1. From the Chief Executive Officer
By Rosie Wheen
My first day as CEO of the Trust was at our office, hosted by the University of Canberra. Being on Ngunnawal country is a return home as it is where I was born.
As I join the Trust I am often asked where have I come from? As a passionate water and community development leader, I served most recently as CEO of WaterAid Australia, a global organisation dedicated to providing clean water, sanitation, and hygiene to some of the world’s most vulnerable communities. I also serve as Chair of Many Coloured Sky, an organisation that supports LGBTQI+ organisations with capacity building, planning and project development, and empowers those at the margins and intersections of LGBTQI+ communities to participate fully and equally. I am a founding member of Not in My Workplace, a coalition of women leaders working to prevent sexual harassment in the Workplace. I am a proud parent of two (almost) grown up children and we are a foster family.
When I reflect on my own leadership journey, my thoughts turn to the incredible lessons we can take from the leadership of the outgoing CEO and Chair of the Trust.
Darryl has made an immeasurable impact on the water sector in Australia and globally. His leadership and his legacy show us the strength and value of kindness. I know that many of you have experienced Darryl’s kindness and wisdom – a mentoring call, a nudge to take a courageous career leap or to chair a groundbreaking session at Singapore Water Week of Ozwater.
The Trust’s purpose is to foster courageous leadership to tackle big challenges in water and environment. We need look no further for our role model than outgoing Chair Karlene Maywald.
I encourage us all to go forth with more kindness and more courage.
Finally, thank you to the staff and all those who have made me so welcome already, and for your ongoing encouragement, support and courage as we work together to foster courageous leadership to tackle big challenges in water and environment.
I hope you enjoy the read.
2. In This Issue: Wetlands
World Wetlands Day is a UN International Day acknowledged on 2 February, and an opportunity to give voice to wetlands around the globe. It marks the anniversary of the RAMSAR Convention on Wetlands, which was adopted as an international treaty in 1971. This year, the theme is Wetlands and Human Wellbeing, inviting us to consider how all aspects of human wellbeing – physical, mental and environmental – are tied to the health of the world’s wetlands.
This issue of Bridging provides a platform for Fellows and Friends of the Trust who are working to secure a sustainable future for our wetlands.
Bowling Green Bay – a RAMSAR-listed wetland
From Jennifer Walker (2023)
NQ Dry Tropics is the NRM group for the Burdekin region, an area of some 146,000km2. One of our major biological assets is the Bowling Green Bay Ramsar-listed wetland, which was listed due to the migratory bird populations that use the area during their annual migrations (species of note include the threatened Eastern Curlew and the Red Knot).
As a result, the bay itself is a protected area (within Bowling Green Bay National Park) but the surrounding catchments that lead to the bay are not protected. In fact, the catchment creeks for the bay are located within one of the most productive sugarcane cropping areas in Australia, in an area between Ayr and Townsville.
The challenge here is water – but unlike other areas – the issue is usually too much water, not too little. In the Lower Burdekin area, natural creeks are utilised for the entire year as water delivery channels, feeding water released from dams or pumped from the aquifer to sugarcane farms. After the water is applied to crops, it runs back into the creek and then back out to sea, including through the Bowling Green Bay.
As a result of this near-constant flow of water in typically ephemeral creeks, aquatic weed and pest problems are some of the most impactful and persistent problems in the landscape, leading to issues like poor water quality for aquatic species, poor habitat quality for birds, and limited creek-to-sea connectivity. We aim to manage these issues by reinstating natural drydown in the creek systems through a combination of direct threat reduction and behaviour change.
NQ Dry Tropics has been undertaking projects that address this issue for over 10 years through a collective impact approach – reducing threats to the riparian ecosystems by working with industry groups and landholders and working to directly improve habitat conditions through on-ground works.
It might sound cliche, but the progress that has been achieved over the past 10 years has been through the persistent pursuit of a collective approach – working with growers to reduce water/fertiliser inputs and retain riparian vegetation, working with the water board to improve their technology so that they push less water down the channels, and supporting Councils in managing the ongoing issues with weeds and pests.
In the most recent iteration of the project, the Bowling Green Bay project developed “System Management Plans” which documented issues in priority waterways, and formed a “Ramsar Management Advisory Group” to provide a forum for the major land managers in the region to collectively recognise, prioritise and action those issues.
As of June last year, the BGB project has ended and we are continuing our meetings and planning activities without organisational funding. While the work delivered by NQDT may be in a lull right now, leading the group and coordinating the actions of other members is still incredibly valuable and will take us towards our collective goal: to support the agricultural values of the region without negatively impacting the ecological values.
One thing that wasn’t mentioned in the article (see “Fellows in the News” later in this edition of Bridging) was that my own development as a professional (including through the PCT program) has helped me to frame the work that I do within a collective impact lens. I have been managing the Living Landscapes program for only the last 2 years, but I can see the work that has been done and I am keen to continue it in my own way – finding efficiencies, making connections, and facilitating change. I get to come to work every day proud to be able to be a part of something so important and part of a group full of passionate, inspiring people, where every day is different.
Lake Victoria
From Natalie Dando (2016)
Lake Victoria (Tar-Ru) is not quite a wetland, but a natural freshwater lake, in southwest NSW, and is crucial for water management in the River Murray system.
‘Lake Victoria is such a special place to the Barkindji-Maraura people. This is the place where my great grandmother grew up, so this is very much like my home.
‘It’s a sacred place as one of the biggest cemeteries in Australia. I am so pleased our community has been heard in developing the Aboriginal heritage impact permit to further protect our cultural heritage for future generations.’
Quote attributed to Tamika Smith, Barkindji-Maraura Elders Council
The area around the lake contains Aboriginal archaeological sites and burials and has extraordinary cultural significance dating back at least 28,000 years. Natalie Dando has been leading the application for a new Aboriginal Heritage Impact Permit for the Cultural Landscape over the last few years to enable ongoing operation of the Lake for water management.
In December 2023 a new permit was issued to the MDBA by Heritage NSW, with a celebration on Country to acknowledge this significant milestone. While a modernised version of the previous permit, the application and new permit have been achieved due to the close collaboration between a number of stakeholders balancing water-management needs and the protection of Aboriginal cultural heritage values. As the largest permit of its kind in the State, Natalie says that it’s been a privilege to work with stakeholders to preserve the Aboriginal cultural heritage at this extraordinary location.
Natalie is looking forward to ensuring the ongoing conservation and protection activities in partnerships with the Aboriginal community and minimising impacts to Aboriginal cultural heritage values.
To gain some appreciation of the scale and uniqueness of the location, as well as the importance of this Country to its people, check out this short (3min) video: Lake Victoria Aboriginal Heritage Impact Permit (AHIP) (youtube.com)
Heritage NSW media release: Balancing cultural heritage conservation with water needs at Lake Victoria | NSW Environment and Heritage
The Management of Fortescue Marsh
From Melissa Pepper (2023)
When people think of Western Australia’s Pilbara region they don’t often think of wetlands. Nonetheless, this semi-arid environment is home to a vast ephemeral wetland of regional and national significance. Fortescue Marsh sits in the Fortescue River valley between the Chichester and Hamersley Ranges, about 100km north of the town of Newman.
The marsh and its alluvial plains comprise 180,000 hectares with a broader catchment area of some 2.9 million hectares (DBCA, 2018). It is listed on both the Directory of Important Wetlands of Australia and as a Key Biodiversity Area (KBA) by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) for its significance as a habitat and feeding area for migratory birds. The area around the marsh also provides habitat for several rare fauna species including the critically endangered Night Parrot, and the endangered Northern Quoll, Greater Bilby and Pilbara Olive Python. Several endemic or near endemic species of flora have also been recorded near the marsh.
The marsh is also a place of immense cultural significance to the Nyiyaparli people. Numerous important ceremonial and mythological sites are located near the marsh. A songline associated with the Yurturrpa snake runs the length of the marsh to a yinda (waterhole) called Mirilimpirrinha in the north-west corner of the marsh. It is here at Mirilimpirrinha that Yurturrpa travelled underground to another yinda called Deep Reach, further west in Millstream National Park, on Yindjibarndi Country, where he continues to reside today. *
The marsh is part of a broader complex of important sites interconnected by songlines. The entire Upper Fortescue catchment, not just the marsh itself, is of immense cultural importance to each of the four language groups whose Country through which the system passes. Nyiyaparli Country sits at the top of the upper Fortescue, with Banjima, Yindjibarndi and Kuruma-Marthudunera Countries downstream. Each language group has a responsibility to care for their part of the river system. There is a great sense of awareness that one group’s actions could adversely impact on another group downstream if care is not taken. This system of cross-tenure responsibility presents lessons from which we as western scientists and land managers can no doubt learn.
The KNAC Nyiyaparli Rangers work with WA Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions (DBCA) as well as Roy Hill Station to manage the marsh. Some of the projects they undertake include cool season burns to protect old growth spinifex populations at the southern edge of the marsh which is critical habitat for the Night Parrot; red-claw removal at 14-Mile and 22-Mile yindas (an invasive species that impacts Spangled Perch recruitment); monitoring of molly fish numbers at 14-Mile and 22-Mile yindas (an invasive species that has recently been recorded in the upper reaches of the Fortescue River), water quality monitoring at 14-Mile and 22-Mile yindas; assessments of vegetation health using both ground based life-form analysis (LFA) transect and multi-spectral drone imagery data to measure the impact of cattle removal at eastern Fortescue Marsh; and installing camera traps to monitor feral cat activity.
This year will also see the piloting of 2ha plot sign surveys in two locations within the eastern Fortescue Marsh area to monitor for bilby activity where bilby diggings have been identified. Another highlight of the year will no doubt be the Kids on Country Junior Rangers camp held at 14 Mile yinda. One of the most enjoyable activities of last year’s camp was the Water Bugs lesson. This year’s camp will see more water-based learning with the inaugural Red Claw Blitz to take place.
Watch the space!
*Shared with the permission of Nyiyaparli Traditional Owners.
Department of Biodiversity, Conservation & Attractions (DBCA) 2018, Fortescue Marsh Management Strategy 2018-24. DBCA (Pilbara Regional Office), Karratha, Western Australia.
United
By Michele Groat (2023)
Fellow Michele Groat works in wetlands (they are her happy place). She wrote this poem as one of her PCT Leadership Program tasks.
In the heart of the Murray Darling Basin I live,
I stand as a leader, with much to give.
With thirty years of wisdom, I proudly claim,
In the water industry, I’ve carved my name.
An irrigator at heart, the land I tend,
A voice for the community, I fiercely defend.
As a manager of waters, west of the divide,
I nurture the environment, with unwavering pride.
I’ve gained the community’s respect by remaining honest and calm
Standing up for what I believe in; we need both healthy wetlands
and productive farms
A voice of reason through every debate,
I’ve shown the way forward is through collaboration & compassion,
not hate
Flourishing wetlands are my ultimate goal,
Where nature and life warms the soul.
Productive paddocks beneath the sun’s warm gaze,
Sustainable agriculture, guiding my days.
If not me, then who (?) to shoulder this role,
sharing the water, keeping our community whole?
With values of courage, integrity and trust,
I build relationships, sincerity a must.
Success, for me, is in the wetlands’ bloom,
In the flow of rivers, in nature’s room.
When farmers thrive, communities grow and the environment is blessed,
I’ll know I’m successful, in my leadership quest.
So here I stand, with purpose and might,
A leader for water, shining so bright.
In every drop, my passion runs free,
An advocate for food production and nature,
That leader is me.
3. On Leadership
LEADING CHANGE
It is no coincidence that the very short list of people who have sat in the Chair of the Peter Cullen Trust are what Chair-elect Cynthia Mitchell might describe as “good ancestors”.
And there is no doubt that the Trust has been the beneficiary of the vision, dedication and leadership that the Hon Professor John Thwaites AM (2009-2019) and the Hon Karlene Maywald (2019-2024) have brought to the role. Their legacy of courageous and ethical leadership underpins every day at the Trust. We often ask ourselves “what would Peter do”. We also hold ourselves accountable to the standards and the aspirations set by John and Karlene.
On 15 February, the Trust Board will meet to endorse the next changing of the guard, when it says farewell and thank you to outgoing Chair the Hon Karlene Maywald and formally appoints Chair-elect Professor Emerita Cynthia Mitchell AO. If it’s possible to raise the bar for us, Cynthia will be the leader to do that.
The following reflections from Karlene Maywald, Darryl Day and Cynthia Mitchell mark this significant period of leadership transition.
Message from the Chair
It is with mixed emotions that I write my last contribution to Bridging as Chair of the Peter Cullen Trust. Sad to be leaving the role, but very excited for what the future holds!!
I would like to thank Darryl Day for his stewardship of the Trust as CEO through the challenging times presented by Covid and for his leadership during our transition to an organisation driven and held in Trust by our Fellows.
The Trust is so fortunate to have an incredible Team of exceptional professionals that work tirelessly to provide the most challenging and life changing leadership experiences for our Fellows. Bek, Lesley and Linda consistently go above and beyond to enable the Trust to have an extraordinary reach and this will only continue to grow as we embrace the next strategic phase of the Trust.
We now have over 280 leaders from across Australia who have graduated from the program and the Friends of the Trust now number 170.
This is a powerhouse of leadership and influence across the water sector and beyond. Our opportunity is to mobilise this incredible depth of expertise and intellect to improve policy outcomes in an ever-changing environment.
I am confident that our incoming Chair, Professor Emerita Cynthia Mitchell AO and CEO, Rosie Wheen are just the duo to take the solid foundation of the Trust to new heights.
Whilst my ever-growing international work commitments are the reason I am stepping down as Chair, it is by no means the end to my association with this truly incredible organisation. I will be continuing as a Friend to support the PCT leadership team and in particular, I’ll be working with the Friends of the Trust to activate our participation in developing the next generation of leaders and influencers in water and climate change. Friends, be on the lookout for more information later in the year and be prepared to roll up your sleeves in support!!
All the very best for 2024 – I know it will be a very exciting time for the Peter Cullen Trust.
A Champion of Water – thank you Karlene Maywald
By Darryl Day
Since November 2019, our esteemed Chairperson, the Hon Karlene Maywald has led the Board of the Peter Cullen Water and Environment Trust, steering us through the challenges of COVID-19, transforming the Board and Board Committees to be Fellows led, and championing deeper engagement with Friends and Fellows. She is an inspiration and generous mentor with a passion to advance the Trust’s purpose to “foster courageous leadership to tackle big challenges in water and environment”.
Our inaugural Chairperson (2009 – 2019), The Hon John Thwaites AM, acknowledged the incredible standing and achievements of Karlene at the November 2023 Graduate Address. John said that “there is no one who knows more about water than Karlene. And not only about water, but about the whole context and the people – irrigators, environmentalists, politicians – and she is able to bring together all of her skills to get outcomes. If there is a Peter Cullen today, it is Karlene.” High praise indeed. (You can listen to John’s address HERE.)
Inside the Trust, Karlene has not only driven renewal of Directors from the alumni of Fellows, but has strengthened engagement between the Board and Fellows through her initiative to include two observers from the Fellows Committee at Trust Board meetings. The results reflect Karlene’s passion for inclusiveness and for the ongoing development of those she works with.
Karlene also championed the establishment of the new role and work of the Fellows Network Coordinator and has been extraordinarily generous with her time supporting the Trust’s engagement with partners, donors, sponsors and supporters. Karlene’s network nationally and internationally is exceptional as is her commitment to widening the conversation on water to other sectors including climate, biodiversity, food security and energy transition to low carbon.
The retiring CEO, Darryl Day, said that he was “always amazed at Karlene’s boundless energy, sharp intellect and capacity to contextualise complex issues. As Chairperson, Karlene always found time to get to know everyone she met, no matter what the situation. Connecting people, and exploring issues from their perspective, is Karlene’s superpower”.
Karlene’s last Board meeting will be on 15 February 2024 when her term as Director expires. Her legacy as an exceptional leader has no expiry date.
INTRODUCING CYNTHIA MITCHELL
When we asked Friend of the Trust and Chair-elect Professor Emerita Cynthia Mitchell AO why she has taken on the role of Chair of the Peter Cullen Trust, and why now, this is what she said.
The situation: The word ‘unprecedented’ has never had so much use as it has in the last 8 months or so, as our global climate data veered off course and stayed there. The very clear signal our planet is giving us is that we need to head in a different direction and we need to do it now. The evidence is abundantly clear and literally growing by the day – globally renowned scientists have declared we are now in uncharted territory.
The Trust: Alongside that is the deep and rich history of the Peter Cullen Trust with its central tenet to foster courageous leadership, and to speak truth to power. Already some 280 Fellows are out in the world, doing just that. My sense, and I know many others share this view, is that there is enormous latent potential energy in the Trust… like a coiled spring…
Me: Since making the commitment a few years ago to be a ‘good ancestor’, in line with Daverick Leggett’s heartwarming and heartwrenching poem of that name, I’ve explicitly encapsulated the intention of my work as being about guiding and mentoring the transformations we know we need.
So if our best guess is that we have just a few years in which to make enough of a difference to give those who will come after us the opportunity to enjoy a planet worth living on, then taking on the role of Chair at the Peter Cullen Trust to help deliver on its potential is both a perfect fit and a powerful opportunity.
We need leaders who have the courage to bear witness to what is already here, with the reflexivity to be able to step back and not only reflect on our ‘doing’, but also think about our thinking – to recognise how our patterns and worldviews can accidentally and implicitly have profound unintended consequences.
And above all, we need leaders who can listen deeply and who welcome difference as a gift.
Leaders such as these can play across every octave of worklife, deftly choosing the perfect key to harmonise with the situation at hand.
For decades, my reason for being has been to tilt the world just a little bit more towards regenerative and sustainable futures – to create net positive outcomes for people and planet. Whilst I’ve been honoured with all manner of accolades and awards along the way, what matters to me is that collectively – with my incredible clients/collaborators/teams and through our joined-up willingness to exercise courage and bravery and do things differently – we have indeed been able to make a difference in the world, to make the world a better place. Here’s to more of that!
My journey:
My worklife journey has been inexorably about trying to find longer levers to make more of a difference. I’ve always wanted to work in situations where the answers to my questions couldn’t be found in a how-to manual. That meant I sought out the booming biotechnology industry as a fresh-faced chemical engineer. I soon learned I needed a stronger values base to my work – the big picture ‘why’ mattered as much as the what and the how. That led to a decade in conventional engineering programs at various universities, where I led initiatives in the new discipline of environmental engineering, whilst demonstrating the need for and initiating women in engineering programs, and becoming an ardent advocate for learning and teaching.
But again I was looking for longer levers, so when I discovered the fledgling Institute for Sustainable Futures at UTS, it was a perfect match. I stayed for 20 years, helping in my role as Deputy Director to grow it into the world-leading practice-based research organisation it is today. But the desire to do more, to go deeper, remained, because what had become abundantly clear through my research was that the only way we can create lasting change in the world is to find the courage to go inwards and create lasting change in ourselves – it is an inner-outer dance of transformation.
So in 2021 I stepped away from the beloved Institute to start my own little business, the good ancestor, aimed at doing precisely that.
My history: I’ve highlighted the stuff I’m most proud of below.
QUALIFICATIONS AND PROFESSIONAL RECOGNITION
| FICDA | 2015 | Fellow of the Institute of Community Directors of Australia |
| Dip Bus | 2015 | Diploma of Business (Governance), Chisholm Institute |
| FTSE | 2012 | Fellow of the Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering |
| FIEAust | 2012 | Fellow of the Institution of Engineers Australia |
| Hon DTech | 2007 | Honorary Doctorate in Technology, Chalmers University Sweden |
| PhD | 1992 | PhD in Biotechnology, University of New South Wales |
| BE | 1986 | Bachelor of Engineering (Chemical, Hons I), University of Queensland |
AWARDS
| 2018 | Australian Water Association, Legend of Water |
| 2015 | Westpac Australian Financial Review 100 Women of Influence (Public Policy) |
| 2013 | Researcher Development Award, University of Technology Sydney |
| 2012 | Green Globe Award, Environmental Leadership and Innovation, NSW |
| 2012 | Smart Water Fund, Client Service Provider Award, Victoria |
| 2011 | International Water Association Innovation Award, Can Tho Water Supply and Sewerage |
| 2010 | Visy Waste Management & Environment, National Leader: Urban & Industrial Water |
| 2008 | Postgraduate Supervision Excellence Award University of Technology Sydney |
| 2006 | National Fellowship, Australian Learning and Teaching Council |
| 2000 | Dean’s Teaching Excellence Award, University of Sydney |
| 1998 | Affirmative Action Award, University of Queensland |
| 1998 | McGraw Hill New Engineering Educator Award, Australasian Association for Engineering Education |
| 1998 | BP Chairman’s Global Award for Health, Safety and Environment, BP UK |
LEADERSHIP PROGRAMS 2023/2024
By Dr Bek Christensen, PCT Programs Director
2024 PCT Leadership Program
We have a group of 18 participants joining this year’s PCT Leadership Program, which commences with Session One from 18-22 March, on Ngunnawal, Ngunawal and Ngambri Country.
As usual our group includes people from almost every State and Territory, and a range of organisations and professions. Many of the group know or work alongside PCT Fellows, and at interview spoke of their observations of ‘something different’ about the Fellows they know, and their eagerness to take the opportunity of the Program to grow their leadership capability to contribute to the sector and the Australian community more broadly.
Session Two will take place at the Shine Dome from 20-24 May, with Graduation on Thursday 23 May – mark your calendars now and take a look elsewhere in this edition for details of other events for the PCT Community happening in that week.
2024 PCT Fellows Connection to Country Program
We anticipated strong interest in this Program, and Fellows’ enthusiasm outstripped even our high expectations with all spots snapped up only two weeks after it launched. We will commence the Program with a series of online yarns throughout February and March, giving us the opportunity to listen and learn from each other alongside Indigenous and non-Indigenous leaders from the Northern Basin. The in-person and on-Country week will then take place 7-11 April 2024, where we will have the opportunity to learn alongside community and Country, including some of the wetlands of the Northern Murray-Darling Basin.
It’s a privilege to read some of the personal motivations for Fellows who are joining this Program, which include:
- Time to slow down and listen deeply to the wisdom of the First Peoples of Australia.
- Gain a deeper understanding of Indigenous water management practices and perspectives.
- Enhance my competency in engaging and leading appropriately and respectfully in matters affecting First Nations people.
- Listen, learn, understand and be better equipped to have a greater impact in the work I do in the future walking with and partnering with First Nations communities.
One of our participants also rightly recognised that “the collective impact that can be achieved through coming together for programs like this is very powerful.”
We look forward to sharing more with the PCT Community about this Program as it unfolds over the coming months.
PCT leadership for One Basin CRC research project
We’re pleased to share that PCT is a key partner in delivery of the three-year ‘Understanding Future Leadership Needs’ research project approved for funding under the One Basin CRC. Led by Dr Hannah Feldman at ANU, this project will develop tangible, research-informed recommendations for enabling leadership across the many complex domains and industries that exist in the Basin (cultural, geographical, etc.), and output resources for workshops and training to enable this learning.
We are just at the kick off phase now and will share more about the project across the coming years. We also expect to draw on the wisdom and experience of the PCT community throughout the project. If you’d like to know more about the project please contact Bek (bek@petercullentrust.com.au). For more information about the CRC please visit: https://onebasin.com.au/
AWARDS AND APPOINTMENTS
Fellows and Friends of the PCT are widely acknowledged for their individual achievements and contributions on many fronts, including:
Dr Sandra Brizga (2012)
PCT Fellow, Dr Sandra Brizga (2012) has been appointed as a Council Member of the Birrarung Council. The Birrarung Council is a statutory entity that advises the Victorian Minister for Water and advocates for the protection and wellbeing of the Birrarung (Yarra River). The Council represents a new approach to environment protection, in the Victorian and national context, in serving as a ‘voice for the river’. The Council is a bi-cultural public entity, in which Traditional Owners, community and skills-based members work together to support the protection of Country.
Ray Ison (Friend of the Trust)
The 2023 GN Alexander Medal for Hydrology and Water Resources was awarded to Ray Ison and colleagues Naomi Rubenstein, Maddie Shelton and the late Phil Wallis (2018) for their paper ‘Dramaturgies for Re-imagining Murray-Darling Basin governing’ and published in the Australasian Journal of Water Resources. This award was made by the Institution of Engineers Australia’s National Committee on Water Engineering.
NEW FRIENDS OF THE TRUST
The Trust is proud to welcome eight new Friends of the Trust, outstanding individuals who share our commitment to courageous leadership in water and environment.
Professor Richard Kingsford, UNSW
Professor Richard Kingsford is a conservation biologist who has worked extensively across the wetlands and rivers of the Murray-Darling Basin. He is the Director of the Centre for Ecosystem Science, UNSW Sydney. He works with many different communities and governments across Australia on management of ecosystems. He also works on adaptive management and reintroductions, leading the Wild Deserts project. His research has influenced conservation policy and management, including through involvement on state and federal advisory committees. He chairs the Society for Conservation Biology’s Global Governance Committee and is a Director on the Society for Conservation Biology Oceania Board.
Diane Tarte, Marine Ecosystem Policy Advisors
Diane Tarte is Director of Marine Ecosystem Policy Advisors providing advice on policy and programs addressing research and management of marine, coastal and catchment areas with a particular focus on ecosystem-based management of catchments, waterways and fisheries. Over the past 45 years she has been involved in the protection and management of the Great Barrier Reef and Australian tidal wetland areas, the development of government planning and management policies and legislation focusing on integrated coastal zone management and Oceans Policy, and the involvement of the community in the management of marine protected areas, coastal wetland reserves and rehabilitation of riparian zones. She is a Non-Executive Director for Alluvium Holdings and Alluvium Consulting Australia; chairs the board of TierraMar Ltd/OceanEarth Foundation and the technical working group for three Great Barrier Reef regional report card partnerships; and is a member of the Reef 2050 Plan Advisory Committee and CSIRO’s Environment Advisory Group.
Rob Gell AM
Rob is a coastal geomorphologist by training, who taught Physical Geography and Environmental Science at Melbourne State College and Melbourne University, before a thirty-one year career presenting television weather in parallel with a career as an environmental consultant. He is a director of a range of sustainable technology companies, President of the Royal Society of Victoria, a Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society, an Inaugural Fellow of the Environment Institute of Australia and New Zealand and a Member of the Order of Australia for significant service to conservation, to the protection of coastal and marine environments, and to the community.
Adam Lovell, WSAA
Adam is the Executive Director of the Water Services Association of Australia (WSAA), the peak body for water utilities in Australia and New Zealand, a position he commenced in 2011. Prior to his current role, Adam developed an extensive water industry career including roles at Anglian Water (UK), University of Sydney and Sydney Water, primarily in research and innovation. Adam provides national leadership in policy positions for the Australian water sector on issues including industry reform, water security and quality, climate change, customer and community engagement and First Nations water services. Adam also holds a non-executive Board role for the Global Water Research Coalition and is a member of a number of state and national advisory committees.
Dr Allan Dale, JCU
Allan Dale is a Professor of Tropical Regional Development at The Cairns Institute, James Cook University and Chief Scientist for the Cooperative Research Centre for Developing Northern Australia (CRCNA). Allan has a strong interest in integrated societal governance, with a particular focus across the tropical world, northern Australia and the Great Barrier Reef. He leads JCU’s contributions to Queensland’s Rural Economies Centre of Excellence (RECoE), Queensland’s Communities in Transition Program and emerging new approaches to Collective Impact for Social Development. He works extensively with governments, regional and local communities on issues related to economic, social and Indigenous development, water and natural resource management. Allan is Deputy Chair of the Premier’s Queensland Plan Ambassador Council. He was previously the Chair of Regional Development Australia Far North Queensland and Torres Strait (RDA FNQ&TS) and the ex-CEO of Terrain NRM.
Kaj Lofgren, Regen Melbourne
Kaj (pronounced Kai) is the CEO of Regen Melbourne, an engine for ambitious collaboration, in service of Melbourne. Our purpose is to create a resilient and regenerative Melbourne, for our kids and future generations. Powered by an alliance of more than 180 organisations, Regen Melbourne is the catalyst and host of a portfolio of bold projects that are moving Melbourne towards a regenerative future. Kaj is also the Entrepreneur in Residence at Small Giants Academywhere he collaborates on the Academy’s education and storytelling initiatives. A Civil Engineer by training, Kaj holds a Masters of Economic History from Lund University and has previously worked in social enterprise, impact investment and community development with Engineers Without Borders.
Toss Gascoigne
Toss is a global specialist in science communication. He has run hundreds of training workshops in Australia, the Pacific and 25 other countries including Germany, Kenya, Columbia, India, the Philippines, Saudi Arabia and Papua New Guinea. These workshops have focussed on science communication, how to reach different audiences and explain complex concepts.
From 1995-2010, Toss served as Executive Director for three national organisations: the Federation of Australian Scientific and Technological Societies (FASTS); the Council for the Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences (CHASS); and Australian Science Innovations (ASI). He worked as CEO to Peter Cullen for his two terms as President of FASTS.
Toss has worked extensively with politicians, bureaucrats and senior figures in the research community. He designed and organised Science meets Parliament, a major event in the national science calendar which brings 160 scientists to Canberra for one-on-one meetings with members of Parliament. The event began in 1999, when Peter was President, and has been copied by other organisations and researcher groups in Canada and across Europe. It continues today.
In 2020 the book Communicating Science. A Global Perspective was published by ANU Press, with Toss serving as designer, manager and chief editor. This international account of the way science communication has developed in 39 countries includes contributions from 107 authors and is the most popular science book the Press has ever published. He continues to publish papers and book chapters.
In 2024, Toss is engaged in an ambitious program to build awareness of environmental issues in AlUla, Saudi Arabia, working with representatives of the local community on matters ranging from water and revegetation to the reintroduction of threatened native animals.
Dr Anthony Boxshall, Science into Action
Dr Anthony Boxshall is a marine ecologist by trade who has worked in Australia and the USA across Government, academia and private industry. He is the Founder and Principal of Science into Action, a science impact company turning great science into greater actions. He is a Board Director of Parks Victoria and was the valedictory Chair of the Victorian Coastal Council. He is the current Chair of the Victorian Marine and Coastal Council. A former National President of the Australian Marine Sciences Association (AMSA – the largest learned society for professional marine scientists in Australia), he has worked at UC Santa Cruz USA, Deakin University, and has been on several innovation Boards. A current Melbourne Enterprise Fellow in the School of Biosciences at the University of Melbourne (with the title Assoc. Professor), he ran the Science area at the Environment Protection Authority (EPA) in Victoria for nearly a decade. He is a problem solver and strategist. As a hobby, he has communicated the wonders of the marine and coastal environment to a broad audience through the award-winning “Radio Marinara” on 3RRR-FM in Melbourne since late 1996. He is a dad to 4 children who continually amaze, inspire, frustrate and leave him in awe of the potential of the future and hence more determined to leave a positive aquatic, coastal and marine legacy.
4. Network News and Views
Fellows Committee
The new year sees some new faces joining the Fellows Committee, a dynamic group of leaders who are shaping the program of ongoing development opportunities for the Fellows Network. In 2024, the Fellows Committee is:
| Andrew O’Neill | QLD | 2017 |
| Cath Atkinson | ACT | 2022 |
| Chris Golding | ACT | 2022 |
| Grace Rose-Miller | VIC | 2017 |
| Jackie Luethi | ACT | 2022 |
| Kim Markwell | QLD | 2015 |
| Kylie Climie | NT | 2022 |
| Maria Rosier | QLD | 2023 |
| Matthew Fullerton | QLD | 2013 |
| Sarah Mika | NSW | 2023 |
| Simone Stewart | SA | 2021 |
| Trent Wallis | VIC | 2017 |
| Vanessa Moscovis | WA | 2022 |
On behalf of the Trust and the Fellows Network, we acknowledge and thank retiring Committee members Deb Bower (NSW, 2019), Monique White (SA, 2015), Paul Frazier (NSW, 2012) and Simon Treadwell (Vic, 2011). Someone noted recently that the Trust is a bit like the Hotel California, and in that spirit we don’t expect that our departing Committee members will ever truly leave! For now though, we give a hearty three cheers to these stalwarts of the fellowship.
NATIONAL WEBINAR SERIES
Law and Lore
Wednesday 17 April, 12.30-2.00pm AEST
Unpacking some of the challenges that we face in water law, justice, policy and collective wisdom in the face of a changing climate.
Presenters:
- Prof Jennifer McKay, Professor of Business Law – Justice and Society, Uni SA, Friend of the Trust
- Dr Madeleine Hartley (2017), Churchill Fellow 2019, Manager, Policy and Regulatory Strategy, Water NSW
- Prof Anne Poelina (2011), Co-Chair of Indigenous Studies, Nulungu Research Institute, Uni Notre Dame
Registrations for this event will open in early March.
LUNCH WITH A LEADER SERIES
ACT Lunch with a Leader – Andrew McConville, Chief Executive of the MDBA
By Nicole Vonarx (2023)
On Tuesday 5 December, a beautiful sunny day in Canberra, I prepared myself for my first lunch with a leader session, where we would hear from Andrew McConville the Chief Executive of the Murray Darling Basin Authority.
After some quick networking and introductions, we settled in to listen to Andrew’s journey as a leader. One of the first things that struck me was Andrew’s openness to share his insights and experiences, not just in his current role as CE of the MDBA – arguably one of the most difficult water related jobs in Australia – but also through the various personal and professional challenges he has dealt with through the years.
Whilst not a water native, Andrew shared his passion for regional and rural Australia, something that definitely struck a chord with me being a dryland farmer’s daughter from Wagga Wagga. This passion is just one of the perspectives that he brings to his role at the MDBA. He reminded us that nothing can really teach you how to be a CE but you must draw on the collective knowledge and experiences that you gather over the years.
For Andrew those experiences took him from Armidale, to playing rugby in the UK, studying law (where he perhaps honed his talents for debate and ability to articulate), to working for a number of years in one of the biggest global agri-businesses, Syngenta. Andrew shared his successes and some of his tougher experiences as a leader and spoke about the courage needed to make change.
The group had a lot of questions for Andrew around creating the space to innovate, having the courage to try something new and being vulnerable. There were lots of questions around Andrew’s vision for the MDBA and candid discussion of the changes required to support the people doing such amazing work.
One thing that was very clear was Andrew’s ability to communicate and to share his vulnerabilities. Andrew described himself as the “Chief Engagement Officer” at the MDBA. Taking into account the various perspectives of one of Australia’s most wicked problems but always keeping the vision of a healthy and sustainable Murray-Darling at the heart of what the organisation is about. Purpose-driven and values-led, definitely a lesson we can all take back to our respective workplaces.
VIC FELLOWS END OF YEAR GATHERING
It has become our habit to have the end of year gathering on days of ridiculously inclement weather. But we are Victorians, and intrepid, so on 29 November a goodly number found our way to a decent bar in the heart of our city, where we welcomed incoming CEO Rosie Wheen to the Trust and to the Fellows Network.
Huge thanks to Karen White (2021) and Alanna Wright (2021), our Melbourne City Leads, for harnessing their power and chaperoning us through another valuable and fun night of networking and celebration.
WA FELLOWS AND FRIENDS END OF YEAR GATHERING
WA Fellows and a Friend met at the State Library café for a sunny breakfast gathering on the 1st December. Ground and Co. where we met is a social enterprise café and they make pretty good coffee too!
The purpose of the breakfast was to welcome new Fellows, and there is quite a group based in WA to be welcomed!
When they passed the rigorous graduation process in Brisbane in November, new WA based Fellows include:
- Melissa Pepper – Pilbara
- Kate Cranney – Perth
- Emma Ligtermoet – Perth
- Amanda Best – Perth
- Winsome MacLaurin – Perth
It was a cheerful breakfast as we welcomed new Fellows and welcomed back Stacey Hamilton from her Churchill Fellowship travels (more on that later as that will be the subject of our first lunch in 2024!).
Kate Cranney, our new recruit, Emma Ligtermoet, Amanda Bell, and Winsome MacLaurin.
In the front row: Lijun Mo, Stacey Hamilton, Brett Dunn, Susan Worley and Kath Broderick.
FELLOWS IN THE NEWS
Dr Lisa Ehrenfried (2014)
PCT Director Dr Lisa Ehrenfried and her fellow Fellow Dr Jill Fagan (2017) were joint recipients of the Minister’s Climate Innovation Challenge 2023, for their project exploring low-carbon concrete for the water industry.
Jennifer Walker (2023)
Jen hasn’t changed jobs, but has been recognised by UNSW for their emerging leaders program. Jen believes ethical leadership, and leading with integrity is an essential aspect of management in the NRM sector.
Where are They now?
Fellows move about a good deal; here are some career updates:
Nerida Horner (2021)
Nerida was formerly with CSIRO for 8 years in Land and Water and Environment business units, working on collaborative research to inform the sustainable development of northern Australia. She have now joined the NT Dept of Environment, Parks and Water Security as Executive Director Office of Water Security.
Nerida’s new role is to lead implementation of a range of strategic water reforms in the NT over the coming three years, as outlined in the Territory Water Plan released in June 2023. The 16 priority actions in the plan span water planning, water management, drinking water quality, Aboriginal voices in water decisions, water security and more.
Where ARE You Now?
Help us to stay connected. Have you had a career change recently? This is an invitation for all Fellows to update us on your current roles, titles, preferred emails, contact details etc. Please share your details with Lesley Ryall, Fellows Network Coordinator, at lesley@petercullentrust.com.au.
5. Diary Dates
THE PETER CULLEN TRUST 15TH ANNIVERSARY – MAY 2024
The Boat House Dinner – 22 May 2024
Save The Date
To celebrate 15 years “fostering courageous leadership to tackle big challenges in water and environment” the Board of the Peter Cullen Water and Environment Trust will host a formal dinner at The Boat House, Canberra, on Wednesday 22 May 2024.
The Dinner will be a unique opportunity to discuss Peter Cullen’s transformative influence with founders of the Trust, hear from Fellows who are the beneficiaries of the Trust and focus on tackling big challenges in water and environment.
This will be a ticketed event for 100 guests. The program, including speaker details, will follow in early March, at which time individual registrations will open. Limited sponsorship opportunities are available on request to lesley@petercullentrust.com.au
The Water Symposium – 23 May 2024 – a Nationally Significant Conversation
Save The Date
To coincide with our milestone Boat House Dinner (Canberra, 22 May 2024), this year’s first Fellows Professional Development Day has been recast as the “Water Symposium”, a whole day forum for bold, informed and solutions-oriented debate around the imperatives for change to prepare Australia for climate change.
To paraphrase our namesake: “When water is scarce what will we prioritise?” Through our 2024 lens, we will add a layer to this still relevant issue and ask, in the face of climate extremes and repeat catastrophes, how will we respond? Be prepared for a respectful “stoush”, in true Peter Cullen style.
- When: Thursday, 23 May 2024; 8.15am-4.00pm
- Where: TBC, Canberra
In the morning, speakers and panelists will present the evidence – the irrefutable truth – in climate science. We will consider what this means for First Nations people; for biodiversity; for irrigators; for regional communities; and for leaders.
In the afternoon, across those themes, small groups will debate the priorities for change, reflect on their individual and collective leadership challenges to implement change and develop a joint statement plus a list of priority actions. We aim to reach agreement on realising outcomes from these priority actions.
The Water Symposium will be free to attend for Fellows and Friends of the Trust, but numbers will be limited. It will be conducted under Chatham House rule, with some presentations and outcomes recorded and shared, by prior agreement with contributors.
The program will follow in early March, at which time individual registrations will open. Limited sponsorship opportunities are available on request to lesley@petercullentrust.com.au
PCT EVENTS
- 17 April – National Webinar – Law and Lore
- 22-24 May – Graduation Week events, Canberra
PCT PROGRAMS
- 17-22 March – Leadership Program Session 1
- 19-24 May – Leadership Program Session 2
PCT GOVERNANCE
- 15 February – PCT Board
- 7 May – Business Development and Philanthropy Committee
- 15 May – Audit, Finance and Risk Committee
- 24 May – PCT Board
GLOBAL
- 3 March – World Wildlife Day
- 22 March – World Water Day
- 22 April – International Mother Earth Day
CONFERENCES AND SEMINARS
2024 Connected by Water – 28 February – 1 March 2024 – Perth
The inaugural Connected by Water conference, presented by the Australian Water Association, will bring together a national and international audience to discuss sustainable water management in the West. The Connected by Water program will focus on the way water underpins economic prosperity, communities, the environment and Indigenous connection to Country, and is an opportunity to discuss the intersection of water with other sectors.
For full program information and to register, click HERE.
Ozwater – 30 April-2 May 2024 – Melbourne
The 2024 theme Accelerating Action is a rally cry to our community addressing the vital role water must play in the climate crisis of our current time. Together, we will ignite a powerful movement towards a sustainable water future. Ozwater’24 will take concrete steps to effect lasting change.
We will explore actionable strategies that empower individuals, organisations, and governments to make a tangible impact.
Early Bird Registration is now open. Visit Ozwater ’24 for more information.
IWRA 1st Islands Water Congress – September 4-6, 2024 – Tórshavn, Faroe Islands
The International Water Resources Association’s (IWRA) Islands Water Congress is a new high-level global event organised in collaboration with a different island host every two years. For the first edition, IWRA has partnered with the Faroese Geological Survey (Jarðfeingi), and the event will be held in Tórshavn on the Faroe Islands, from the 4 to 6 September 2024.
The theme of the first edition will be ‘Freshwater and Islands: Administration, Collaboration and Innovation’. The aim of this and subsequent congresses is to develop a body of learning that will boost freshwater opportunities and advance solutions to freshwater challenges in island contexts.
Water managers, policy-makers, researchers and other specialists can connect with peers, learn about innovations, and gain insights into unique island water challenges, programs and research across the globe.
Find out more and register here: https://islandswatercongress.org/
Find out more about IWRA and its free membership offer at: https://www.iwra.org/
(For any additional questions, you can also contact PCT Friend, Gary Jones, who is also an IWRA Board member at: gjoneswater@gmail.com)
6. Across the Sector
Director – Partnerships and Engagement
The One Basin CRC is a focused research collaboration developing policy, technical and financial solutions to support and reduce exposure to climate, water and environmental threats in the Murray-Darling Basin.
The One Basin CRC is looking for a Director – Partnerships and Engagement to join the team reporting directly to the Chief Executive Officer. As part of the executive team, this key role provides strategic leadership across the organisation and is essential in setting and contributing to our culture and further strengthening our partnerships.
This role can be based in Melbourne, or regionally – Mildura, Loxton, Griffith or Goondiwindi…
For further information click HERE.
University of Canberra Vice Chancellor Paddy Nixon Resigns
From Professor Ross Thompson (2014)
On the 17th of January 2024, University of Canberra Professor Paddy Nixon stepped down from his position as University of Canberra’s Vice-Chancellor and President after 4 years.
Professor Nixon commenced his role as Vice-Chancellor and President of the University of Canberra in April 2020. Prior to joining the University of Canberra, Professor Nixon was Vice-Chancellor and President of Ulster University from 2015 and Deputy Vice-Chancellor Research at the University of Tasmania from 2010.
Professor Nixon arrived at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic and successfully navigated its challenges, before leading the development of the University’s decadal strategy, Connected.
“Being the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Canberra has been an absolute privilege. The University has come so far in the last four, very challenging, years,” said Professor Nixon. “For personal reasons, I am taking a career break.”
During his time at the University of Canberra Professor Nixon supported the Peter Cullen Trust in its move to refurbished facilities adjacent to the Centre for Applied Water Science at the University and signed a new hosting agreement with UC.
The University is undertaking a global search to fill the Vice-Chancellor and President role and has appointed Deputy Vice-Chancellor Research and Enterprise, Professor Lucy Johnston as an interim Vice Chancellor.
Seeking Members for the Nature Repair Committee – Closing 26 February 2024
The Australian Government is searching for applicants to join the new, statutory Nature Repair Committee and help create a nature positive Australia by providing independent advice on Australia’s world-leading Nature Repair Market.
Under the Nature Repair Act 2023, the Nature Repair Committee will provide independent expert advice to the Minister for the Environment and Water on the compliance of key elements of the market.
The department is looking for highly experienced, technical experts and professionals to form the committee. This will include a part-time chair and 4 to 5 part-time members. Committee members will be appointed by the minister and must have substantial experience or knowledge and significant standing in at least one of the following fields:
- Ecological sciences
- Agriculture
- Environmental markets
- Economics
- Land management
- Indigenous knowledge.
We are actively seeking applications from Indigenous knowledge holders and encourage First Nations people to apply.
Applications are now open, and close 5pm AEDT 26 February 2024. Find out more at our website.
Any questions can be directed to naturerepaircommittee@dcceew.gov.au.
Review of the NSW Murray and Lower Darling Regulated Water Sharing Plan – Closing 25 February 2024
The Natural Resources Commission is conducting a review of the Water Sharing Plan for the NSW Murray and Lower Darling Regulated Rivers Water Sources 2016 (the Plan), before it expires on 30 June 2026. The review is being undertaken consistent with our statutory responsibilities under Section 43A of the NSW Water Management Act 2000.
This is your chance to comment on whether the Plan has achieved its environmental, social, economic and cultural outcomes. You are also invited to suggest any areas for improvement. The Commission welcomes feedback, with submissions closing on Sunday 25 February 2024.
Your submission should address at least one of the following six key questions in relation to environmental, social and economic outcomes, and opportunities for improvement:
- To what extent do you think the plan has contributed to environmental outcomes?
- To what extent do you think the plan has contributed to social outcomes?
- To what extent do you think the plan has contributed to economic outcomes?
- To what extent do you think the plan has contributed to cultural outcomes?
- To what extent do you think the plan has contributed to meeting its objectives?
- What changes do you think are needed to the water sharing plan to improve outcomes?
You can read the water sharing plan on the NSW Water Sharing Plan Legislation webpage.
Note: The Plan has recently been amended. We will review the Plan in effect at the time of the review. However, we will consider any amendments that have been made during the 10-year life of the Plan and potential impacts on outcomes.
How can I make a submission?
You can provide your submission by:
Email: nrc@nrc.nsw.gov.au
Mail: GPO Box 5341, Sydney, NSW 2001
Reviews in progress
- The Natural Resource Commission is finalising its review of the Water Sharing Plan for the Murrumbidgee Regulated River Water Source 2016
- Submissions have closed for the Gwydir Regulated River Water Source 2016 Water Sharing Plan however if you have feedback you would like to share with the Commission, contact us to see how this may be considered.
If you have any questions regarding the review of the Murray and Lower Darling regulated water sharing plan or require support lodging your submission, call: 02 9228 4844 or email nrc@nrc.nsw.gov.au.
Note: All submissions will be made public on the Natural Resources Commission’s website unless clearly marked ‘confidential’. See our submissions policy for more details.
Restoring Our Rivers: Draft framework for delivering 450 GL of additional environmental water
The Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water (DCCEEW) has released the Restoring our Rivers: draft framework for delivering the 450 GL of additional environmental water.
Consultation on the draft framework is open now via the DCCEEW Have Your Say website to enable communities, industries, irrigators, First Nations, local councils and environmental groups to provide feedback.
The draft framework outlines three key principles that will guide the Australian Government’s approach to recovering the 450 GL target:
- Enhancing environmental outcomes
- Minimising socio-economic impacts
- Achieving value for money.
The draft framework includes information on three new programs that the Government will establish to deliver the 450 GL target:
- Resilient Rivers Program – infrastructure projects, rules changes, land and water partnerships, commercial mechanisms to contribute to targets temporarily and other ways to recover water.
- Voluntary Water Purchase Program – purchase of water entitlements from willing sellers.
- Sustainable Communities Program – community adjustment assistance for Basin communities impacted by voluntary water purchase.
The Resilient Rivers Program Water Infrastructure Program (RRWIP) also opens today. The program will provide Australian Government funding for basin states to propose state-led water recovery projects that will improve water management, reduce water losses in the in the Murray–Darling Basin, and return water to the environment.
For more details about the draft framework for delivering the 450 GL and to have your say, click here.
7. Interesting Stuff
Articles, Publications and Presentations
Indigenous engagement to support resilience: A case study from Kamilaroi Country (NSW, Australia).
By Moggridge, B.J., Thompson, R.M., 2024
Published in Thoms, M., Fuller, I. (Eds.), Resilience and Riverine Landscapes. Elsevier, Ch18 pp. 363–387. ISBN: 9780323917162
This chapter illustrates the potential for developing pathways to engage with Australian Indigenous peoples (Kamilaroi Country, northern NSW) to share knowledge and contribute to more resilient water management.
Note that Country in Indigenous Australian culture represents connection to traditional lands, water and sky landscapes linking to a range of physical and spiritual values that are associated with it. Relationship with Country does not separate the individual features of the landscape.
This chapter seeks to illustrate how First Peoples’ cultural knowledge, values and practices can be engaged with to inform water planning and management. A case study of the Gwydir Wetlands in northern New South Wales, Australia, is presented, and a framework for engaging with IEK to develop and support sustainable and resilient water management within that system is proposed.
Trajectories of Change – Murray-Darling Basin Riverine Tree Ecosystems
From Dr Tanya Doody (2015)
Published as Doody, T.M., McInerney, P.J., Thoms, M.C., Gao, S., 2024. Resilience and adaptive cycles in water-dependent ecosystems: Can panarchy explain trajectories of change among floodplain trees? In: Thoms, M., Fuller, I. (Eds.), Resilience and Riverine Landscapes. Elsevier, pp. 97–115. https://www.sciencedirect.com/book/9780323917162/resilience-and-riverine-landscapes
The recently published book “Resilience and Riverine Landscapes” includes a book chapter presenting a novel method to assess trajectories of change in Murray-Darling Basin riverine tree ecosystems, providing new information to inform hydrological and ecosystem management.
Riverine ecosystems are very dynamic in response to hydrology and climatic changes. This includes floodplain and riparian tree ecosystems which increase and decrease tree biomass in response to water availability. Such dynamic change in tree canopies over time is important to build ecosystem resilience to disturbance and release nutrients to the riverine environment to support complex food webs. Riverine trees are thus very responsive to disturbance and can be representative of broader patterns in ecosystem alteration including changes in ecosystem function and integrity.
Over the past 20-30 years, continual declines in native riverine tree biomass has been observed in Australia’s highly regulated Murray-Darling Basin (MDB), although the dominant spatial-temporal causes remain unclear. Adaptive cycles (panarchy) describe the dynamic responses of ecosystems to disturbance as a cyclic process.
Within this chapter, we explore the utility of adaptive cycles to interpret a ~30 year remotely sensed Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) time series for two floodplain trees; Eucalyptus camaldulensis and E. largiflorens, using a pilot case study approach. We compared flood history in two large floodplain complexes in the MDB (Darling River – E. largiflorens; Yanga National Park – E. camaldulensis) where the Yanga complex is highly managed, with environmental water regularly used to support tree ecosystem functions.
In contrast, Darling River trees are more reliant on unregulated flows. Our interest lies in understanding the trajectories of change and potential thresholds which might indicate potential ‘flips’ of the case study ecosystems to less productive states.
For the Darling River complex, trajectories were compared for trees inundated for 1:8 and >1:30 years, while three flood classes at Yanga of 1:2, 1:5 and 1:10 years were compared.
Results indicated that as flood frequency decreased, trajectories of NDVI progressed from a pattern of ~5-year cyclical positive/negative trajectories to long-term NDVI declines for the >1:30 and 1:10 flood classes, indicating continuing degradation of these ecosystems and a potential to ‘flip’ to a new and less productive ecosystem state.
Long-term declines in the trajectory of the 1:8 flood class coincided with substantially reduced river flows in the Darling River from 1990 onwards and importantly, substantial flooding in 2016 was not sufficient to reverse that decline. Conversely, the 1:2 flood class continued on an increasing trajectory from 2000 for 20+ years, indicating that while this ecosystem has good water availability, it may be at risk of reduced resilience to disturbances such as prolonged drought as the trees are no longer oscillating between states of canopy biomass increase and decrease, characteristic of these dynamic environments.
Whilst a pilot study, this research has important implications for the management of water dependent ecosystems and we demonstrate the utility of adaptive cycles for the exploration of resilience in floodplain ecosystems and the potential to change ‘states’ in relation to altered water availability.