Healthy Waterways

Koalas (Phascolarctos cinereus) face significant threats from habitat loss and fragmentation, with South-East Queensland (SEQ) experiencing some of the most severe population declines. Current metrics used to assess conservation impacts often lack spatial resolution, transparency, or integration of diverse data sources. We propose a novel, spatially targeted metric, Koala Population Potential (KPP), to estimate the potential number of koalas that could inhabit a given area under ideal conditions. This metric is derived from a Bayesian Network model that integrates ecological, environmental, and threat data, including satellite imagery, expert knowledge, and stakeholder input. We developed and validated the KPP within an interactive online platform, the Koala Bayesian Network Platform (KBNP), enabling stakeholders to visualise and assess the conservation impact of various management scenarios at the land-parcel scale. Application of the KPP across SEQ revealed substantial spatial variation in potential koala populations. Regional areas like Somerset and the Scenic Rim exhibited high KPP scores, while urban LGAs such as Redland City and Logan had lower scores due to elevated threat levels. Model predictions of habitat support were strongly correlated with independent habitat quality assessments (R² = 0.803, p < .001), supporting the validity of the approach. The KBNP provides an accessible, evidence-based decision-support tool that empowers landholders, planners, and conservation managers to evaluate and communicate the likely outcomes of their actions. While developed for koalas, this framework is adaptable to other vulnerable species requiring localised, data-driven conservation planning under uncertainty.

SummaryCollaborations between researchers and practitioners are vital to ensure mutual learning to inform scientific and on‐ground outcomes and government policy. Communicating outcomes from these collaborations benefit land management and restoration projects. The Ecological Society of Australia (ESA) Practitioner Engagement Working Group (PEWG) showcases and communicates applied ecological research projects, driven by partnerships between researchers and practitioners, and promotes the value of these links to on‐ground action. In December 2019, the PEWG ran the Practitioner Engagement for On‐ground Outcomes symposium at the ESA annual conference in Launceston, Tasmania, to highlight key factors that enable and limit effective collaboration in ecological projects. Overall, 17 speakers from a range of government, Indigenous and non‐government organisations delivered presentations on ecological issues. Here, we focus on six presentations that revealed eight key enablers of effective science‐practice partnerships. Of these, six related to principles underpinning translational ecology (collaboration, commitment, communication, decision‐framing context, engagement and process buy‐in). Two additional enablers were highlighted – innovation and robust science, and longevity and flexible timelines. This symposium provided a stream‐lined approach to communicate the factors which enable successful projects to a broad audience. To enhance effective researcher‐practitioner collaborations, improved practice and greater innovations in future ecosystem management projects, as well as both new and long‐term funding streams, will be required.

The Health-e-Waterways Project is a collaboration between the University of Queensland, Microsoft Research and the South East Queensland Healthy Waterways Partnership (SEQ-HWP) (a consortium of over 60 local government, state agency, universities, community and environmental organizations). The aim of the project is to develop a highly innovative framework and set of services to enable streamlined access to a collection of real-time, near-real-time and static datasets acquired through ecosystem health monitoring programs (EHMP) in South East Queensland. This paper describes the underlying water information management system and Web Portal that we are developing to enable the sharing and integration of the high quality data and models for SEQ water resource managers. In addition we will describe the interactive and dynamic ecosystem reporting services that we have developed and the WaterWiki that is being established to enable knowledge exchange between the online community of Queenslandpsilas water stakeholders.

The waterways of South East Queensland, Australia, represent unique and complex ecosystems that have a high conservation value and support major recreational and commercial fisheries. The agricultural districts of the region also contribute significantly to the regional economy and, together with the growing urban areas, are heavily reliant on good quality water supplies. However, the human footprint of these activities has led to significant changes in catchment hydrology and sediment delivery, declining water quality and loss of aquatic biodiversity. Predicted population increases in the region are likely to further impact on the ecological and economic health of its waterways and catchments, and there are growing community expectations to reverse the decline in water quality and ecosystem health. In response to these concerns, government, industry and community stakeholders have worked in close cooperation to develop a whole-of-government, whole-of-community approach to understanding and managing the region's waterways. This paper provides an overview of the experience gained through development of the SEQ Healthy Waterways Partnership and highlights some of the key factors we believe have contributed to its success.