Areas of Expertise
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Areas of Expertise

WEC has the expertise and capability to provide consulting services across a broad range of management issues.

Aquatic ecosystem management

Maintaining, conserving, or improving ecosystems is a core role for government, natural resource managers and researchers in Australia and globally. WEC has a solid understanding of aquatic ecology, hydrology and geomorphology in wetland, river, estuarine systems and near coastal marine system. Rhonda has significant expert technical knowledge of Matters of National Environmental Significance (MNES) and biodiversity of aquatic ecosystems. For example, Rhonda has played a significant role in the management of Australia’s obligations under the Ramsar Convention by:

  • Describing the ecological character of over 25 Ramsar sites in Australia and determining tipping points for potential change in character (limits of acceptable change)
  • Developing the nomination documents for the Piccaninnie Ponds Karst Wetlands and the Glenelg Estuary and Discovery Bay Wetlands Ramsar sites listing
  • Developing a guide to the management of Victorian Ramsar wetlands. A background report prepared for Victorian Auditor General Office audit, prepared for DELWP (now DEECA)
  • Undertaking the Ramsar Rolling Review which assessed that status of all (then) 65 sites

Committees and advisory groups

Rhonda is recognised as a leader in her field and as such has participated in numerous expert advisory groups and committees. She offers considered expert advice based on current science and understanding of key policy and legislation. Examples of committees and advisory groups include:

  • Member - Threatened Species Scientific Committee for the EPBC Act, 2020-2023
  • Member - Victorian Scientific Advisory Committee for the FFG Act, 2009-2017
  • Coordinator/manager – Monitoring, Evaluation and Research Independent Advisory Group (IAG) to the Commonwealth Environmental Water Holder (current-2030)
  • Member Waterway Health Advisory Group Refreshing Rivers Program, Local Land Services, NSW Government (2023).
  • Member Wetland Technical Reference Group for Goulburn Broken CMA (2016 - current)

Conservation ecology and planning

WEC has demonstrated experience in conserving, protecting and sustainably managing Australia’s environment. WEC has direct experience in the application and interpretation of the EPBC Act by providing advice to support identification and protection of threatened species and ecological communities including:

  • Contribution to and review of threatened species and ecological communities listing and conservation advice under the EPBC Act
  • Expert compliance assessment for EPBC listed ecological communities – Seasonal herbaceous wetlands, Victoria
  • Determination of National extent and threats to the Karst Rising Springs of Southeast South Australia ecological community
  • Development of species information sheets for listed species under the EPBC Act
  • Application of EPBC/IUCN listing criteria to Victorian threatened species under the Common Assessment Method
  • Co-author of Overview of the conservation of non-marine invertebrates in Australia

Monitoring design and review

WEC has considerable expertise and experience in all aspects of environmental monitoring and evaluation planning, design, implementation and review. A subset of examples of work undertaken in this area includes:

  • Update of Environmental Water Management Plan for Barmah-Millewa Forest Icon Site, for Goulburn Broken CMA (2023)
  • Update of Environmental Water Management Plans for The Living Murray Hattah Lakes and Linsday, Mulcra and Wallpolla Icon Sites (2019)
  • External technical review of the Wetland Tracker methods (desktop and field components) for QLD DES (2021)
  • Integrated Monitoring – Coorong, Lower Lakes and Murray Mouth (CLLMM) review and strategic planning for South Australian Government
  • Development of the Victorian long term wetland environmental water intervention monitoring for wetlands (WetMAP), DELWP (2015-2016)

Program review and evaluation

Program evaluation is an assessment, conducted as systematically and impartially as possible, that analyses the level of achievement of both expected and unexpected results by examining the results chain, processes, contextual factors, and causality using appropriate criteria such as relevance, effectiveness, efficiency, impact and sustainability (among others). The purpose of an evaluation is to provide credible, useful, evidence-based information that enables the timely incorporation of its findings, recommendations and lessons into the decision-making processes.

WEC has considerable experience in NRM policy and program evaluation, from broad-scale and high-level to detailed local levels. WEC understands the need for, and offers independence - a critical factor in program evaluation, combined with the ability to build fit for purpose evaluative teams. Examples of recent program evaluation and reviews undertaken include:

  • Development of the Commonwealth Environmental Water Holder Flow-MER Program Monitoring, Evaluation, Reporting and Improvement (MERI) Strategy (2024)
  • Review of the Great Barrier Reef Catchment Area wetland condition monitoring program design (2024)
  • Mid-term evaluation of the Murray-Darling Water, Environment and Research Program for MDBA (2023)
  • Process project review of the South Australian 2020 environmental evaluation for Matter 8 and 12 under the Basin Plan (2022)
  • Process program evaluation of Stage 6 Victorian Environmental Flows Monitoring and Assessment Program (VEFMAP) for DEWLP, Victoria (2020)
  • Outcome program evaluation of the Long-Term Intervention Monitoring project and MDB Environmental Water Knowledge and Research project for the Commonwealth Environmental Water Office (2019-2020)
  • Independent peer review of “Revision of the Environmental Water Requirements for the three Priority Environmental Assets identified in the South Australian River Murray Long Term Watering Plan”
  • Mapping alignment between The Living Murray (TLM) monitoring program and the Basin Plan Environmental Management Framework, for the Murray Darling Basin Authority (2018)

Strategic planning, frameworks and strategy development

WEC has contributed to strategic planning, mostly in the environmental water management space helping agencies develop asset and regional scale goals, objectives and outcomes. WEC has developed a number of frameworks, strategies and management plans for cultural water programs, options for strategic science delivery to support the implementation of the Basin Plan, and strategies to conserve and restore aquatic biota and ecosystems at multiple scales. Examples include:

  • Cultural water plans for Toorale National Park and State Conservation Area and Kings Billabong in partnership with the Kurnu-Baakandji and Brewarrina Local Aboriginal Land Council respectively (2023-2024)
  • Murray-Darling Basin Native Fish Recovery Strategy (2020)
  • Gap analysis and development of a strategic Basin Science Platform for the MDBA (2019)
  • Development of the guidance manual for the Fifth Module of the Australian Aquatic Ecosystem Toolkit – Integrated Ecosystem Condition Assessment Framework (2016-2017)
  • Lead ecologist - National Cultural Flows Research Project funded by the National Native Title Council (2014-2016).
    • Contributor to the Cultural Flows – A guide for First Nations.
  • South Australian Wetland Prioritisation Project: prioritising River Murray valley wetlands for rehabilitation and conservation (2006)