4040 Forum - Grounded in Experience. Guided by Science. Looking to the Future.

- AABR 4040 Forum -Grounded in Experience. Guided by Science. Looking to the Future. 40 years of bush regeneration. One big day to celebrate where we’ve come from and help shape where we go next. AABR’s 4040 Forum will be an end-of-year cerebral and social celebration of bush regeneration. The practices. The people. The problems we set out to solve. The solutions we’ve developed. And the opportunities ahead. Forty years on, ecological restoration has growing momentum. The challenge now is to scale up, skill up and measure up, while ensuring the quality of restoration outcomes keeps pace with the ambition. The Forum brings practitioners, researchers, volunteers, land managers and restoration thinkers together to share knowledge, question assumptions, make connections and consider what bush regeneration needs for its next 40 years. Give your team a day to grow Your bush regeneration team has worked hard all year. Why not reward them with a day of learning, inspiration and connection? The AABR 4040 Forum is a great opportunity to step away from the tools, share experiences, discover new ideas and connect with others across the ecological restoration sector. Make it your team's end-of-year professional development and team-building day, recognising their contribution while investing in their skills, knowledge and enthusiasm for the year ahead. Presentations, workshops and conversations will explore four themes: Roots of Regeneration: People, Place & Purpose Restoration That Works: Science, Standards & Practice Regeneration Futures: Scale, Technology & Investment People Power: Participation, Skills & Careers

The Forum Program is finalised and here The AABR 4040 Forum is for all of us.Whether you're a professional bush regenerator, 'Care' volunteer, researcher, student, land manager or someone just finding your feet in ecological restoration, there's a place for you. We also know that the cost of attending or distance can be a challenge. Thanks to the generosity of AABR's donors and supporters, we're pleased to introduce a cost-of-living access and an online-training option helping more people join us for this special day.

Roots of Regeneration: People, Place & Purpose We’ll start by looking back, around and ahead. James Brazill-Boast from DCCEEW-NSW will discuss the the New South Wales Landscape Restoration Framework AABR President Peter Dixon will reflect on a provocative question: Why haven’t we won yet? What continues to block effective restoration and what needs to change? From Central Australia, Max Arkley-Smith, Buffel Grass Officer in Alice Springs, will ask another big question: do older methods work when the weed is Cenchrus ciliaris and the landscape is Central Australia? Together, these opening presentations will set the scene for a day that celebrates the foundations of bush regeneration while being willing to challenge how we apply them in a changing world.

Restoration That Works: Science, Standards & Practice What does good restoration look like on the ground? And how do we know it is working? Experienced practitioners and researchers will share insights from across the sector. Mark Schuster will explore the role of fire in restoration, Now and into the Pyrocene Tein McDonald will explore how AABR accreditation recognises bush regeneration expertise, the rewards of helping others gain recognition, and how mentoring and new service models could strengthen accreditation for the next generation. Tristan Simpson will look at how mapping, data tracking, drones, smart spray equipment and AI identification tools are changing the way bush regenerators plan, deliver and document their work. Petra Holland will share how citizen science platform iNaturalist is supporting bushland management and community engagement in a local government context. Mareshell Wauchope will share her research and an urban rewilding story of boguls, bushland and buildings. Michelle Dawson & James Brazill-Boast will discuss Seeding Nature Recovery: building capacity of the restoration supply chain for NSW

Regeneration Futures: Scale, Technology & InvestmentAfter lunch, it’s over to you. This interactive workshop session gives us an hour to exchange knowledge, test ideas and turn discussion into action for the years ahead. Topics currently being developed include: Mentoring in the workplace and links to accreditation and productivity gains (Scott Meier & Tein McDonald) Building Restoration Success through Supported Networks. (Peter Dixon) How can the National Restoration Standards be implemented in local government? (Alan Noy) How can better data collection help us measure ecosystem change, demonstrate restoration outcomes and better understand the true costs and benefits of professional restoration practice? (Tim Baker) Digging deeper: Building the capacity to deliver restoration at scale? (Paul Gibson-Roy & Averill Wilson) Workshop outcomes and ideas will be brought back to the room later in the day, giving participants a chance to contribute to conversations that can continue well beyond the Forum.

NSW/ACT Branch – What Do You Need From AABR?Drop in throughout the day to meet NSW/ACT Branch members, connect with fellow bush regenerators and help shape the Branch's priorities. What challenges are you facing? What practical support, training, mentoring or connections would make a difference? Share your ideas, vote on priorities and help guide what the Branch does next.

A cuppa with the pioneersAfternoon tea brings a special opportunity to connect with some of the pioneers of Australian bush regeneration as they gather to catch up, reconnect and share stories. Say hello. Ask a question. Swap a story. Because some of the best knowledge sharing happens away from the lectern, cuppa in hand.

People Power: Participation, Skills & CareersBush regeneration has always been about people as much as practice. In our final presentation session, Jen Ford will look at scaling up restoration and building the skills and workforce needed for the next 40 years. Christian Marando will share the latest research on The ‘lifework’ of volunteering in Bushcare. Estella Xia will explore engagement with culturally and linguistically diverse communities in bush regeneration. Jessie Panazzolo, The Lonely Conservationist, will explore how community, connection and honest conversations about mental health can help environmentalists respond to isolation, impostor syndrome and burnout, and sustain themselves for the long haul. We’ll finish the session with a panel exploring career pathways in bush regeneration, the skills the sector needs and where the next generation of practitioners might take us.

From ideas to actionBefore we move into celebration mode, we’ll bring the day’s conversations together. Workshop outcomes will be shared. Ideas and interests will be captured. Connections will be made for what comes next. And, of course, there will be a hearty thank you to everyone who contributed their experience, curiosity and knowledge to the day. The program is finalised - (a pdf to review it)What we can promise is a day of insightful presentations, practical conversations, opportunities to contribute your knowledge, plenty of networking and the particular joie de vivre that happens when nature-passionate people gather in one place.

Then comes the social… it's a separate ticketAfter a day for the grey matter, it’s time for informal conversation, food and celebration at the same venue. Finger food will be provided and beverages will be available for purchase from the bar. Expect good company, conversation starters, a little trivia and a karioke flavour, Most importantly, it’s a chance to spend time with people who understand why bush regeneration matters and celebrate the people who have helped build the practice over the past 40 years.

Come for the ideas. Stay for the people. Help shape the next 40 years of bush regeneration.