Wetland Management Tools & Techniques
Fundamentals and Frontiers of Floodplain River
Thursday the 21st of September 2006
University of Canberra
Australia’s floodplain rivers are a valuable but threatened resource. These systems provide the basis for major agricultural activities as well as natural ecosystem functioning. Judicious
management is therefore crucial for their sustainability. Indeed, the consequences of unrestrained floodplain development in the past provide challenges for current management.
Our understanding of the structure and functioning of Australian floodplains is limited. There is considerable debate about the roles of various landscape components as well as the effects of hydrological connectivity. Excellent science and knowledge underpin excellent management and policy. At present, management strategies may not adequately recognise all the parts of floodplain-river systems at appropriate scales for effective management.
The aim of this workshop is to enhance our knowledge of the structure and functioning of floodplain river ecosystems that underpin their management and sustainable use. An interdisciplinary understanding of floodplain river ecosystems will be addressed at this workshop between Australian and international floodplain river scientists. The workshop will provide a synthesis of current knowledge of river floodplain ecosystems and identify the potential areas for research and development.
This workshop on the Fundamentals and Frontiers of Floodplain River Research and Management will be held in Canberra on Thursday the 21st of September at the University of Canberra. Speakers include Professor James Thorp, Professor Klement Tockner, Professor Peter Cullen, Associate Professor Martin Thoms, Dr Tony McLeod, Dr Neil Saintilan and Dr Ben Gawne.
To register please contact: Ms Alie Cowood, Water Research Lab, University of Canberra, ACT 2601. Phone: (02) 6201 5453 Email: Alie.Cowood@canberra.edu.au.
Registration cost: $66 (inc GST)
Sponsored by Land and Water Australia
Speakers:
Professor James Thorp
Professor James Thorp is a Senior Scientist with the Kansas Biological Survey and Professor with the Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Kansas. He is an internationally recognised scientist who specialises in floodplain river food webs. At last count he has over 75 published articles in journals, books and book chapters on the subject.
Professor Klement Tockner
Professor Klement Tockner is the Senior Researcher for the Floodplain Ecology and Biodiversity Group at the Department of Limnology, at the Swiss Federal Institute for Environmental Science and Technology, EAWAG. A specialist in floodplain river ecology, he is the editor for several scientific journals and a member of numerous scientific comities.
Professor Peter Cullen
Professor Peter Cullen spent 10 years as the founding Chief Executive of the CRC for Freshwater Ecology at the University of Canberra. Peter was awarded the Naumann-Thienemann Medal, the highest scientific recognition of the International Limnology Society 2004 “for his exemplary scientific leadership which over the past three decades has led to improved understanding about the critical water resources of Australia.”
Associate Professor Martin Thoms
Associate Professor Martin Thoms specialises in the interdisciplinary research of riverine landscapes. Martin has collaborative projects on large floodplain river systems throughout Australia, South Africa, Europe and the USA. Martin is regional editor (Asia and Pacific) for the international journal River Research and Applications and is vice president of the international society for river science.
Dr Neil Saintilan
Dr Neil Saintilan is Head of the Rivers and Wetlands Unit in the Department of Environment and Conservation, NSW. A scientist with over 50 publications in coastal wetland ecology, he leads a team of researchers interested in linking research to management, guiding attempts to restore health to rivers and wetlands throughout the state. He is the President of the Society of Wetland Scientists (Australian Chapter) and editor of Wetlands (Australia).
Dr Ben Gawne
Dr Ben Gawne is the Director of the Murray-Darling Freshwater Research Centre. For the last 12 years Ben has undertaken research on the ecology of freshwater ecosystems which covers a range of topics, including examinations of decomposition, primary production, invertebrate and fish communities in large lowland rivers and their associated floodplains and wetlands.
Dr Tony McLeod
Dr Tony McLeod is the River Murray Environmental Manager with the Murray-Darling Basin Commission, a role he has held since 2003. His current focus is heading the Living Murray Project, implementing a river health initiative over 2250km of river and across three states. Prior to joining the Commission he obtained a PhD from the University of Melbourne in Environmental Engineering, and has worked with the NSW State Government and other overseas work.
Preliminary program:
Fundamentals and Frontiers of Floodplain River Research and Management Workshop
9.00am -
- Professor Peter Cullen
- Dr Sam Capon
- Dr Ben Gawne
10.30am – Morning Tea
11.00am -
- Professor James Thorp *Assoc. Professor Martin Thoms
- Dr Mike Reid
12.30pm – Lunch
1.30pm -
- Professor Klement Tockner
- Dr Craig Boys
- Dr John Tibby
3.00pm – Afternoon Tea
3.30pm -
- Dr Tony McLeod
- Dr Jon Marshall
- Dr Neil Saintilan
5.00pm – Finish
