Barbara Wilson to speak at Surf Coast Energy Group’s AGM

SURF Coast Energy Group (SCEG) will host Associate Professor Barbara Wilson OAM at their upcoming annual general meeting (AGM).

With four decades of expertise in conservation science, the ecologist is recognised internationally for her work, a key focus of which is understanding sustainable management of Australian ecosystems.

Dr Wilson works with Dasyurids — a small mouse like marsupial — all the way up to various species of bandicoots.

Her long-term research in the eastern Otways has shed light on significant declines in native mammal communities with a particular focus on small to medium size marsupials.

“Everything was going fine we were finding out lots of interesting things about the different species and then the millennial drought happened,” Dr Wilson says.

The ‘Millennium Drought’ during the 2000s is considered Australia’s most severe drought since the start of modern record-keeping. It affected large portions of southern Australia, starting with reduced rainfall in late 1996 and growing markedly worse by 2001 and 2002.

 

In 2013, when Dr Wilson and her colleagues from Deakin University returned to their study sites, they observed significant declines in both endangered and non-endangered species.

“The drought had a profound impact on mammal populations in the region,” Dr Wilson noted.

She highlighted that while mammal numbers decreased across heathlands, woodlands, and forests along the Great Ocean Road, populations remained stable in the sand dunes.

The Australian Government’s Wild Otway Initiative funded further research, prompting the team to expand their scope to areas like Peterborough and Cape Otway.

“We discovered small yet critical refuges,” Dr Wilson said. The findings led to action plans developed in collaboration with various stakeholders to protect these safe havens.

At the SCEG annual meeting, Dr Wilson will share more about these land and species management projects.

In addition to her talk, SCEG will provide updates on ongoing initiatives, including the Ecological Footprint Calculator, Spring Creek Valley Ridgeline Trail, and Farm My School.

Founded in 2008, SCEG has consistently promoted community engagement on issues like climate change and sustainability, emphasising the importance of environmental management and land stewardship.

The meeting is set for November 16, 2023, from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at the Patagonia Store in Torquay. Those interested in attending should RSVP by Nov. 13 at sceg.org.au.