Research groups and projects
Ongoing research groups and projects.
ARC Laureate Project: Cities as transformative agents for a climate-safe future
Transformative changes are urgently needed to achieve a climate-safe future for cities. Distinguished Professor Xuemei Bai argues for a novel reconceptualisation of cities as transformative agents for climate-safe futures in her ARC Laureate Project "Cities as transformative agents for a climate-safe future".
Resilient Human And Planetary Systems
We are a research group at the Fenner School of Environment & Society, led by Dr Steven Lade. We research human and planetary systems using concepts such as resilience, social-ecological systems and Earth systems with applications in water resource management, sustainable finance and more.
Circular Food Systems (CFS) in Africa
This project aims to demonstrate that circular food systems can decouple growth in social and economic benefits from consumption of natural resources (particularly water and land) and production of greenhouse gas emissions in agriculture, as well as reducing urbanisation by creating local opportunities for women and youth.
Victorian Forest Biodiversity and Conservation
In Victoria, Australia, Fenner researchers undertake a range of studies to examine at the environmental impacts of fire, logging, and other factors affecting biodiversity and forest habitats.
Transforming irrigation in southern Africa
The project aims to find means of meeting the African government’s plans for greater food security while using limited water resources more sustainably.
Sustainable Farms
Sustainable Farms draws upon research programs across the Australian National University, focussing on three key research topics: Healthy Farms, Healthy Farmers, and Healthy Profits.
Supporting the re-emergence of cultural burning in box-gum grassy woodlands
ANU Fenner School ecologists and a cohort of New South Wales Local Aboriginal Land Councils are joining together on a project to re-introduce cultural burning in box-gum grassy woodlands and to monitor the environmental outcomes of the burns.
Coexistence Conservation Lab
We are a lab group at the Fenner School of Environment and Society researching conservation in the context of rewilding, genetics, translocations, and species coexistence. Led by Professor Adrian Manning, we aim to understand and restore ecosystems, prioritising species that shape landscapes and promote biodiversity.
Pumped Storage Hydropower Group
The pumped storage hydropower group collaborates with governments, civil society groups and NGOs, supporting transitions to zero/low carbon electricity grids. As part of this, a key objective is ensuring environmental and social governance issues are prioritised, including during grid-scale planning.
Activating the Indigenous Estate – Baseline Study of Agricultural Capacity
First Nations people have legal interests to greater than 57% of Australia’s land mass yet their participation in primary industries is minimal. The baseline study addresses several aspects and issues associated with growing First Nations primary production across Australia.
Booderee National Park & Surrounds
Researchers undertake projects to study biodiversity and the impacts of fire and invasive animal and plant control on mammals, birds and reptiles inhabiting a range of vegetation types.
Helping the River Sing - an innovative approach to communicating river health
It's crucial that we as a society communicate the huge importance of this system, celebrate its majestic wonder - and continue efforts to preserve and encourage river stewardship for future generations.
Mapping for Mob
The Mapping for Mob team works with Indigenous organisations to deliver Geographic Information Systems (GIS) software training to over 30 Indigenous professionals around Australia.
Difficult Birds Research Group
The Difficult Bird Research Group (DBRG), led by Prof. Rob Heinsohn at the Fenner School, ANU, seeks to promote understanding of the ecology and conservation of Australia’s rarest and most elusive threatened bird species. Such species are often hard to find, occur in wild and rugged terrain, and move around the landscape, and are consequently put in the ‘too hard basket”; however the DBRG develop new cutting edge techniques that address the challenges posed by these species, and apply the knowledge gained to manage them more effectively.