Jonathan Rhodes – The Conversation

AAP Image/Supplied by Horsham Incident Control Centre

May 29, 2025

Most of Australia’s conservation efforts ignore climate risks – here are 3 fixes

Yi Fei Chung, The University of Queensland and Jonathan Rhodes, Queensland University of Technology

New research reveals only 44% of biodiversity offset policies and 27% of voluntary conservation programs consider climate risk. These 3 practical steps can help.

Jonathan Rhodes

July 10, 2023

Developers aren’t paying enough to offset impacts on koalas and other endangered species

Jonathan Rhodes, The University of Queensland and Shantala Brisbane, The University of Queensland

Offsets are meant to restore land elsewhere to make up for lost habitat. Developers can make payments to the state to cover the costs of this work, but a new study finds there’s usually a shortfall.

Shutterstock

June 23, 2021

A lone tree makes it easier for birds and bees to navigate farmland, like a stepping stone between habitats

Carla Archibald, Deakin University; Eduardo van den Berg, Federal University of Lavras, and Jonathan Rhodes, The University of Queensland

Enabling wildlife to journey across farmlands not only benefits conservation, but also people. It means bees can improve crop pollination, and seed-dispersing birds can help restore ecosystems.

Koalas are among the threatened native species worst affected by habitat loss. Taronga Zoo

September 9, 2019

Environment laws have failed to tackle the extinction emergency. Here’s the proof

Michelle Ward, The University of Queensland; April Reside, The University of Queensland; Hugh Possingham, The University of Queensland; James Watson, The University of Queensland; Jeremy Simmonds, The University of Queensland; Jonathan Rhodes, The University of Queensland, and Martin Taylor, The University of Queensland

A staggering 7.7 million hectares of critical habitat has been destroyed since environment laws were enacted - and 93% was not referred to the federal government for assessment.

Koalas face many threats, and our conservation efforts are failing them. Koala image from www.shutterstock.com

July 5, 2016

Koalas are feeling the heat, and we need to make some tough choices to save our furry friends

Jonathan Rhodes, The University of Queensland; Clive McAlpine, The University of Queensland; Daniel Lunney, University of Sydney; Kerrie Wilson, The University of Queensland, and Truly Santika, The University of Queensland

Koalas are under threat from a range of factors, from urban expansion to climate change. Unfortunately there is no quick fix, and it may be that not all populations can be saved.

Moo-ve along: livestock are one of many threats to Australian freshwater ecosystems. Mick Stanic/Flickr

May 9, 2016

We all live downstream – it’s time to restore our freshwater ecosystems

Chrystal Mantyka-Pringle, University of Saskatchewan; Jonathan Rhodes, The University of Queensland, and Tara Martin, CSIRO

Freshwater covers only 0.5% of the Earth’s surface but is home to 10% of the world’s lifeforms.

Land clearing rates in Queensland tripled since 2010. Martin Taylor

February 21, 2016

Queensland land clearing is undermining Australia’s environmental progress

Martine Maron, The University of Queensland; Bill Laurance, James Cook University; Bob Pressey, James Cook University; Carla P. Catterall, Griffith University; Clive McAlpine, The University of Queensland; Hugh Possingham, The University of Queensland; James Watson, The University of Queensland; Jonathan Rhodes, The University of Queensland; Kerrie Wilson, The University of Queensland, and Marc Hockings, The University of Queensland

Land clearing in Queensland has tripled in the past five years.

Recent increases in land clearing threaten Queensland’s biodiversity. Bill Laurance

March 18, 2015

Land clearing in Queensland triples after policy ping pong

Martine Maron, The University of Queensland; Bill Laurance, James Cook University; Bob Pressey, James Cook University; Carla P. Catterall, Griffith University; James Watson, The University of Queensland, and Jonathan Rhodes, The University of Queensland

Land clearing in Queensland has tripled since 2010 after wind backs to regulations.

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