Dieback and Climate Succession Network (DCSN)

About
The Dieback and Climate Succession Network (DCSN), established in 2024, is an interdisciplinary, voluntary network of professionals focused on research and coordinated responses to vegetation dieback and climate-driven change in Australia.

The DCSN evolved from the High-Country Dieback Network (HCDN, established 2020), which provided a platform for researchers, restoration practitioners, and state environment departments to share knowledge and coordinate efforts across multiple dieback systems, including Snow gum (ACT, NSW, VIC), Ribbon gum (NSW), Blakely’s Red gum (ACT), Montane ash (VIC), and Stringy bark (SA).

As the HCDN broadened its scope, the DCSN emerged to foster wider collaboration with established research groups and management systems nationwide. The network now has over 120 participants from six states and two territories. These diverse case studies offer valuable opportunities to improve local management responses and outcomes.

Aims
The DCSN aims to foster collaboration and knowledge exchange among researchers, land managers, restoration NGOs, and state environment departments to accelerate the uptake and development of effective responses to dieback and climate-driven vegetation change in Australian ecosystems.

Sudden and chronic dieback events, as well as ongoing climate-driven succession, are increasing in frequency and severity. Addressing these complex, large-scale challenges requires a transdisciplinary approach, bringing together expertise from research, policy, and operational practice. Close coordination of effort and resources is essential to maintain ecosystem structure and function and to avoid unintended or perverse outcomes.

Monthly Seminars and Meetings
The DCSN meets virtually every month. Meetings include introductions, updates, and 1–3 presentations, typically covering:
• Research updates, proposals, and case studies from forest and woodland dieback systems and ecosystem change across Australia.
• Mechanisms: Interactions between physiology, environmental and genetic variation, and dieback processes.
• Dieback and ecosystem mapping: Remote sensing, soil and hydrology, long-term monitoring, and ground truthing.
• Mitigation and restoration: Ex-situ seed banking, seed production areas, population genomic surveys, climate-adapted provenance trials, and reciprocal transplant trials.
• Management and policy: Climate-adaptive management and governance frameworks, such as the Resist–Accept–Direct, Value–Rules–Knowledge adaptation frameworks, and risk-based frameworks.

The network encourages plain language explanations, constructive and critical feedback, and translation of research, management, and policy. Student participation and manager feedback on projects in development are strongly encouraged, as this input often enhances the impact and practical value of research and highlights new opportunities for collaboration and more effective translation of network members’ efforts to positive outcomes for forested landscapes.

Participating in the DCSN
To join the Dieback and Climate Succession Network, use the form here. You will receive advance notice of upcoming speakers and events and can also indicate your interest in presenting your work at a future network meeting.
See the recent and upcoming speaker events here.