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Conservation science

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Science informs our conservation work. Ecologists and field staff work closely with partners, other researchers and Traditional Owners to build and share knowledge, skills and capacity.

Expanding our reach

We expand the reach, impact and awareness of our science through programs such as the Scientist in Residence, Healthy Country Fellowships and Bush Heritage Internships.
Scientists in residence
We invite science academics to spend up to six months — the length of a typical sabbatical — with us to share their knowledge and translate their academic work into real-word impact.
Healthy Country Fellowships
We're expanding our postgraduate fellowship program to support more early-career scientists. 
Internships & work experience
We offer student placements in a variety of study areas, both office- and field-based. These give students a chance to experience working at a leading conservation organisation.

We approach science in a way that embodies respect and encourages a richer outcome – a 'right-way science approach'.

Blending knowledge systems and approaching collaborative work with our partners the 'right-way' can build trust, relationships and culture for everyone involved, while delivering better outcomes.

Through our Conservation Management Process, we plan best-practice land management actions and associated monitoring to understand our impact in our priority landscapes.

Through this process we identify research questions that need to be addressed. Our Knowledge Strategy page explains this in more detail and provides a collated list of our knowledge needs for potential collaborators to use in project development.
‘Right-way’ science
We're a science-based conservation organisation committed to working with Aboriginal partners. Collaborative work can build trust and relationships as well as deliver better science outcomes.
Planning & measuring our impact
All our conservation work is planned using an internationally recognised method – the Open Standard for the Practice of Conservation. It helps us understand each project's ecological, social, political and cultural context.
Ecological monitoring
With time, especially as we add monitoring sites to those properties that we cooperatively manage with our partners, we'll be able to see changes in the vegetation and bird populations on a continental scale. This will help identify and target the most important sites for future land acquisitions and also help us understand the effects of climate change and its implications for biodiversity across the continent.
Knowledge Strategy
Discover the key themes underlying our research and our identified 'knowledge needs' if you're interested collaborating with us on a research project.
Priority landscapes
Through research, climate modelling and analysis, we've identified the landscapes where we can make the biggest difference.

We use science to:

1. Understand the land and its plants and animals

Science helps us identify conservation targets most in need of protection. Biodiversity surveys help provide knowledge of species and ecosystems to ensure we can manage them effectively.

As we grow, we're increasingly looking to citizen scientists and collaborative programs (such as BushBlitz) to help gather knowledge, monitor our impact and build opportunities for young scientists to learn from our staff.

Ecologist Ben Parkhurst with a Sand Goanna. Photo Ben Parkhurst.

2. Generate new knowledge

There's still a lot we don’t know about the best ways to restore damaged ecosystems and rebuild species populations.

Research is focused on such questions. Sharing what we learn with our partners, supporters, the scientific and conservation community as well as the general public helps to build knowledge.

Ecologist Matt Appleby with farmer Valerie Le Maitre on her property in the Tassie Midlands. Photo Amelia Caddy.

3. Inform decision making

Research helps us set priorities, allocate resources and identify knowledge gaps to fill through more research. Monitoring our impact allows us to evaluate and improve our strategies.

Our work includes rebuilding viable populations of native species, revegetating cleared land to increase connectivity, managing fire, and controlling feral animals and weeds. These actions are all based on the best-available science.

An ultrasonic bat detector deployed in the Tasmanian Midlands. Photo Kirsty Dixon.