Understanding grassy woodlands as whole ecosystems

The temperate grassy woodlands of Australia now occupy a fraction of their former range. Those remaining are often small and highly degraded. Research that informs woodland conservation and policy has tended to focus on particular components, e.g. plants or animals, but rarely on the ecosystem as a whole. There is also a lack of long-term experimental research to underpin restoration management. This project will address these shortcomings by: (1) developing a whole ecosystem model to inform future research, restoration and national conservation policy; (2) establish a National Outdoor Laboratory for Grassy Woodland Restoration as Australia's centre for long-term experimental woodland research.