Forestry Program Convenor

Associate Professor
Forest Inventory, Forest Mensuration, Carbon Sequestration and Accounting, Forest Modelling, Forest Planning, Urban Forestry
Phone: +61 (0)2 6125 3535
Fax: + 61 (0)2 6125 0746
E-mail: Cris.Brack@anu.edu.au

Cris completed his undergraduate Honours degree at ANU in 1982 then worked in the field in the biggest plantation district in NSW. After promotion to Forest Inventory Officer, he designed inventories and information systems for NSW. After a PhD in Canada he returned to Australia as Senior Inventory Officer for State Forests of NSW with responsibility for supporting management of plantations and multiple-use native forests. He joined ANU Forestry in June 1994. Cris has subsequently undertaken extensive research and consultancy work throughout Australia as well as New Zealand, Malaysia, PNG, Germany, South Africa and USA.

Professional Activities

My most significant research contributions have been the development of optimal sampling strategies, modelling tools, and decision-support systems for trees at stand, landscape and continental scales. This research integrates knowledge of and innovation in applied statistics (for model-based and unequal probability sampling), data acquisition (from remotely sensed imagery and ground-based surveys), modelling (of tree and stand dynamics, fauna and flora habitat supply), and expert and decision-support systems (as integrating methods). The research has broad application in both natural and urban environments, and has attracted national and international interest. My work has been influential in development of the Australian Greenhouse Office's National Carbon Accounting System, and in catalysing the development and adoption of new approaches by forest and land managers and policy makers including the Bureau of Resource Sciences, National Forest Inventory, Canberra Parks and Places, Department of Sustainability and Environment (Victoria), Forestry Tasmania and Private Forests Tasmania. I am involved in teaching and learning in all these areas for undergraduates and post-graduates.

I am also active in National and International Research Working Groups on Forest Measurement and Information Systems; Inventories on Successive Occasions; Improving Education and Further Education in Forestry.

During 2006 my research focused on: measuring and reporting on the carbon sequestration at a national level; determining the environmental and economic value of urban forests; enhancing inventory data collection (including the use of LIDAR and ground-based lasers); and determining the impact of uncertainty on making good management decisions. I continue as a member of the Expert, Independent Advisory Panel to monitor the Department of Sustainability and Environment performance.

Academic Highlights

Winner of the Vice-Chancellor's Excellence in Teaching Award in 2006. Winner of a national Carrick Citation for Outstanding Contributions to Student Learning in 2007.

Selected Publications

(see also http://fennerschool-associated.anu.edu.au/mensuration/BRACKPUB.HTM )

Brack, C.L. (2006) Updating Urban Forest Inventories: An example of the DISMUT model. Urban Forestry and Urban Greening. 5:189-194

Brack, C.L., Richards, G. and Waterworth. R. (2006) Integrated and comprehensive emissions estimation for Greenhouse Gases. Sustainability Science 1: 91 - 106.

McElhinny, C., Gibbons, P., Brack, C.L. and Bauhus, J. (2006) Fauna-habitat relationships: a basis for identifying key stand structural attributes in temperate Australian eucalypt forests and woodlands. Pacific Conservation Biology 12: 89 - 110.