TRI Fellows Research Projects, 2005

Australia

Kevin Ogorzalek

Restoring degraded ecosystems and economies in the Riverland of South Australia and in East Gippsland, Victoria

While watching the separation of lambs for market or continued grazing, Kevin Ogorzalek imagines future dinners.

Using principles of adaptive management and social capital construction, the Australian Landscape Trust (ALT) engages community members in the Riverland of South Australia and East Gippsland, Victoria, to help restore the degraded ecosystems and economies of the two regions in a socially cohesive manner. Perceptions of the Australian Landscape Trust vary significantly between the two communities, largely due to the different project life-spans and the foci of the projects. The Riverland program focuses on the restoration of a grazing property managed by the Australian Landscape Trust and psychologically owned by community volunteers. The East Gippsland project attempts to impact private land practices, a much more difficult task to accomplish. Within both communities there exist social riffs between residents that at times hinder the ALT's work.