Associate Professor Cristopher Brack

Contacts

Contact email:cris.brack@anu.edu.au
Contact phone:+61 2 6125 6769
Link:ANU Researchers profile
Associate Professor
Fenner School of Environment & Society

I completed a B.Sc.(for) with 1st class Honours at the ANU as a Forestry Commission Trainee in 1981 and then went to work for the NSW government. After 3 years as a field forester, I moved to Sydney where I eventually became the Senior Inventory Officer responsible for quantifying the growth and value of plantations and native forests of NSW. In 1994, I returned to the ANU to teach and research into forest measurement and management. Since then, my most significant research contributions have been the development of optimal sampling strategies, modelling tools, and decision-support systems for trees and associated biota at stand, landscape and continental scales. This research integrates my knowledge of and innovation in applied statistics (for sampling), data acquisition (from remotely sensed imagery and ground-based surveys), modelling (of tree and stand dynamics), and expert and decision support systems (as integrating methods). This research has broad application in both natural, plantation and urban environments, and is novel in its integration of quantitative and qualitative information; it has significant national and international standing as a result.

My work was influential in development of the National Carbon Accounting System for Australia (winner of the Eureka Environmental Science Award), and in the development of new approaches by forest and land managers and policy makers nationally and internationally.

In 2009, I took leave to become the inaugural Chair and Professor of Forestry at the Waiariki Institute (Rotorua, New Zealand) and subsequently became the Director of Research with a mandate to increase the research profile and potential of that Institute (in fields from primary industry, Maori development, nursing and health studies, computing and business). After a successful 3 years, I returned to the ANU to take up my teaching and research roles in the Fenner School of Environment and Society.

In 2020 I accepted an Honourary position at the ANU. I am continuing my work with land managers and urban foresters in association with the ANU and The Mullion Group.

Research interests

  • Plant Physiology
  • Forestry Management And Environment
  • Natural Resource Management
  • Landscape Ecology
  • Environmental Management
  • Agricultural Land Management
  • Tree Nutrition And Physiology
  • Environmental Monitoring
  • Forestry Sciences
  • Other Education
  • Environmental Science And Management

Groups

  • Keenan, R, Kanowski, P, Baker, P et al. 2021, 'No evidence that timber harvesting increased the scale or severity of the 2019/20 bushfires in south-eastern Australia', Australian Forestry, vol. 84, no. 3.
  • Zhang, B & Brack, C 2021, 'Urban forest responses to climate change: A case study in Canberra', Urban Forestry & Urban Greening, vol. 57.
  • Pecenko, A & Brack, C 2021, 'Habitat value of, and social attitudes towards, dead trees in Canberra's urban forest', Australian Forestry, vol. 84, no. 2, pp. 91-104.
  • Brack, C, Schaefer, M, Jovanovic, T et al. 2020, 'Comparing terrestrial laser scanners� ability to measure tree height and diameter in a managed forest environment', Australian Forestry, vol. 83, no. 3, pp. 161-171.
  • Orozco-Aguilar, L, Livesley , S, Brack, C et al. 2019, 'Standing volume yield, canopy structure and allometric relationships of dominant urban trees in Melbourne, Australia', Urban Forestry & Urban Greening, vol. 43, p. 17.
  • Ghazalli, A, Brack, C et al 2019, 'Physical and Non-Physical Benefits of Vertical Greenery Systems: A Review', Journal of Urban Technology, vol. 26, no. 4, pp. 53-78.
  • Ghazalli, A, Brack, C et al 2019, 'Physical and Non-Physical Benefits of Vertical Greenery Systems: A Review', Journal of Urban Technology, vol. 26, no. 4, pp. 53-78.
  • Ghazalli, A, Brack, C, Bai, X et al 2018, 'Alterations in use of space, air quality, temperature and humidity by the presence of vertical greenery system in a building corridor', Urban Forestry & Urban Greening, vol. 32, pp. 177-184pp.
  • Orozco-Aguilar, L, Nitschke, C, Livesley , S et al. 2018, 'Testing the accuracy of resistance drilling to assess tree growth rate and the relationship to past climatic conditions', Urban Forestry & Urban Greening, vol. 36, pp. 1-12.
  • Orozco-Aguilar, L, Johnstone, D, Livesley, S and Brack, C. 2018, 'The overlooked carbon loss due to decayed wood in urban trees', Urban Forestry & Urban Greening, vol. 29, pp. 142-153pp.
  • Brack, C & McLarin, M 2017, 'Strategic forest planning and operational decisions under uncertainty', Australian Forestry, vol. 80, no. 2, pp. 69-77.
  • Solichin, S, Brack, C, Rusolono, T et al. 2017, 'Effect of species grouping and site variables on aboveground biomass models for lowland tropical forests of the Indo-Malay region', Annals of Forest Science, vol. 74, no. 1, pp. 1-14pp.
  • Ross, C & Brack, C 2017, 'Monaro dieback: simple answers are too simple', Australian Forestry, vol. 80, no. 2, pp. 113-114pp.
  • Solichin, S, Andersen, H, Brack, C et al. 2017, 'Advanced Land Cover Mapping of Tropical Peat Swamp Forest using Discrete Return Lidar', Geoplanning: Journal of Geomatics and Planning, vol. 4, no. 1, pp. 1-8pp.
  • Brack, C 2017, Forestry Education at ANU. The Forester (August 2017): pp. 35-36.
  • Brack, C 2017, The Actual Story of the National Arboretum Canberra. The Forester (August 2017): pp. 22-25.
  • Solichin, S, Andersen, H, McGaughey, R and Brack, C. 2017, 'Assessing the influence of return density on estimation of lidar-based aboveground biomass in tropical peat swamp forests of Kalimantan, Indonesia', International Journal of Applied Earth Observation and Geoinformation, vol. 56, pp. 24-35pp.
  • Solichin, S, Brack, C, Noor’an, F et al. 2016, 'IMPROVED ALLOMETRIC EQUATIONS FOR TREE ABOVEGROUND BIOMASS ESTIMATION IN TROPICAL DIPTEROCARP FORESTS OF KALIMANTAN INDONESIA', Forest Ecosystems, vol. 3, no. 28, pp. 28-28.
  • Penman, J, Green, C, Olofsson, P et al 2016, Integration of remote-sensing and ground-based observations for estimation of emissions and removals of greenhouse gases in forests: Methods and Guidance from the Global Forest Observations Initiative Edition 2.0.
  • Beh, J, Kanowski, P, Greene, R and Brack, C 2016, 'Predicting soil depth using simple ground-based measurements of stem shape and taper in the butt swell section of individual Pinus radiata trees', Australian Forestry, vol. 79, no. 2, pp. 114-121.
  • Brack, C 2016, ANU Forestry Education, The Forester p. 25.
  • Brack, C 2016, ANU Forestry News, The Forester, (February) p. 29.
  • Brack, C 2016, More ANU Forestry News, The Forester pp. 25-26.
  • Brack, C 2016, Moving on from Regional Forest (dis)Agreements, The Forester pp. 19-20.
  • Brack, C 2016, 'Our cities need more trees, but that means being prepared to cut some down'. The Conversation. https://theconversation.com/our-cities-need-more-trees-but-that-means-be...
  • Ross, C & Brack, C 2015, 'Eucalyptus viminalis dieback in the Monaro region, NSW', Australian Forestry, vol. 78, no. 4, pp. 243-253.
  • Brack, C 2015, Woodchips sound unsustainable, but they're not as bad as you think, pp. Online.
  • Brack, C & Ross, C 2015, 'Death of a landscape: why have thousands of trees dropped dead in New South Wales?'. The Conversation. https://theconversation.com/death-of-a-landscape-why-have-thousands-of-t...
  • Brack, C 2015, ANU News, The Forester p. 21.
  • Brack, C 2015, ANU News, The Forester p. 29.
  • Brack, C 2015, Australia out-performs in university teaching and research rankings, The Forester p. 34.
  • Brack, C 2015, News from the ANU campus, The Forester p. 18.
  • Brack, C 2015, University news, The Forester (February) p. 40.
  • Cowling, M & Brack, C 2015, 'How 'digital natives' are killing the 'sage on the stage''. The Conversation. https://theconversation.com/how-digital-natives-are-killing-the-sage-on-...
  • Cowling, M & Brack, C 2015, 'Let's not abandon the humble lecture quite yet'. The Conversation. https://theconversation.com/lets-not-abandon-the-humble-lecture-quite-ye...
  • Kanowski, P & Brack, C 2015, Forestry education at ANU: a response to Terry Beath, The Forester (August) p. 27.
  • Brack, C 2014, 'Not everything that can be counted counts', Australian Forestry, vol. 77, no. 2, pp. 75-77.
  • Solichin, S, Brack, C, Nugroho, N et al. 2014, 'Tree biomass equations for tropical peat swamp forest ecosystems in Indonesia', Forest Ecology and Management, vol. 334, pp. 241-253.
  • Penman, J, Baltuck, M, Green, C et al. 2014, Integrating remote-sensing and ground-based observations for estimation of emissions and removals of greenhouse gases in forests: Methods and Guidance from the Global Forest Observations Initiative.
  • Brack, C 2014, Fenner field work - turning assumptions on their head, The Forester (October) p. 8.
  • Brack, C 2014, Silviculture is alive and well at ANU, The Forester (December) p. 19.
  • Brack, C 2014, Taking learning beyond the classroom at ANU, The Forester (April) p. 14.
  • Amati, M, Ghosh, S, McManus, P et al 2013, Understanding the carbon and pollution mitigation potential of Australia's urban forest.
  • Webber, E & Brack, C 2013, 'A metric decay-classification system for eucalyptus coarse woody debris from wet eucalypt forests of southern tasmania, Australia', Australian Forestry, vol. 76, no. 2, pp. 83-90.
  • Amati, M, Brack, C, Ghosh, S et al 2013, 'Understanding the carbon and pollution mitigation potential of Sydney's urban forest', Managing our Forests into the 21st Century, ed. Brown, A.G., Wells, K.F., Parsons, M., Kerruish, C.M., Institute of Foresters of Australia, Canberra, pp. 151-158pp.
  • Brack, C 2013, 'Unbiased estimation of carbon at the project level', Managing our Forests into the 21st Century, ed. Brown, A.G., Wells, K.F., Parsons, M., Kerruish, C.M., Institute of Foresters of Australia, Canberra, pp. 141-149.
  • Stephens, P, Kimberley, M, Beets, P, Paul, T, Searles, N, Bell, A, Brack, C and Broadley, J 2011, 'Airborne scanning LiDAR in a double sampling forest carbon inventory', Remote Sensing of Environment, vol. 117, pp. 348-357.
  • Fox, J, Keenan, R, Brack, C et al, eds, 2011, Native forest management in Papua New Guinea: advances in assessment, modelling and decision-making, Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research, Canberra Australia.
  • Brack, C 2011, 'Improving forest inventory in Papua New Guinea: moving away from the 1% stripline survey', in Julian C. Fox, Rodney J. Keenan, Cris L. Brack, Simon Saulei (ed.), Native forest management in Papua New Guinea: advances in assessment, modelling and decision-making, Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research, Canberra Australia, pp. 69-76pp.
  • Keenan, R, Fox, J, Brack, C et al 2011, 'Native forest management in Papua New Guinea: an introduction', in Julian C. Fox, Rodney J. Keenan, Cris L. Brack, Simon Saulei (ed.), Native forest management in Papua New Guinea: advances in assessment, modelling and decision-making, Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research, Canberra Australia, pp. 10-16pp.
  • Keenan, R, Brack, C, Golman, M et al 2011, 'A simple planning system for sustainable timber harvesting in Papua New Guinea', in Julian C. Fox, Rodney J. Keenan, Cris L. Brack, Simon Saulei (ed.), Native forest management in Papua New Guinea: advances in assessment, modelling and decision-making, Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research, Canberra Australia, pp. 176-184.
  • Adams, T, Brack, C, Farrier, T et al 2011, 'So you want to use LiDAR? A guide on how to use LiDAR in forestry', New Zealand Journal of Forestry Science, vol. 55, no. 4, pp. 19-23.
  • Brack, C, McElhinny, C, Waterworth, R 2011, 'Multi-scale Forest Inventory and Modelling for Multi-purpose Management', Journal of Forest Planning, vol. 16, pp. 133-139.
  • Keenan, R, Brack, C, Golman, M and Vanclay J 2011. A simple planning system for sustainable timber harvesting in Papua New Guinea. In 'Native forest management in Papua New Guinea: advances in assessment, modelling and decision-making', ed. by J.C. Fox, R.J. Keenan, C.L. Brack and S. Saulei. ACIAR Proceedings No. 135, 176-184. Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research: Canberra.
  • Keenan, R, Fox, J, Brack, C and Saulei, S 2011 Native forest management in Papua New Guinea: an introduction. In 'Native forest management in Papua New Guinea: advances in assessment, modelling and decision-making', ed. by J.C. Fox, R.J. Keenan, C.L. Brack and S. Saulei. ACIAR Proceedings No. 135, 10-16. Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research: Canberra.
  • Brack, C 2010, 'Valuable Thoughts', New Zealand Journal of Forestry, vol. 55, no. 2, pp. 18-20.
  • Brack, C 2010 Valuable Thoughts: Can a forest be too valuable? New Zealand Journal of Forestry (2010) 55(2):18 - 20.
  • Battaglia, M, Bruce, J, Brack, C et al 2009, Climate Change and Australia's plantation estate: Analysis of vulnerability and preliminary investigation of adaptation options. Forests & Wood Products Australia Project Number PNC068-0708. ISBN: 978-1-920883-77-5
  • Brookhouse, M, Brack, C & McElhinny, C 2010, 'The distance to structural complement (DiSCo) approach for expressing forest structure described by Aerial Photograph Interpretation data sets', Forest Ecology and Management, vol. 260, no. 7, pp. 1230-1240.
  • Brack, C 2009, 'Robust decisions in a climate of change: what should you do tomorrow if you do not know what will be happening in 30 years?', New Zealand Journal of Forestry, vol. 54, no. 3, pp. 38-43.
  • Brack, C 2009, 'A second opinion on the conference', New Zealand Journal of Forestry, vol. 54, no. 2, pp. 38-40.
  • Brack, C, Waterworth, R, McElhinny, C, Brookhouse, M, 2009, 'One Measure of Quality and Disturbance can be used to Improve Estimates of Almost Anything', IUFRO Division 4.01 Conference, International Union of Forest Research Organizations (IUFRO), Australia, p. 1.
  • Brookhouse, M, Lindesay, J & Brack, C 2008, 'The Potential of Tree Rings in Eucalyptus pauciflora for Climatological and Hydrological Reconstruction', Geographical Research, vol. 46, no. 4, pp. 421-434.
  • Brookhouse, M & Brack, C 2008, 'The effect of age and sample position on eucalypt tree-ring width series', Canadian Journal of Forest Research, vol. 38, pp. 1144-1158.
  • Field, J, McElhinny, C & Brack, C, eds, 2008, Private native forestry, biodiversity conservation and disturbance, Australian Network for Plant Conservation, Canberra.
  • Wielinga, B, Waterworth, R & Brack, C 2008, 'Fertiliser and irrigation effects on wood density at various heights for Pinus radiata', European Journal of Forest Research, vol. 127, pp. 63-70.
  • Roberts, S, Field, J, McElhinny, C et al 2008, Doing nothing in Dry Regrowth Forests is not an option, Australian Forest Grower.
  • Waterworth, R, Richards, G, Brack, C et al. 2007, 'A generalised hybrid process-empirical model for predicting plantation forest growth', Forest Ecology and Management, vol. 238, no. 1-3, pp. 231-243.
  • Waterworth, R, Raison, R, Brack, C et al. 2007, 'Effects of irrigation of N fertilization on growth and structure of Pinus radiata stands between 10 and 29 years of age', Forest Ecology and Management, vol. 239, pp. 169-181.
  • Ford, A, Brack, C & James, R 2007, 'Site index prediction for Pinus radiata D. Don at local scale on the southern tablelands of New South Wales using a national forest productivity model', Australian Forestry, vol. 70, no. 3, pp. 152-157.
  • Gilbert, M & Brack, C 2007, 'Changes in public requests to remove significant urban trees after severe bushfires in Canberra, Australia', Urban Forestry & Urban Greening, vol. 6, pp. 41-48.
  • Brack, C 2007, 'National forest inventories and biodiversity monitoring in Australia', Plant Biosystems, vol. 141, no. 1, pp. 104-112.
  • McElhinny, C, Gibbons, P, Brack, C et al 2006, 'Fauna-habitat relationships: a basis for identifying key stand structural attributes in temperate Australian eucalypt forests and woodlands', Pacific Conservation Biology, vol. 12, no. 2, pp. 89-110.
  • Brack, C 2006, 'Updating urban forest inventories: An example of the DISMUT model', Urban Forestry & Urban Greening, vol. 5, pp. 189-194.
  • McElhinny, C, Gibbons, P & Brack, C 2006, 'An objective and quantitative methodology for constructing an index of stand structural complexity', Forest Ecology and Management, vol. 235, no. 1, pp. 54-71.
  • Brack, C, Richards, G & Waterworth, R 2006, 'Integrated and comprehensive estimation of greenhouse gas emissions from land systems', Sustainability Science, vol. 1, no. 1, pp. 91-106.
  • Brookhouse, M & Brack, C 2006, 'Crossdating and analysis of eucalypt tree rings exhibiting terminal and reverse latewood', Trees (Structure and Function), vol. 20, no. 6, pp. 767-781.
  • McElhinny, C, Gibbons, P, Brack, C et al 2005, 'Forest and woodland stand structural complexity: Its definition and measurement', Forest Ecology and Management, vol. 218, pp. 1-24.
  • Brack, C 2005, 'Tree and Forest Measurement', Australian Forestry, vol. 68, no. 1, p. 73.
  • Brack, C 2005, 'Environmental amenity and habitat values of an urban forest: how to determine and manage for them in Canberra', Annual ISAAC National Conference 2005, Unknown, Tasmania, pp. 19p.
  • Brack, C 2005, 'Inventory systems in Australia using remotely sensed date to improve precision and scale of estimation', International Forestry Review, vol. 7, no. 5, p. 285.
  • Bahamondez, C, Varjo, J, Lorenz, M et al 2005, 'Forest assessment for changing information needs', in Gerardo Mery, Rene Alfaro, Markku Kanninen, Maxim Lobovikov (ed.), Forests in the Global Balance - Changing Paradigms, International Union of Forest Research Organizations (IUFRO), Helsinki, pp. 139-150.
  • Brack, C 2005, 'Teaching technology and individual feedback in forestry education', International Forestry Review, vol. 7, no. 5, p. 353.
  • Lee, A, Lucas, R & Brack, C 2004, 'Quantifying vertical forest stand structure using small footprint LiDAR to asssess potential stand dynamics.', Laser-Scanners for Forest and Landscape Assessment, ed. M. Thies, B. Koch, H. Spiecker, H. Weinacker, Institute for Forest Growth and Institute for Remote Sensing & Landscape Information Systems, Freiburg, Germany, pp. 213-217.
  • Brack, C 2004, 'Timber and Tree Measurement', in Jeffery Burley (ed.), Encyclopedia of Forest Sciences, Elsevier, Oxford UK, pp. 566-573pp.
  • Richards, G & Brack, C 2004, 'A modelled carbon account for Australia's post-1990 plantation estate', Australian Forestry, vol. 67, no. 4, pp. 289-300.
  • Brack, C 2004, 'Projecting native forest inventory estimates from public to private tenures.', Australian Forestry, vol. 67, no. 4, pp. 230-235.
  • Brack, C 2004, 'Decision methods for forest resource management', Australian Forestry, vol. tba, p. 73.
  • Richards, G & Brack, C 2004, 'A continental biomass stock and stock exchange estimation approach for Australia.', Australian Forestry, vol. 67, no. 4, pp. 284-288.
  • Banks, J & Brack, C 2003, 'Canberra's Urban Forest: Evolution and planning for future landscapes', Urban Forestry & Urban Greening, vol. 1, no. 3, pp. 151-160.
  • Brack, C 2003, 'Modern Forest Inventory: Is there a need to go to the field any more?', Joint Australia and New Zealand Institute of Forestry Conference 2003, ed. Mason, E.G. and Perley, C.J., Institute of Foresters of Australia, New Zealand, pp. 144 - 156.
  • Kesteven, J, Brack, C & Furby, S 2003, 'Using remote sensing and a spatial plant model to assess biomass change', in Piermaria Corona, Michael Kohl and Marco Marchetti (ed.), Advances in Forest Inventory for Sustainable Forest Management and Biodiversity Monitoring, Kluwer Academic Publishers, The Netherlands, pp. 33-56.
  • Brack, C 2002, 'Pollution mitigation and carbon sequestration by an urban forest', Environmental Pollution, vol. 116, pp. 195-200.
  • Brack, C & Richards, G 2002, 'Carbon accounting model for forests in Australia.', Environmental Pollution, vol. 116, pp. 187-194.
  • Brack, C 2001, 'Risk and Uncertainty in Forest Carbon Sequestration Project', Greenhouse Gas Balances of Biomass and Bioenergy Systems, ed. B. Schlamadinger, S. Woess-Gallasch and A. Cowie, IEA Bioenergy Task 38, Austria, pp. 29-38.
  • Penny, R, Brack, C, von Gadow, K et al 2001, 'Inventory Forecasting Productive Capacity for Natural Forests', in R J Raison, A G Brown, D W Flinn (ed.), Criteria and Indicators for Sustainable Forest Management, CABI Publishing, Oxon UK, pp. 165-182.
  • Good, N, Paterson, M, Brack, C et al 2001, 'Estimating Tree Component Biomass Using Variable Probability Sampling Methods', Journal of Agricultural, Biological, and Environmental Statistics, vol. 6, no. 2, pp. 258-267.
  • Brack, C & Banks, J 2001, 'Planning for future streetscapes', International Society of Arboriculture Australia Conference 2001: Arboricultural Health, ed. Clive Sorrell, Australian International Society of Arborculture, Australia, pp. 33-41.
  • Brack, C 2000, 'State of the Knowledge Report for IUFRO Unit', Improving Education and Further Education in Forestry, ed. Sandra Schinnerl, International Union of Forest Research Organizations (IUFRO), online, p. 15.
  • Hamilton, F & Brack, C 1999, 'Stand volume estimates from modelling inventory data', Australian Forestry, vol. 62, no. 4, pp. 360-367.
  • Banks, J, Brack, C & James, R 1999, 'Modelling Changes in Dimensions, Health Status and Arboriculteral Implications for Urban Trees', Urban Ecosystems, vol. 3(1), pp. 35-43.

Updated:  25 June 2024/Responsible Officer:  College of Science/Page Contact:  https://iceds.anu.edu.au/contact