News and Events

PhD candidate Katherine Horsfall will be discussing her research into creating native wildflower meadows in urban landscapes in an online presentation organised by the Grassy Plains Network (GPN). Katherine is investigating how species from critically endangered temperate grasslands and grassy eucalypt woodlands can create urban wildflower meadows that can improve urban biodiversity and people’s exposure to nature. Katherine worked with …

A new student resource, the Urban Horticulture Hub @ Burnley, aims to create a more vibrant, engaged and work-ready student community at the University of Melbourne’s Burnley Campus. Working with students, academic staff, alumni and partnering with industry associations, the hub will deliver activities that strengthen students’ connections to peers, create new opportunities for knowledge exchange and engagement, and build …

Assoc/Prof John Rayner has brought together researchers and green roof industry experts to develop maintenance guidelines for more sustainable, flourishing green roofs. Tailored specifically for Australian conditions, the Maintenance Guidelines for Australian Green Roofs detail the tasks required to maintain green roof elements including plants, hard landscaping, drainage and fall protection. Case studies and sample maintenance plans are provided for …

The Burnley Plant Guide Online (BPG) is an indexed and searchable database of landscape plants grown in south-eastern Australia. It is based on decades of teaching and research of plants at Burnley campus (University of Melbourne) and has been a key resource for students since 2012. With over 2,700 native and exotic plant species or cultivars, and complemented with more …

Bringing together urban greening professionals and researchers to transform urban landscapes Wed 20th & Thu 21st April 2022, Burnley Campus, University of Melbourne Register The Green Infrastructure Research Group and Nursery and Garden Industry Victoria are bringing Greening Cities to the beautiful Burnley campus this month. This is a great opportunity for industry professionals in horticulture, design, planning and policy to join with …

Senior Lecturer, Dr Claire Farrell, and PhD students from the School of Ecosystem and Forest Sciences were featured as part of the University of Melbourne's International Women's Day celebrations, recognising the important role of women in science. Lubaina Sonil (from left to right) and Bihan Guo are researching plant performance and species resilience on green roofs, while Claire Kenefick and …

NEW PUBLICATIONS A Green Factor Tool for Enhanced Greening in Melbourne’s Urban Areas. As cities increase in size and density, the ecosystem services supplied by urban greenery and green infrastructure are increasingly vital for sustainable, liveable urban areas. However, retaining and maximising urban greenery in densifying cities is challenging. Judy Bush assisted in the development of the City of Melbourne’s Green …

While some of us are still working remotely we continue to collaborate in research partnerships, engage with industry and foster student projects. Read about some of our current research in these recent publications. See all publications Relating the climate envelopes of urban tree species to their drought and thermal tolerance Hanley PA, Arndt SK, Livesley SJ & Szota C (2021) The Science …