River ecology, water use in Australia, wetland ecology, waterbirds, river policy, dam building effect, Rewilding, Adaptive Management of ecosystems, conservation biology
Director of the Centre for Ecosystem Science
Professor Richard Kingsford is a river ecologist and conservation biologist who has worked extensively across the wetlands and rivers of the Murray-Darling Basin and Lake Eyre Basin. He worked for the NSW Government Environment agency from 1986-2004. He also worked with many different communities and governments across this region. His research has influenced the policy and management of rivers in...view more
Director of the Centre for Ecosystem Science
Professor Richard Kingsford is a river ecologist and conservation biologist who has worked extensively across the wetlands and rivers of the Murray-Darling Basin and Lake Eyre Basin. He worked for the NSW Government Environment agency from 1986-2004. He also worked with many different communities and governments across this region. His research has influenced the policy and management of rivers in Australia, including through involvement on state and federal advisory committees. He also leads a reintroduction or rewilding project, Wild Deserts, in Sturt National Park (NSW), collaborating on the Platypus Conservation Initiative and Red-Listing of Ecosystems. He is also researches effective ways of implementing effective conservation actions through developing adaptive management approaches and engagement with communities.
For more detailed information on current projects and postgraduate students (see link to Centre for Ecosystem Science)http://www.ecosystem.unsw.edu.au/
My Qualifications
1980 BSc University of Sydney
1980 Dip. Ed. University of Sydney
1986 Ph.D. University of Sydney
My Awards
1994 Frederick White Prize for research on arid zone wetlands
1998 National Banksia Award for National excellence in Catchment Management and Inland Waterways for research on the Macquarie Marshes.
2000 Premier's Gold Award for NSW Public Service. Joint award for the nomination of a private wetland as a wetland of international importance under the Ramsar Convention.
2001 Eureka Prize for Environmental Research
2002 National Trust Heritage Award - for research of the ecological degradation of the Lower Murrumbidgee wetlands
2004 National Banksia Award Environmental Leadership in the Community for work in the development of the Paroo River Agreement
2004 National Banksia Award in Bush, Land and Waterways for work in the development of the Paroo River Agreement
2007 Luc Hoffmann International Medal for Contribution to Wetland Science
2008 Eureka Prize for promoting public understanding of science
2012 D.L. Serventy Medal for contribution to Ornithology
2014 Eureka Prize for Red Listing of Ecosystems - member of the team developing red listing of ecosystems across the world
2014 National River Prize - Lake Eyre Basin Partnership (led team)
2015 International River Prize - Lake Eyre Basin Partnership (led team)
2019 Distinguished contribution to conservation society - Society for Conservation Biology
Fellowships
Royal Society of NSW 2012
Australian Zoological Society 2014
My Engagement
Professor Kingsford has and continues to play advisory roles on Government and non-Government committees and panels.
Government biodiversity committees
- Scientific member of Bicentennial Park Board from 1996-2001.
- Independent scientific member of the Cooper Creek Catchment Committee (1998-2007).
- Expert Panel for the River Murray (six nationally recognised scientists) (2000-2001) providing advice on the need to restore the environmental health of the river.
- Chair of National Taskforce into use of lead shot in duck hunting 1994 – review of science across Government conservation agencies across Australia and New Zealand.
- Chair of Independent Scientific Panel reviewing impacts of duck hunting on waterfowl populations in New South Wales - 2000.
- NSW Riverbank subcommittee of the Environmental Trust (2006-2011). Responsible for advising the NSW Government on the purchase of irrigation licences for environmental flows to key wetlands (e.g. Macquarie Marshes)
- Independent scientist on Zoological committee of Taronga Zoo Conservation Society Board (2007-present)
- NSW Ministerial Water Advisory Council 2007
- Scientific Advisory Panel for the Lake Eyre Basin (2007-present). Ministerial appointment (Commonwealth, Queensland, South Australia, Northern Territory Governments).
- Stakeholder Water Advisory Committee (2008) – Appointed by Minister for Climate Change and Water to advise on expenditure of $3.1 billion for the purchase of environmental flows in the Murray-Darling Basin.
- Environmental Water Scientific Advisory Panel (2008-present) - Appointed by Minister for Climate Change and Water to advise on management of environmental flows purchased through $3.1 billion program in the Murray-Darling Basin.
- Coorong and Lower Lakes Committee (2009-2010) - Appointed by Minister for Climate Change and Water to advise on management Lower Lakes and the Coorong.
- Scientific Advisory Committee on the adaptive management of river red gum forests for NSW and Victoria (2010-present) – appointed by NSW Office of Environment and Heritage and Victorian Department of Sustainability and Environment.
- NSW National Parks and Wildlife Advisory for adaptive management framework (2013) – appointed by NSW Office of Environment and Heritage
- Queensland Government Advisory Panel on the management of wild rivers in the Lake Eyre Basin (2010-2011) – appointed by Queensland Minister for Environment.
- NSW Biodiversity Advisory Council (2018- present) – appointed by the NSW Minister for the Environment
Non-government committees
- Executive member of the Society for Conservation Biology, Oceania Board (2005-2017).
- President of the Society for Conservation Biology, Oceania (2014-2016)
- Technical Advisory Panel - Environmental Defenders Office (2011- present)
- Chair of NSW Nature Conservation Council Scientific Advisory Panel for the Environmental Water Trust (2010-2012)
- Member of the International Union for the Conservation (IUCN) of Nature’s World Commission on Protected Areas (2008-present) and also a member of the IUCN special taskforce on water management for protected areas. This resulted in a significant contribution to integrating science into management of rivers and their protected areas.
- Member of the Lake Eyre Basin Partnership – coordinated the nomination for the National and International River Prizes won by the group. Involved in coordination of planning and implementation.
- Chair of the Scientific and Cultural Advisory Committee to advise the Nature Conservation Water Fund on environmental Flows (2017-present)
- Chair of the Scientific Advisory Council to advise Taronga Conservation Society on strategic direction for research and education (2018-present).
- Member of the Gayini wetlands (Nimmie-Caira) Governance committee. Supporting the consortium charged with management of 80,000 ha of wetland along the Murrumbidgee River system (2017-present).
- Member of the Great Cumbung Conservation committee. Supporting the consortium charged with management of 55,000 ha of wetland along the Lachlan River system (2018-present).
- Chair of the Society for Conservation Biology (global) Governance committee. Supporting the society across the world, in relation to governance (2019-present).
- Member of the Wentworth Group of Concerned Scientists
https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6565-4134