A group of researchers look up from the forest floor in Victoria.

Forests & fire

Forests provide ecosystem services that are critical to humans and the sustainability of our environment. Our research focuses on management of critically important native forests and woodlands, including forest ecology, landscape restoration, wildlife conservation, ecologically sustainable forestry, and the effects of fire and climate.

About

Forests provide ecosystem services that are critical to humans and the sustainability of our environment. Our research focuses on management of critically important native forests and woodlands, including forest ecology, landscape restoration, wildlife conservation, ecologically sustainable forestry, and the effects of fire and climate.

Projects

Widespread death of eucalypts has been observed in forested landscapes across Australia, including the alpine regions of Victoria, NSW and the ACT.

Student intake

Open for Bachelor, Honours, Masters, PhD students

People

Developing machine learning algorithms to identify forest structural characteristics from earth observation data on a regional scale, Australia

Student intake

Open for Honours students

People

The Fenner School has a number of projects that examine bushfires – how it behaves, its effects on the landscape and ecosystems, and how we can monitor and manage it in natural and built environments.

Student intake

Open for Bachelor, Honours, Masters, PhD students

People

A variety of projects that can explore the genetics; growth and survival; or management of a wide range of rare and endangered tree species (including Wollemi Pine).

Student intake

Open for Honours, Masters, PhD students

People

Informing the re-emergence of First Nations burning in contemporary endangered woodlands in south-eastern Australia

Student intake

Open for PhD students

People

The main aim of this project is to examine the flammability of eucalypt tress from three different perspectives: their biochemical composition, their spectral response, and their combustion behaviour.

Student intake

Open for PhD students

Members

Affiliate

Honorary Senior Lecturer

Photo of Associate Professor Cris Brack

Honorary Associate Professor

Emeritus Professor

Honorary Senior Lecturer

Honorary Senior Lecturer

Academic staff

Senior Lecturer

Photo of Claire Foster

Research Fellow

Photo of Associate Professor Gibbons

Professor

Peter stands and faces the camera in a blue shirt.

Professor

Research Fellow

Student

News

Snow gums (Eucalyptus pauciflora) thrive in cooler, wetter conditions. But as temperatures warm, these iconic trees are being threatened by drought, fire and disease.

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Two juvenile swift parrots sit in the hands of a researcher. They are lime green in colour.

Bruny Island is virtually the only remaining habitat left where swift parrots can safely raise their hatchlings. Fenner School Researcher Dr Stojanovic tells his story about how his team has been trying to protect them for more than a decade.

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More than a dozen years later, and after detailed studies following the 2009 fires and again after the 2019-2020 Black Summer fires, the science shows that logged forests always burn at greater severity than intact forests.

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As coal-fired climate change makes bushfires in Australia worse, governments are ramping up hazard-reduction burning. But our new research shows the practice can actually make forests more flammable.

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Homes overlook a forest in the wildland-urban interface in Arizona. Marius von Essen

In a study published Feb. 7, 2022, a team of climate scientists mapped out where vegetation is creating the highest fire risks across the western U.S. They were surprised to discover that the fastest rate of population growth by far has been in the areas with the highest fire risk.

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As climate change worsens, bushfires are likely to become more intense and frequent. We must find new ways of managing bushfires to prevent catastrophic events - satellite data can help in this task.

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