Field work supports threatened plants and animals where they live, from monitoring populations to restoring habitat and managing threats on the ground.
Why field work is important
New South Wales is home to more than 1,000 threatened plants, animals and ecological communities. Many are declining due to habitat loss, invasive species, climate change and other pressures.
Field work helps address these challenges directly by delivering conservation actions where they are needed most.
What field work involves
Field work includes a wide range of practical, on‑ground activities that support the conservation of threatened plants and animals, such as:
- monitoring plants and animals over time to understand their response to actions
- mapping threatened species populations to guide future planning and management
- improving habitat by removing weeds and restoring native vegetation
- managing threats such as feral animals and invasive species.
Field work also supports evidence-based conservation by improving our understanding of species, their habitat needs, the challenges they face and their response to management.
Field work in action
The Sublime Point pomaderris (Pomaderris adnata) is an endangered plant found only in a small area in the Illawarra region.
Because its population is so limited, regular field work is critical to understanding how the species is tracking and what actions are needed to support its survival.
Every few years, teams return to the site to monitor individual plants, recording their health and any emerging threats. This data helps guide conservation decisions and track changes over time.
Collecting data and monitoring the health of local populations across its small range provides us with the critical information we need to guide appropriate management actions and support the species' long‑term survival.
As the program's Threatened Species Officer Bella Contador-Kelsall explains: 'Working in the field provides me with a better understanding of the conservation projects I am managing and how the actions under Saving our Species are being successfully delivered.'
Field work also supports practical conservation actions. In partnership with Wollongong Botanic Gardens, around 500 plants are being grown and will be reintroduced into the wild to boost population size and genetic diversity.
Together, these efforts help give the species a better chance of surviving in the long term.
Putting Saving our Species strategies into action
Field work is an important part of how Saving our Species strategies are implemented on the ground. Actions can include:
- installing nest boxes or other structures to support breeding
- protecting important breeding or feeding sites with fencing
- managing fire in ways that support threatened species lifecycles
- hand-pollinating plants when natural pollinators are scarce
- delivering site-based actions that are tailored to the needs of individual species.
These practical steps help give threatened plants and animals a better chance of surviving in the wild.
How people can help
Saving threatened species is a shared effort. You can support this work by:
- learning more about threatened species in your local area
- volunteering with groups like Landcare or Bushcare
- caring for native plants and animals on your own property
- supporting conservation efforts in your community.
'Fieldwork is honestly my favourite part of the job - there is such a diverse range of projects and species, all with their highlights and challenges, which means you never get bored', says Bella.
Every contribution helps protect New South Wales's unique wildlife, now and into the future.
