Sub sections:
Scott Keelan - Woody plant regeneration in grazing landscapes
Scott Keelan completed his Bachelor of Science undergraduate degree in 2005 as a mature aged student. From here he gained fulltime employment with the NSW Rural Fire Service as a Fire Prevention Officer in the southern riverina area of NSW. Some of the units of study which Scott enjoyed while at UNE focused on fire ecology and plant responses to disturbance. He says he can apply some of his skills and interests in his current position while determining long term bush fire management plans and working closely with government land management agencies.
The current partnership with PIIC is providing an opportunity for further studies relevant to the rural sector. This has led to the development of an Honours project entitled "Woody plant regeneration in grazing landscapes in the NSW wheat sheep belt: climatic contrasts and carbon futures".
This project will use a number of different techniques in an attempt to identify the precise combination of factors that have lead to the contrasting regeneration patterns of woody plants in north and south NSW. Whilst woody plant regeneration occurs en masse in northern and central NSW and is often a nuisance for landholders, the same tree species are now in decline in southern NSW, with some trees and communities now listed as endangered. Given that trees often represent the most substantial contribution to site total carbon stores, identifying processes that govern tree regeneration in rural landscapes is now especially important. This project will quantify site carbon stores across grazing landscapes in the wheat sheep belt which will assist in landscape planning and future participation in emissions trading schemes.