Project update - scientific diversity

This is the April 2017 newsletter from the Scientific diversity, scientific uncertainty and risk mitigation policy and planning project (RMPP), with updates for project end-users.

The Research Advisory Forum was held in Perth in early April, and was very well attended, including a lot of people who had not had the opportunity to attend a RAF before. The project presented on preliminary findings from across the three case studies and the literature reviews. This was the first time that the big messages from the project had been presented in public. It was very well received, and Dr Jess Weir was approached by a number of end-users keen for further engagement. As the data from the Hawkesbury-Nepean Valley case study is currently being analysed by Dr Liz Clarke (it was only held in December 2016), the overall synthesis is gleaning results from her analysis as it unfolds, whilst also distilling and comparing the key findings from the other two case studies and literature reviews. This synthesis work is ongoing, and will also be presented upon at the Bushfire and Natural Hazards CRC Showcase in Adelaide in July; and at the CRC and AFAC conference in Sydney in September.

The project is delighted to advise that it has had two papers accepted for the CRC and AFAC conference this year. The first is part of the  Research Forum, presenting on the synthesis findings, and will be prepared by Dr Weir, Dr Tim Neale and Dr Liz Clarke. The second is during the industry program on the Hawkesbury-Nepean valley, and will be co-presented with case study partners Maree Abood (Infrastructure New South Wales) and Peter Cinque (NSW SES).

The big news from across the Pacific is that the Alberta Provincial government are funding a Canadian case study for the RMPP project. RMPP team member, Assoc Professor Tara McGee, successfully applied for CAD$20,000 to support a case study looking at the use of science in risk mitigation decision making in the Lac La Biche area. The scenario exercise will be held in August 2017 and Dr Tim Neale will be attending from the Australian contingent. The opportunity to do internationally comparative work will offer new insights for the project, as well as broader reach for the Australian findings, both of great benefit at home.

CRC Refresh

It has recently been announced that Dr Weir and Dr Neale will be leading a new project with the CRC titled Hazards, culture, and Indigenous communities. This project considers existing and potential engagements between the natural hazards sector and Indigenous peoples in southern Australia. It will begin in July 2017 and conclude in June 2020. An abstract has been accepted for this project at the CRC and AFAC annual conference, focusing on the role of cultural burning in land management the ACT. This presentation will be lead by the project's end-user partners Dean Freeman, Adam Leavesley, and Neil Cooper from ACT Parks and Wildlife Service.