Goal 15: Life on Land - University of Wollongong

The University of Wollongong (UOW) is committed to working towards the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) through its governance, teaching and learning, community engagement, partnerships and research. The following initiatives are by UOW staff and students working towards Goal 15: Life on Land.

Teaching, learning and research in numbers

Across our subjects, courses, research publications and partnerships, UOW staff and students continued working towards the goals in 2025.

_{*SciVal figures accessed July - October 2026}

4,842 students studying subjects about this goal

28.3% of publications related to this goal had international collaboration*

5 citations per publication*

45.5% publications in the Top 10% most cited*

Case studies for Goal 15

UOW launches revitalised Campus Tree Walk

To mark the university's 50th anniversary year, UOW reopened its Campus Tree Walk, drawing together Western science and Indigenous knowledge in a new shared experience of the Wollongong campus.

Fifty trees of ecological, cultural and historical significance were selected for the revitalised walk, each fitted with new signage and linked by QR code to deeper ecological, cultural and botanical detail. The project became one of UOW’s most wide-ranging collaborations, involving the Environment Unit, landscape team, the Janet Cosh Herbarium, Indigenous community representatives, academics, alumni and local plant experts.

‘The walk is an invitation to step into 2 knowledge systems,’ said Associate Professor Anthony McKnight of UOW's Indigenous Strategy Unit. ‘Western science, which sees a tree as a resource, and Indigenous knowledge, which sees a tree as giving gifts all the time.’

The walk is designed to evolve, with new trees able to be added over time and the accompanying webpage expanding into an educational resource for schools and universities.

This initiative supports:

SDG 4: Quality Education

SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities

SDG 13: Climate Action

SDG 15: Life on Land

Take a walk on the wild side of the UOW campus
Mapping weeds to care for Country

With invasive plants changing the landscapes and ecosystems of northern Australia, a team of UOW researchers investigated how weed and biosecurity management can be intertwined with social and cultural connections to place.

Mapping weeds on Country, a project led by Associate Professor Jennifer Atchison from UOW's School of Social Sciences, put Indigenous knowledge at the centre of managing invasive species in Gajerrong Country.

In collaboration with the Marralam Community in the Northern Territory, researchers used innovative mapping technologies to record where weeds occur and how local knowledge can help shape practical responses and more resilient landscapes.

The resulting database can now be used by the community to identify priorities, make land management decisions and share their visions for Country. The project reflects a broader principle that effective responses to invasive species depend on the knowledge and lived experience of the people caring for the land.

This initiative supports:

SDG 15: Life on Land

SDG 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions

SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals

See how mapping technology is helping communities care for Country
Scientists discover hidden species in Atacama Desert

New genomic research, led by UOW PhD candidate Kamryn Carter, has revealed that Chile's Garthia geckos, previously thought to be a single species, in fact comprise up to 11 distinct species.

Using the latest genomic tools, the study analysed mitochondrial and nuclear DNA across the geckos' entire range in the Atacama Desert, reconstructing evolutionary history in the driest place on earth. Understanding species diversity and responses to past environmental shifts is central to their survival in a world undergoing rapid climate change and biodiversity loss.

Co-author Dr Damien Esquerré, a UOW evolutionary biologist, said many regions like the Atacama remain underexplored at the genomic level. ‘Traditional approaches often overlook cryptic species, underestimating biodiversity and limiting our ability to conserve these unique lifeforms,’ he said.

The research, conducted with collaborators in Chile and the United States, underscores how genomic tools can help conserve biodiversity hotspots threatened by climate change and habitat loss.

This initiative supports:

SDG 13: Climate Action

SDG 15: Life on Land

SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals

See how a tiny Chilean gecko evolved in the driest place on earth
Two centuries of bushfire data reveals surge in frequency and intensity

Groundbreaking research has shown a significant shift in fire characteristics in southeastern Australian over the past 200 years, led by Rebecca Ryan from UOW's School of Science.

The research team, including Emeritus Senior Professor Ross Bradstock, Honorary Fellow Dr Kat Haynes and Professor Anthony Dosseto, combined geological sediment analysis with historical records to track bushfire activity over two centuries across Australia.

The comprehensive study analysed fire indicators preserved in sediment cores, revealing that bushfires have become significantly more frequent and intense, driven by climatic shifts associated with global warming and changes in land management practices following European colonisation.

The evidence has been instrumental in shaping state and national fire management strategies, and promoting prescribed burns, community education programs and resilience-building initiatives across fire-prone regions. By providing long-term context that extends far beyond modern records, the study enhances scientific understanding of fire ecology and supports evidence-based policymaking aimed at mitigating future fire risks amid accelerating climate change.

This initiative supports:

Goal 13: Climate Action

SDG 15: Life on Land

Bushfires have surged in frequency and intensity over last 200 years

Research environments

Innovative composites for the future of sustainable mining equipment

Through industry collaborations, the Centre will develop valuable technologies and products for the Australian METS sector. By producing world-class academic and industry leaders, the Centre will meet future workforce demands and support sustainable and cost-effective mining

Environmental Futures Research Centre

Environmental Futures is a Research Entity that brings together experts to conduct world-leading research on sustainability, climate change, and human impacts. Its aim is to enhance well-being and environmental sustainability by bridging knowledge gaps and tackling real-world challenges.

Latest news for Goal 15

Environment and Energy, Science and Technology

6 October 2026

Discovered just two years ago, this tiny Fijian bee is on the brink of extinction

What the plight of the Hylaeus navai reveals about the world’s unknown species

Environment and Energy, Science and Technology

20 August 2026

The first wave of bird flu is the worst: what Australia can learn from overseas

Whether a bird species collapses or merely stumbles under H5N1 depends less on the virus itself than on habitat, nutrition and the other pressures already stacked against it

Environment and Energy

24 June 2026

Cheap, effective and dangerous: how Australian farmers came to depend on the toxic weedkiller paraquat

Despite concerns that longer-term exposure could be linked to Parkinson’s disease, there are few alternatives suited to current farming practices

Community, Environment and Energy, Research

Giving Country a voice in environmental decision-making

Through a case study on Gurawul, the humpback whale, UOW's Anthony McKnight has contributed to a national Indigenous-led project exploring how environmental decision-making can better recognise Indigenous knowledge, reciprocity and responsibilities to Country.

Community, Environment and Energy

Weeding out trouble

New research from UOW reveals that collective action is critical to managing invasive species and building more resilient landscapes

Science and Technology

Snakes of the Illawarra

With the weather warming up and more people enjoying the local surrounds, you’re likely to see more wildlife, including snakes, as everyone makes the most of the Illawarra’s natural beauty this summer.

More news for Goal 15 More stories for Goal 15

Explore UOW's impact and commitment to each of the SDGs

No Poverty

Zero Hunger

Good Health and Well-Being

Quality Education

Gender Equality

Clean Water and Sanitation

Affordable and Clean Energy

Decent Work and Economic Growth

Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure

Reduced Inequalities

Sustainable Cities and Communities

Responsible Consumption and Production

Climate Action

Life Below Water

Life on Land

Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions

Partnerships for the Goals

Contact us

Get in touch with the UOW Media Team to share your story and help shape UOW’s contributions to the Sustainable Development Goals.

+61 2 4221 4227 media@uow.edu.au