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BOOBOOK ECOLOGICAL CONSULTING

Insights

Ecology research

Courtney and Craig with a school kid looking in a net at what they have found in the local waterhole as part of ecology research

If we could research ecology in our sleep, we probably would. 

It is our passion and our life’s work – much more than just a job or a business. 

Whether we are on the clock, working for a client, or in our leisure time, we are always taking note of our surroundings.

What exactly is ecology research? 

Ecology research is the study of organisms (plants and animals) and how they interface with the environment around them. 

What happens with the information you collect?

At Boobook Ecological Consulting, we have a huge herbarium (collection of plants) with over 3,000 plant specimens. We also have leaf litter, collected over many years, that we continue to sort (to be searched for native land snails) and bags of owl pellets that we are slowly breaking down to check what critters they have consumed in the area. 

We have thousands upon thousands of individual species records, a huge image library and a desk top drawer of research projects we would love to share as opportunities arise.

We also continue to submit plant samples to the Queensland Herbarium and fauna specimen collections to the Queensland Museum.

Whilst we are humble in our knowledge, our passion, excitement and thirst for new discoveries and knowledge shine through. Many people in our community have joined in our journey, often bringing in samples or calling to share or learn more about their new finds. 

What kinds of things have you learnt?

Some of the findings from our most recently conducted ecology research – often in partnership with community members – includes:

  • New locality records for threatened fauna species such as Greater glider, Squatter pigeon, Glossy black cockatoo, Painted honeyeater, Yakka skink, Dunmall’s snake, Dulacca woodland snail and Brigalow woodland snail
  • New plant species discoveries
  • New locality records for threatened flora records such as the Cracow wattle (Acacia calantha), Isla Gorge wattle (A. islana) and swamp tea-tree (Melaleuca irbyana)
  • Range extensions for many plant and animal species

We have also had the opportunity to document many plants and animals in significant habitats (e.g. vine thickets, scree slopes, springs and sandstone gorges) and assist with the collection of specimens for spider researchers studying the trapdoor genus Aname.

To discuss your next research project, contact us.

If you would like to discover more about the region of southwest Outback Queensland we call home, please check out our eco-friendly tours on the Boobook Explore website.

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What our clients say

Craig did a brilliant environmental audit and pointed out things that we didn’t even know existed. He scientifically mounted an argument by looking at numbers and regions using botanical names to classify each of the plants and animals – it’s that rigour that makes the biodiversity offset application so credible.
Richard ReidRural Operations Manager, Silver Lining Foundation Australia
Boobook’s service has been used over a number of years on various projects in South Western Queensland including fauna spotting/catching, EVNT flora surveys and invasive plant surveys. In this time, Boobook’s owners and staff have been personable and highly knowledgeable in their various fields.
Environmental Officer, Department of Transport and Main Roads
We’ve worked with Boobook for a long time now, you can be confident with what you are going to get, and you deal with the same people too. We can talk to Craig or Meryl or the senior people, and we get the same level of understanding. We’ve always been very happy with the Boobook service.
John EarleyEnvironmental Manager, Senex Energy Limited
I wouldn’t hesitate recommending Boobook for consulting work – they collaborate really well and they are so good at dotting the i’s and crossing the t’s. They have a really good set of skills across the board.
Nikki ThompsonFarmer, Landowner/Manager
If you want locally applied knowledge with a group of people who understand what it means to play an active and meaningful role in a community then Boobook are the ones for you. It’s a small company that has a high level of attention to detail and provides a great customer experience that isn’t lost in the workings or mechanics of a large nationally based company.
Holly HosieNatural Resource Manager

The science of a shared world

Boobook Ecological Consulting has built its success on decades of first-hand knowledge of the natural ecosystems of the southern Queensland drylands combined with practical understanding of the complex pressures that impinge on Australia’s fragile environment.