Environment

We are undertaking three collaborative projects that analyse the impacts of climate change on natural resource management work, and opportunities for climate change adaptation, across different types of work, and social and environmental contexts. The research is collaborative, place-based, and applied.

We acknowledge that our research, and natural resource management are undertaken on the sovereign lands of First Nations peoples and Traditional Owners. The land has never been ceded. We recognise First Nations peoples’ ongoing relationships, knowledge, and culture, practiced over thousands of years that are present today and continue to shape the future, and First Nations people’s right to self-determination.

Research with Catchment Management Authorities

Everyone relies on the natural environment for their existence, and the natural environment relies on people and their work in natural resource management (NRM). Such work is under increasing pressure from climate change, which stresses and disrupts NRM work, and impacts workers, and outcomes for species, environments, and communities.

This project is a collaboration with North East Catchment Management Authority and Goulburn Broken Catchment Management Authority in Victoria, Australia. Through in-depth interviews and ongoing collaboration, the aim of the project is to develop a framework of climate change impacts on NRM work including how work is exposed to climate change, and how these exposures interact with vulnerabilities and sensitivities of work. This understanding will inform the identification of strengths and vulnerabilities of NRM work, and opportunities to shape resilient and adaptive NRM.

This project is led by Lisa de Kleyn at La Trobe University, and very fortunate to be funded by the La Trobe University, ABC Scheme.

Research with Conservation Volunteers

While state and territory governments are responsible for NRM, NRM work is reliant on volunteers. In 2020 more than 250,000 people were estimated to volunteer their time in animal welfare and environmental activities in Australia (Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2021). Communities commit their knowledge, care, and energy, and experience a range of challenges including building resources, knowledge, and skills, recruiting volunteers, and responding to climate change.

This project is a collaboration with Nature Network Bendigo Region. Through a survey, in-depth interviews, and workshops, the aims of the project are to research the impacts of climate change on volunteer conservation work, understand the actions that organisations are already taking to respond to the challenges of climate change, and collectively consider the strengths, needs, and opportunities for sustainable volunteering.

This project is led by Lisa de Kleyn at La Trobe University, with Nature Network Bendigo Region, Kirstin Kreyscher, La Trobe University, and Magnus Moglia, La Trobe University. The team is grateful to be funded by Lord Mayor’s Charitable Foundation.

Research with citizen scientists

An important area of NRM is the scientific data collected by volunteers, also known as citizen science. Citizen science is a way to improve public participation in scientific research, improve scientific literacy, develop skills, and provide a social outlet for participants.

This project is a collaboration with WaterWatch and EstuaryWatch, volunteer community programs that investigate and monitor freshwater systems in Victoria. Through site visits, observation, photography, interviews, and workshops, the aims of the project are to contribute new information on the impacts of climate change on environmental citizen science volunteers and their work, continue to deepen the collaborative approach to research, and facilitate resilient, adaptive, and sustainable citizen science volunteer organisations, and volunteer work, in the context of climate change.

This project is led by Lisa de Kleyn, La Trobe University, with WaterWatch, and Tyler King, La Trobe University. Lisa and Tyler are grateful to WaterWatch for instigating and funding the research.