Senior Fellow
Decision support systems for natural resource management; rapid biodiversity assessment; environmental monitoring
Phone: +61 2 6125 2562
Fax: + 61 (0)2 6125 0746
E-mail: philip.gibbons@anu.edu.au

Dr Philip Gibbons graduated from Deakin University (Environmental Assessment and Land Use Policy) in 1988 and gained practical experience with the Victorian and New South Wales governments before completing his PhD at The Australian National University in 1999. He has held research positions at CSIRO Division of Forestry and Forest Products and the NSW Government. Phil has been a Visiting Scientist at CSIRO Division of Sustainable Ecosystems since 2001 and Senior Research Fellow (part-time) at The Australian National University since 2006.

Professional Activities

Phil provides advice and publishes widely on: the conservation of fauna in timber production forests, the future of remnant vegetation in agricultural landscapes, land clearing and incentive programs. Current and recent projects include: a conservation index for box-gum woodland, quantifying reference conditions, the future of scattered trees in agricultural landscapes, the effects of disturbance intensity and scale on native biota, the use of wireless sensors for monitoring native vegetation and policy instruments for natural resource management in China.

Academic Highlights

Phil was awarded Australian Research Council fellowships in 1993, 1996 and 2001 to undertake a Masters degree, PhD and a postdoctoral fellowship. He has published over 30 peer reviewed articles and one book that has sold over 1000 copies. A decision support system he developed for native vegetation management received a commendation in the NSW Government's Premier Awards. He has supervised several honours, masters and PhD students.

Selected Publications

Gibbons, P., Zammit, C., Youngentob, K., Possingham, H.P., Lindenmayer, D.B., Bekessy, S., Burgman, M., Colyvan, M., Considine, M., Felton. A., Hobbs, R.J., Hurley, K., McAlpine, C., McCarthy, M.A., Moore, J., Robinson, D, Salt, D. and Wintle, B. (in press). Some practical suggestions for improving engagement between researchers and policy-makers in natural resource management. Ecological Management and Restoration.

Gibbons, P., Briggs, S.V., Ayers, D.A., Seddon, J.A., Doyle, S.J., Cosier, P., McElhinny, C., Pelly, V., Roberts, K., (2009). An operational method to assess impacts of land clearing on terrestrial biodiversity. Ecological Indicators, 9: 26-40.

Gibbons, P., Lindenmayer, D., Fischer, J., Manning, A., Weinberg, A., Seddon, J., Ryan, P., Barrett, G., (2008). The future of scattered trees in agricultural landscapes. Conservation Biology, 22: 1309-1319.

Gibbons, P., Briggs, S.V., Ayers, D.A., Doyle, S., Seddon, J., McElhinny, C., Jones, N., Sims, R., Doody, S.J., (2008). Quantifying reference conditions in modified landscapes. Biological Conservation, 141: 2483-2493.

Gibbons, P., Cunningham, R.B., Lindenmayer, D. (2008). What factors influence the collapse of trees retained on logged sites? A case-control study. Forest Ecology and Management 255, 62-67.