Fauna surveys, environmental and ecotourism advice,

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Environmental and other consultancies ----

Ronda Green, BSC(Hons) PhD and the rest of the Araucaria team can be consulted for:

Fauna surveys and general enironmental consultancy
Ecotourism advice
Ecological or behavioural research
Interpretive computer programs
Musical composition or performance

Fauna surveys and general enironmental consultancy

What we offer:

daytime (including dawn) searches for birds, reptiles other fauna, and for signs of faunal presence
evening searches for frogs, owls and other nocturnal fauna;
overnight small mammal trapping in elliot and wire cage traps
general assessment of habitat
advice on how best to conserve wildlife, including restoration or habitat enhancement ,
advice on minimizing disturbance with planned developments
full report, printed and/or electronic
running of workshops (e.g. for staff of ecolodge, volunteers managing a conservation area)

Ronda J Green, BSc(Hons) PhD has many years' experience in observing, trapping, handling and identifying Australian small mammals, birds, reptiles, frogs and invertebrates, and has lectured on the topic in three tertiary institutions. Darren and Denis Green have accumulated many years of expereince in assisting, and Darren now accompanies Ronda as official assitant on fieldwork. Ronda has also worked as senior ecologist for the environmental consultancy firm Sci-Plan. Her own research has, in addition to studies of natural ecosystems, has included human effects on wildlife and their habitats - e.g. birds of suburban areas, the effects of habitat modification and clearing on vertebrate and invertebrate wildlife, and the effects of wildlife tourism on wildlife. She has lectured in conservation biology as well as population and community ecology, and has co-authored several reports for the Sustainable Tourism Cooperative Research Centre.

Publications by Ronda Green ---- Samples of relevant consultancies

Ecotourism advice

What we offer:

advice to businesses in startup phase on the possibilities, practicalities and bureacracy involved in setting up an ecotourism or wildlife tourism business
advice to businesses at all phases of operation on compliance with requirements for acheiving eco-accreditation, especially regarding wildlife, natural habitats and interpretation
advice to businesses or voluntary organizations on the viewing and interpretation of wildlife and their habitats within the locality of the operation
workshops for staff or volunteers on viewing and interpreting wildlife and maximizing experiences for guests and positive conservation outcomes while minimizing disturbance to wildlife and habitats

We have run Araucaria Ecotours since 1997, achieved Advanced Accreditation and a join award (with O'Reilly's Guest House) for regional ecotourism, and have learned much along the way about running An ecoturism business, providing great experiences for guests, finding wildlife, interpreting nature etc. Ronda also ran a children's holiday farm for three years and has also prepared many nature trails, written books on nature trail preparation and bush holidays, worked as seasonal ranger in charge of interpretive activities, conducted research on outdoor education and recreation for primary aged children as well as effects of wildlife tourism and the needs and desires of birdwatchers, and conducted adult education courses as well as many voluntary nature interpretation activities for all ages.

Publications by Ronda Green

Ecological or behavioural research

What we offer

opportunity for students and other travelers to volunteer as assistants for varying lengths of time in field research in and near the forests of sourtheast Queensland and New South Wales, who are prepared to offer their services in return for meals and accommodation plus a valuable learning experience.
advice (discussions, workshops, talks, practical demonstrations and investigations of research sites) on research to be conducted by students or volunteers, either locally or elsewhere (for impoverished areas in other parts of the world, with sufficient notice - may need to be several months planning ahead - we are prepared to consider assisting interesting projects, especially those relevant to conservation, for up to a month for cost of airfare plus accommodation)
guest lectures - teriary, secondary and primary schools, natural histlory associations, social clubs, other

Ronda's own research has involved topics mentioned above and also the dispersal of seeds of native fruits by birds, mammals, lizards and more recently ants (involving field observations, greenhouse experiments, live-trapping of animals and behavioural observation of captive animals), differences in foraging ecology and habitat selection by sympatric bird species, and play behaviour of chimpanzees. She has lectured at universities and other tertiary institutions on community ecology, population ecology, conservation biology, field techniques, animal house techniques, ecotourism, behaviour, evolutionary biology and outdoor/indoor educational activities for primary teachers. She wasalso the chair of the organizing committee for the Fourth International Frugivory and Seed Dispersal Symposium/Workshop held in Brisbane in 2005.

Time permitting and with adequate notice (up to several months), she is willing for short periods to join in with interesting research (almost) anywhere in the world either on a paid basis, or - where there is a strong conservation component or assisting impoverished communities - on a volunteer basis (free accommodation would be useful in these instances) or low pay. She has had a lifelong interest in wildlife and ecosystems worldwide and traveled in wilderness areas on all nonpolar continents.

Publications by Ronda Green

Interpretive computer programs

What we offer:

interpretive computer programs with wildlife and nature themes
advice for beginners on use of computers, including use for natural history data collection and recall, and getting started on the internet
trouble-shooting with Macintosh computers

Denis S Green, B.App.Sc. develops MacIntosh computer programs and he, Ronda and Darren have combined to produce interpretive computer programs for the Lamington Natural History Association for the Visitor Information Centre at Binna Burra. We are willing to consider any interesting project.

Musical composition or performance

Darren is a talented composer of piano, keyboard and computer music, and sings semi-classical, Broadway and other songs. He has been a member of the Queensland Music Theatre, and has been commissioned to play his piano compositions, and to sing at public performances. He can send a sample of his work to anyone interested.

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Publications by Ronda J. Green, BSc (Hons) PhD

Green, R. J. 2007. Refining the conservation management of seed-dispersing frugivores and their fruits: examples from Australia. In Dennis, A. J., Schupp, E. W., Green, R. J. and Westcott, D. W. (Eds) Seed dispersal: theory and its application in a changing world. CAB International, Wallingford, UK
Green, R. J. and Giese, M. 2004. The Negative Effects of Wildlife Tourism on Wildlife.In K. Higginbottom (ed.) Wildlife Tourism, Sustainable Tourism CRC
Green, R. J., Higginbottom, K. and Northrope, C. 2001. A Tourism Classification of Australian Wildlife. Wildlife Tourism Research Report Series No. 7, Status Assessment of Wildlife Tourism in Australia Series, CRC for Sustainable Tourism
Green, R. J. and Higginbottom, K.2001. The Negative Effects of Wildlife Tourism on Wildlife. Wildlife Tourism Research Report Series No. 5, Status Assessment of Wildlife Tourism in Australia Series, CRC for Sustainable Tourism
Green,R. J. and Catterall, C. P. 1998. The effects of forest clearing and regeneration on the fauna of Wivenhoe Park, south-east Queensland Wildlife Research 25(6) 677 - 690
Green, R. J. 1995. Using frugivores for regeneration: a survey of knowledge and problems in Australia. in J. A. Bissonette and P. R. Krausman (eds) Integrating People and Wildlife for a Sustainable Future, The Wildlife Society, Maryland
Green, R. J. and Higginbottom, K. 2000. The effects of non-consumptive wildlife tourism on free-ranging wildlife. Pacific Conservation Biology, Vol. 6, pp. 183-197
Green, R. J. 1993. Avian seed dispersal in and near subtropical rainforests. Wildlife Research 20: 535-557
Green, R. J. Catterall, C. P., Jones, D. N. and Johnston, J. B. 1993. The terrestrial fauna and flora of Wivenhoe Park, South-east Queensland, and their changes following a century of pastoralism and recent dam construction. Proceedings of the Royal Society of Queensland 103: 27-46
Green, R. J., 1989. Problems of play: reflections on research. Australian Primatology 4:2-3
Green, R. J., 1988. Protectiveness by family members towards young chimpanzees: incidental notes taken at Taronga Zoo. Australian Primatology 3: 13-14
Green, R. J., Catterall, C. P. and Jones, D. N. 1988. Foraging and other behaviour of birds in subtropical and temperate suburban habitats. Emu 89: 216-222
Green, R. J., 1986. Native and exotic birds in the suburban habitat. In H. A. Ford and D.C. Paton (eds) The Dynamic Partnership: Birds and Plants in Southern Australia. S. A. Government Printers
Green, R. J. 1984. Native and exotic birds in a suburban habitat. Australian Wildlife Research 11:181-190
Green, R. J. 1977. Bush Holidays and Outings in Victoria. Quartet Books, Melbourne
Green, R. J. 1977. Guidelines to the Preparation of Nature Trails. Australian Conservation Foundation,Melbourne

Papers other than primary authorship:

Catterall, C. P., Green, R. J., and Jones, D. N. 1989. The occurrence of birds in relation to plants in a subtropical city. Australian Wildlife Research 16:289-305
Catterall, C. P., Green, R. J., and Jones, D. N. 1991. Habitat use by birds across a forest suburb interface in Brisbane: implications for corridors. In (eds. D.A. Saunders and R. J. Hobbs) Nature Conservation 2: the Role of Corridors. Surrey Beatty and Sons, Sydney
Higginbottom, K., Northrope, C. and Green, R. J. 2001. The Positive Effects of Wildlife Tourism on Wildlife. Wildlife Tourism Research Report Series No. 6, Status Assessment of Wildlife Tourism in Australia Series, CRC for Sustainable Tourism
Moran, C., Catterall, C. P., Green, R. J. and Olsen, M. F.2004. Fate of feathered fruit-eaters in fragmented forests.Pp 699-712 in D. Lunney (ed.) Conservation of Australia's Forest Fauna' (2nd edition), . Royal Zoological Society of New South Wales. Mosman, Australia
Moran, C., Catterall, C. P., Green, R. J. and Olsen, M. F.2004. Functional variation among frugivorous birds: implications for rainforest seed dispersal in a fragmented subtropical landscape. Oecologia 141: 584-595