ILWS - Institute of Land, Water and Society
Previous Events 2009
"Understanding rural landholder responses to climate change" National Forum
17-18 November, 2009, Albury Read more
E-Crew 2009 "Environmental and Resource Economics Early Career Researchers Workshop
3-4 November, 2009, Bathurst Link to brochure and program
"Wetlands and Waterbirds: Managing for Resilience" Conference
9-13 November, 2009, Leeton. Link to Conference website
ILWS Research Forum
One of the eight adjuncts attending the inaugural ILWS Research Forum held in Wagga Wagga on 16 and 17 June commented that it was a valuable opportunity to get people from across the Institute together and work towards one goal. The Forum was held to to focus on setting a research agenda to tackle the big issues facing the Murray Darling Basin.
Around 70 ILWS researchers from Orange, Wagga, Albury Thurgoona and Bathurst campuses attended the forum. Environmental issues including restoring and sustaining our wetlands and valuing ecosystem services were up for discussion as well as economic and social areas such as the future for regional natural resource management, human wellbeing and healthy communities, and developing regional business enterprise.
Guest speakers who presented in their area of expertise were:
Prof Jan McDonald, Griffith University (pictured right, with Prof Mark Morrison)
Dr Wendy Craik, Productivity Commission
Ms Roslyn Dundas, ACTCOSS (ACT Council of Social Service)
Dr Denis Foley, University of Newcastle
Dr David Godden, Department of Environment and Climate Change
Dr Sue McIntyre, CSIRO
Dr Neil Ward, Murray Darling Basin Authority
Two Inaugural Awards for Research Excellence were
presented at the Forum, with the winner of the Individual Award presented to Dr Jo Millar for her research focusing on environmental and 
livelihood issues affecting rural communities in regional Australia and South East Asia. The Team Award went to A/Prof Robyn Watts, Dr Catherine Allan, Professor Kath Bowmer, A/Prof Ken Page,
Dr Andrea Wilson and Dr Darren Ryder who are making a significant contribution to the knowledge of adaptive management of river operations and has influenced on-ground change in dam operations.
Pictured right (L to R): Prof Max Finlayson with team award winners A/Prof Robyn Watts and Dr Catherine Allan.
Social events were an important part of the Forum program, giving members the chance to meet and talk informally. Margrit Beemster explained the photographic exhibition by Dirk Spenneman, a series of black and white images entitled "The Triple Bottom Line: no water, no hope. no chance".
Pictured left: Bitter Harvest, an image from the exhibition
During the cocktail hour the special edition of Rural Society was launched by guest editor Professor Kath Bowmer (pictured, left) who explained the challenges involved in pulling together the "Water and Gender" themed issue. Incoming editor Dr Angela Ragusa spoke of her desire to see Rural Society flourish and encouraged ILWS researchers to support the journal.
The Forum Dinner, held at a local restaurant, was a great success with music provided by Albury musician Paul Gibbs and Rod Duncan and Mark Morrison ran a very entertaining and challenging trivia quiz. 
Pictured right: Enjoying dinner are (L to R) Zelma Bone, Max Finlayson, Roslyn Dundas, Rachel O'Brien, David Watson and Justin Watson.
A summary of information collated at the break out group sessions held throughout the Forum will be posted online soon.
Speaker presentations and a more photographs are posted on the For Members area of the website.
Charles Darwin Celebrations
Institute members were active participants in the University-wide events organised to celebrate the 200th birthday of the ‘father of evolution,' Charles Darwin on Feb 12.
Morning teas, complete with large birthday cakes, were held at the Wagga Wagga and the Albury-Wodonga (Thurgoona) campuses. The highlight of the morning tea at Albury-Wodonga was A/Prof David Watson and wife Maggie's new baby son Charlie who slept through the celebrations despite the media's interest in photographing and filming him. Dr Paul Humphries also welcomed the School of Environmental Science 's six new honors students describing them as “the next generation of scientists to discover and push back the frontiers of science as we are hopefully doing now.”
In Wagga a large contingent of staff gathered to help blow out the 200 candles, which took several attempts despite much effort. Wagga High School students were also included in the activities on Tuesday with the screening of the film "A flock of dodos" at the Riverina Playhouse. This was followed by a question and answer session with academics including ecologist Dr Skye Wassens.
Picture above: Staff on the Wagga Wagga campus battle with the wind to light the 200 candles on Darwin's cake..
Pictured left: Cutting the cake is Stacey Kopf with help from ILWS colleagues on Albury-Wodonga (Thurgoona) campus.
Picture below: Dr Paul Humphries, Dr Peter Pridmore and Dr Dennis Black at the Botanic Gardens gathering.
On Thursday evening about 40 scientific colleagues
joined Dr Paul Humphries and others from the Institute for a glass of champagnes and another birthday cake, complete with 200 candles, at Albury's Botanic Gardens at 5.30pm. Environmental scientists Dr Peter Pridmore and Dr Dennis Black from La Trobe University at Wodonga said it was great idea to celebrate Darwin's Birthday as did the former education officer at Wodonga Wetlands, Mike Copland and Murray Darling Freshwater Research Centre macro-vertebrate ecologist John Hawking. “It's a good opportunity to catch up with colleagues,” said Mr Hawking.