20 July 2006
Behind Monash University's Halls of Residence at Clayton, on eight acres of land hemmed by an animal-proof fence, a transformation is taking place.
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| Mr Graeme Farrington (left), the School of Biological Sciences technical officer responsible for the reserve, and Professor John Beardall, Acting Head of the School of Biological Sciences, at the Jock Marshall Reserve. |
The Jock Marshall Reserve, named in honour of, and established by, Monash's foundation chair of Zoology and Comparative Physiology, is getting a makeover.
But the activity that has been taking place over the past few weeks, culminating with the dredging of the three-acre lake, is far from cosmetic.
The redevelopment, worth more than $300,000 and funded by the School of Biological Sciences, will restore and enhance a range of habitats and experimental facilities to foster teaching and research for staff and students and provide a resource for public outreach.
Mammal populations will be re-established to provide the basis for radio-tracking exercises, and indigenous vegetation will be planted to provide opportunities for future research.
As well, a settling pond and treatment wetland with radio-telemetry monitoring of water quality will be established in collaboration with the Department of Computer Science, the Faculty of Engineering and the School of Chemistry's Water Studies Centre.
The Acting Head of the School of Biological Sciences, Professor John Beardall, said the facility had been used for teaching and research, but over the years the lake had become silted up and the site under-used.
"It's a site with tremendous potential, but because of the siltation and changing research strengths in the department, it hadn't been used as much as it could," Professor Beardall said.
He said a number of exciting new academic appointments, including those of Dr Ross Thompson and Dr Bob Wong, had strengthened the school's freshwater ecology research focus, which was a stimulus to re-examine the use of the Jock Marshall Reserve.
Professor Beardall said the site would facilitate projects on climate change, aquatic ecosystems and hydrology. Large-scale water enclosures for experimental manipulations of populations would be deployed off a pier extending into the lake, and other ponds and enclosures for aquatic ecology studies would also be established.
"We have a tremendous opportunity to set up a real world-class facility for carrying out research in aquatic sciences," he said. "We're really very excited about it."
For more information contact or to arrange interviews contact Melissa Marino, Media Communications, on + 61 3 9905 2085 or 0437 121 978. High resolution images of Professor Beardall at the reserve are available.
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