| | Welcome
This week we are celebrating World Environment Day 2017, which has the theme of ‘Connecting People to Nature’. The Victorian Government’s recently finalised Biodiversity Plan 2037 also highlights this concept: one of its major goals is for all Victorians to contribute to protecting the natural environment. At ARI we recognise the multiple benefits to people and the environment when the community is involved in biodiversity conservation. We are very much looking forward to helping implement the Plan. An example of how ARI engages the community can be seen in the image at left, where Joanne Kearns demonstrates electrofishing for Macquarie Perch to locals at King Parrot Creek. For more examples of our work see the recently released ARI Annual Report 2015-2016, which is now available on our website. A great way to appreciate nature is via a bird guide book – ARI’s Peter Menkhorst and Danny Rogers, in extracurricular roles, have contributed extensively to an exciting new resource on Australian birds (see below). A life-long keen interest in birds and the environment underpins Peter and Danny’s expertise. Our feature projects for this issue comprise resources for dealing with invasive species in wetlands, management of overabundant Koalas, and monitoring the vegetation response to environmental water at an iconic lake.
Regards
Dr Kim Lowe
Research Director
Arthur Rylah Institute for Environmental Research
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| | Managing invasive species in wetlands - resources
ARI is part of a collaborative project providing resources for managers to minimise the impacts of invasive species in wetlands. A training course and fact sheets for rabbits, foxes, pigs and carp encourage best management practice. Two reports on high priority weeds outline existing knowledge on impacts and control.
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| | Koala translocation - animal survival and habitat assessment
To support the translocation of overabundant Koalas from French Island, ARI identified areas of habitat that may be suitable to receive animals, undertook a trial translocation and assessed the health of individuals after two months. Based on high survivorship of koalas, several hundred have now been released in Tallarook State Forest.
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| | Environmental watering - how does vegetation respond?
Monitoring vegetation response to environmental watering at Hattah Lakes has shown a positive response in water dependent plants and vegetation communities. Demonstrating the effectiveness of environmental watering to maintain floodplains is becoming increasingly important, particularly in semi-arid landscapes.
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Future Landscapes Inititative
May workshop
ARI is a partner, with La Trobe University, in the Future Landscapes Initiative. This initiative will tackle a fundamental and globally significant issue confronting humanity in the 21st century: how can we safeguard natural ecosystems and the services they provide while ensuring the wellbeing of people in the face of increasing pressures from resource consumption and climate change? We recently co-delivered in a major workshop to explore research themes for the Initiative, involving key researchers from around Australia. Our participation in the Future Landscapes Initiative, and particularly its leadership by our ARI Science Leader Professor Andrew Bennett, is a major demonstration of the strong relationship we have with La Trobe University (e.g. Professor Mike Clarke, at left).
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| | The Australian Bird Guide
Our very own Peter Menkhorst (left) and Danny Rogers, along with several co-authors and artists, have produced a new, highly anticipated, comprehensive field guide to the birds of Australia. Many years in the making, this colourful, detailed guide demonstrates the incredible depth of knowledge and exemplary painting skills of its contributors. Well done all! In this terrific video Peter, Danny and artist Jeff Davies chat about their involvement, working with a great team, and connecting with birds and nature.
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| | New website for ARI and DELWP
The ARI website has been updated, and has its very own URL, as part of DELWP’s Digital First strategy. DELWP now has a family of sites that have been created following consultation with users across Victoria. The new design is aimed at providing a user-friendly experience with improved navigation and functionality throughout.
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| | Videos & Media Releases Video: These two animations created by the Victorian Environmental Water Holder and ARI, show how Murray Cod and Golden Perch responded to environmental water releases in the River Murray in spring 2010. The flows were provided to maintain levels between natural flood peaks. Native fish need the right river flow and water temperature to feed, mature, move and breed. The videos were based on data collected by ARI.
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Recent journal articles and reports (link to PDF) include:
Heard, G. W., Scroggie, M.P., Ramsey, D.S.L., Clemann, N., Hodgson, J. A. and Thomas, C. D. (2017) Can habitat management mitigate disease impacts on threatened amphibians? Conservation Letters (online early) Jenkins, M., Collins, L., Price, O., Penman, T., Zylstra, P., Horsey, B. and Bradstock, R. (2016) Environmental values and fire hazard of eucalypt plantings. Ecosphere 7(11): e01528 Roberts, J., Casanova, M.T., Morris, K. and Papas, P. (2017) Vegetation recovery in inland wetlands: an Australian perspective. Arthur Rylah Institute for Environmental Research. Technical Report Series No. 270. Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning, Heidelberg, Victoria. Studds, C.E., Kendall, B.E, Murray, N.J., Wilson, H.B., Rogers, D.I., et al. (2017) Rapid population decline in migratory shorebirds relying on Yellow Sea tidal mudflats as stopover sites. Nature Communications 8: 14895 Tonkin, Z., Kearns, J., Lyon, J., Balcombe, S., King, A. and Bond, N. (2017) Regional-scale extremes in river discharge and localised spawning stock abundance influence recruitment dynamics of a threatened freshwater fish. Ecohydrology (online early) Tonkin, Z., Kitchingman, A., Lyon, J., Kearns, J., Hackett, G., O’Mahony, J., Moloney, P.D., Krusic-Golub, K., and Bird, T. (2017) Flow magnitude and variability influence growth of two freshwater fish species in a large regulated floodplain river. Hydrobiologia (online early) White, M., Menkhorst, P., Griffioen, P., Green, B., Salkin, O. and Pritchard, R. (2016) Orange-bellied Parrot: a retrospective analysis of winter habitat availability. Arthur Rylah Institute for Environmental Research. Technical Report Series No. 277. Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning, Heidelberg, Victoria.
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ARI Seminar Series
Our 2017 Seminar Series so far has included presenters speaking on topics such as applying population genetics to wildlife management, the social and natural history of the Hawkesbury River, and finding pests using dogs, drones and DNA. For World Environment Day, Fern Hames will be talking about Connecting with Nature #WithNature, as well as learning about leadership and climage change in Antarctica .
To receive ARI seminar series email alerts, including webinar (live online viewing) details and follow-up summaries, email us at research.ari@delwp.vic.gov.au
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| © The State of Victoria Department of Environment, Land, Water & Planning 2017
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