Topic1：Water scarcity and soil erosion/water quality challenges in Australia: optimising agriculture and the environment

Topic2： How do we decide what to protect? Introduction to INFFER

Speaker：Dr. Anna Roberts and Geoff Park

Time：9:30a.m. May 23, 2012

Venue：Room 1501, IGSNRR

Introduction to the speakers:

Dr. Anna Roberts, senior research scientist, Future Farming Systems Research Division - Agricultural Resources，Department of Primary Industries, Victoria, Australia. She has worked in developing farming systems which minimise environmental impacts and knowledge on natural resource management problems including water quality, soil acidification, dryland salinity and biodiversity decline for nearly 30 years. She was the program leader of the Farming Systems Research Program within the CRC for Plant-Based Management of Dryland Salinity, the national leader of Victorian representation on a Murray Darling Basin research committee which initiated and oversaw diverse agricultural research projects in Victoria, NSW, Queensland and South Australia, the national research leader within Meat and Livestock Australia’s Sustainable Grazing Systems Key Program, the editorial advisory committee of Australian Journal of Experimental Agriculture, and chair of Australian Journal of Experimental Agriculture, etc. More than 50 peer-reviewed journal papers had been published.

Geoff Park works as a Knowledge Broker with the North Central Catchment Management Authority. In this role he is responsible for the development of collaborative partnerships between researchers, policy makers, extension staff and landholders that lead to improved knowledge exchange and on-ground biodiversity outcomes. His key role is with the Future Farm Industries CRC working with a small research team exploring the development and application of INFFER (Investment Framework for Environmental Resources www.inffer.org), a new investment framework for NRM. He has a long standing interest and involvement with communities working to improve biodiversity conservation in agricultural landscapes. Geoff is a trustee with the Norman Wettenhall Foundation http://www.nwf.org.au a philanthropic organisation that supports projects that aim to enhance the vitality and diversity of the Australian natural living environment. In 2009 he received the prestigious Dr. Sidney Plowman Travel and Study Award as part of the Victorian Landcare Awards.

Welcome to the Forum!