Laws to Protect Caves – navigating and improving them

Protection of Australia's karst is a much neglected area of conservation and law.

Laws relevant to cave conservation are fragmented across Australian jurisdictions (Commonwealth, state and local) and across many different areas of law.

Important relevant areas of law at the Commonwealth level – biodiversity and water – now face significant change.

This seminar addresses the question: what would be needed to design effective legal protection of caves and karst? How could this be achieved?

Caves Conservation Australia looks forward to seeing you at this webinar. All welcome.

About the Presenter:

Rebecca Nelson is a Professor at the Melbourne Law School, Director of the Melbourne Centre for Law and the Environment and Research Cluster Lead, Melbourne Biodiversity Institute. Her research focuses on environmental and natural resources law and policy, with an emphasis on empirical research and practical solutions.

Much of her research over the past two decades has focused on groundwater law in Australia and the United States, and regulatory design to effectively address cumulative environmental impacts.

In 2016 she was the Distinguished Lecturer for the National Centre for Groundwater Research and Training and International Association of Hydrogeologists (Australia), and in 2025 she received the International Association of Hydrogeologists Distinguished Associate Award.

She received her Bachelor of Engineering (Environmental)/Bachelor of Laws from the University of Melbourne, and her Master of the Science of Law and Doctor of the Science of Law from Stanford University.