Restoration by design: improving biodiversity outcomes from Australia’s restoration investments  

Project start date: 01/07/2024
Project end date: 30/06/2027
NESP funding: $1,722,000 (GST-exclusive)

The Australia state of the environment 2021 report outlined the continuing decline of Australian biodiversity and degradation of Australian ecosystems.

Restoring the health of our environments is going to require a concerted effort involving increased investment in conservation and land management, but also a more effective return on the investments that are made.

Surveying NSW Biodiversity Conservation Trust management plots, northern NSW. Photo: Josh Lee.

To achieve the best outcomes for biodiversity we need to understand what social and ecological factors contribute to the success of restoration programs. By looking at past and present successes around Australia, we can make recommendations to improve future programs.

To inform restoration program decision-making, this program is answering 2 fundamental questions:

1. How are changes in biodiversity during restoration activities measured by key proponents of restoration in Australia (e.g. policy makers, restoration practitioners, landholders, research users, researchers)?
2. Have restoration investments aimed at improving biodiversity been successful, and what factors (e.g. restoration practices, landholder characteristics, social context, socioeconomic attributes, Indigenous land management) are associated with intermediate outcomes, such as landholder participation and positive outcomes for biodiversity?

This is being achieved through a series of activities involving stakeholder engagement, examination of existing restoration monitoring and evaluation methods, and evaluation of biodiversity outcomes from existing projects.

Key research areas

To improve the outcomes for biodiversity from restoration programs, this project is:

• building capacity to improve the planning and delivery of restoration programs across diverse social and geographic contexts
• supporting knowledge transfer to maximise biodiversity outcomes
• strengthening participation in restoration programs and encouraging voluntary and informed investment in restoration
• providing advice on revising statutory-planning instruments/guidelines and informing the operationalising of new national environmental standards.