News

Reflecting on our legacy
A final letter from our Hub Leader Dear stakeholders, As we conclude six years of research at the Clean Air
Harnessing people power for urban-ecological research
Cities offer an opportunity to engage a large urban population with nature and biodiversity research through citizen science. The CAUL
Lessons from environmental managers in Australian cities
Urban areas are often overlooked and undervalued in conservation planning. However, Australian cities remain notable for their biodiversity, and support
Urban wetlands: promoting their conservation and cultural value
Wetlands are important features in our urban landscapes. Urban wetlands can act as pollutant traps and provide cooling benefits and
New e-book: Cities for People and Nature
Urban environments are among the most important environments in Australia. More than 90% of the Australian population – or around
Bridging disciplinary boundaries: the roles of governance for urban green-blue spaces
Urban green (and blue) spaces, such as parks, waterways, wetlands, street trees, gardens and nature reserves are essential elements of
Indigenous plant use
Spring has arrived and the Clean Air and Urban Landscapes Hub has a new booklet to inspire your garden plans.
Supporting a cooler, greener Melbourne
Creating a greener and ultimately cooler Melbourne is a priority for the Victorian Government. Plan Melbourne 2017-2020 will enhance the
Latest issue of Urban Beat: First Nations’ edition
The CAUL Hub was proud to have worked with guest editor Kirstine Wallis on the latest issue of its newsletter
How the weather can influence a deadly frog fungus
The chytrid fungus has devastated amphibian populations worldwide, causing the decline of at least 500 species. While some Australian frog
Regional liveability featured in UN-Habitat & WHO sourcebook
Australia is one of the most urbanised countries in the world, with around 90% of us living in urban areas.
A Clean Air Plan for Sydney
While air pollution in Sydney is generally less severe than in many comparable cities globally, there is evidence that exposure
What did we learn from The Living Pavilion?
Last year, the University of Melbourne was transformed into a haven of biodiversity and Indigenous stories through the installation of over
Balancing greener, denser cities
Denser cities can offer many advantages, including better housing affordability, shorter commutes and more social interaction. But increased density can
Bringing nature back into cities
The Bosco Verticale (Vertical Forest) in Milan, Italy is a pair of residential skyscrapers famed for the hundreds of trees and
Looking to makeover your garden? Don’t forget the humble nature strip
When you think about street verges or nature strips, you may think there’s not much to be inspired by. But
April 2020 Urban Beat
A home of your own with enough room to host a barbecue and for the kids to roam. It’s a
The challenges facing council greening policies
As Australian cities continue to grow and change, green spaces are becoming more important than ever. Green cities are healthier
How Aboriginal perspectives can shape new landscapes
The City of Melbourne’s Canopy Green Roof Forum is a quarterly discussion that brings people together to share information and
How city dwellers can help animals affected by the fires
The devastating bushfires of the summer took an enormous toll on Australia’s wildlife. If you live in the city, you
Evaluating the success of urban greening
Cities across Australia are investing in urban greening to promote healthier and happier communities. But how can we determine the
Mapping liveability in Australia’s largest cities
Have you ever wondered how the liveability of your neighbourhood compares to other parts of Australia? A new digital platform
Improving your indoor air quality
Just as outdoor air pollution can be harmful, indoor air can also contain harmful pollutants. A major source of indoor
Improving our understanding of clean, healthy urban environments
Climate change mitigation, resilient built environments and functional green space – these were just some of the key topics explored
Launch of the Three-Category Approach Toolkit
For thousands of years, Indigenous knowledge systems have formed and shaped Australia’s environment. To make cities better for people and
November 2019 Urban Beat
For many, living in one of Australia’s vibrant cities offers a rewarding lifestyle. But urbanisation can come at a cost
Wiley Next Generation Ecologist Award
More than ever, cities around the world are embracing new ways to become more sustainable and balance the impacts of
Modelling vehicle emissions nationally
Traffic congestion is an unpleasant fact of life in Australia’s ever-expanding cities. Not only that, chronic exposure to vehicle emissions
Building urban resilience with nature-based solutions
Cities face increasing environmental, social and economic challenges that together threaten the resilience of urban areas. These challenges include chronic
Springtime pollinator observatories
CAUL Hub researcher Dr Luis Mata will be facilitating a number of pollinator observatories and related workshops in the greater
Track Australia's possums and gliders with the Urban Wildlife App
In collaboration with our colleagues in the NESP Threatened Species Recovery Hub, we are now calling on citizen scientists to
NAIDOC 2019 Urban Beat
To celebrate NAIDOC Week (7-14 July), CAUL Hub worked together with guest editor Timmah Ball to produce a special NAIDOC
New report: local actions to conserve urban biodiversity
A new CAUL Hub report shows how Australian cities are implementing novel solutions to conserve urban biodiversity - from reusing
Positions Vacant
Two exciting new opportunities have opened up at CAUL Hub. See below for more details and instructions on how to
Investigating informal greenspaces and their benefits for residents
A new publication by CAUL Hub researchers has used systematic observations and interviews with local residents to examine how residents
Why heat waves produce pollution
With extreme heat events becoming more and more common during Australian summers, there has been much national and international attention
A community of scientists and citizens address air quality in Liverpool
There is increasing public and government concern about poor air quality all around the world, with recent studies linking air
Does low level air pollution impact on health?
There is substantial evidence that long-term exposure to air pollution causes increased mortality and cardiovascular and respiratory illness in cities
Creating Liveable Cities report awarded National Research Excellence Award
Last week, the Creating Liveable Cities report was awarded the Planning Institute of Australia’s National Research Excellence Award. This is a massive team
Conducting and sharing research at The Living Pavilion
The CAUL Hub is presenting and conducting research in a range of ways through The Living Pavilion: panel discussions with
Future urban vehicle fleet
Innovative data use and modelling is helping uncover important questions around social justice in our urban vehicle fleets. As part
The Living Pavilion opening
The Living Pavilion, a 17-day event celebrating Indigenous knowledge, ecological science and sustainable design, officially opened today at the University
Redefining our understanding of air quality with Indigenous knowledge thought lost
As part of the CAUL Hub’s major project focused on improving air quatliy in Western Sydney, it was identified that
39 threatened species found only in Australian cities
Australia is home to 39 urban-restricted threatened species – from giant gum trees, to ornate orchids, wonderful wattles, and even
Lost and Found – Trees
ABC Radio National broadcasted a segment last week, exploring the world of trees. Entitled ‘Lost and Found – Trees,’ the
The Living Pavilion initial program released
The initial program for The Living Pavilion (May 1-17) has now been released – including over 60 thought-provoking and inspiring
Using citizen science to observe plant-insect interactions in the city
The successful conservation of insect biodiversity in urban environments relies, in part, on making insects and their ecological interactions tangible
The Animal Attractiveness Survey: crowd-sourcing data
Citizen science and other types of participatory activities can be tremendously engaging for people when properly designed. But by adopting
Monitoring air quality at Liverpool Girls’ School
Building upon earlier air quality research in Liverpool, CAUL Hub has helped establish an air quality monitoring site at Liverpool
Towards SDGs with Nature-Based Solutions
Last week, the CAUL Hub co-hosted a workshop on nature-based solutions with international collaborator NATURVATION at RMIT University.The workshop was
Improving ecological connectivity in the City of Melbourne
Urban development often impedes the movement of animals across the landscape and between habitat patches – which can ultimately lead
Uncovering the harmful pollutants inside our buildings
When you think of air pollution, car exhaust pipes and factory smokestakes might come to mind. But there are certain
Creating The Living Pavilion soundscape
The Living Pavilion team were excited to facilitate sound recordings today with Mandy Nicholson and the Djirri Djirri Dancers -
Turning down the heat
People living in urban locations are especially vulnerable to the negative impacts of increased temperatures, resulting from climate change and urban
Atmospheric Composition and Chemistry Observations and Modelling Conference
Australia’s leading researchers in atmospheric composition measurement and modelling came together earlier this month for the Atmospheric Composition and Chemistry
Victorian Planning Institute of Australia Awards
The National Creating Healthy Liveable Cities Report won the 'Cutting Edge Research and Technology' category of the Victorian Planning Institute of
Biogenic emissions campaign
There is growing recognition of the importance of biogenic emissions on atmospheric chemistry and air quality within urban air-sheds (especially
Healthy cities are more than human
Cecily Maller presented a paper at 'Urban nature: the governance and politics of nature-based solutions in the city, International Workshop'
Streams Connect Conference
CAUL Hub sponsored and spoke at the STREAMS Connect Summit, hosted by Indigilab in Sydney. This forum and workshop focused
Horizon Scanning in Sweden
CAUL Hub hosted another in our series of Future Urban Forest Horizon Scanning Workshops, with Lund University’s International Institute for
Planting and propagation session
As part of the New Student Precinct Festival, CAUL Hub and the University of Melbourne Community Garden held a planting and propagation
Coping with 50 degree days
Vulnerability to severe heat waves is becoming an issue of inequality as global temperatures rise. With the Northern Hemisphere facing
CAUL Hub at GIScience conference
The CAUL Hub was well represented at the 10th GIScience 2018 conference held at RMIT University in Melbourne from 29-31
Pollinators in the city
Have you ever thought about how many kinds of insects one city could be supporting? A recent study by CAUL
Nature-based solutions
Nature-based solutions (NBS) such as green roofs, wetlands and urban parks use the properties of natural systems to provide a
National Science Week
As part of National Science Week celebrations, five hubs in the National Environmental Science Program came together in August to