Home > Divisions > CSIRO Sustainable Ecosystems > Research Projects & Capabilities
Close Explore CSIRO Close

Explore CSIRO

About CSIRO

The Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation is Australia's national science agency and one of the largest and most diverse research agencies in the world.

CSIRO's core areas of impact
Contact Enquiries: Phone - 1300 363 400 | Email - Enquiries@csiro.au | Contact Us
Houses next to parkland with an orchard in the background.

Featured Items - CSE Research Programs

A flowering canola field with windmill
Sustainable agricultural landscapes

CSIRO has significant research activities committed to undestanding ways to improve the sustainability and performance of farms and other enterprises in agricultural landscapes.
Musterers on horse back with a cattle herd in northern Australia
Sustainable rangelands and savannas

Sustainable mananagement and habitation of 'Outback' and 'Top End' Australia is an important goal which CSIRO researchers working in arid rangelands and tropical savanna environments are addressing.
People standing a field by a 4wd and tree.
Social and Economic Sciences
Over 80 scientists are currently engaged in CSIRO’s Social and Economic Sciences Research Program, making it one of the largest social science research programs in the world focused on natural resource management and sustainability challenges.
Panorama of arid zone meeting a tropical zone.
Tropical and arid systems

CSIRO’s Tropical and Arid Systems Program has around 60 staff located in Alice Springs, Atherton, Cairns, Darwin and Townsville. We conduct research on Indigenous livelihoods, fire and savanna dynamics, tropical forest ecology, grazing systems and grazing land condition, invasive species and biodiversity conservation. While we are based in northern and central Australia, our work addresses national and international challenges.
Looking over a high rise city centre
Urban Systems research program

CSIRO's Urban systems program is undertaking research to understand the interconnected processes between human, natural and built systems necessary to develop more sustainable and ecologically sensitive urban areas that provide better environmental, economic and community outcomes.

Capability

 
  • People standing a field by a 4wd and tree.
    Social and Economic Sciences
    Over 80 scientists are currently engaged in CSIRO’s Social and Economic Sciences Research Program, making it one of the largest social science research programs in the world focused on natural resource management and sustainability challenges.
  • A photograph of land with crops in the foreground and some trees in background.
    Farming systems
    Finding better ways to manage agricultural systems and lands so that food and fibre production can be sustained in balance with environmental and socioeconomic outcomes.
  • An energy efficient building with a solar panel and rammed earth walls.
    Improving ventilation and thermal comfort in buildings

    The combination of modelling expertise, experimentally-based data and CSIRO software is helping to address ventilation and thermal issues in built environments. The technology is producing gains in energy efficiency and the health of indoor environment.

  • A driver at the controls of a vehicle with a computer display incorporated into the driving display.
    Managing complex systems

    CSIRO is applying systems and complexity theory to optimise the performance and efficiency of market areas such as manufacturing, mining, infrastructure, logistics and security.

  • A misty hillside forest with smaller vegetation in the foreground.
    Understanding forests and climate change

    CSIRO’s understanding of the potential impacts of climate change on natural and planted forests is helping forestry and natural resource managers prepare for the future.

  • Black smoke rising from a desert scrub fire
    Landscape health and monitoring in the rangelands and savannas

    CSIRO scientists are researching in areas throughout the rangelands and savannas region of Australia to generate results that will form a picture about how these landscapes can be managed.

  • A man stands surveying an area with dead trees and bare soil - an area affected by salinity.
    Improving natural resource management by combining ecological and economic research

    CSIRO applies rigorous economic research to deliver real policy solutions for natural resource management around Australia.

  • Man sitting on a bench overlooking lake.
    ARCWIS: understanding the social implications of resource decisions

    Australian Research Centre for Water in Society (ARCWIS) was established to assist Australian organisations and communities to make quality decisions in water and related issues. CSIRO is recognised for its expertise in the conduct and application of innovative social research for water resource management and other related issues of importance to society.

  • Maximising the sustainability of our urban buildings.
    Sustainable urban infrastructure

    CSIRO's urban infrastructure research skills and capabilities are focused on enhancing whole-of-life built environment performance while reducing our ecological footprint.

     

  • Man on a horse looking to the side (and behind) with a herd of cattle around him
    Sustainable pastoralism in the rangelands and savannas

    CSIRO Sustainable Ecosystems has expertise in the rangeland and savannas region of Australia. Current research will supply information to pastoralists to assist them to manage the land to achieve both greater productivity and sustainable use of the natural resources.

More