Research Projects
Biodiversity conservation: social values in an era of climatic challenges to resilience (2008 - ongoing)
(Angela Wardell-Johnson: view profile)
This research is being conducted in a cross section of biodiversity hotspots around the world and focuses on:
- resilience in linked ecological and social systems;
- the relationships that comprise resilience cross social and landscape scales to reflect social practices in ecological contexts;
- compromises to systemic resilience that result from global political instability and climate change;
- interactions between social practices and ecological function focus this research to correct an ad hoc and fragmented management of landscape resilience, and
- integrative and interdisciplinary research methods provide evidence-based approaches to biodiversity conservation that integrate social planning.
The primary goal of this research is to enhance biodiversity conservation measures in relation to climate change and political instability.
Mainstreaming Gender and Peace in Biodiversity Conservation (2009-2011)
This research is conducted in a partnership with Malaysian Environmental Non-Government Organisations, an umbrella group of global, regional and local groups to establish best approaches in integrating values of peace and positive gender values in biodversity conservation. This is funded through Curtin's Office of Research and Development and the Australia-Malaysia Institute.
The Impact of Climate Change on the Margaret River Region – developing adaptation and response strategies (2008-2010)
The project aims to increase our understanding of climate change impacts on the Margaret River region and inform and prioritise adaptation strategies which can be undertaken at this tourism destination and, in particular, by local tourism businesses over the next 10, 40 and 60 years. It will encompass scientific data collection on climate change trends and extensive consultation with relevant local stakeholders.
Food: Opportunities, Options and Development in SW WA (2009-2011)
This research identified issues of importance in future research in resilient agricultural communities. This integrated triple-bottom-line values using a resilience framework. Climate change and population growth in these high amenity areas provided key parameters for understanding potential and necessary adaptation. This research was funded through Agricultural Research WA, a consortium of UWA, Curtin, Murdoch, CSIRO, Dept of Food and Agriculture WA, and a number of private sector companies and had a research team comprising members of these groups.
Revitalising Rural Image (2007-2009)
This 2007-2009 research project focussing on the formation and construction of rural image, provided an insight into the pathways of influence in rural Queensland. The research findings identified channels and points of intervention through rural identity, image and discourses to build an awareness of positioning in the development and implementation of social policy to build resilience.
Margaret River CowParade (Feb - June 2010)
Angela Wardell-Johnson is Research Coordinator of the Margaret River CowParade Community Arts Installation (2010), which is part of an international arts program sponsored in Australia by the Margaret River Tourism Association. The installation involves the embellishment of about 80 fibreglass cows by well-known artists selected nationally and internationally. The cows are placed on a trail throughout the region during four months in early 2010. Curtin University has purchased four ‘mini-moos’ to be located on the Margaret River Campus to form a community arts event that focuses on key Curtin themes of lifelong learning, sustainability, excellence in wine production and excellence in food systems research.
Sustainability Indicators (2010 – ongoing)
Cross-disciplinary, Cross-Institutional Research Program
The evaluation of sustainability policy depends on multiple parameters encompassing the triple-bottom-line. This research addresses the challenges of identifying sustainability indicators for suitability across governance scales within the context of differentiated landscape systems.
Value frameworks of people living in peri-urban landscapes (2006-2009)
This survey of landholders and decision-makers provided an understanding of the social values and aspirations of people living in peri-urban landscapes of SE Qld. The research results addressed viability of agricultural communities through improving implementation of both social and environmental policy.
