Melbourne School of Land and Environment Department of Forest and Ecosystem Science

Leon has spent more years than he likes to remember working in the field of forest hydrology. After qualification as a forester, he was responsible for the installation of the Croppers Creek Hydrology Project. Later he completed a doctorate looking at aspects of the groundwater movement in the slopes of this area. Subsequent work has included studies of the hydrology of riparian forests, the geometry of stream buffering systems, and the fate of terminal lakes in the Wimmera River system. His current work includes continuation of the Croppers Creek project, the impact of riparian plantings on streamflow, and applications of some new mathematical approaches to the outflow of groundwater in mountain catchments. He has run many subjects in hydrology, forest harvesting, roading, forest policy, and Geographic information systems, and is also the coordinator of the degree in Forest Science of the University. He is the Project Leader for Program 3 ("Forest Harvesting") of the new CRC in Sustainable Forest Landscapes. He has undertaken many consultancies in diverse areas of forest harvesting and forest hydrology.

Qualifications

PhD (The University of Melbourne )

Bachelor of Forest Science (The University of Melbourne )

Associate Diploma in Forestry (Creswick)

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My long term research interest include:

•  Water use of radiata pine.

•  The ephemerality of small streams and the impacts of drought on this.

•  Riparian rehabilitation of degraded sites and the recovery of hydraulic resistance to flow.

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Recent Publications:

• Lambert J, Quill D & Bren L. (2008) Growth in blue gum forest harvesting and haultage requirements in the Green Triangle region between 2008 and 2020. Australian Forestry. 71 (4): 317–323.
• Bren L, Hopmans P (2007) Paired catchment observations on the water yield of mature eucalypt and immature radiata pine plantations in Victoria, Australia. Journal of Hydrology 336, 416-429.
• Hopmans P, Bren LJ (2007) Long-term changes in water quality and solute exports in headwater streams of intensively managed radiata pine and natural eucalypt forest catchments in south-eastern Australia. Forest Ecology and Management 253: 244-261
• Bren, L., Lane, P., and McGurie, D. (2006) An empirical, comparative model of changes in annual water yield associated with pine plantations in southern Australia. Australian Forestry 69, 275-284
• Bren, L. and P. Sandell (2004). "Ecohydrology and environmental change of Lake Albacutya and Wyperfeld Park in North-western Victoria , Australia ." Australian Geographical Studies 42 (3): 307-324.
• Nicholls, A., L. Bren, et al. (2004). "Harvester productivity and operator fatigue: working extended hours." International Journal of Forest Engineering 15 (2): 27-35.
• Dignan, P. and L. Bren (2003). "Modelling light penetration edge effects for stream buffer design in mountain ash forest in southeastern Australia ." Forest Ecology and Management 179 (1-3): 95-106.
• Dignan, P. and L. Bren (2003). "A study of the effect of logging on the understorey light environment in riparian buffer strips in a south-east Australian forest." Forest Ecology and Management 172 (2-3): 161-172.
• Bren, L. J. (2000). "A case study in the use of threshold measures of hydrologic loading in the design of stream buffer strips." Forest Ecology and Management 132 (2-3): 243-257.

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Current students

Petter Nyman
Sandra Hawthorne
Suzanne Witteveen
Ashley Greenwood

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