The 21st annual Big Scrub Rainforest Day includes four days of exciting events across the region from September 19 to 22.
The first event on the program is Science in the Pub, which will ask “How can practitioners in bushland management and restoration best respond to the challenges of climate change?”
The free event is on Thursday, 19 September at the Lismore City Bowling Club with special guests Dr Nola Hancock from Macquarie University and Dr Kevin Glencross from Southern Cross University.
Dr Hancock grew up on a farm in the Mallee district of South Australia. Her research interests are in climate change adaptation in the practice of revegetation. In a past life, Nola worked as a bush regenerator, Bushcare supervisor and local government bushland officer. Her PhD was on the role of provenance in restoration ecology under climate change, completed in 2012. Since then, she has worked at Macquarie University, in the Biodiversity Node of the NSW Adaptation Research Hub. She will talk about climate change predictions for our region and what this means for species selection and provenance strategies in revegetation.
Dr Kevin Glencross is a research fellow at Southern Cross University, and has been actively involved in the replanting of forests for over 25 years, with a particular focus on carbon sequestration, design and monitoring of biodiversity. He has been restoring his own small farm out near Kyogle since 1993, prior to becoming a researcher.
His PhD focused on mixed species rainforest plantations (2002-07) in subtropical and tropical Australia. In the years since, he has been actively involved in reforestation, agroecology and agroforestry research programs in Australia, China and the Pacific region specialising in integrating agriculture and trees, restoration of degraded land and building rural livelihoods. Dr Glencross will present on projects that are striving to make measurable and meaningful contributions to the challenges of changing climate through carbon storage, watershed management, climate regulation, biodiversity conservation and supporting rural livelihoods.
During the evening, Big Scrub Landcare will also launch the third edition of their popular Rainforest Restoration Manual. Copies will be available for sale on the night.
With free finger food served at 5.30pm, there will be time to charge your glass in the name of science before delving into the science of restoration in the face of climate change.
This Science in the Pub event is brought to you by the Northern Rivers Science Hub in partnership with Lismore City Council. Doors open at 5.30pm for a 6pm start.
Science in the Pub is one of 15 activities taking place across four days throughout the Northern Rivers as part of Big Scrub Rainforest Day. These activities offer you the chance to touch, see and learn about the Big Scrub and its magnificent biodiversity.
The weekend features nature adventure and connection events, landholder field days, community tree plantings, guided rainforest walks, science and ecology talks, and fun family activities. The Big Scrub Rainforest Day is presented by Big Scrub Landcare in association with Rous County Council.
For the full program of events, visit www.bigscrubrainforest.org.
