Published: 21 Feb 2020 under Pursuit
Why Australia's severe bushfires may be bad news for tree regeneration
Australia’s trees have evolved with fire, most needing some fire for renewal, but now our forests have had too much severe fire
Excellence in interdisciplinary research and teaching to inform innovative solutions to environmental issues, and to shape the next generation of leaders for a sustainable future.
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Research
Our research covers an exciting mix of fundamental research into how organisms and ecosystems function, applied ecosystem research, and environmental social research.
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Events
Seminars, lectures, tours and other events run by the School of Ecosystem and Forest Science.
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Support the School
Join the benefactors who partner with us to advance knowledge in the field of ecosystem and forest science research.
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Contact Us
Contact details and maps for our three campuses.
Our locations
School staff and students are located at three University of Melbourne campuses:
News from the school
Published: 10 Feb 2020
My experience interning for the UN FAO in Bangkok
While completing her Master of Ecosystem Forest Science , Cleo got the opportunity of a lifetime to intern with the UN in Thailand.
Published: 23 Jan 2020
ARC Linkage grant success for Woody Meadows project
Research to improve the quality of public landscapes is among three projects awarded $1.4 million from the Australian Research Council
Published: 17 Jan 2020 under Pursuit
How Australian wildlife live with bushfires but the price can be high
The massive scale of these bushfires heightens the risk to animal populations and species - and as climate change bites the onus will increasingly be on us to protect and foster our wildlife.
Published: 15 Jan 2020 under Pursuit
How micro doses of nature help our health and climate
Urban greening is emerging as a key part of the solution to some of our major health and environmental challenges. Providing nearby nature offers a surprising range of co-benefits.
Published: 09 Oct 2019 under Pursuit
The big picture of the Amazon fires
As the world’s biggest rainforest continues to burn, it’s important to understand the political and social situation in Brazil that led us to this point
Published: 17 Sep 2019 under Pursuit
Why are our rainforests burning?
Many of us may think the wet, humid conditions in a rainforest makes them unburnable, but bushfires in Australia and the Amazon are proving otherwise
Published: 05 Aug 2019
Woody Meadow Project featured on Gardening Australia
Dr Claire Farrell and John Rayner from the School of Ecosystem and Forest Sciences (SEFS) combine beauty and biodiversity in the heart of Melbourne.
Published: 02 Aug 2019
Ecosystem Science Plant Companions
For mid-year orientation 2019, students were offered a plant form the Ecosystem Science major as a Plant Companions to accompany them throughout their science journey.
Published: 12 Jun 2019
Protecting our thirsty urban trees from more harsh summers
Urban forests are great for keeping our cities cool, but as temperatures go up they need water to survive - and that’s where redirecting storm water to street trees comes in
Published: 28 May 2019
Treasury goes green with the help of University researchers
The University of Melbourne has partnered with the Department of Environment Land Water and Planning (DELWP) and the City of Melbourne on a research project to retrofit the building that houses the office of the Victorian Premier with a green roof.
Published: 06 May 2019
‘Evolution Nailed It’ Seed Funding Competition
The BioInspiration Seed Funding Competition is designed to have teams develop creative, nature-inspired solutions to global/ practical/ human technological and design challenges.
Published: 14 Mar 2019
Black Saturday: Have we fixed a flawed system?
There have been more than 50 formal inquiries into bushfire management in south-eastern Australia since 1939, but what lessons have we learned?
Published: 14 Dec 2018
Grant success with Bushfire and National Hazards CRC
The Bushfire and National Hazards CRC and its predecessors have been supporting research in the Faculty of Science since 2013. Recently, the BNHCR gave funding for three projects out of the School of Ecosystem and Forest Sciences.
Published: 30 Nov 2018
Faculty of Science awarded Australian Research Council funding
Faculty of Science researchers will share in more than $12 million dollars of funding from the latest ARC round of grants.
Published: 17 Apr 2018
His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales attends IFA roundtable
Professor Rodney Keenan and MFES graduate Mr Jesse Mahoney represented SEFS at the event.
Published: 11 Apr 2018
Staff represent SEFS at global events
Dr Matthew Burns and Professor Tim Fletcher attended and contributed to a global symposium in America, while research exchange student and current Yale Fox Fellow Ana Elisa Lambert presented at forum in Brazil.
Published: 20 Mar 2018
Fire agencies' use of social media and messaging likely saved lives
Associate Professor Trent Penman speaks to ABC Radio's Linda Mottram about the recent fires in south-western Victoria and the south coast of New South Wales.
The School of Ecosystem and Forest Sciences teaches into the Bachelor of Science at an undergraduate level, and offers a range of graduate study options.
Undergraduate: Bachelor of Science and Breadth subjects
There are 41 majors to choose from in the Bachelor of Science. Ecosystem Science and Environmental Science are the majors offered by the School of Ecosystem and Forest Science.
Read more about the Bachelor of Science
Ecosystem and forest sciences subjects can also be taken as an elective to complement a major in another area, or as Breadth.
| Major in Ecosystem Science | This major shows you how to care for, use and protect our ecosystems, allowing you to specialise in either urban ecosystems or forest ecosystems. |
| Major in Environmental Science | This major combines knowledge in biology, chemistry, statistics and earth sciences for a multidisciplinary approach to tackling our environmental challenges. |
If your goal is to eventually study a PhD in this field, one pathway is to add an honours year to your Bachelor of Science.
Graduate certificates, graduate diplomas and community access subjects
Our certificates, diplomas and subjects are popular choices for graduates looking to upskill and professionals considering a career change.
| Graduate Certificate in Arboriculture | Learn how to manage trees in the urban forest, studying tree growth and function, plant identification and selection, pests and diseases, and environmental stresses. |
| Graduate Certificate in Bushfire Planning and Management | Enhance your knowledge of fire in the Australian landscape and further develop skills in either planning and regulation to minimise bushfire risks, or fire management. |
| Graduate Certificate in Garden Design | Learn about holistic design principles, how to choose and use the right plants for the right situations, and develop skills in drawing and graphic presentation. |
| Graduate Certificate in Green Infrastructure | Develop cross-disciplinary approaches to the planning, design and management of green infrastructure to improve city environments, including urban trees, green roofs and walls, and water-sensitive urban design. |
| Graduate Diploma in Urban Horticulture | Explore the foundations of designing, creating, managing and advocating for urban green spaces. This is a potential pathway into the Master of Urban Horticulture. |
| Discovering horticulture (single subject) | An excellent introductory course for those wishing to learn more about horticulture. |
Masters by coursework
These two-year courses are ideal for students looking to become specialists in their field, or prepare for research.
| Master of Ecosystem Management and Conservation | Build hands-on, practical skills in the management of our biophysical environment while learning to successfully consult and collaborate with communities and other stakeholders. |
| Master of Science (Ecosystem Science) | This degree, which includes a major research project, will take your expertise in ecosystem science to an advanced level, and prepare you for a career in research. |
| Master of Urban Horticulture | Learn to design, manage and advocate for greater urban greening and the importance of these green spaces. |
Read about finding a research project supervisor and topic, and view our supervisor directory.
Meg Caffin began her career in the banking and finance industry before making a career change happen by completing the Master of Urban Horticulture and becoming the first Urban Forest Officer in the City of Melbourne. Meg now works throughout Australia helping local and state governments develop and implement urban forest and green infrastructure strategies to improve urban environments.
Graduate research: PhD and masters by research
Pursue a career in research or academia and delve deeper into your area of interest through a Doctor of Philosophy or a Master of Philosophy in the School of Ecosystem and Forest Sciences.
More about graduate research in the School of Ecosystem and Forest Science
| Master of Philosophy (Science) | If you’re thinking about a research career, but aren’t ready to commit to a PhD, the MPhil gives you the perfect introduction to university-based scientific research. |
| Doctor of Philosophy (Science) | Join one of our world-renowned research groups, work with state-of-the-art equipment, and soak up all the professional development opportunities and international connections available at the highest level of research qualification. |
Scholarships
The University of Melbourne has one of the most generous scholarship programs in Australia. With over 1200 scholarships and prizes available for new and current students, it's more than likely there is one that you're eligible for either when you start your course or during your studies.
We aim to develop high-quality, high-impact solutions to environmental and land management challenges. We work across disciplines and scales, and across urban, rural and wild land environments.
We focus on impact, working in research partnerships in industry, government and community to implement solutions. Our graduate research program provides opportunities for high-quality training and engagement with partners.
Research themes
Research groups
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Biodiversity Dynamics Research Group (biodynamos)
Undertaking research on plant evolution and global change, fire management, animal ecology and conservation decision making.
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Bushfire Behaviour and Management
Understanding and predicting fire behaviour and the impact on human and environmental features in the landscape, with the goal of better quantifying fire risk decisions.
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Ecophysiology
Interactions of plants with their environment and the processes that control the functioning of ecosystems in urban and natural environments.
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Environmental Social Science
Understanding how people relate to environments, ecosystems and non-human species, and how this knowledge can support more sustainable forests and cities.
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Fire Ecology and Biodiversity
How fire causes patterns in the landscape, and how plants and animals respond to these patterns.
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Forest and Water
Ecohydrology, evapotranspiration and streamflow dynamics, sediment dynamics and geomorphology, catchment evolution, with a particular interest in the hydrologic effects of fire.
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Forest Carbon
Improving knowledge of forest carbon stores and underlying ecosystem processes, including interactions with other forest values (water, biodiversity), and impacts of changing fire and climate regimes.
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Forest Dynamics
Understanding how native forests develop, how they respond to disturbances and climate, and how this knowledge can inform better forest management.
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Forest Ecology and Silviculture
How native forests develop, how they change over time, how they respond to disturbances and climate, and how this knowledge can inform better forest management.
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Forest Molecular Biology and Genetics
Meristem differentiation and pattern formation in the vascular cambium and genetic diversity in relation to wood formation and environmental stress tolerance.
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Green Infrastructure Research Group (GIRG)
Creating and embedding knowledge and technologies in smart design, construction and maintenance of green spaces, trees, parks, rain gardens, green roofs and facades throughout the urban landscape.
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Sustainable and Renewable Forest Products
Creating knowledge and building capability in the innovative uses of sustainably-managed timber resources for high-performance timber products.
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Tree Biotechnology
Utilising trees for the production of valuable natural products such as terpenes and flavonoids.
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Urban Biodiversity, Ecology and Conservation (UrBEC)
Understanding the ecology of urban environments and how this can be applied for improved conservation management in cities.
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Waterway Ecosystem Research Group (WERG)
Interactions between landscapes and waterways and development of tools for achieving healthy streams and rivers in urban and rural landscapes.
Research partnerships
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Integrated Forest Ecosystem Research (iFER)
A research initiative between the School of Ecosystem and Forest Sciences and the Victorian Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning (DELWP), which aims to enhance the evidence base for managing the impacts of fire, climate and management regimes on multiple forest values in Victoria’s forest ecosystems now and into the future.
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Melbourne Waterway Research-Practice Partnership
Acollaboration between Melbourne Water and the University of Melbourne to conduct and apply research to improve Melbourne’s waterways.
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National University of Laos
Collaborative projects with the Faculty of Forestry at the National University of Laos to increase value from plantation-grown wood products and support policies to improve the environmental, economic and social outcomes from plantations.
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Clean Air and Urban Landscapes Hub
Taking a holistic view on the sustainability and liveability of urban environments, producing the evidence base and collaborative partnerships to deliver better cities.
Infrastructure and facilities
Our research is supported by excellent research infrastructure and facilities, on campus or in the field. Some of our facilities are directly linked with national and international research initiatives and accessible to the wider scientific community.
More about our infrastructure and facilities
PhDs and Masters by research
Start your research career here with a graduate research course.
We are actively engaged in partnerships with industry, government, alumni and the community to share knowledge and develop solutions to real-world problems. We aim to expand opportunities in research, commercialisation and executive education and develop a vibrant alumni community.
Our mission is excellence in interdisciplinary research and teaching, to inform innovative solutions to environmental issues, and to shape the next generation of leaders for a sustainable future.
About us
Head of the School of Ecosystem and Forest Sciences
The School of Ecosystem and Forest Science embraces a wide range of disciplines in the study of ecosystem processes and ecosystem management. Staff and students work in urban, rural, and wildland settings in Australia and across the world.
What we do
Our goal is to innovate in teaching, research and engagement. We collaborate widely across the University and beyond. We work in partnership with policy makers, practitioners and communities to generate knowledge that is relevant and useful for decision-making.
Our history and future
Disciplines within the School have a long history in Victoria, with teaching and research in horticulture at Burnley Campus extending back to 1891 and forestry at Creswick Campus back to 1910.
We built on these foundations in 2015 to form a modern and future-oriented academic group. We have a breadth of experience and capacity to address environmental issues such as climate change, bushfires, urban sustainability, biodiversity conservation, sustainable forest management, invasive species and biosecurity threats.
Our places
School staff are located on three University campuses, Parkville, Burnley and Creswick, with excellent facilities for study and research, in the heart of Melbourne and in rural Victoria.
We are collegial, responsible and collaborative. We acknowledge the deep links between people and country in Aboriginal culture and the knowledge and understanding that indigenous communities across the world bring to the study of ecosystems and their management.
Our values
We conduct our research and engagement with integrity and respect, and we embrace diversity in our community. We aim to maintain strong connections with our many alumni.
As a potential student, researcher, or collaborator, you are very welcome to visit us and learn more about our activities.