Richard Kingsford has had a long and distinguished career working on waterbirds, the ecology of desert rivers and wetlands, and the impacts of water resource developments on sustainability of rivers and wetlands. In particular he has worked on the wetlands and rivers of the Murray-Darling and Lake Eyre Basins and the Macquarie Marshes. His research has had a significant influence on the management of rivers in Australia, and on policy development through membership of state and federal advisory committees. He is also involved in rewilding projects, such as in the Sturt National Park, New South Wales, and the Platypus Conservation Initiative. An important part of his work is to develop adaptive management approaches and engage with communities. Kingsford is Professor of Environmental Science and Director of the Centre for Ecosystem Science at the University of New South Wales.
"Richard Kingsford is widely regarded as one of Australia's most prominent and respected experts on waterbird, wetland and river ecology, with the majority of his 30+ year career having been focused on restoring and protecting the wetland ecosystems of NSW. Over the past decade, he has extended his influence to terrestrial ecology, leading the Wild Deserts Partnership Project in far western NSW, reintroducing locally extinct mammal species and controlling feral predators. His long-term contribution to environmental science in NSW has been nothing short of transformational." [from https://www.royalsoc.org.au/awards/discipline-awards/life-sciences-award/ 2026-02-03]
1980
1980
Education - DipEd, University of Sydney
1980
1980
Education - Bachelor of Science (BSc), University of Sydney
1986
1986
Education - PhD, University of Sydney
1986
1996
Career position - Research Scientist, New South Wales National Parks Service and Department of Environment Conservation
1994
1994
Award - Frederick White Prize, Australian Academy of Science
1996
2004
Career position - Principal Research Scientist, New South Wales National Parks Service and Department of Environment Conservation
1998
1998
Award - National Banksia Award for National excellence in Catchment Management and Inland Waterways
2000
2000
Award - Premier's Gold Award for NSW Public Service
2001
2001
Award - Pol Eureka Prize for Environmental Research, Australian Museum
2004
2004
Award - National Banksia Award in Bush, Land and Waterways
2004
2004
Award - National Banksia Award Environmental Leadership in the Community
2005
Career position - Professor of Environmental Science, School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of New South Wales
2005
2017
Career position - Executive Board Member, Oceania, Society for Conservation Biology
2006
2011
Career position - Member, New South Wales Government Riverbank Sub-Committee, Environmental Trust
2007
2007
Award - Luc Hohhmann International Medal for Contribution to Wetland Science
2007
2020
Career position - Member, Scientific Advisory Panel, Lake Eyre Basin
2008
Career position - Member, Nature's World Commission on Protected Species, International Union for the Conservation of Nature
2008
Career position - Member, Environmental Water Scientific Advisory Panel (Murray-Darling Basin), Commonwealth Government
2008
2008
Award - Eureka Prize for promoting public understanding of science, Australian Museum
2009
2013
Career position - Director, Australian Wetlands, Rivers and Landscapes Centre, University of New South Wales
2010
Career position - Member, Scientific Advisory Committee on the Adaptive Management of River Red Gum forests, New South Wales Office of Environment and Heritage and Victorian Department of Sustainability and Environment
2012
2012
Award - D. L. Serventy Medal, Birdlife Australia
2013
Career position - Director, Centre for Ecosystem Science, University of New South Wales
2014
Award - Fellow, Australian Zoological Society
2014
2016
Career position - President, Oceania, Society for Conservation Biology
2018
Award - Fellow, Royal Society of New South Wales
2018
Career position - Member, New South Wales Biodiversity Advisory Council
2018
Award - Fellow, Royal Zoological Society of New South Wales
2019
Career position - Chair, Global Network Governance Committee, Society for Conservation Biology
2019
2019
Award - Distinguished Service Award, Society for Conservation Biology
2021
2021
Award - Ecological Society of Australia Gold Medal
2025
2025
Award - Officer of the Order of Australia (AO) for distinguished service to conservation biology, to environmental sustainability research, and to freshwater biodiversity and ecosystems governance