A team of researchers from the University of Newcastle have been awarded $468,000 as part of the Black Summer Bushfire Recovery Grant to assist communities in recovery and resilience in the wake of the 2019-20 fires.
The project, called “Climate-Smart Adaptive Resilience and Engagement for Animal Evacuation”, will be led by Associate Professor Temitope Egbelakin from the School of Architecture and Built Environment.
The project aims to upgrade and extend animal sheltering facilities, and collate logistical data requirements to better protect the wider regional agricultural sector and vulnerable communities. The project will support affected communities’ economic recovery and resilience through skills-development programs, engaging communities and experienced volunteers, farmers, landholders, and welfare services across the Hunter region.
A cross-disciplinary approach is being undertaken, with Dr Sandra Carrasco (School of Architecture and Built Environment), Professor Mark Stewart (School of Engineering), Dr Kirrilly Thompson (School of Medicine and Public Health). Also part of the project are Mr Robert Henderson (Hunter Local Land Services) and Dr Temitope Omotayo (Leeds Beckett University, UK).
