The Ecological Society of Australia congratulates the AirSeed Technologies and ARC Linkage team (LP200200688) on receiving the Ecological Impact Award – Research–Practitioner Collaboration. The project team includes Dr Samantha Andres and Dr Matt Alfonzetti (Western Sydney University), and Paige Lieurance and Nick Chu (AirSeed Technologies).

Dr Andres said:
‘This project and award win reflects the strength of our collaboration as a team, bringing together researchers, practitioners, and students with diverse expertise in ecology, microbiology, economics, and restoration science to deliver research with real-world impact.

‘Our collaboration centred on advancing seed enhancement technologies and drone-based precision seeding to improve large-scale, biodiverse landscape restoration. Through integrated field, greenhouse, and laboratory research, we developed practical tools and frameworks to optimise restoration efficiency, cost-effectiveness, and ecological outcomes. We also addressed broader challenges across the native seed supply chain, identifying gaps in species availability and diversity to strengthen future restoration capacity.

‘Strategic collaboration across our team has enabled us to rapidly move from the inception of ideas, to experiments, and end-use implementation. Macquarie University and Western Sydney University provided essential lab, field, and glasshouse facilities, while The Australian Botanic Gardens Mt Anna contributed nursery support, land access, and maintenance tools – making it possible to test treatments under realistic field conditions. AirSeed provided critical on-ground expertise, including seed pellet production, drone deployment technology, and access to operational data, which enabled meaningful real-world testing of seed enhancement technologies and expansion of research.

‘Above all, our shared passion, trust, and commitment to advancing restoration science were key to achieving this project’s success.

‘This award is a wonderful acknowledgment of what can be achieved when researchers and practitioners come together with a shared purpose. It reinforces our commitment to collaborative, transparent, applied research and inspires us to keep building strong community partnerships that translate science into meaningful ecological outcomes.

‘This award inspires me to continue pursuing research that connects science with real-world ecological outcomes. Reflecting on the collaborative process that was central to this project’s success, I am motivated to foster strong interdisciplinary teams in all future work I engage in.’

The ESA congratulates the team on this achievement and their commitment to advancing restoration science through collaboration and innovation. The award will be presented at ESA2025 in Adelaide.