Dr Brett Howland ‘Impact of grey kangaroos on reptiles and birds in diminished grasslands.’

Brett, currently engaged in habitat promotion with the ACT government, will describe how large mammalian grazers are truly ecosystem engineers.

In south-eastern Australia’s grasslands and grassy woodlands, high intensity grazing by the eastern grey kangaroo, Macropus giganteus, has been linked to ecological decline of multiple taxa. Efforts to manage the impact of kangaroos on biota in the ACT and elsewhere have been made but these have been constrained by a limited knowledge of optimal grazing levels.

For his PhD in the Fenner School, ANU, Brett investigated the relationship between kangaroos, other fauna and grass structure to address this knowledge gap and to examine ways of maximising grassland biodiversity in a fragmented natural environment prone to intense kangaroo grazing pressure. Brett is currently working for the ACT Government on ways of using patch fires to promote habitat for threatened reptiles.