Research & Conservation Projects
Otways Climate Resilient Forests
Forests are managed for a wide range of important reasons – to protect and enhance biodiversity, reduce bushfire risk, create opportunities for tourism and recreation and make use of forest products like firewood to name a few.
Feral Pigs in the Otways
Since 2018, the Conservation Ecology Centre (CEC) has been using ecological methods combined with practical land management techniques to actively manage feral pig populations in the Otways.
Otways Marine Ecosystem Resilience
The Otways Marine Ecosystem Resilience (OMER) initiative is establishing up-to-date ecological baselines on current threats and ecosystem conditions for intertidal and subtidal ecosystems along the Otway coast.
Murnong on Maar
This Aboriginal-led project investigated the contemporary and pre-invasion distribution, community ecology, and soil ecology of murnong across Eastern Maar territories.
Cape Otway Ecological Baseline Study
Ecological Baselines Shaping a Shared Vision for Cape Otways’ Vegetation & Wildlife
Wild Otways Initiative
The Australian Government’s ‘Wild Otways Initiative’ is a three-year $6M commitment to achieving on-ground outcomes that will improve the protection and management of threatened species in the Otways, Victoria.
Great Ocean Road Koala Habitat Rescue
We have embarked on creating the woodlands of the future by planting over 100,000 tree seedlings over the last few years, across 100 Ha of affected woodland areas at Cape Otway.
Cape Otway Ecological Burns Program
Working with partner organisations, including the Country Fire Authority, the Conservation Ecology Centre has led a 5-year program to re-establish a fire regime on the Cape Otway.
Have you seen a Quoll? A Potoroo?
We want to hear about it. Call the threatened species hotline on 0-iSPOTTED1 (0477 688 331)
Endangered Orchids on Cape Otway’s Dunes
The leafy greenhood orchid is an extraordinary colony forming plant. There are several populations around Victoria, occurring in both coastal and alpine habitats, although nowhere in between. On Cape Otway, several greenhood colonies survive the exposed coastal conditions.
The Otway Ark
In 2017 Otway Ark, a native mammal recovery program, was rolled out across the Otway landscape by Parks Victoria.
Otways Ecological Research Network
The Otways Ecological Research Network is a group of conservation researchers and land managers working to improve conservation outcomes in the Otways by facilitating collaborative research and ensuring that all outcomes are communicated to relevant stakeholders.
Otway Conservation Dogs
Working with Canidae Development we’ve trained up a team of community volunteers to work with their own dogs (across a wide range of breeds), to detect scats of endangered species.
These highly qualified endangered species detection teams use Minimal Impact Detection Methods to detect scats on both private and public land throughout the Otways (and beyond!).
Big Otway Tree Plant
The Big Otway Tree Plant is an annual community conservation initiative run by the Conservation Ecology to restore critical Manna Gum woodlands on Cape Otway.
It’s a vital community event that forms an integral part of our Great Ocean Road Koala Habitat Rescue project.
Feral pigs & deer in the Otways
This project was part of the Wild Otways Initiative. For the full article, please visit our Feral pigs & deer project overview.
Foxes, cats and fire in the Otways
As a part of the Wild Otways Initiative, the Conservation Ecology Centre investigated the relationship between fire and these feral pests in the Carlisle Health region of the Otways.