Emeritus Professor Harry F. Recher

CONTACT DETAILS

AREAS OF EXPERTISE

Animal ecology, ornithology, forest ecology, management and conservation of forest ecosystems, logging and fire effects on terrestrial environments, environmental ethics and policy, science communication

EDUCATION AND QUALIFICATIONS

1964 - 1966 NIH Postdoctoral Fellow-University of Pennsylvania and Princeton University

1964 Stanford University (PhD)

1959 Syracuse University (B.Sc., Cum Laude)

1955 - 1957 State University of New York, College of Forestry

EMPLOYMENT HISTORY

1996-Present Foundation Professor in Environmental Management, Edith Cowan University, Perth, W.A.

1988 - 1996 Lecturer/Senior Lecturer/Associate Professor, Department of Ecosystem Management, The University of New England, Armidale

1968 - 1988 Research Scientist/Senior Research Scientist/Principal Research Scientist and Head of Environmental Studies, The Australian Museum, Sydney

1967 - 1968 Lecturer, Zoology Department, The University of Sydney

CURRENT RESEARCH PROJECTS

• Ecology of Australian forest and woodland birds with special reference to foraging behaviour and nest site selection
• Distribution and abundance of eucalypt arthropod communities
• Effects of fire and habitat fragmentation on birds and mammals
• Long-term change in an urban avifauna
• Predation by birds on eucalypt foliage arthropods
• Colonization of Landcare plantings by insects

RESEARCH FUNDS

From 1993 through 2000 received research support from Australian Research Committee, Edith Cowan University, the University of New England, NSW National Parks & Wildlife Service, Murray-Darling River Commission and World Wide Fund for Nature among others

PUBLICATION SUMMARY

Over 200 publications on avian ecology, community ecology, invertebrate ecology, sampling strategies, environmental ethics, forest management, and endangered species conservation as well as numerous  newspaper articles, book reviews, radio and television broadcasts/interviews, editorials, and letters dealing with ecology, conservation, pollution, public policy, forestry, human population growth, sustainable development, and environmental management. Co-editor and author of A Natural Legacy, Ecology in Australia (1979; 1986 2nd ed.)  (A. S. Wilson & Co.) and Birds of Eucalypt Forests and Woodlands, Ecology, Conservation, Management (1985) (Surrey Beatty & Sons). Author of Forests and Woodlands of Australia (1991)(Reed). All books were judged the best in their category for the year of publication by the Royal Zoological Society (NSW) in its annual Whitley Awards.

COMMUNITY AFFAIRS

Frequent public lectures and workshops on ecology, environment, environmental ethics, and conservation policy. Stood for the Senate in 1990 as an independent green. An expert witness in court and at inquiries dealing with forestry, coastal management and land use planning. Advises community groups, industry, local government, state government and the Commonwealth on environmental issues.

PROFESSIONAL AFFAIRS

Member of the Ecological Society of Australia and numerous other professional organisations. Regional editor for Colonial Waterbirds. Editor of Pacific Conservation Biology (1996-present); book review editor (1993 - 1998), member editorial board of Ecofable/Ecoscience, Centre for Conservation Biology, Stanford University (1997 - present). Between 1995 -1999 refereed articles for Auk, Biological Conservation, CALM Science, Colonial Waterbirds, Condor, Conservation Biology, Corella, Emu, J. Appl. Ecol., Aust. J. Ecol., Wildl. Res., Aust. Bird Watcher, Ecology, Pacific Conservation Biology, J. Zool. Lond., and Aust. Zool. among others. Member of the scientific advisory committee to the Australian Bush Heritage Fund.  Member International Awards Committee (Colonial Waterbird Society) (1993-99). Elected in 1994 to the National Biodiversity Council of Australia;  Chair (1997-1999). Adjunct Professor in Environmental Biology at Curtin University, Perth, WA (1995-2001).  Senior Vice President of the Royal Society of W.A. (1996-1998). President of the Royal Society of W.A. (1998-2000).

HONOURS

Awarded the Serventy Medal in 1994 by the Royal Australasian Ornithologists Union for contributions to Australian ornithology.  Vice Chancellor's Distinguished Researcher Award, Edith Cowan University (1998-2000).

MANAGEMENT & CONSULTANCIES

Acting Head, Dept. Ecosystem Management, UNE, Armidale (90-91); During 1991 participated in an environmental survey of Western Samoa as part of a project funded by WWF (Int'l); Consulted on a pre-European history of the biota of the Hawkesbury/Nepean River Catchment during 1992 for the Water Board (Sydney); Courses in Australia on reserve design,  forest management and environmental ethics to foresters and land managers from the South Pacific (PNG, Solomon Is, Fiji, Samoa), Indochina (Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam) and Southeast Asia (Thailand, Philippines, Indonesia, Malaysia) as part of IDP Tropical Rainforest Training Program (1993-95); Board Member, Western Australia Museum (1996 - 2000); Chair, Faculty of Science, Technology & Engineering Research & Development Committee, Edith Cowan University (1997 - 1998). Consultancy, 'State of Knowledge Review of Forest Non-plant Biodiversity', for 'World Bank' (1997). Member, Gordon Reid Foundation/Conservation Committee (W.A.) (1997-2001). Chair,Centre of Ecosystem Management, Edith Cowan University (1999 - 2001).