What We Do

We create new understanding by bringing together different forms of knowledge, observation and experience.

Knowledge can emerge through scientific collaboration, long-term observation, field experience and emerging research. It also comes through soil science and microbiology, microscopy, landscape monitoring and the practical knowledge of people working with land and living systems every day. We are respectful of, inspired by and seek to learn from Indigenous knowledge, practice and ways of knowing and being.

Our whole-systems approach looks for relationships that can be missed when subjects are considered separately, from microorganisms, soils and plants through to animals, biodiversity, water, landscapes, weather and climate.

Knowledge moves in both directions. Farmers, graziers and practitioners often observe things that research has yet to explain. Science can help reveal why a practice works, while practical experience can challenge assumptions and generate new questions. 

We use, test and demonstrate knowledge in real-world circumstances.

We work alongside farmers, graziers, foresters, land managers, catchment organisations, communities, scientists, universities, agronomists, extension services and regenerative input providers. We also work with industry, banks and governments. Together, we apply ecological understanding in different landscapes and circumstances.

This work takes many forms, across farming, grazing, forestry, rangelands, catchments, biodiversity conservation, landscape regeneration and urban greening. It can include improving soil and plant health, retaining more water in landscapes, strengthening farm resilience, profitability and long-term viability, and helping create greener, cooler cities.

There is no universal prescription. Good practice needs to work ecologically, practically and financially, while taking account of different landscapes, climates, cultures and circumstances. For farmers and graziers, that means dealing with the realities of climate variability, risk and profitability.

We pay close attention to what works, why it works and what people can learn from it. When people can see something working in practice, possibilities become real.

We help knowledge travel, creating understanding, curiosity and further learning.

We share understanding through conversations, mentoring, workshops, presentations, keynote addresses, educational resources, articles, reports, briefing papers, videos and conferences. Sharing knowledge is more than broadcasting information. We translate complex ideas without stripping away their meaning, helping people connect knowledge with their own experience and decisions.

Our aim is often to create a simple but powerful moment:

"Oh Wow!"

 and then:

 "Now I'm curious. I want to learn more."

That can begin a much longer journey of observation, questioning, experimentation and learning.

We help bring knowledge and practical experience into decisions at every scale.

That can mean a farmer or grazier making decisions across a farming enterprise or landscape, a catchment organisation working to improve water security, an educator shaping learning, an industry body leading change, or a government official designing policy.

We contribute through partnerships and collaborations, educational initiatives, conferences, direct engagement with organisations and decision-makers, and policy briefings and submissions.

We help people see systems more clearly, understand the possibilities and consequences, and recognise what they have the agency to change. In this way, knowledge developed in farms, landscapes, science and communities can contribute to wider practice and public policy.