Conserving Koalas on Private Land under Climate Change

Are you are interested in using multidisciplinary science to solve important species conservation problems under climate change? If so, this may be the perfect PhD project for you. This exciting project will aim to tackle the challenging problem of protecting koalas on private land in New South Wales (NSW), Australia under the threat of climate change. In NSW a large proportion of the koala’s distribution occurs on private land. Therefore, finding solutions to their conservation on these lands is critical for the species’ long-term survival. Yet, projected changes in climate, leading to increased frequency and severity of drought, heatwaves, and fire complicate this challenge and must be considered in developing private land conservation strategies. The successful candidate for this PhD project will work closely with a highly multidisciplinary team of researchers and policy makers to better understand the implications of climate change for conserving koalas on private land in NSW. Using ecological data/models and decision analysis you will explore the consequences of climate change (including the increased occurrence of  drought, heatwaves, and fire) for designing private land conservation initiatives for koalas. This project would suit someone with strong quantitative skills and an interest in working with conservation organisations and governments to solve real-world conservation problems. The project is supported by a broader Australian Research Council Linkage Project and you will work closely with a multidisciplinary team of researchers, governments, and conservation organisations. If you are interested in this opportunity, please send a CV and cover letter to Professor Jonathan Rhodes (j.rhodes@uq.edu.au).