About 18 months ago UNE staff members embarked on an ambitious project – to host the first Restore, Regenerate, Revegetate conference at the University. The conference theme focused on restoring ecological processes, ecosystems and landscapes in a changing world.

Over five days more than 360 people attended the sessions. Speakers came from all over the world, including the United States of America and New Zealand.  The conference featured 190 presentations, including 28 presentations by invited plenary and keynote speakers, and covered the full spectrum of topics associated with environmental restoration.

Balancing papers with practice was important and attendees were treated to numerous field trips as well as social events. Monday night’s conference dinner saw the Ingrid Moses courtyard transformed into something out of a fairy tale (photo).

RRR volunteers

UNE science and agriculture students also contributed generously to the success of the event. PhD candidate Heidi Kolkert won second prize in the best student talk competition for her paper on Microbats suppress pest insect populations in NSW cotton fields.

The organising committee, chaired by Professor Nick Reid, was extremely pleased with the feedback received. Plenary speaker at the conference, Professor David Norton of Canterbury University in Christchurch remarked that “this conference had a real vibrant dynamic to it arising from the diverse mix of participants including scientists, practitioners, students, farmers, indigenous peoples etc. which resulted in some great discussions and sharing of ideas.”

Congratulations to Prof. Nick Reid and his team, as well as the small team of hardworking volunteers, on an outstanding event.