Heather McGinness

Dr Heather McGinness is a CSIRO Senior Research Scientist specialising in freshwater river floodplain and wetland ecology, with a focus on waterbird ecology. Heather has worked with the CSIRO since 2004. She has a strong interest in improving the management of water as a key integrating element crucial to the resilience of ecosystems. Her work is filling critical knowledge gaps for long-term science, policy and management regarding environmental water and habitat requirements of floodplain wetland species and communities. Heather leads a range of projects, including using the latest technology in satellite-tracking the movements of waterbirds to inform water and wetland management. Since 2016 she has led the largest ongoing waterbird movements satellite tracking project in Australia, involving over 200 birds of multiple species. She also provides consulting expertise supporting water and wetland managers and policy makers including the Commonwealth Environmental Water Holder (CEWH), the Murray-Darling Basin Authority (MDBA), state governments, and catchment management groups.