Reintroduction of ecosystem engineers as a woodland restoration tool

Could the reintroduction of small native mammals be used as a tool by Australian land managers to restore temperate woodlands? Through a strategic partnership between two leading research institutions and the ACT Government, we will investigate (1) the value of extinct 'ecosystem engineers' for restoring healthy temperate woodland ecosystems with increased biodiversity; (2) the relationship between woodland conditions and reintroduction success. We will use a unique experimental woodland site in the ACT, established through an innovative research partnership, to address these aims. Knowledge emerging from this project will be critically important for land managers nationally working towards broad-scale restoration of temperate woodlands.