Calum Cunningham
@calxcunningham.bsky.social
Australian ecologist into wildfire, wildlife, and the wonders of nature
Reposted by Calum Cunningham
I seriously cannot get over how stupid it is to be cutting back on research right now #ThePoint
thepoint.com.au/off-the-char...
thepoint.com.au/off-the-char...
CSIRO 350 job cuts a damning indictment on Government priorities, misses 'golden opportunity' on research
The announcement this week that CSIRO are to cut 350 research jobs is another damning indictment on Australia’s ongoing failure to prioritise research and development.
thepoint.com.au
November 19, 2025 at 10:37 PM
I seriously cannot get over how stupid it is to be cutting back on research right now #ThePoint
thepoint.com.au/off-the-char...
thepoint.com.au/off-the-char...
Reposted by Calum Cunningham
This is why for a long time I've found the Prime Minister's Prizes for Science a rather insulting propaganda exercise
www.abc.net.au/news/science...
CSIRO funding as a percentage of GDP:
1982-83 = 0.17
2024-25 = 0.03
...
Scientific extinction event imminent?
www.abc.net.au/news/science...
CSIRO funding as a percentage of GDP:
1982-83 = 0.17
2024-25 = 0.03
...
Scientific extinction event imminent?
The CSIRO cuts are just the tip of the iceberg for Australia's science funding
Australia is known as a country of innovators, but with a combination of brain drain, continuous cuts, and a loss of critical science projects, is Australia losing its edge?
www.abc.net.au
November 19, 2025 at 7:01 AM
This is why for a long time I've found the Prime Minister's Prizes for Science a rather insulting propaganda exercise
www.abc.net.au/news/science...
CSIRO funding as a percentage of GDP:
1982-83 = 0.17
2024-25 = 0.03
...
Scientific extinction event imminent?
www.abc.net.au/news/science...
CSIRO funding as a percentage of GDP:
1982-83 = 0.17
2024-25 = 0.03
...
Scientific extinction event imminent?
Reposted by Calum Cunningham
✈️ Flying into NZ for #FOSS4G @foss4g.org - couldn't help but nerd out on all the beautiful tidal flats that surround Auckland.
Here's a quick #DEAIntertidal tidal flat elevation map of Auckland’s Manukau Harbour, generated using #opensource code + satellite data loaded via #OpenDataCube and #STAC!
Here's a quick #DEAIntertidal tidal flat elevation map of Auckland’s Manukau Harbour, generated using #opensource code + satellite data loaded via #OpenDataCube and #STAC!
November 16, 2025 at 11:45 PM
✈️ Flying into NZ for #FOSS4G @foss4g.org - couldn't help but nerd out on all the beautiful tidal flats that surround Auckland.
Here's a quick #DEAIntertidal tidal flat elevation map of Auckland’s Manukau Harbour, generated using #opensource code + satellite data loaded via #OpenDataCube and #STAC!
Here's a quick #DEAIntertidal tidal flat elevation map of Auckland’s Manukau Harbour, generated using #opensource code + satellite data loaded via #OpenDataCube and #STAC!
Reposted by Calum Cunningham
A very solid, evidence-informed speech against the Albanese government's cynical push to rush through Labor's deeply inadequate, integrity-challenged EPBC package
Thank you @zalisteggall.bsky.social
Thank you @zalisteggall.bsky.social
November 5, 2025 at 7:48 AM
A very solid, evidence-informed speech against the Albanese government's cynical push to rush through Labor's deeply inadequate, integrity-challenged EPBC package
Thank you @zalisteggall.bsky.social
Thank you @zalisteggall.bsky.social
Reposted by Calum Cunningham
Is now a good time to talk about how many lambs are killed in different parts of Australia by foxes and feral pigs as opposed to dingoes?
Oh, and what kills foxes and feral pigs, and helps to reduce their activity? Rhymes with bingo.
www.abc.net.au/news/2025-11...
Oh, and what kills foxes and feral pigs, and helps to reduce their activity? Rhymes with bingo.
www.abc.net.au/news/2025-11...
Feral pigs are eating 99 out of every 100 lambs on this NSW property
Neville Mattick says feral pigs are eating the lambs on his farm in the NSW Central West, with fewer than one in 100 surviving this season.
www.abc.net.au
November 3, 2025 at 11:32 PM
Is now a good time to talk about how many lambs are killed in different parts of Australia by foxes and feral pigs as opposed to dingoes?
Oh, and what kills foxes and feral pigs, and helps to reduce their activity? Rhymes with bingo.
www.abc.net.au/news/2025-11...
Oh, and what kills foxes and feral pigs, and helps to reduce their activity? Rhymes with bingo.
www.abc.net.au/news/2025-11...
Reposted by Calum Cunningham
I have been developing techniques for the automated assessment of fire events across Australia using NAFI (firenorth.org.au) data. These are the top 10 largest across Australia so far this year. 3 of them are > 1 million hectares (Terra-Fires, 100x mega fire). The year is not over.
October 26, 2025 at 11:47 PM
I have been developing techniques for the automated assessment of fire events across Australia using NAFI (firenorth.org.au) data. These are the top 10 largest across Australia so far this year. 3 of them are > 1 million hectares (Terra-Fires, 100x mega fire). The year is not over.
Reposted by Calum Cunningham
🚨 Launched: State of Wildfires Report 2024-25
The Americas felt the harsh reality of what it means to live on a more fire-prone planet, with extreme #wildfire episodes made 2-3 times more likely by #climate change.
🔥 Full details via our brand new website: stateofwildfires.com/latest-report/
The Americas felt the harsh reality of what it means to live on a more fire-prone planet, with extreme #wildfire episodes made 2-3 times more likely by #climate change.
🔥 Full details via our brand new website: stateofwildfires.com/latest-report/
October 16, 2025 at 6:36 AM
🚨 Launched: State of Wildfires Report 2024-25
The Americas felt the harsh reality of what it means to live on a more fire-prone planet, with extreme #wildfire episodes made 2-3 times more likely by #climate change.
🔥 Full details via our brand new website: stateofwildfires.com/latest-report/
The Americas felt the harsh reality of what it means to live on a more fire-prone planet, with extreme #wildfire episodes made 2-3 times more likely by #climate change.
🔥 Full details via our brand new website: stateofwildfires.com/latest-report/
Reposted by Calum Cunningham
Seriously?!
It was actually your own party and Anthony Albanese that scuttled the EPBC reforms last time around, to appease your W.A. Labor colleagues and mining interests!
And now you're asking us to lobby to pass legislation we haven't even seen the details of?!
www.linkedin.com/posts/murray...
It was actually your own party and Anthony Albanese that scuttled the EPBC reforms last time around, to appease your W.A. Labor colleagues and mining interests!
And now you're asking us to lobby to pass legislation we haven't even seen the details of?!
www.linkedin.com/posts/murray...
We need your help to deliver a new Federal Environmental Protection Agency that enforces the law and protects our incredible natural environment.
Tell the Senate to pass the EPA:… | Murray Watt | 11...
We need your help to deliver a new Federal Environmental Protection Agency that enforces the law and protects our incredible natural environment.
Tell the Senate to pass the EPA: https://alp.org.au/...
www.linkedin.com
October 20, 2025 at 11:14 AM
Seriously?!
It was actually your own party and Anthony Albanese that scuttled the EPBC reforms last time around, to appease your W.A. Labor colleagues and mining interests!
And now you're asking us to lobby to pass legislation we haven't even seen the details of?!
www.linkedin.com/posts/murray...
It was actually your own party and Anthony Albanese that scuttled the EPBC reforms last time around, to appease your W.A. Labor colleagues and mining interests!
And now you're asking us to lobby to pass legislation we haven't even seen the details of?!
www.linkedin.com/posts/murray...
Reposted by Calum Cunningham
I really hope that the environmental & conservation community has learnt their lessons from the safeguard mechanism fiasco. Those that should have known better were played by Labor, & threw many of their own under the bus. Now we're seeing the consequences. Let's not do the same with EPBC reforms!
Seriously?!
It was actually your own party and Anthony Albanese that scuttled the EPBC reforms last time around, to appease your W.A. Labor colleagues and mining interests!
And now you're asking us to lobby to pass legislation we haven't even seen the details of?!
www.linkedin.com/posts/murray...
It was actually your own party and Anthony Albanese that scuttled the EPBC reforms last time around, to appease your W.A. Labor colleagues and mining interests!
And now you're asking us to lobby to pass legislation we haven't even seen the details of?!
www.linkedin.com/posts/murray...
We need your help to deliver a new Federal Environmental Protection Agency that enforces the law and protects our incredible natural environment.
Tell the Senate to pass the EPA:… | Murray Watt | 11...
We need your help to deliver a new Federal Environmental Protection Agency that enforces the law and protects our incredible natural environment.
Tell the Senate to pass the EPA: https://alp.org.au/...
www.linkedin.com
October 20, 2025 at 11:37 PM
I really hope that the environmental & conservation community has learnt their lessons from the safeguard mechanism fiasco. Those that should have known better were played by Labor, & threw many of their own under the bus. Now we're seeing the consequences. Let's not do the same with EPBC reforms!
Reposted by Calum Cunningham
Absolute must idea.
The big gas and oil companies have been having it their way for too long. We are calling for a 25% tax on gas exports. This would have raised $17.1 billion in the 2023-2024 financial year. Enough to build 50,000 new homes.
October 16, 2025 at 11:55 PM
Absolute must idea.
Reposted by Calum Cunningham
Having charged Richard Boyle for 66 offenses, tied up the courts for 6 years, spent $339,703 on external legal fees, chilled whistleblowing - with the Court refusing to convict - it’s mind-blowing the CDPP still thinks his prosecution was in the public interest. 🤷♂️🤦♂️ #auspol
October 7, 2025 at 7:33 PM
Having charged Richard Boyle for 66 offenses, tied up the courts for 6 years, spent $339,703 on external legal fees, chilled whistleblowing - with the Court refusing to convict - it’s mind-blowing the CDPP still thinks his prosecution was in the public interest. 🤷♂️🤦♂️ #auspol
Reposted by Calum Cunningham
However resilient country can be built, fuels at scale can be managed. Fund the tools to monitor fuels, fund the rangers on country. Watch these fires, especially their behavior related to previous burning, on the NAFI Moblie app.
October 6, 2025 at 4:27 AM
However resilient country can be built, fuels at scale can be managed. Fund the tools to monitor fuels, fund the rangers on country. Watch these fires, especially their behavior related to previous burning, on the NAFI Moblie app.
Reposted by Calum Cunningham
It doesn't just *feel* like wildfires are becoming more catastrophic, they actually are. Led by @calxcunningham.bsky.social at Univ of Tasmania, this is a paper we started nearly 10 years ago, now in @science.org. Press release from @ucmerced.bsky.social here: news.ucmerced.edu/news/2025/wi...
Wildfire Disasters Surged in the Past 10 Years, Study Shows | Newsroom
news.ucmerced.edu
October 2, 2025 at 6:28 PM
It doesn't just *feel* like wildfires are becoming more catastrophic, they actually are. Led by @calxcunningham.bsky.social at Univ of Tasmania, this is a paper we started nearly 10 years ago, now in @science.org. Press release from @ucmerced.bsky.social here: news.ucmerced.edu/news/2025/wi...
Reposted by Calum Cunningham
Published today: our new paper showing a 44-year trend of increasing global wildfire disasters (fatalities and economic losses) due to climate change-induced extreme weather. www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
Climate-linked escalation of societally disastrous wildfires
Climate change and land mismanagement are creating increasingly fire-prone built and natural environments. However, despite worsening fire seasons, evidence is lacking globally for trends in socially ...
www.science.org
October 2, 2025 at 6:28 PM
Published today: our new paper showing a 44-year trend of increasing global wildfire disasters (fatalities and economic losses) due to climate change-induced extreme weather. www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
Out today in @science.org, we show wildfire disasters have surged in the last decade, as climate change intensifies fire weather and exacerbates other vulnerabilities.
📄 www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
With @pyrogeog.bsky.social @climate-guy.bsky.social
📄 www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
With @pyrogeog.bsky.social @climate-guy.bsky.social
Climate-linked escalation of societally disastrous wildfires
Climate change and land mismanagement are creating increasingly fire-prone built and natural environments. However, despite worsening fire seasons, evidence is lacking globally for trends in socially ...
www.science.org
October 2, 2025 at 11:06 PM
Out today in @science.org, we show wildfire disasters have surged in the last decade, as climate change intensifies fire weather and exacerbates other vulnerabilities.
📄 www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
With @pyrogeog.bsky.social @climate-guy.bsky.social
📄 www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
With @pyrogeog.bsky.social @climate-guy.bsky.social
Reposted by Calum Cunningham
Guess where former defence ministers are? 👀
The revolving door is a real obstacle to good governance and it should be SHUT.
The revolving door is a real obstacle to good governance and it should be SHUT.
August 21, 2025 at 9:45 PM
Guess where former defence ministers are? 👀
The revolving door is a real obstacle to good governance and it should be SHUT.
The revolving door is a real obstacle to good governance and it should be SHUT.
Reposted by Calum Cunningham
Gov reaffirming salmon farming expansion in Mac Harbour shows appalling disregard for the natural environment. Obsessed with appeasing big business, they’d rather offer hollow apologies later for driving the Maugean skate to extinction than take real action now. #auspol #politas
August 14, 2025 at 2:47 AM
Reposted by Calum Cunningham
It’s time to stop the Aussie gas scam.
Let’s put our people & industries first.
Sign my petition: www.davidpocock.com.au/prrt_petition
Let’s put our people & industries first.
Sign my petition: www.davidpocock.com.au/prrt_petition
Stop the Aussie gas scam petition
TRUST. INTEGRITY. LEADERSHIP.
www.davidpocock.com.au
August 4, 2025 at 11:59 PM
It’s time to stop the Aussie gas scam.
Let’s put our people & industries first.
Sign my petition: www.davidpocock.com.au/prrt_petition
Let’s put our people & industries first.
Sign my petition: www.davidpocock.com.au/prrt_petition
Reposted by Calum Cunningham
It's 2025, and it's still climate change driving major forest loss through wildfires. With insights from @climate-guy.bsky.social and @calxcunningham.bsky.social
@ucmerced.bsky.social @utas.edu.au
www.nytimes.com/2025/07/21/c...
@ucmerced.bsky.social @utas.edu.au
www.nytimes.com/2025/07/21/c...
Climate Change Is Making Fire Weather Worse for World’s Forests
www.nytimes.com
July 25, 2025 at 1:27 AM
It's 2025, and it's still climate change driving major forest loss through wildfires. With insights from @climate-guy.bsky.social and @calxcunningham.bsky.social
@ucmerced.bsky.social @utas.edu.au
www.nytimes.com/2025/07/21/c...
@ucmerced.bsky.social @utas.edu.au
www.nytimes.com/2025/07/21/c...
Reposted by Calum Cunningham
For these reasons, we cannot simply look to trends in mean precipitation, or mean evaporation, to tell us anything about changes in *extreme* precipitation or evaporative demand (i.e., atmospheric "thirst"). To do so would be deeply misleading. Yet it remains common practice.
July 16, 2025 at 7:36 PM
For these reasons, we cannot simply look to trends in mean precipitation, or mean evaporation, to tell us anything about changes in *extreme* precipitation or evaporative demand (i.e., atmospheric "thirst"). To do so would be deeply misleading. Yet it remains common practice.
Reposted by Calum Cunningham
The discourse surrounding precipitation changes in a warming climate (both public discussion and even scientific one at times) is complicated by widespread conflation of changes in averages vs extremes (and also actual vs *potential* evaporation/evaporative demand). [Thread]
July 16, 2025 at 7:35 PM
The discourse surrounding precipitation changes in a warming climate (both public discussion and even scientific one at times) is complicated by widespread conflation of changes in averages vs extremes (and also actual vs *potential* evaporation/evaporative demand). [Thread]
Reposted by Calum Cunningham
Our new research highlights the extent that aspen stands may act as a firebreak, slowing or stopping fire. Applications for land management and implications for fire-driven conifer-to-aspen forest conversion. Thanks @grumpyunclesean.bsky.social for the summary below. doi.org/10.1002/eap....
July 10, 2025 at 1:35 AM
Our new research highlights the extent that aspen stands may act as a firebreak, slowing or stopping fire. Applications for land management and implications for fire-driven conifer-to-aspen forest conversion. Thanks @grumpyunclesean.bsky.social for the summary below. doi.org/10.1002/eap....
Reposted by Calum Cunningham
"Effective fire suppression is currently masking the potential for very destructive fires, because such changes in already hazardous locations may push systems past critical thresholds, leading to disproportionate increases in damage." IOW, we're pouring gasoline on the fires that are to come. 🌏
Wildfires will intensify in the wildland-urban interface under near-term warming
->Nature | #Climate #Forest #Wildfire | More info from EcoSearch
->Nature | #Climate #Forest #Wildfire | More info from EcoSearch
Wildfires will intensify in the wildland-urban interface under near-term warming
The general workflow, including data processing, modelling, and projection, is summarised in Fig. 4. Analysis was conducted in R version 4.4.051, with package versions recorded in the “renv.lock” file included in the repository52. Fig. 4 General workflow of data processing...
www.nature.com
July 10, 2025 at 4:12 AM
"Effective fire suppression is currently masking the potential for very destructive fires, because such changes in already hazardous locations may push systems past critical thresholds, leading to disproportionate increases in damage." IOW, we're pouring gasoline on the fires that are to come. 🌏
Reposted by Calum Cunningham
🔥The intensity of wildfires is projected to rise across 88% of global fire-prone areas under 1.5°C warming, with the largest increases expected in wildland-urban interfaces already prone to disasters @calxcunningham.bsky.social
👉Read more here:
www.nature.com/articles/s43...
👉Read more here:
www.nature.com/articles/s43...
Wildfires will intensify in the wildland-urban interface under near-term warming - Communications Earth & Environment
The intensity of wildfires is projected to rise across 88% of global fire-prone areas under 1.5°C warming, with the largest increases expected in wildland-urban interfaces already prone to disasters, ...
www.nature.com
July 9, 2025 at 12:23 PM
🔥The intensity of wildfires is projected to rise across 88% of global fire-prone areas under 1.5°C warming, with the largest increases expected in wildland-urban interfaces already prone to disasters @calxcunningham.bsky.social
👉Read more here:
www.nature.com/articles/s43...
👉Read more here:
www.nature.com/articles/s43...
Reposted by Calum Cunningham
I am happy to share my final PhD chapter in @oikosjournal.bsky.social
The 2019–20 wildfires altered vegetation structure yet had little effect on most species’ relative abundance. However, several species shifted their diel activity in burnt landscapes.
doi.org/10.1002/oik....
#FireEcology
The 2019–20 wildfires altered vegetation structure yet had little effect on most species’ relative abundance. However, several species shifted their diel activity in burnt landscapes.
doi.org/10.1002/oik....
#FireEcology
July 2, 2025 at 4:53 AM
I am happy to share my final PhD chapter in @oikosjournal.bsky.social
The 2019–20 wildfires altered vegetation structure yet had little effect on most species’ relative abundance. However, several species shifted their diel activity in burnt landscapes.
doi.org/10.1002/oik....
#FireEcology
The 2019–20 wildfires altered vegetation structure yet had little effect on most species’ relative abundance. However, several species shifted their diel activity in burnt landscapes.
doi.org/10.1002/oik....
#FireEcology