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

Researchers at the Fenner School have been working in the Tumut and nearby Nanangroe regions west of Canberra for 25 year. The work is exploring the impacts on biodiversity of plantation establishment on semi-cleared farmland.

Student intake

Open for Bachelor, Honours, Masters, PhD students

People

Members

Affiliate

Tony Bartlett

Honorary Senior Lecturer

Photo of Associate Professor Cris Brack

Honorary Associate Professor

Emeritus Professor

Honorary Senior Lecturer

Academic staff

Senior Lecturer

Geoff Cary

Professor
Deputy School Director
Associate Director (Research)

Photo of Claire Foster

Research Fellow

Photo of Associate Professor Gibbons

Professor

Peter stands and faces the camera in a blue shirt.

Professor

Executive committee

Geoff Cary

Professor
Deputy School Director
Associate Director (Research)

Student

News

A birds eye view of a Victorian Mountain Ash forest. Mist cloaks tall trees and and the ground cover is dense with ferns.

What does the evidence say about what tall, wet forests actually looked like 250 years ago? The answer matters because it influences how these forests are managed.

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We are all about wicked problems.

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Two parallel major new donations from HVP Plantations and the Kloeden Foundation, established by ANU Forestry graduate Adrian Kloeden and his family, enable ANU to offer four new $5000 awards for students with interests in plantation forestry.

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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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Events

A satellite image of a fire sweeping across a forested landscape.
Wednesday, 23 Sep 2026, 11 - 11:45am

Discover how cutting-edge technologies, from satellites and drones to sensor networks and fuel moisture monitoring, are transforming early bushfire detection and helping identify fire risks before they ignite.

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A forest with a trail down the middle.
Tuesday, 6 Oct 2026, 5:30 - 6:30pm

As forests face increasing environmental uncertainty, this seminar examines new approaches to building resilience, supporting adaptation, and preparing the next generation of forestry professionals.

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