impor- Health Institute- which CSU is sociologists on this question is tance of the research undertaken taking a lead role in establishing. incredibly rewarding and has really by Associate Professor Andrew opened my mind to the complex- Peters, and others like him. “This will be a new, very much ity of how society shapes human applied research structure that is behaviour.” Andrew is a member of a team of focused on applied wildlife health Australia wildlife health research- solutions, possibly using a trans- Andrew’s work in PNG through ers looking to establish an Austral- lational research framework which his PhD has matured into mentor- ian Wildlife Health Institute. I developed in 2019,” says Andrew.

Below: Andrew’s article in The Conversation about Smokey Mouse and how it died be- “It will most likely be a virtual cause of smoke inhalation even though it was nowhere near the summer bushfires was network, a bit like a CRC picked up by media across Australia [Co-operative Research Centre] but the aim is to be more inclusive than CRCs traditionally are.”

The new initiative has secured funding from a number of universities and Wildlife Health Australia to develop a full proposal for submission to govern- ment. The development of the submission has been supported by Australia’s Chief Veterinary Officer, Dr Mark Schipp; Chief Medical Officer, Professor Brendan

ILWS Newsletter Issue 58 - 2020 34 Murphy; and the Chief Environ- mental Biosecurity Officer, Ian Members’ Thompson. News

Andrew agrees that the need for Dr Ana Horta is a spatial an Australian Wildlife Health Insti- scientist who has been tute was more crucial than ever in living in Australia for the light of the COVID-19 pandemic. past nine years. Initially Accordingly he has been sought she had a post-doc posi- by and given his views around tion at the University of animal health, disease transmis- Sydney before joining the sion and COVID-19 to the media, staff of CSU mid 2015 nationally and internationally. where she is based at the Albury- campus. Researching in these uncertain times She writes of what it is Impact of COVID-19 on him per- like to be “stuck” in her sonally? native homeland because of the COVID-19 pan- Above: Ana Horta and daughter Mariana at “It’s been an exceptionally hard demic…. the Miradouro das Portas do Sol, in Lisbon. time to work,” says Andrew. “There’s been increased time Hello from this side needed to teach because all our of the world! seen on the streets. Just like those teaching is usually face-to-face so sci-fi movies where something we’ve had to make some very sig- Here I am, “stuck” in Portugal really bad happens and the human nificant adaptations to our teaching and waiting for the best time to species is eradicated… and also our assessments. return to Australia. Looking back to February when I left Australia, it all Going to the supermarket sud- “It’s been exceptionally hard to feels a bit surreal… denly became the highlight of the progress research in this period day. We were lucky that we have and it is just a reminder of the I planned this trip more than a year family here and, most important of enormous global impact that ago when I applied to do a Special all internet! Fast and reliable inter- emerging infectious diseases Studies Program. The program net! So, our work didn’t change have. While people are now sud- was approved and with that the too much aside from having Zoom denly much more aware of that, I opportunity to strengthen my meetings instead of “real” meet- think what we forget is the poten- research collaborations in Lisbon ings, and being inside all day. tial in wildlife species themselves. and start new ones. For those of I managed to complete part of you that have done this before, my research thanks to Zoom but “A good example of this would be you know how rewarding it is to unfortunately, all the new collabo- the impact that chytrid fungus has suddenly have all the time in the rations ended up not happening. had on amphibians around the world to focus on research! world, which is thought to have Around May there were lots of caused the decline of more than Then, what seemed like something masks available, the sun was shin- 500 species. Also something like just reported in the newspaper, ing and the numbers were plum- the Bellinger turtle which went started to be more present in our meting. We were allowed to return from having a stable population daily life. We literally went from to a “normal” daily life, always to being critically endangered in one day with three cases some- wearing a mask and practising a period of two months in 2015 where, to 50 cases next door, then social distancing (who doesn’t love from an introduced virus. These 100, then 300… Then it was panic shouting to a friend from the other things do highlight the significance, mode. Across Europe, the news side of the street?) unfortunately, of emerging infec- was not reassuring either so we tious disease.” quickly realized that nobody really That felt really good, perhaps too knew what we were dealing with. good to be true, because not long Like nearly all of us, Andrew has after what seemed to be some- been working from home for the So, maybe it wasn’t just a flu?... thing in the past, the numbers past months (except for when crept back to 300 new cases a he needs to go on campus to do With the health system under day. This continued in June and it some diagnostic pathology.) He pressure and fearing that it could has been like that until now. Turns and his wife Nicola Wunderlich collapse, the Government decided out, not everyone can afford con- who works for the Graham Centre to impose national confinement. finement…and control measures in agricultural development, have And again, literally from one day are not 100% effective (no, we two children, a three year old and to the other, everything closed and don’t do hotel quarantine). five year old “who keep us very there was not one person to be busy.” (more next page) ILWS Newsletter Issue 58 - 2020 35 It was a “big deal” mid June, “worrying” by the end, “annoying” Adjunct News when July started and now… “just normal”. It helped that hospital MOU between ILWS and admissions didn’t increase and IHE Delft there wasn’t a lot of new fatalities. A recently signed MOU between ILWS and IHE-Delft (Institute for So, what now? Just wear the mask Water Education), sees Institute everywhere you go, practice social Adjunct Professor Max Finlay- distancing, keep calm and…learn son (pictured right) continue in how to live with it. While I’m writing the role of Chair for the Wise these lines I really hope that will Use of Wetlands for IHE-Delft, be the case. I wish for the same to which is based in The Nether- happen in Australia so that we can lands. come home safely. Meanwhile, I started my teaching so more Zoom The five year cost-free part-time meetings, more assignments to appointment replaces the previ- mark… life does go on. Hope you ous tri-party collaborative agree- are all safe and healthy back home ment between CSU, the Ramsar and I hope to see you soon! Convention on Wetlands and IHE-Delft. The initial five year Honours scholarship agreement, with Max appointed the Ramsar Chair for the Wise Simone-Maree Hyde, who is The last time was in June 2019 Use of Wetland, was signed in supervised by Dr Larissa Bam- (the trip was partly supported 2013, with an interim agreement berry and Associate Professor by ILWS) where he worked on after that. Branka Krivokapic-Skoko, is the several wetland assessment and recipient of ILWS Honours scholar- valuation papers with colleagues The appointment is similar to an ship for Second Semester 2020. and Institute Adjuncts Professor Adjunct Research Fellow position Her project is titled “The four-day Nick Davidson, Rob McInnes, and with Australian academic institu- working week in Regional New Anne. tions. Max will be working primarily South Wales.” with IHE-Delft researchers Insti- While outputs from his appoint- tute Adjunct Associate Professor CSU 3MT ment has been mostly papers on Anne van Dam, and Professor Ken areas of joint interest, there has Professor Rylee Dionigi’s PhD Irvine. also been three joint ILWS/IHE- student Mitchell Kunnen made Delft activities supported by ILWS. the final for the 2020 CSU Three This time round the Ramsar Con- They were: vention on Wetlands has not been Minute Thesis competition held by • In February 2017 a three included in the discussions for the Zoom on July 1. Mitchell who is day meeting, organised by new collaborative agreement as based at the Bathurst campus pre- Professor Lee Baumgartner, the emphasis has shifted towards sented on his thesis topic “Deter- in Albury, to discuss project direct interaction with IHE-Delft mining psychological readiness partnership opportunities and Max retired from his 25 years after ACL injury.” in Myanmar. Professor Ken as a member (in different roles and Irvine was one of the two for three employers) of the Ramsar international experts brought Invited Editor STRP (Scientific Technical Review in for the meeting which Panel) in 2018. Professor Rylee Dionigi is now identified potential research an invited Associate Editor for priorities around water and “But we will still be linking and Leisure/Loisir, a North American land development issues in interacting with the Convention for journal published by the renowned Myanmar. Taylor & Francis (Routledge). various purposes,” says Max. “It’s an administrative change rather • In September 2019 a three day workshop hosted by Research Fellows than an action change. IHE-Delft is still an observer to the Ramsar the Authority (SOPA) in Sydney. Check out the new Research Fel- STRP with Anne the nominated The workshop, coordi- lows web page which showcases delegate, and Ken and myself nated by Rob McInnes and 2018 ILWS recipients Profes- ‘back-ups’ or support.” attended by Max, Nick, Dr sor Oliver Burmeister, Associate Swapan Paul,(SOPA), Dr Professors Peter Simmons, Lihong As the Chair for the Wise Use of Ritesh Kumar,(Wetlands Zheng, and Dominic O’Sullivan, Wetlands Max visited The Neth- International, India), and and Dr Melanie Massaro and their erlands on three occasions over Professor Lijuan Cui and alignment with the University’s the past three years, using funds Dr Yinru (Ruby) Lei (Beijing research narrative and UN SDGs. from his ILWS research account. ILWS Newsletter Issue 58 - 2020 36 Wetland Research Institute, May to begin organising a more can exist,” says Max. “It follows on China), along with wetland formal arrangement was delayed from the Rights of Nature move- experts from Australia, aimed because of the COVID-19 pan- ment which is recognising that to develop a framework for demic.) Nature has rights beyond what the rapid assessment of humans give it. This may chal- the ecological character of However, other activities are going lenge some of our bureaucrats and wetlands. ahead and there are plans in place policy makers, and also some of • In December 2019 a five day for a number of joint activities. our harder core, traditional envi- workshop was held in Yack- Currently Max is commenting on ronmentalists and ecologists. Well, andandah, Victoria to begin a report that Anne is doing for the it has, and that is intentional as we and plan writing a report on Ramsar Convention on agriculture feel the paradigm for Nature needs the drivers of global wetland and wetlands. to change and change fast given loss and degradation, and recent ‘scorecards’ for wetlands.” what can be done to slow “Agriculture is one of the really down this loss. In attend- big issues for wetlands and it is Another activity being undertaken ance were six international complex and possibly intractable; by some members of that core wetland experts - Max, and think about the Murray-Darling group is a book on the status and ILWS adjuncts Ritesh, Anne, Basin as a starting point,” says activities of the Ramsar Conven- Professor Roy Gardner Max. “We are also looking at policy tion and its contributions to wet- (Stetson University, U.S.), Dr for considering climate change land conservation, hopefully for Matthew McCartney (Inter- and impacts on wetlands which publication in 2021, in time for the national Water Management includes the future provision of 50th anniversary of the signing Institute, Sri Lanka), and by ecosystem services, which makes of the Convention. The book is Professor Siobhan Fennessy the link back to agriculture – food being edited by Max, Nick and Dr (Kenyon College, U.S.) and water. And unlike many of the Peter Gell (Federation University) formal global environment assess- and involves contributions from “They were specific activities to ments that I’ve been involved with wetland scientists from around the address technical issues which – climate change, biodiversity, world including many of the core we are working on to write up and ecosystem services, water, and group. publish,” says Max. “A key part of wetlands – we are purposefully what we have achieved by running being policy prescriptive not just So, at a time of life, when some these activities is to bring people policy relevant, and laying out our would consider slowing down, why together from different institutions views on what we think govern- is Max as active as ever in the around the world to address spe- ments should be doing rather than international academic space? cific issues and ensure we include indicating where they should be a wider breadth of experiences doing things.” “For me personally it is an exten- and cultural views.” sion of a life-long interest in One of the objectives of the col- wetland ecology and dismay at Max explains that there is a core laborative agreement is to assist the ineptitude of our policy makers group of around 10 international partner organisations in develop- because wetlands are in decline wetland ecologists, most of whom ing wetland education and training more so than most other ecosys- are ILWS Adjuncts, who work programs including on-line courses tems which we have published collaboratively with others invited and webinars. on including to the Convention… based on interest and availability. but nothing has really changed,” “A good example of that is our says Max. “I’ve spent much of my “As most are also members of the involvement with the Sydney career documenting the decline of Society of Wetland Scientists we Olympic Park Authority, and wetlands, as have many others, have been able to use its annual Swapan,” says Max. “We are and it would be nice to think that meetings to share our views, chal- helping Swapan with international the next generation could docu- lenge others to consider conten- connections [i.e. Professor Lijuan ment their repair.” tious or complex issues around Cui and Dr Yinru Lei in China, and wetland management, and prepare Ritesh in India] and personally “Another reason for doing it is papers for publication in newslet- contributing [Max, Nick and Rob] that there are all these different ters and journals,” says Max. to the Authority’s webinar series.” ‘threads’ of activities that myself Some members of the core group, and others have been undertak- “We are now formalising previous- (ecologists, chemists and environ- ing over a long time and we are ly informal working arrangements mental attorneys) are developing a trying to bring them together into a to give it more structure and insti- Universal Declaration of the Rights more coherent form, and to extend tutional recognition. With my reap- of Wetlands. the activities as others wish to be pointment as Chair for the Wise involved, and push more overtly to Use of Wetlands, we’ve embarked “This is about the rights of wet- influence policy makers. on a new five year venture.” lands to exist because they exist, (Max’s visit to The Netherlands in not because we ordain that they (more next page)

ILWS Newsletter Issue 58 - 2020 37 “As part of that we have devel- Adjuncts Max F, Professor Nick of the technology to record and oped, through the Society of Wet- Davidson, Associate Professor then display their results, as a tag land Scientists, a Climate Change Rob McInness, and Dr Matt Simp- team, was varied and excellently and Wetland Initiative (published son, along with Chris Rostron and done, as was their articulation and in Wetland Science & Practice, Connor Walsh from the Wildfowl communication skills, and certainly July 2020) to more formally bring & Wetlands Trust in the UK and exceeded some of the presenta- together some of the activities that James Dalton from IUCN. The tions we see every day from far we’ve been doing through the soci- data from this global assessment more experienced speakers.” ety’s annual meetings, and have is being maintained by the Open proposed a similar initiative on the University in the UK. Winton Wetlands Rights of Wetlands. “Citizen science has the obvi- The Society of Wetland Scientists Citizen science project ous advantage of involving more (SWS) has announced its first people, not only at a lower cost, “Wetland of Distinction” desig- Coming out of the Ramsar Section but also is a way of engaging nated outside of the United States of the Society for Wetland Scien- people in the issue so you get a – Winton Wetlands in the Murray- tists in collaboration with others bigger outcome,” says Max. Darling Basin, North East Victoria. (World Wetlands Network, Cobra Professor Max Finlayson contin- Collective, and the International Climate change and wet- ues to be the Chair of the Winton Union for Conservation of Nature) Wetlands Environmental Strategy is a repeat of a world-wide citizen lands Advisory Panel. science survey on the state of Professor Max Finlayson did a pre- the world’s wetlands first done in recorded talk on climate change Max and Lance Lloyd, the wet- 2017. and wetlands for the European land’s Restoration Scientists Chapter of the Society of Wetland (Aquatic Ecology) manager wrote ILWS supported the writing of Scientists’ virtual seminar series Restoring a gem in the Murray- the paper to come out of the first in place of their cancelled confer- Darling Basin: the success forty of survey. McInness, R.J., Davidson, ence. The series was co-ordinated the Winton Wetlands published in N.C., Rostron, C.P., Simpson, M. by Dr Matt Simpson with Max’s The Conversation, June 19, which & Finlayson, C.M. (2020) Citizen talk presented on May 25. details this community-based wet- Science State of the World’s Wet- land restoration initiative. lands Survey, Wetlands. https:// In July, Max presented a webinar researchoutput.csu.edu.au/en/ on Wetlands and Global Climate Legends Series publications/a-citizen-science- Change to the IHE Master course state-of-the-worlds-wetlands- module Wetlands for Livelihoods Professor Nick Davidson survey and Conservations, moderated by features in a Society for the Edwin Hes from IHE. He then par- Wetland Scientists Interviews “The survey is a repeat of the origi- ticipated in the assessment of the Initiative “Legends Series”, nal one with some improvements student project report by webinar published July 15. https://www. as there were some issues with (done this way for the first time). youtube.com/watch?v=UhAg- the data platform and analysing MBnERE&list=PL8NOIq5cy6- the data from that,” says Professor “The students were based in 5fld2EjMrXWdz9usTxA&index=5 Max Finlayson. “This version is in Kenya and would normally have seven languages so people can travelled to Austria and the Neth- Awards & appointments contribute in their own language.” erlands as part of the course for training, with the project taken Professor Max Finlayson’s Presi- Working on the project is Institute at home,” says Max. “Their use dency of the Society of Wetland Scientists finished on June 11, at the Society’s first virtual annual meeting which he chaired. His leadership role within the Society continues as a Past President for another year.

Professor Roy Gardner has been appointed to the Friends of the Everglades’ Policy and Sci- ence Committee. (Roy is the direc- tor of the Institute for Biodiversity Law and Policy and professor of law at Stetson University College of Law, in Florida, in the US.)

ILWS Newsletter Issue 58 - 2020 38 website. An article in the Border together cross-disciplinary prac- Mail, May 13, reported that so far titioners, researchers and policy 51,000 pages had been included makers interested in interventions on the site. CSU has contributed that use the known benefits of funding to this project. ‘Nature for health’.

Bruce was also a panellist for an Sam’s pre-recorded powerpoint on-line webinar hosted by politi- presentation followed by a live cal journalist, Annabel Crabb, and chat session was on June 16. organised by the National Library Her talk was on “Social Ecologi- of Australia to launch “Trove the cal Recovery. Our bushfire reality: new chapter” on June 26. Bruce Exploring sense-making myths.” spoke about why it was important https://outdoorhealthcare.org.au/ for regional history to have the nhrpp-symposium/ Andy Herb (above) , from Colo- resources on Trove accessible rado, USA, received a Society nation-wide. Birds and wetlands of Wetland Scientist President’s Award in June 2020. Andy, one of *Trove is Australia’s online cul- Dr Richard Loyn was re-elected the Society’s stalwarts, has been ture and research portal. It brings as president of local NRM organi- closely associated with the devel- together content from the National sation in North East Victoria, opment and success of its Wet- Library of Australia, State and Swamps, Rivers & Ranges, at its land Restoration Section. He has Territory libraries, and hundreds AGM in July. The month before, in also led a small team to produce of cultural and research institu- June, Richard gave two presenta- a science-based appraisal of the tions around Australia. It provides tions by zoom, one to the Geelong Ramsar Convention’s guidance a single point of entry to a treas- Field Naturalists Club on looking for wetland restoration and in so- ure trove of national voices and for wildlife in China including the doing has produced a platform for stories. Trove offers free access to Tibetan plateau (including snow greater engagement with wetland approximately 6.5 billion records leopards and red pandas), based managers around the globe. With from Australia’s recent and distant on a trip he made there last Octo- the support of the Society, Andy past, Trove welcomes over 68,000 ber-November; and the other a talk plans to visit Australia in 2021 to users from across the nation and on landscape ecology to students participate in several wetland res- around the world each day. at Victoria University. toration activities with Australian wetland researchers, educators The redevelopment of an updated Richard, Director of Eco Insights, and practitioners. Trove has been underway for the has also completed a project on past four years with the aim of birds in flood-plain woodlands Andy has worked as an ecologist its redesign to make all materials in the Mallee region, as part of in the Rocky Mountain Region, more accessible to new and exist- a long-term program. Loyn, R., USA since 1999. Although most ing users, both across Australia Eyles, D. & Cheers, G. (2020) of his work has been in the west- and internationally. https://trove. Birds in Black Box woodlands ern US, he has also completed nla.gov.au and associated habitats along the projects in Korea, Japan, Guam, Murray River from Hattah-Kulkyne and Puerto Rico. His work involves Bush Adventure Therapy NP to Lindsay Island, spring 2019 to autumn 2020. Client report for most aspects of field ecology, with Symposium a focus on wetland and stream the Mallee CMA by Eco Insights. restoration. Andy runs a consult- Former ILWS PhD student Dr ing company AlpineEco, founded Sam Strong, who now works for In April, Richard successfully in 2007, and is the owner of DELWP, gave an-line presenta- completed an engagement on an AlpineEco Nursery (founded in tion on her PhD research findings expert panel to review manage- 2012) located in Buena Vista, at a Nature & Health- Research, ment of water in the Lower Barwon Colorado, USA which provides practice and Policy Symposium – wetlands for DELWP and the native wetland and riparian plants an event that was supposed to be Corangamite CMA. for ecological restoration. a two day symposium in Tasmania but was repackaged as five online He is also a member of a large Trove’s next chapter symposium events because of team contributing to a series of the travel restrictions around the texts for a current revision of the Associate Professor Bruce COVID-19 pandemic. Action Plan for Australian Birds. Pennay, an historian, is one of the Richard is also a co-author on key drivers behind efforts by the The symposium was presented by five new publications this year Albury and District Historical Soci- the the Association of Australian that have come out of the work ety to have editions of the Border Bush Adventure Therapy with part- undertaken by PhD students he Mail, from 1873 to 1946, digitalised ners the co-supervised at Federation Uni- and added to the Trove History and Griffith University. It brought versity.

ILWS Newsletter Issue 58 - 2020 39 Clean Water Act settlement. It brought together ate in 2017. An applied economist , resource with research interests in eco- Professor Roy Gardner gave a scientists, farmers and conserva- nomic modelling, research and plenary (video) presentation as tionists to reflect on the impacts policy evaluations, his PhD study part of the Society for Freshwater of 200 years of European stew- involved his an extensive econo- Science’s Summer of Science pro- ardship on the Central Western metric analysis to investigate the gram, entitled “POTUS, SCOTUS, Region of NSW. The proceedings impacts of improvements in urban and WOTUS: The Clean Water describe the impacts of European waterway health on property Act in the Era of Trump” on July 2. occupation since 1815 on Indig- values across 11 local government enous people and on the biodi- areas in southern Sydney. New ILWS Adjuncts versity values of what are now Australia’s oldest inland agricul- After his PhD Buyani had a tural lands. It is divided into three post-doc position with CSU and sections - The land and its people; contributed to research for on an The land and environment; and ACIAR funded project on the use Managing for the future. of climate and weather forecasts by small-holder farmers in the David was the author of four Philippines. In 2017 he took on articles for the proceedings. He is a position as an economist with currently preparing eight papers Economist with Natural Capital for publications regarding his long Economics where his role involves term platypus ecology research undertaking economic analysis and researching material for two of environmental and natural books to be completed in 2021. resource projects and programs He is also continues to be invited for government and industry to be a public speaker on many clients. issues across the Central West and responds to media requests His projects range from develop- for interviews on environmental ing business cases for invest- It’s very much a case of “welcome issues. ment in environmental resource, back” for Professor David Gold- water quality improvements, water ney (above. pic J. Wong) who has “My current field research includes supply, and regulatory impact recently been given ILWS Adjunct a long term assessment of the statements. They commonly status. David, a wildlife ecologist, impacts of longwall mining on involve extensive spatial, bio- has been an Adjunct with CSU’s amphibian populations on the physical and socio-demographic School of Environmental Sciences Woronora Plateau and the status assessments to inform his evalu- since retiring from the University of platypus in the rivers and ations. Buyani is also a sessional in 2000. creeks of the upper Macquarie lecturer in the School of Account- catchment,” says David. ing and Finance at Charles Sturt At the time of his retirement he University. was head of the Environmen- Great to have you back on board tal Studies Unit at Bathurst and David. Director of the Institute’s prede- cessor, the Johnstone Centre. At 81 years of age David remains an active researcher writing papers and a regular column for the Central West newspaper, the Western Advocate.

Last year he co-edited the pro- ceedings of the Biodiversity Dreaming conference – Sustain- ing nature and agriculture after 200 years of European settlement in the Central Western Region of New South Wales - held at the Welcome also to ecologist Dr Guy Bathurst campus in November Sion (above) who has expertise 2015. The conference was held We also welcome Dr Buyani in ecophysiology, the connection as part of the commemoration Thomy (above) as an ILWS between physiology and ecologi- of the proclamation of the settle- Adjunct. Buyani, who lives in cal function and behaviour in wild ment of Bathurst in May 1815 as , is a former ILWS PhD animals, particularly reptiles. Australia’s first inland European student who received his doctor-

ILWS Newsletter Issue 58 - 2020 40 His research focus is on decision- From Dwi Atminarso making (game theory), brain-later- Post-graduate News ality, behaviour and hormones, in PhD Title: The impact of Perjaya dam on biodiversity and liveli- relation to body condition. Doing a PhD during a pandemic hoods in the Komering river, throws up lots of challenges so we Indonesia. Guy, who is lives in Rosh Ha-Ain, asked some of our PhD students in Israel, is working with Dr how they were going. Supervisors: Professor Lee Maggie Watson on a series of Perspectives of doing a four papers on reptile physiology. Baumgartner, Professor Robyn He is currently a guest post doc PhD during COVID-19 Watts, Dr Meaghan Duncan, Dr Jennifer Bond. based at the lab of Professor Shai From Anna Turner Meiri at Tel Aviv University where It has been over five months since he is conducting a study on brain PhD title: Multi-scale mechanisms I did my first fieldwork in Indone- laterality of vertebrates, focussing determining the effects of temper- sia. The COVID-19 restrictions on Homo sapiens and reptiles. ature on disease risk in Bell frogs. have stopped me from travelling back to do my second lot of field- Michael Vanderzee, who recently Supervisors: Associate Professor work. Originally I was to collect withdrew from his PhD studies Skye Wassens, Dr Geoff Heard samples and interview respond- (he was an ILWS PhD scholarship and Associate Professor Andrew ents four times to cover all data recipient in 2017) is continuing his Peters association with the Institute as an needed for my PhD thesis. Adjunct researcher. Michael has Luckily I managed to squeeze in a However, this unprecedented more than 30 years of experience final field trip for the summer frog event [COVID-19] has forced me in environmental/natural resource season before COVID restric- to find an alternative approach. management as a consultant, tions were put in place. Although practitioner and senior policy we had to do last minute change My supervisory team is really adviser and manager for the Victo- of plans to get to all my research supportive and has suggested rian and Common wealth govern- sites, conduct surveys and down- some options to ensure my PhD ments. He was also the inaugural load monitoring data before the project is progressing smoothly. CEO to the Winton Wetlands property was shut. I had planned Unless the COVID-19 restric- Committee of Management. to have a final trip in late April, tions are eased, we will change however once we realised this the method for interviewing key While a PhD candidate undertak- would not be possible we declared informant respondents from face- ing research on environmental my data collection complete! water recovery in the Murray- to-face to online interviews utiliz- ing several meeting applications. Darling Basin he collaborated with I am fortunate to be at this stage The CSU human ethics committee ILWS members on community/ of my PhD where analysis and has approved this variation. agency based and driven natural writing up is now on the cards that resource management research, working from home did not put In line with that social science co-authored two ILWS papers and too many spanners in the works. chapter, the collection of fish an ILWS technical report. I was able to send all my col- using several types of fishing lected samples to the laboratory in gear also potentially will not be He intends to complete and Melbourne before campus closed undertaken this year unless the publish his research and hopes to down. Since then I have been borders are open before the end “continue to use my experience working on the final edits of a sys- of the dry season in Indonesia. As and expertise in water and natural tematic review on: temperature as an alternative, we potentially will resource, management policy to a driver of chytrid prevalence and hire fisheries officers who were contribute to and collaborate with intensity, and recently submitted it involved in the first fieldwork to other ILWS members on current to Journal of Wildlife Diseases. and future research projects in the undertake experimental fishing and collect fin clips samples in the areas of Environmental Water, and I am on to analysis and writing Komering river. Rural and Regional Communities.” for my next chapter now on using skeletochronology to determine In the meantime, I am working on age structure of the Bell frog data analysis of the genetic data populations I have surveyed and that has been sequenced and to use this for population model- genotyped. That is keeping me ling. My chytrid results should be busy and progressing well. Also, back from the labs soon and that we are determining appropriate will form the basis for the next questions for the questionnaire paper. survey with the COVID-19 restric- Left: Anna’s 1000th swab from her tions that potentially affect fishing February field trip. activities also added into the ques- tionnaire. (More next page) ILWS Newsletter Issue 58 - 2020 41 from my home office in Geraldton, , so am used to working virtually, and alone. But COVID has given me some good “shut-up-and- write” time, shuttered- up in my home office and churning out the thousands of words that went into my Above: Dwi Atminarso working at home second chapter.

I’m also fortunate I have also participated in some enough to live within a stone’s online workshops that correlated throw of the coastline in Gerald- to my study including: training on ton, so there have been plenty of analysis using R program, intro- opportunities to get outdoors – duction to Nvivo, fish migration onto the Indian Ocean foreshore seminar, E-Dna tool for biomoni- to walk or cycle, or further afield toring, and others. into the nature reserves around the region. From Richard McLellan I’ve been amazed at the increased number of people out every day Above: Joachim Bretzel (right) and PhD title: The ecological func- walking, running, cycling, roller- one of his supervisors Dr Craig Boys tional significance of hemiparasitic skating, roller-blading, and skate- plants in a warming world boarding. I hope they all keep it up when this pandemic I over. Supervisors: Professor David Watson, Professor Kingsley Dixon While I’ve been busy with my (Curtin Uni.), Dr Jodi Price, Dr PhD, I have also got out some of Leonie Valentine, (UWA), Dr my digital SLR camera gear that I From Joachim Bretzel Michelle Hall, (Bush Heritage haven’t used for a while, and have Australia). been recording birds and other Industry funded PhD project, fauna in and around our yard. I Advancing fish-protection I must be one of the few people certainly haven’t been bored. screening at Australian water on the planet who hasn’t minded diversions. the spatial distancing imposed by And fortunately, Western COVID too much at all ... as it has Australia has got ‘ahead of the Supervisors: Professor Lee allowed me to really focus on the curve’ on COVID in recent weeks, Baumgartner, Dr Craig Boyes second chapter of my PhD. I’m so I’ve even been able to get out (NSW DPI), Professor Robyn already quite isolated – working to all of my field sites in June Watts to collect From the beginning of my PhD, Below: Richard Mclellan at one of his field sites, Eurady. essential field data for the COVID pandemic had a huge the my PhD. impact on my research so far. It’s all good. When I was landed in Australia, my supervisors called me and told me that I had to go into quaran- tine immediately, because it was decided that all new arrivals had to go into quarantine. I went on to Albury, where I lived for 14 days in the campus accommodation.

My supervisor Prof Lee Baum- gartner and other people of the Lab looked after me very well and provided me with all I needed. Therefore, I had at least time to read papers and to start thinking about research questions and ILWS Newsletter Issue 58 - 2020 42 methods. The plan was to be in with examples of real world appli- event on June 20 to celebrate Albury for only one week. I was cations, covered an introduction to World Rainforest Day. to then head on to Port Stephens Bayesian methods using simula- and the NSW DPI Fisheries tion or Bayesian Approximation. The fund aims to decentralise research station. conservation by empowering local However, finally, I spent almost Scott is a geoscientist interested in communities and private sector five months in Albury. Due to the data, data quality and preserving actors to protect forest under their missing limited field inspections, data quality. He has been involved control. I had to read a bit more to under- with information geoscience, qual- stand everything. In ecology, field ity control, resource estimation, Richard, the first speaker for inspections are often an impor- and spatial domain interpretation the event, talked about why tant part of your research. It was for 25+ years in the mining indus- forests are important and why possible to do a one-day field trip try. He has qualifications in Geol- we need to conserve them. See to one of my field sites. This was ogy, Systems Analysis & Design, at https://www.youtube.com/ very helpful and necessary but Archaeology and Statistics as watch?v=ZjQ6aWNlMyE because of COVID restrictions well as being an RPGEO (Mining only possible for one day. and Information Geoscience) and He was invited to be the founda- member of the Australian Institute tion chair largely based on his Now, I have had the chance of Geoscientists (AIG). previous work in forestry (Richard to settle to Port Stephens and was CEO of the Global Forestry inspect another field site. That was Currently he is researching meth- and Trade Network, and footprint very helpful, to understand the ods of assessing uncertainty in (Director, Ecological Footprint, current problems in unscreened spatial domains with the School of and Editor-in-Chief of The Living irrigation systems and native fish Environmental science. His PhD Planet Report) when working for conservation. I had the chance to supervisor are Dr Ana Horta and WWF International in Switzer- see how the fish protection screen Dr Azizur Rahman. land.) Richard is also a long-term was installed and which I will do member of the World Commission my investigations on. Congratulations on Protected Areas, and an IUCN assessor for natural World Herit- Like in Albury and everywhere ILWS PhD scholarship (2019) age Areas. else, mainly home office work is recipient Liam Grimmet has had possible at the research station. his first journal article (based on ILWS PhD scholarships for next Zoom meetings and discussions his Honours research) published. year with my supervisors are very help- The paper was co-authored by his ful, but face to face discussions, current PhD supervisors. Grim- Applications are being sought also with other students is some- mett, L., Whitsed, R. & Horta, A. from prospective PhD students for thing I would appreciate. It´s great (2020) Presence-only species the Institute’s two AGRTP scholar- now to be at least one day per distribution models are sensitive ships for next year. The scholar- week at the DPI fisheries research to sample prevalence: Evaluating ships come with stipend top-ups of station where I can meet my co- models using spatial prediction $6000. The AGRTP – ILWS schol- supervisor Dr Craig Boys. stability and accuracy metrics. arships provide an opportunity Ecological Modelling, 431 for successful applicants to work I am in a “lucky” situation in that with leading ILWS researchers I was impacted by the pandemic Congratulations also to Bharat on research topics that contribute during the start of the PhD when Poudel who has been approved directly to ILWS research. Applica- I had to do a lot of literature for graduation. His thesis topic tions close Friday, October 30. work anyway (literature review, was “Criteria for sustainable research proposal). Until now, operation of renewable Energy A range of potential topics are on it looks that my fieldwork from Services” and he was super- offer under each of the Institute’s September can be conducted as vised by Professor Kevin Parton, research themes - Biodiversity planned. But of course, everything Professor Mark Morrison and Dr Conservation, Environmental is uncertain during these times. Jane Maley, all from the School of Water, Rural and Regional Com- Management and Marketing. munities, and Sustainable Devel- PhD News opment (International). Involvement in an international Research seminar introducing fund working to protect forests For more information on potential Bayesian methods topics and supervisors https:// ILWS PhD scholarship recipient www.csu.edu.au/research/ilws/ PhD student Scott McManus pre- for 2019 Richard McLellan is the home/ilws-scholarships sented an on-line research semi- foundation chair of the Board of nar “An introduction to Bayesian Forest Global Fund, an interna- methods” for CSU staff and HDR tional Swiss-based initiative which students on May 22. The seminar, was launched as a global virtual

ILWS Newsletter Issue 58 - 2020 43 Publications Finlayson, C. M. & Gardner, R. Conservation, 247, [108543]. C. (2020). Ten key issues from the The following is a selection of Global Wetland Outlook for deci- Grimmett, L., Whitsed, R. & members’ publications over the sion makers. Marine and Fresh- Horta, A. (2020) Presence-only past three months. For a more water Research species distribution models are extensive list and links, please sensitive to sample prevalence: go to https://www.csu.edu.au/ Floyd, J., Alexander, S., Lenzen, Evaluating models using spatial research/ilws/publications M., Moriarty, P., Palmer, G., prediction stability and accuracy Chandra-Shekeran, S., Foran, metrics. Ecological Modelling, B., & Keyßer, L. (2020). Energy 431 Peer Reviewed Papers descent as a post-carbon transi- tion scenario: How ‘knowledge McGinness, H. M., Paton, A., Sen, L. T. H., Bond, J., Winkels, humility’ reshapes energy futures Gawne, B., King, A. J., Kopf, R. A., Linh, N. H. K., & Dung, N. T. for post-normal times, Futures K., Mac Nally, R., & McInerney, (2020). Climate change resilience 122. P. J. (2020). Effects of fish kills on and adaption of ethnic minority fish consumers and other water- communities in the upland area in Lloyd, J. K. F., Collins, T., Cornish, dependent fauna: Exploring the Thừa Thiên-Huế province, Viet- A. R., Degeling, C., Fawcett, A., potential effect of mass mortality nam. NJAS - Wageningen Journal Fisher, A. D., Freire, R., Hazel, S. of carp in Australia. Marine and of Life Sciences, 92 J., Hood, J., Johnson, J., Phillips, Freshwater Research, 71(2), 156- C. J. C., Stafford, K. J., Tzioumis, 169 Bridges, D., Wulff, E.,Bamberry, V., & McGreevy, P. D. (2020). L., Krivokapic-Skoko, B. & Australian and New Zealand Menkhorst, P., Fitzsimons, Jenkins, S. (2020). Negotiating Veterinary Students’ Ranking of J., Loyn, R. & Woinarski, J. gender in the male-dominated Issues in Aquatic Animal Welfare (2020). Assessing the strength of skilled trades: a systematic litera- and Ethics. Anthrozoos, 33(3), evidence for records of Night Par- ture review, Construction Manage- 325-337 rots at Kalamurina Wildlife Sanctu- ment and Economics ary (South Australia) and Diaman- Bell, S. C., Heard, G. W., Berger, tina National Park (Queensland), Lock, M., Burmeister, O., McMil- L., & Skerratt, L. F. (2020). Con- 2016–2018. Emu -Austral Orni- lan, F. & Whiteford, G. (2020). nectivity over a disease risk gradi- thology 120: 173-177 Absence of rigorous evidence ent enables recovery of rainforest undermines cultural safety frogs. Ecological Applications Manyweathers, J., Lymn, J., reforms: Australian Journal of Rurenga, G., Murrell-Orgill, K., Rural Health. 28: 4-5 Gillespie, G. R., Roberts, J. D., Cameron, S., & Thomas, C. Hunter, D., Hoskin, C. J., Alford, (2020). The lived experience of Ko, N.T., Suter, P., Conallin, J., R. A., Heard, G. W., Hines, gender and gender equity policies Rutten, M. & Bogaard, T. (2020). H., Lemckert, F., Newell, D., & at a regional Australian university. The Urgent Need for River Scheele, B. C. (2020). Status and Social Sciences, 9(7), 1-12. [115] Health Biomonitoring Tools for priority conservation actions for Large Tropical Rivers in Devel- Australian frog species. Biological oping Countries: Preliminary Development of a River Health A special issue of the Journal on COVID-19 impacts Monitoring Tool for Myanmar Rivers. Water 12: 1408. As founding editor-in-chief of the Interna- tional Journal of Community and Social Cowan, M.A., Dunlop, J.A., Development, Prof. Manohar Pawar Turner, J.M., Moore, H.A. & edited a special issue of the journal on Nimmo, D.G. (2020). Artificial ‘The Impact of the Coronavirus Pandemic: refuges to combat habitat loss Implications for Community and Social for an endangered marsupial Development’. It consists of nine articles predator: How do they measure from New Zealand, Australia, India, Italy, up? Conservation Science and the United States, Sweden, South Africa, Practice. e204 and the United Kingdom. The publisher of the special issue, SAGE publications, Fluet-Chouinard, E., Stewart- has made the issue ‘open access’ for the Koster, B., Davidson, N., Fin- benefit of the public, and all articles can be layson, C. M., & B. McIntyre, P. freely downloaded. https://journals.sage- (2020). Reciprocal insights from pub.com/toc/coda/2/2 global aquatic stressor maps and local reporting across the CSU Media Release The impact of COVID- Ramsar wetland network. Eco- 19 on international community and social logical Indicators, 109, 1-9 development

ILWS Newsletter Issue 58 - 2020 44 In Focus Impacts of Australia’s free trade agreements on trade in agricultural prod- ucts: an aggregative and disaggregative analysis

An article published in The Australian Journal of Agricultural and Resource Economics (AJARE), authored by ILWS researcher Dr Richard Culas with Dr Krishna Timsina an Endeavour Research Fellow (Post-doctoral) at the School of Agricultural Wine Sciences, analysed the importance of Australia’s free trade agreements (FTAs) and how they can help to reduce barriers to trade in agricultural products.

Their study estimated the agricultural trade creation and export diversion effects of the Australia’s FTAs at the aggregate and disaggregate levels, using standard econometric models for the 24 of Australia’s major trading partner countries comprising FTA and non-FTA members and covering a period of 22 years from 1996 to 2017.

Their findings showed that FTA’s for China–Australia, Korea–Australia, Australia–USA and Japan–Australia have larger trade creation effects in the agricultural sector. And at the commodity level, the larger effects were gener- ated in trade in sugar and wine by the implementation of the majority of the trade agreements. Overall, the study found that trade creation was greater than the export diversion of the FTAs.

Though the findings of this study have implications for Australia’s future trade agreements, according to Dr Culas, the COVID-19 pandemic is a major economic shock throwing into question the resilience of agrifood sector in many countries and this should be considered for the impacts. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/1467-8489.12377

Massaro, M., Ainley, D.G., San- Bliege Bird, R., McGuire, C., Bird, Pulla, V. R., Das, T. K., & Nikku, tora, J.A., Quillfeldt, P., Lescroël, D. W., Price, M. H., Zeanah, D., & B. R., (2020) Indigenous or A., Whitehead, A., Varsani, A., Nimmo, D. G. (2020). Fire mosa- Blended Model for South Asian Ballard, G. & Lyver, P, O’B. (2020). ics and habitat choice in nomadic Social Work? Space and Culture, Diet segregation in Adélie pen- foragers. Proceedings of the India. 8:1 guins: some individuals attempt National Academy of Sciences to overcome colony-induced of the United States of America, Rees, G. N., Shackleton, M. E., and annual foraging challenges, 117(23), 12904-12914 Watson, G. O., Dwyer, G. K., & Marine Ecology Progress Series Stoffels, R. J. (2020). Metabarcod- 645: 205-218 Verdon, S.J., Watson, S.J., ing demonstrates dietary niche Nimmo, D.G. & Clarke, M.F. partitioning in two coexisting Hansen, N., Driscol, D., Michael, (2020). Are all fauna associated blackfish species. Marine and D., & Lindenmayer, D. (2020). with the same structural features Freshwater Research, 71, 512- Movement patterns of an arboreal of the foundation species Triodia 517 gecko in fragmented agricultural scariosa? Austral Ecology landscapes reveal matrix avoid- Rees, G. N., Cook, R. A., Ning, N. ance. Animal Conservation, 23(1), O’Sullivan, D. (2020). Recogni- S. P., McInerney, P. J., Petrie, R. 48-59 tion and the politics of indigenous T., & Nielsen, D. L. (2020). Man- citizenship, Politics, Groups, and aged floodplain inundation main- Ward, M., Tulloch, A. I. T., Rad- Identities tains ecological function in lowland ford, J. Q., Williams, B. A., Reside, rivers. Science of the Total Envi- A. E., Macdonald, S. L., Mayfield, Came, H., O’Sullivan, D., Kidd, ronment, 727, [138469] H. J., Maron, M., Possingham, J. & McCreanor, T. (2020). The H. P., Vine, S. J., O’Connor, J. L., Waitangi Tribunal’s WAI 2575 Kelly, J.E., Chambers, A.J., Massingham, E. J., Greenville, A. Report: Implications for Decoloniz- Weston, P.A., Brown, W.B., C., Woinarski, J. C. Z., Garnett, ing Health Systems, Health and Robinson, W.A., Broster, J.C. & S. T., Lintermans, M., Scheele, B. Human Rights Journal, 22 Weston, L.A. (2020). The impact C., Carwardine, J., Nimmo, D. G., of herbicide application and defo- et al (2020). Impact of 2019–2020 O’Sullivan, D., Rahamathulla, M., liation on barley grass (Hordeum mega-fires on Australian fauna & Pawar, M. (2020). The Impact glaucum) management. Agrono- habitat. Nature Ecology & Evolu- and Implications of COVID-19: An my. Volume 10 tion Australian Perspective, The Inter- national Journal of Community and Social Development.

ILWS Newsletter Issue 58 - 2020 45 Magalhães, A. L. B., Daga, V. S., ing Communication Effectiveness. Leisure (pp. 109-124). New York: Bezerra, L. A. V., Vitule, J. R. S., Journal of Intercultural Communi- Palgrave. Jacobi, C. M., & Silva, L. G. M. cation Research, 1-24. (2020). All the colors of the world: Finlayson, C. M. (2020). From Biotic homogenization-differenti- Ward, W. (2020). Lessons from diving with crocodiles to interna- ation dynamics of freshwater fish Laos: selecting appropriate com- tional wetland management and communities on demand of the munication media for context. policy. Wilcox, D. (ed) (2020). Brazilian aquarium trade. Hydro- Journal of Science Communica- History of Wetland Science: a biologia. tion, 19(3), 1-6. perspective from wetland leaders. Amazon-Print-on-Demand, USA Silva, L. G. M., Doyle, K. E., Mathwin, R., Wassens, S., Young, Duffy, D.,Humphries, P., Horta, J., Ye, Q., & Bradshaw, C. (2020). Senevirathna, S., & Mahinroos- A., & Baumgartner, L. J. (2020). Manipulating water for amphib- ta, R. (2020). Remediation of Soil Mortality events resulting from ian conservation. Conservation and Groundwater Contaminated Australia’s catastrophic fires Biology with Per- and Poly-Fluoroalkyl threaten aquatic biota. Global Substances (PFAS). In Y. S. Ok, J. Change Biology Smith, D.G., Truskinger, A., Roe, Rinklebe, D. Hou, D. C. W. Tsang, P. & Watson, D. M. (2020). Do & F. M. G. Tack (Eds.), Soil and Spennemann, D. H. R. (2020). acoustically detectable species Groundwater Remediation Tech- Introduction of coccinellid beetles reflect overall diversity? A case nologies-A Practical Guide (pp. to control the coconut scale insect study from Australia’s arid zone. 107-122). GB: Taylor & Francis Aspidiotus destructor Signoret in Remote Sensing in Ecology and Ltd. Micronesia 1901–1914. Oriental Conservation Insects, 54(2), 197-215. Forthcoming Znidersic, E., Towsey, M., Roy, W. Knight, A. (2020). Environmental Spennemann, D. H. R. (2020). K., Darling, S. E., Truskinger, A., knowledge exchange in Australia Frugivory and seed dispersal Roe, P., & Watson, D. M. (2020). and Oceania: How researchers revisited: Codifying the plant-cen- Using visualization and machine and implementers are working tred net benefit of animal-mediat- learning methods to monitor low together to bring change. In C. ed interactions. Flora: Morphology, detectability species—The least Ferreira, & C. Klutsch (Eds.), Distribution, Functional Ecology of bittern as a case study. Ecological Closing the knowledge-implemen- Plants, 263, 1-5. [151534]. Informatics, 55, 1-9. tation gap in conservation science : Evidence transfer across spa- Spennemann, D. H. R. (2020). Other tiotemporal scales and different Infestation of defaecated seeds by stakeholders Springer. Coccotrypes dactyliperda (Coleop- Bond, J., Loury, E., & Ounbound- tera Curculionidae: Scolytinae) isane, S. (2020). Workshop report: Technical Reports and its implications on the dis- A report on a fisheries conflict persal success of palms. Oriental management training workshop in Bamberry, L., Roberts, R., Ceric, Insects. Laos. Ecological Management & A., Rossiter, R., Cumming, T., Restoration Kulmar, C., Droulers, M., Greig, Spennemann, D. (2020). Resil- J., & Sowden, J. (2020). Iden- ience of breeding Coccotrypes Finlayson, M. & Beemster, M. tification of key determinants of dactyliperda Fabricius, 1801 (2020) Obituary: Dr Julia Howitt. caseworker workplace wellbeing (Coleoptera: Curculionidae: Scoly- Marine and Freshwater Research, in NSW Family and Community tinae) to ingestion by vertebrates. 71: Services: Summary Report. Turkish Journal of Entomology / Türkiye Entomoloji Dergisi, 44(2), Foran, B., (2020) Correspond- Loyn, R. & Enders, S. (2020). 205-216. ence ‘Cry Me a River’ Quarterly Woodland birds in the Warby- Essay Issue 78 Ovens National Park November- Thiem, J., Wooden, I., Baum- December 2019. Surveys by gartner, L. J., Butler, G., Taylor, Michael, D. (2020). Book Review: Swamps Rivers & Ranges for M., & Watts, R. (2020). Hypoxic Shine, R. Cane Toad Wars (2018). Parks Victoria. Report for Parks conditions interrupt flood-response University of California Press, Victoria by Swamps, Rivers & movements of three lowland river Austral Ecology, 45(3), 404 Ranges fish species: implications for flow restoration in modified land- Book Chapters Loyn, R., Eyles, D.& Cheers, scapes. Ecohydrology G. (2020). Birds in Black Box Son, J. & Dionigi., R.A. (2020). woodlands and associated habi- Ward, W., & Southwell, A. (2020). The complexity of sport-as-leisure tats along the Murray River from Intercultural Relations in Inter- in later life. In S. Kono, K. Sprack- Hattah-Kulkyne NP to Lindsay national Agricultural Research len, A. Beniwal, & P. Sharma Island, spring 2019 to autumn Teams: Perceived Issues Influenc- (Eds.), Positive Sociology of 2020. Report for the Mallee CMA by Eco Insights. ILWS Newsletter Issue 58 - 2020 46 First ever Living Planet Index for Migratory freshwater Fish A spin off from the Institute’s hosting of the Oceania Session of a Global Swimways Webinar Marathon, organ- ised by the World Fish Migration Foundation, (see story on page 23) was the invitation for researchers to join the authorship of the first ever Living Planet Index for Migratory Freshwater Fish.

The report, by the World Fish Migration Foundation and the Zoological Society of London, was launched on July 28 and has attracted plenty of media attention world-wide including articles in National Geographic, and The Guardian. It report has found that an average of 76 per cent of monitored migratory fish populations have declined globally between 1970 and 2016. In Australia freshwater fish populations have also experienced considerable declines and are under threat.

“It was an awesome opportunity to join,” says Professor Lee Baumgartner who contributed to the Oceania-Asia research. Institute Adjunct Dr Luiz Silva contributed from a South American perspective.

“They have data from six continents from global experts working on freshwater fish migration who banded together to share the data; to make a statement about how threatened freshwater fish are impacted by river development. It’s a pretty powerful statement. The report shows on all continents, except North America, fish have declined sig- nificantly…and the reason we think that North America hasn’t shown a significant decline over the last 40 years is because all the damage was done in the previous 50 years of dam construction.”

To understand how populations of migratory freshwater fish have changed since the 1970s, the report’s research- ers looked at data from 1,406 populations of 247 fish species.

“The figures in the report are shocking, and an average decline of 59 per cent in the Oceania-Asia region demon- strates our region, including Australia, is experiencing considerable losses in migratory fish populations and that these populations are under threat,” says Lee. “What is concerning is the Oceania region is under-represented within the report’s dataset, and it seems likely the average decline calculated may underestimate the actual value.”

Lee says due to a lack of data the report did not feature climate change – which has had lethal consequences for millions of Australia’s fish – as a major issue in the Oceania region.

“In Australia, a number of extreme weather events, including two significant droughts between which a major flood occurred, in addition to the country’s most recent bushfires, have been a serious concern for migratory freshwater fish and have resulted in large-scale fish kills,” he says. “Couple this with the significant development of our river systems over the past 100 years and it is quite easy to see why our fish are doing it so tough.

“In the Murray-Darling Basin alone, native fish stocks are now estimated to be at less than 10 per cent of pre- European levels. If we want to save our fish and waters, managing these weather extremes to minimise impacts on migratory freshwater species needs to be a priority action in Australia moving forward.”

Lee says the Index provides a benchmark to ascertain “whether we are getting better or worse going forward.” CSU Media Release

ILWS Newsletter Issue 58 - 2020 47 Deinet, S., Scott-Gatty, K., The Conversation response Rotton, Van Eeden, L., Nimmo, D., Mahony, M., Herman, K., Researchers were approached by The Conversation to write an article in Ehmke,G., Driessen, J., O’Connor, response to the NSW Government’s plans to release two million fish into J., Bino, G., Taylor, M., & Dick- rivers of the Murray-Darling Basin. The resulting article, written by Profes- man, C. (2020) Australia’s 2019- sor Lee Baumgartner, Dr Jamin Forbes, and Dr Katie Doyle was published 2020 Bushfires: The wildlife toll. on June 15. Interim Report. WWF Report Australia 2020. “Our main message was ‘If there is water it’s a good idea’ but we are already seeing the Darling starting to drop…so if the Darling dries up put- ILWS Reports ting two million fish in it is not a good idea,” says Lee. “You wouldn’t put 200 cows into a paddock that had no grass in it. And that’s exactly what Conallin, J., Baumgartner, L., they seem to want to do, restock a river that’s not ready for it.” Mallen-Cooper, M., & Marsden, T. (2020) Shan Gaing Fishway: Baumgartner, L., Forbes, J., Doyle, K. (2020) Don’t count your fish proposed design criteria and con- before they hatch: experts react to plans to release 2 million fish into the cept. ILWS report 139. Murray Darling. The Conversation, June 15. (Also published as a CSU News Opinion.) Mahinroosta, R., & Senevirath- na, L. (2020) Long term prediction Woinarski, J. Nimmo, D., Gallagh- Lewis, C. (2020). How COVID-19 of PFAS profile in the soil and its er, R. & Legge, S. (2020). After the could affect tourism industry as it possible pathway into groundwa- bushfires, we helped choose the reopens. CSU News Opinion, May ter. ILWS report 140. animals and plants in most need. 28 Here’s how we did it. The Conver- Spennemann, D., & Murphy, G. sation, May 21. (Also published as O’Sullivan, D. (2020). Charles (2020). Returning to the Moon: a CSU News Opinion.) Sturt political expert says protests Heritage issues raised by the are a time for education. CSU Google Lunar X Prize. ILWS report O’Sullivan, D. (2020). Too much Opinion, July 2. 140 bipartisanship is bad for democ- racy. The Conversation, May 6. Ragusa, A. (2020). Gender (role) On line blogs/articles bending: How COVID-19 has O’Sullivan, D. (2020). Why transformed the Australian family. Crampton, A. (2020). Ignorance Trump’s Make America Great CSU News Opinion, May 14. is not bliss - Why improving rural Again hat makes a dangerous residents’ health literacy for smoke souvenir for foreign politicians. Villar, O. (2020). A pandemic in exposure will not be enough. The Conversation, May 26.(Also the era of Great Power rivalry and Partyline. published as a CSU News Opin- neoliberalism. Charles Sturt Uni- ion.) versity News Opinion, May 1 Mathwin, R., Wassens, S., & Bradshaw, C. J. A. (2020). O’Sullivan, D. (2020). Could trea- Wright, S. (2020). The key to Amphibian conservation in a man- ties help close the political gap in regional growth is to nurture aged world. Conservation Bytes. Indigenous health? Openforum, sustainable resources. CSU News May 25. (Also published as a CSU Opinion, July 10. Watson, D. M. (2020). Tri-State News Opinion.) Twitch, The Urban Field Naturalist Newsletter Project O’Sullivan, D. (2020). Imple- menting the UN Declaration on Bidgee Bulletin June 2020 Issue 4 Commentary the Rights of Indigenous Peoples in New Zealand. Oxford Human Baumgartner, L., Doyle, K., Rights Hub, May 18. Silva, L.G.M., Pearce, L., & Ning, N. (2020). Before and after: see CONTACT Peters, A. (2020). ‘Death by how bushfire and rain turned the Margrit Beemster irony’: The mystery of the mouse Communications coordinator Macquarie perch’s home to sludge that died of smoke inhalation, but The Conversation July 10. (Also went nowhere near a fire. The Institute for Land, Water and Society published as a CSU News Opin- Conversation, July 13. Charles Sturt University ion.) Ph: 0260 519 653 Email: [email protected] Finlayson, C.M., Llyod, L. (2020). Opinion Pieces Restoring a gem in the Murray- P.O. Box 789 Jenkins, S. (2020). Returning to ALBURY NSW 2640 Darling Basin: the success story of work after COVID-19 – business the Winton Wetlands. The Conver- AUSTRALIA as usual or not? CSU News Opin- www.csu.edu.au/research/ilws sation, June 19. (Also published ion, June 1. as a CSU News Opinion.)

ILWS Newsletter Issue 58 - 2020 48