As Australia and the world confronts the growing challenges of climate change, natural disasters and a growing population, catchment management to retain water has never been more important. Research will play a large role in helping shape and manage land and water resources, now and into the future, particularly in Australia, where water resources are scarce and highly variable.

Practices such as land clearing, drain construction and compaction have resulted in ‘leaky landscapes’, reducing the landscape’s ability to retain moisture. This has a direct and diminishing impact on farm biodiversity and productivity, especially in drought periods. The Turnip Creek Catchment Rehydration Project will address hydrological disfunction, experienced by many farms throughout Victoria. There are a number of management actions available to halt and reverse leaky landscapes, but there is a lack of science-based literature and demonstration sites. This significantly limits land manger's understanding, support and adoption of hydrating practices, ultimately impacting on-farm natural and productive capital

This project aims to interrogate innovative hydrological pilots which measure and quantify changes in landscape hydration relative to changes in targeted land management practices. The findings from these pilots will provide the basis for the development of a commercial model, enabling pilot insights to be rolled out on a broad scale, providing broad application for the research findings. This will increase landholder knowledge and capability and lead to improved sustainability of agricultural production.

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Interested?

Visit : Deakin HDR Scholarships

Contact : emily.armstrong@deakin.edu.au

Contact by : 5pm, Thursday 19 October 2023