Biodiversity and renewable energy

Sunset over wind farm, central west NSW

We need renewable energy development to address the climate crisis, but the speed and scale of the transition poses new risks to species and ecosystems, across Australia and the world.

What impact does renewable infrastructure such as solar farms or wind turbines have on native plants and animals?

Can renewable energy landscapes be designed to actively benefit biodiversity?

I'm exploring these questions and more, using ecoacoustics to monitor audible species such as birds and insects on renewable energy sites. Ecoacoustics allow us to survey more efficiently across larger areas and time windows, so that we can detect changes that might be invisible to other survey methods.

Collaborators on this work include Prof Will Cornwell, PhD student Malan Bothma, the Centre for Ecosystem Science, and industry and government partners. Happy to hear from prospective students or other collaborators - please reach out if you'd like to work with us in this space.