DRIVEN BY
SCIENCE
Living
laboratory
Conservation isn’t just about theory, it’s about putting science into action. At Odonata, we collaborate with researchers to refine, test, and scale conservation strategies, ensuring that every method we use is scientifically rigorous and effective.
Our sites operate as living laboratories, where research is applied, tested, and validated to bridge the gap between scientific innovation and real-world impact. By working closely with scientists and technology innovators, we help prove and scale new conservation methods, turning groundbreaking ideas into practical solutions for biodiversity recovery.
As research hubs, our sanctuaries provide scientists with access to unique landscapes, threatened species, and long-term ecological data. By sharing our findings and facilitating research, we help fill knowledge gaps and accelerate the development of conservation solutions—creating lasting change for ecosystems and the species that depend on them.
Our sanctuaries and species turn science into action.
Applied science examples
Species Genetic Management
Key to Odonata’s successful threatened species population recovery efforts is the application of leading species genetic management practices. In partnership with Cesar Australia, Odonata has successfully applied this approach to the species it works to recover.
Translocation strategies
Odonata works with PhD candidates and universities to research and monitor translocation strategies, to ensure the best chance of survival and population growth for the species we work with. Studies have been undertaken to monitor translocations and ongoing adaption and behaviours of the eastern quoll and bush stone-curlew.
Partner projects
eDNA
In partnership with EnviroDNA, Odonata applies the use of eDNA data collection across its projects, enabling for a cost effective and repeatable method of providing biodiversity baselining. This collaboration has lead to the creation of the Great Australian Wildlife Search and is also seeing the trialling of soil and air eDNA data collection methodologies and efficacy at our project sites.
Farm Scale Natural Capital Accounting (FSNCA)
Odonata co-founded, co-funded and is assisting the FNSCA program, in partnership with La Trobe University, which aims to establish a standard for how farmers can monitor and account for their natural capital and build nature into their farming business operation.
Downforce Technologies
Downforce Technologies provides a novel and highly-effective platform for rapid, remote and high-resolution calculation of quantities and values of natural capital and ecosystem services produced by farmers and land stewards. Odonata has been working with Downforce to roll-out and trial its platform in Australia.
Loam Bio
Odonata provided access to our grasslands at Mt Rothwell and Tiverton for plant collection to assess endophytes. From this research we understand that our native grasses contain some of the most rich levels of endophytes.
