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| Australasian Fire and Ecology Society | |
|---|---|
| Name | Australasian Fire and Ecology Society |
| Type | Professional association |
| Founded | 1990s |
| Region served | Australasia |
| Headquarters | Melbourne |
Australasian Fire and Ecology Society is a professional association connecting practitioners, researchers, and policymakers in wildfire science, land management, and conservation across Australia, New Zealand, and neighbouring Pacific islands. The Society facilitates collaboration among academics, government agencies, nongovernmental organizations, and indigenous groups, serving as a forum for discussion about fire ecology, prescribed burning, wildfire suppression, and ecosystem restoration. Its activities intersect with institutions, events, and initiatives across the Australasian landscape.
The Society traces origins to informal networks of ecologists and land managers associated with Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation, University of Melbourne, University of Sydney, University of New South Wales, and University of Queensland in the late 20th century. Early momentum paralleled work by researchers at Australian National University, practitioners from Parks Australia, and fire services such as New South Wales Rural Fire Service, Country Fire Authority (Victoria), and Fire and Emergency New Zealand. Conferences and workshops drew contributors from agencies like Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment and conservation bodies including Bush Heritage Australia and World Wildlife Fund Australia. The Society’s development reflected debates seen in forums such as the International Association of Wildland Fire and collaborations with academics from Monash University, University of Western Australia, and La Trobe University.
The Society’s mission emphasizes evidence-based fire management and the application of ecological research to practice, aligning with values advanced by institutions such as CSIRO Land and Water, Australian Academy of Science, and Royal Society Te Apārangi. Objectives include promoting research dissemination across outlets like Journal of Applied Ecology contributors, supporting dialogue among agencies such as Tasmania Fire Service and Queensland Fire and Emergency Services, and advancing indigenous fire management knowledge linked to communities represented by organizations like Aboriginal Land Council and Ngāi Tahu. It pursues partnerships with conservation NGOs exemplified by The Nature Conservancy and international bodies including International Union for Conservation of Nature.
Membership comprises academics from universities such as Australian National University, University of Tasmania, and University of Otago; practitioners from agencies like Parks Victoria, Department of Conservation (New Zealand), and South Australian Country Fire Service; and representatives from research institutes including CSIRO and GNS Science. Organizational governance typically mirrors models used by Royal Society of New Zealand sections and includes an elected council, subcommittees for science and policy, and regional chapters linked to metropolitan hubs such as Melbourne, Sydney, Auckland, and Wellington. Honorary positions have been held by prominent figures in fire science affiliated with Australian Research Council grants and recipients of awards from bodies such as Ecological Society of Australia.
The Society hosts biennial conferences and symposia attracting delegates from International Union of Forest Research Organizations, European Geosciences Union, and regional partners like Pacific Islands Forum attendees. Past conference locations include venues in Canberra, Hobart, Brisbane, and Christchurch, with keynote speakers drawn from universities including Harvard University visiting scholars, research centres like US Forest Service collaborators, and indigenous fire practitioners from groups such as Yorta Yorta Nation. Publications encompass a peer-reviewed proceedings series, newsletters circulated to members, and special issues in journals such as Austral Ecology, Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment, and Fire Ecology. The Society often coordinates submissions with editorial boards of journals tied to Elsevier and societies like the Ecological Society of America.
Research priorities include wildfire behaviour studies linked to modelling groups at Bureau of Meteorology, fuel load assessments developed with CSIRO, and biodiversity impacts studied in collaboration with museums such as Australian Museum and Te Papa Tongarewa. Field programs involve partnerships with landholder networks, indigenous rangers, and agencies like Parks Australia to trial prescribed burning, monitor post-fire recovery, and evaluate carbon accounting methods relevant to frameworks such as Paris Agreement reporting. The Society contributes to policy reviews commissioned by state departments like Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning (Victoria) and engages in capacity-building through training aligned with standards used by ISO and vocational providers such as TAFE NSW.
The Society recognises excellence with awards modeled on those from organizations like Royal Society Te Apārangi and Australian Academy of Science, including prizes for early-career researchers, lifetime achievement awards, and practitioner scholarships. Recipients have included ecologists affiliated with CSIRO, fire managers from New South Wales Rural Fire Service, and indigenous leaders associated with Native Title settlements. The Society’s awards are presented at ceremonies often attended by dignitaries from institutions such as Australian Government departments and partner organizations like Landcare Australia.
Category:Scientific societies in Australasia Category:Fire ecology