The University’s landscapes and ecosystems shape the character of our campuses and support significant biodiversity. Green spaces, mature trees and Sullivans Creek provide habitat, shade and amenity, while also enhancing wellbeing and strengthening the campus’s climate resilience.
Our Acton campus was once dominated by Box–Gum Grassy Woodland, an endangered ecosystem community. A small remnant remains today, alongside highly modified riparian areas along Sullivans Creek. As climate conditions continue to shift, maintaining healthy, diverse and connected ecosystems is essential to keeping our campus liveable, resilient and adaptive.
Our approach
ANU manages its landscapes and ecosystems to balance biodiversity conservation, cultural and aesthetic values and operational needs. This approach focuses on protecting and reconnecting existing habitats, expanding green infrastructure and integrating ecosystem management into planning and maintenance processes.
Key priorities are to retain and increase habitat trees, expand native grasslands and implement multi-layered plantings to enhance habitats and control pest plants and animals.
Key focus areas include:
- Protecting and enhancing areas of high ecological value through targeted restoration of grassy woodlands, riparian zones and other sensitive ecosystems.
- Expanding tree cover, native understorey and climate resilient species to improve biodiversity, provide shade and increase resilience to climate extremes.
- Monitoring biodiversity to track progress and guide adaptive management, in partnership with ANU researchers and students.
- Managing invasive plants and animals through ongoing control programs that prioritise ecological health and protect restoration areas.
- Incorporating Indigenous cultural knowledge, including cool burning and biodiversity and water management practices to support ecological health and cultural connection to Country.
- Improving stormwater quality and reducing runoff impacts to Sullivans Creek and surrounding ecosystems.
Our goal
Enhance biodiversity and climate adaptation across campus landscapes.
Our targets
- Enhance landscape resilience and expand, support and connect areas of biodiversity value, including ecosystems of high ecological integrity.
- Maintain the area of green space across Acton campus.
Our progress
ANU is delivering practical actions to strengthen biodiversity, soil health and climate resilience across campus. Tree numbers on our Acton campus continue to grow, with more than 10,000 trees now established through ongoing planting, replacement and risk management programs.
Restoration and maintenance of high-value ecosystems, including Box–Gum Grassy Woodland remnants and riparian areas is supported by steady invasive species control and targeted habitat management. Onsite composting of green landscape materials is improving soil health and reducing fertiliser use, while drought-tolerant, climate-resilient plantings are being expanded across campus. Partnerships with ANU researchers and students also embeds monitoring, learning and research into landscape management, supporting continuous improvement.
Our progress is reviewed regularly and published through various reports and publications.
Composting on campus
We are supporting soil health and reducing green waste through onsite composting and circular landscape management.
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