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The Institute for Land, Water and Society is one of four Centres of Research Excellence within Charles Sturt University, Australia. Its principal focus is on integrated research which contributes to improved social and environmental sustainability in rural and regional areas.
What's new:
Environmental water makes big difference
ILWS researchers have found the release of ‘environmental water’ from dams at selected times in 2011 had significant benefits for wetland plants and animals in the mid- Murrumbidgee wetlands. Read More
Report on ecological response to environmental water release in the Murrubidgee River
Just out is the final report from the team of ILWS researchers who were engaged by Commonwealth Environmental Water to monitor the ecological response to the environmental water release that took place in the Murrumbidgee River in June 2011. The team, led by Dr Skye Wassens, spent 10 months monitoring wetland communities from Tumut to Carrathool looking at the response of river and wetland communities before, during and after the water is released from Burrinjuck and Blowering Dams. They found the release resulted in improved water quality; increased native fish diversity; an increased abundance of wetland frog species; conditions that allowed for successful fledging of certain waterbird species; increased aquatic vegation cover and species diversity; and benefits from reduced biomass of biofilms. Read More
Travelling Stock Reserves recognised for biodiversity
Dr Peter Spooner, Institute member and expert in biodiversity conservation and the environmental history of TSRs, has hailed the recent announcement of federal government funding that supports the future management of Travelling Stock Routes (TSRs) in the Riverina. Read More
Water Resource Protection in Australia:
Institute adjunct Prof Kath Bowmer has published a monograph with the EH graham Centre titled “Water Resource Protection in Australia: Water Quality and Quantity as a Feature of Agricultural Land Management Systems.” Read More Download PDF
May issue of Connections now out!
Don't miss the straight- talking response by Institute adjunct Barney Foran to the Planet Under Pressure Conference he attended in London in the latest issue. Then there’s a profile piece on new Institute Associate Director Dr Joanne Millar; a story on the fascinating PhD research by Maggie Watson into the world of ticks and lice…and much more. Read more
Geo 5 Report
The Global Environmental Outlook Report #5 will be released on June 6. ILWS Director Prof Max Finlayson is a lead author in Chapter 5 Biodiversity. In the meantime check out the GEO publication Keeping Track of our changing environment which graphically illustrates global changes over the past twenty years since the Rio Earth Summit in 1992.
Postgraduate scholarships – Wetland research in the Lachlan Valley
ILWS is seeking 4 highly motivated candidates to undertake postgraduate wetland research in the Lachlan Valley in 2012 . More