Key research partners
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1999 The Myer Foundation, as part of the Sidney Myer Centenary
Foundation 1899-1999 granted the Ecosystem Services Project a
$1million with the aim of expanding Australian's thinking about
the benefits received from nature and the value of our ecosystem
services.
The Myer Foundation was established and initially endowed by
Sidney Myer's sons in 1959. It is now supported by three generations
of Myer family members, and represents their continuing commitment
to philanthropy. The Myer Foundation supports numerous activities
in the areas of Arts, Culture and Humanities; Science, Technology
& the Environment; and Welfare, Public Policy & Education.
 A
Division of the Commonwealth
Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO), Sustainable
Ecosystems aims to deliver benefits by applying scientific
skills in partnership with the people who influence, use and manage
Australian ecosystems. In particular, the division's strengths
lie in ecology, natural resource management and agricultural systems.
The division is particularly interested in developing cross-disciplinary
expertise in understanding the connections between ecological
and agricultural systems and economic and social processes. Sustainable
Ecosystems strives to understand how these interconnected systems
work at many levels as well as over short and long time frames.
The division works with individual enterprises, such as farms;
regions, with their mix of industries and stakeholders; and the
nation or whole of industry level.
Other CSIRO Divisions who are contributing to the Ecosystem Services
Project include:
- CSIRO Land
and Water
CSIRO Land and Water is dedicated to seeking solutions to complex
land and water management problems. Their focus is on the delivery
of innovative strategies and tools to meet Australia's natural
resource management challenges. The vision for the division
is to develop options for land and water management, which are
economic, socially acceptable and benign to the environment.
- CSIRO
Entomology
The research in Entomology is divided into four main areas:
- National and Global Issues - Research is relevant
to national initiatives in sustainability, to international
trade relations, or to international environmental protection
agreements.
- Rural Industries - Research is concentrated on
the management and ecology of pests, weeds and beneficial
insects of field crops, on reducing the current high dependence
on harmful synthetic insecticides, and on developing and
improving technologies for the storage, handling and transport
of grains to deliver products free of residues and without
loss through pest damage.
- Environment - Research is focused on developing
the knowledge essential for the preservation and management
of Australia's biodiversity, the preparation of conservation
plans, sustaining agricultural practice and controlling
environmental weeds.
- Agricultural & Pharmaceutical Biotechnology
- Research is directed at a range of insect pathogens (bacteria,
fungi, nematodes and viruses) as environmentally safe and
specific new pesticides, and at using insects as a source
of new chemicals for cleaning up pesticide residues and
for novel pharmaceuticals.
- CSIRO Forests
and Forestry Products
CSIRO Forestry and Forest Product's mission is to increase economic
and environmental benefit to Australia by improving the management
and productivity of the nation's forests, and the quality and
value of forest products. The Division delivers research outcomes
across the industry value chain and assists policy makers, development
assistance agencies, and the community.
Research also addresses:
- environmental aspects of forestry and forest products
- waste management and utilisation
- management of land and water resources
- biological diversity
- bioenergy and carbon sequestration.
- CSIRO Plant
Industry
CSIRO Plant Industry carries out research in the plant sciences
to make Australia's agri-food, fibre and horticultural industries
more profitable and sustainable. A major focus is on improving
production efficiency and reliability while maintaining the
natural resource base. There is an increasing emphasis on product
quality related objectives for the processing and manufacturing
sectors and the development of novel plant products. The research
of the division contributes to conservation of biodiversity
in the Australian flora and the implications of global climate
change for natural and agricultural ecosystems
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Land & Water Australia is the other significant funding
partner in the Ecosystem Services Project. Land & Water
Australia's mission is to provide national leadership in
generating knowledge, informing debate and inspiring innovation
and action in sustainable natural resource management.
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Land & Water Australia's primary aim is to identify and fund
R&D that will help maintain the natural resource base vital
to Australia. The Corporation focuses on the application of the
principles of ecologically sustainable development in order to
maximise the benefits derived by the community from its land,
water and vegetation resources. Land & Water Australia is
a statutory body, within the Commonwealth Agriculture, Fisheries
and Forestry portfolio.
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The Rural Industries Research and Development Corporation
is the primary funder of the markets component of the Ecosystem
Services Project. RIRDC manages and funds priority research
and translates results into practical outcomes for industry
development. RIRDC achieves this by:
- Enhancing innovation in rural and related sectors;
- Fostering the development of new industries; and by
- Addressing strategic issues facing the rural sector
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In 1999-2000 RIRDC funded some 600 projects in 20 diverse
areas totalling around $21m. The funding comes from Commonwealth
appropriations, voluntary industry contributions, industry
levies and Commonwealth dollar for dollar matching funds.
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The Goulburn Broken Catchment Management Authority (GBCMA)
is a case study region within the Ecosystem Services Project,
and also makes financial and significant in-kind contributions
to the project. The GBCMA was set up by the Victorian Government
to look after land and water resources in a region stretching
from close to the outskirts of Melbourne in the south to
the Murray River in the North. The Goulburn Broken CMA is
involved in on-ground works, including Landcare projects,
riverbank stabilisation works, tree planting and drainage
schemes. The funding is derived from State and Federal sources.
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The Rainforest CRC is a partnership in research and education
with a vision to see the rainforests of Australia managed
and utilised in a scientifically sound and sustainable manner
to yield economic and social benefits to the community while
ensuring conservation of the unique cultural and natural
features of the rainforest
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The Rainforest CRC is now working towards the following outcomes:
- Improved and ecologically sustainable regional management
of rainforest regions
- Ecologically sustainable development of the rainforest tourism
industry
- Involvement of the aboriginal community to develop land management
processes that enhance biodiversity, regional employment opportunities
and aid in the reconciliation process
- To become a major national and international force well into
the 21st Century
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To enhance the development and growth of the Australian
cotton industry through the application of collaborative
research, education and the adoption of sustainable farming
systems which are environmentally responsible, enhance reliability
of production and increase market competitiveness.
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Through the School of Rural and Natural Resource Studies the Ecosystem
Management Group study the management of biodiversity and of nature's
services Ecosystem Management simply means the manipulation of
land and waterscapes for human ends. Accordingly, academic staff
work in a broad range of environments with varied resource uses
including nature conservation, mining, forestry and agriculture.
The biodiversity that is the focus of management is composed of
both indigenous and exotic biota. Most importantly, as a 'management'
discipline, staff recognise the importance and legitimacy of social,
economic and political concerns as well as ecological considerations,
and the need to encompass a broad range of spatial and temporal
scales in devising socio-economic and biophysical solutions to
natural resource management problems.
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