Vanessa is a plant ecologist working primarily in mine-disturbed areas, and also manages the Institute’s environmental laboratories. Vanessa’s work primarily encompass two themes: investigations of ecosystem resilience and ecosystem successional processes in rehabilitated plant communities; and disturbance impacts on rare and threatened plants. From this perspective, insights into mine closure issues are gained, particularly regarding feasibility of achieving benchmark rehabilitation goals, risk of rehabilitation failure, and knowledge management.
Vanessa has been a researcher at CMLR since 2008. Prior to that, Vanessa applied her research and technical expertise to projects on weed invasion, wallum vegetation, Bridled Nailtail Wallaby habitat and conservation, community-based riparian restoration, and vegetation protection on private land, as well as working for several years in the music industry. Her research work at SMI runs concurrently with her role as a laboratory manager, where she applies technical and organisational skills to ensure the Institute’s environmental laboratories run safely and efficiently. Her success has been recognised with several staff excellence awards.
Vanessa is a member of the Ecological Society of Australia, the Environment Institute of Australia and New Zealand, and TechNet Australia.
Journal Article: Old Man Saltbush mortality following fire challenges the resilience of post‐mine rehabilitation in central Queensland, Australia
McKenna, Phillip B., Ufer, Natasha, Glenn, Vanessa, Doley, David, Phinn, Stuart and Erskine, Peter D. (2023). Old Man Saltbush mortality following fire challenges the resilience of post‐mine rehabilitation in central Queensland, Australia. Ecological Management and Restoration, 24 (1), 36-46. doi: 10.1111/emr.12579
Conference Publication: Recovery trends following fires in rehabilitation in central and southern Queensland
McKenna, Phillip, Erskine, Peter, Phinn, Stuart, Glenn, Vanessa and Ufer, Natasha (2021). Recovery trends following fires in rehabilitation in central and southern Queensland. Life of Mine 2021, Brisbane, QLD, Australia, 28-30 April 2021.
Other Outputs: Testing the resilience of mine site rehabilitation
McKenna, Phillip, Ufer, Natasha , Erskine, Peter, Glenn, Vanessa, Doley, David and Nath, Vinod (2021). Testing the resilience of mine site rehabilitation. Brisbane, QLD Australia: The University of Queensland.
(2015–2017) Australian Coal Association Research Program
Monitoring of Vegetation Condition at the Foot of the Escarpment on North Stradbroke Island
(2012–2015) Sibelco Australia Limited
Assessing the development of native ecosystems on North Stradbroke Island - LTM BSM 2011-2014
(2011–2017) Sibelco Australia Limited
Autumn 2012 swamp vegetation monitoring at Centennial Coal operations, Newnes Plateau
McKenna, P., Kilgour, C., Johns, C.V., Brownstein, G., Blick, R., Bricher, P., McCaffrey, N., Glenn, V. and Erskine, P.D. (2012). Autumn 2012 swamp vegetation monitoring at Centennial Coal operations, Newnes Plateau. Centre For Mined Land Rehabilitation, Sustainable Minerals Institute.
Tarong Energy Meandu Mine: Rehabilitation compliance with EA criteria
Gravina, A., Glenn, V. and McKenna, P. (2008). Tarong Energy Meandu Mine: Rehabilitation compliance with EA criteria. Centre for Mined Land Rehabilitation.
Unger, C. J., Lechner, A. M., Glenn, V. C., Edraki, M. and Mulligan, D. R. (2018). Key elements of global leading practice in abandoned mine programs and their application to Australia. From start to finish: a life-of-mine perspective. (pp. 163-174) edited by Cherie McCullough, Bruce Harvey, Corinne Unger, Jan Coetzee and Stuart Winchester. Carlton South, VIC, Australia: The Australian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy.
Maturity of jurisdictional abandoned mine programs in Australia based on web-accessible information
Unger, C. J., Lechner, A. M., Walton, A., Glenn, V. C., Edraki, M. and Mulligan, D. R. (2018). Maturity of jurisdictional abandoned mine programs in Australia based on web-accessible information. From start to finish: a life-of-mine perspective. (pp. 317-328) edited by Cherie McCullough, Bruce Harvey, Corinne Unger, Jan Coetzee and Stuart Winchester. Carlton South, VIC, Australia: Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy.
McCaffrey, N. B., Glenn, V. C., Johns, C., Lechner, A. M. and Erskine, P. D. (2018). Using pilot tests to improve the monitoring of ecological impacts of subsidence from underground coal mining. From start to finish: a life of mine perspective. (pp. 143-151) edited by Cherie McCullough, Bruce Harvey, Corinne Unger, Jan Coetzee and Stuart Winchester. Carlton South, VIC Australia: AUSIMM.
McKenna, Phillip B., Ufer, Natasha, Glenn, Vanessa, Doley, David, Phinn, Stuart and Erskine, Peter D. (2023). Old Man Saltbush mortality following fire challenges the resilience of post‐mine rehabilitation in central Queensland, Australia. Ecological Management and Restoration, 24 (1), 36-46. doi: 10.1111/emr.12579
McKenna, Phill, Erskine, Peter D., Glenn, Vanessa and Doley, David (2019). Response of open woodland and grassland mine site rehabilitation to fire disturbance on engineered landforms. Ecological Engineering, 133, 98-108. doi: 10.1016/j.ecoleng.2019.04.013
Fire behaviour on engineered landforms stabilised with high biomass buffel grass
McKenna, Phill, Glenn, Vanessa, Erskine, Peter D., Doley, David and Sturgess, Andrew (2017). Fire behaviour on engineered landforms stabilised with high biomass buffel grass. Ecological Engineering, 101, 237-246. doi: 10.1016/j.ecoleng.2017.01.038
Gillespie, Melina, Glenn, Vanessa and Doley, David (2015). Reconciling waste rock rehabilitation goals and practice for a phosphate mine in a semi-arid environment. Ecological Engineering, 85, 1-12. doi: 10.1016/j.ecoleng.2015.09.063
Unger, C. J., Lechner, A. M., Kenway, J., Glenn, V. and Walton, A. (2015). A jurisdictional maturity model for risk management, accountability and continual improvement of abandoned mine remediation programs. Resources Policy, 43, 1-10. doi: 10.1016/j.resourpol.2014.10.008
The impact of underground longwall mining on prime agricultural land: a review and research agenda
Lechner, Alex Mark, Baumgartl, Thomas, Matthew, Phil and Glenn, Vanessa (2014). The impact of underground longwall mining on prime agricultural land: a review and research agenda. Land Degradation & Development, 27 (6), 1650-1663. doi: 10.1002/ldr.2303
Mined land rehabilitation - is there a gap between regulatory guidance and successful relinquishment
Glenn, Vanessa, Doley, David, Unger, Corinne, McCaffrey, Nic, McKenna, Phill, Gillespie, Melina and Williams, Elizabeth (2014). Mined land rehabilitation - is there a gap between regulatory guidance and successful relinquishment. AusIMM Bulletin (3), 48-54.
McCaffrey, Nic B., Blick, Raymond A. J., Glenn, Vanessa C., Fletcher, Andrew T., Erskine, Peter D. and van Osta, John (2014). Novel ‘stratified-meander’ technique improves survey effort of the rare Pagoda Rock Daisy growing remotely on rocky cliff edges. Ecological Management and Restoration, 15 (1), 94-97. doi: 10.1111/emr.12087
Monitoring Epacris muelleri on unreachable cliffs in the Western Blue Mountains, Australia
Blick, Raymond A. J., Fletcher, Andrew, Erskine, Peter D., McCaffrey, Nic B. and Glenn, Vanessa (2013). Monitoring Epacris muelleri on unreachable cliffs in the Western Blue Mountains, Australia. Ecological Management & Restoration, 14 (3), 234-237. doi: 10.1111/emr.12064
Audet, Patrick, Gravina, Amanda, Glenn, Vanessa, McKenna, Phill, Vickers, Helen, Gillespie, Melina and Mulligan, David (2013). Structural development of vegetation on rehabilitated North Stradbroke Island: Above/belowground feedback may facilitate alternative ecological outcomes. Ecological Processes, 2 (20) 20, 1-17. doi: 10.1186/2192-1709-2-20
Gravina, A., McKenna, P. and Glenn, V. (2011). Evaluating the success of mineral sand mine rehabilitation on North Stradbroke Island, Queensland: Comparisons with reference eucalypt communities. Proceedings of the Royal Society of Queensland, 117, 419-435.
Recovery trends following fires in rehabilitation in central and southern Queensland
McKenna, Phillip, Erskine, Peter, Phinn, Stuart, Glenn, Vanessa and Ufer, Natasha (2021). Recovery trends following fires in rehabilitation in central and southern Queensland. Life of Mine 2021, Brisbane, QLD, Australia, 28-30 April 2021.
The recovery potential of vegetation at rehabilitated mine sites in Queensland
McKenna, Phillip, Erskine, Peter, Glenn, Vanessa, Doley, David, Ufer, Natasha and Nath, Vinod (2020). The recovery potential of vegetation at rehabilitated mine sites in Queensland. Federation University Fire Workshop, Online Webinar, 3 August 2020. Brisbane, QLD Australia: The University of Queensland.
McKenna, Phillip, Erskine, Peter D., Phinn, Stuart, Glenn, Vanessa and Doley, David (2018). Measuring the recovery of coal mine rehabilitation following fire in Queensland using remote sensing and ground surveys.. SERA 2018 Striving For Excellence, Brisbane, QLD, Australia, 25-28 September 2018.
McKenna, Phillip, Erskine, Peter, Phinn, Stuart, Glenn, Vanessa and Doley, David (2018). Measuring the recovery of coal mine rehabilitation following fire in Queensland using remote sensing and ground surveys. Life of Mine 2018, Brisbane, QLD, Australia, 25-27 July 2018.
McCaffrey, Nic, van Osta, John and Glenn, Vanessa Caroline (2017). Development of a monitoring program to detect changes in a vulnerable shrub in the Western Blue Mountains, NSW. Biodiversity Across the Borders Conference 2017, Ballarat, Australia, 9 June 2017. Ballarat, Australia:
Unger C. J., Bond, C. J., Baumgartl, T., Glenn, V. C. and Sabourenkov, P. (2016). 'MRC-wiki' – a mine rehabilitation and closure knowledge management tool for Central Queensland coalmine practitioners. Life-of-Mine 2016 Conference, Brisbane, QLD, Australia, 28-30 September 2016. Melbourne, VIC, Australia: AusIMM.
Fire Behaviour in Buffel Grass Dominated Mine Site Rehabilitation in Central Queensland, Australia
McKenna, P., Glenn, V. C., Erskine, P. D., Doley, D. and Sturgess, A. (2016). Fire Behaviour in Buffel Grass Dominated Mine Site Rehabilitation in Central Queensland, Australia. Life-of-Mine 2016, Brisbane, QLD, Australia, 28-30 September 2016. AusIMM: Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy.
Baumgartl, Thomas , Glenn, Vanessa , Erskine, Peter and Chan, Jaclyn (2016). Spatial and temporal changes of soil organic carbon content since time of reclamation of mine soils in a semi-arid environment of Australia. EGU General Assembly 2016, Vienna Austria, 17–22 April 2016. Goettingen, Germany: Copernicus.
McCaffrey, Nic and Glenn, Vanessa Caroline (2015). The opportunity of having a clean slate: Development of an ecological monitoring program at mining initiation. Environmental Management in Mining, International Mining for Development Centre (IM4DC), Brisbane, 4 March 2015.
McCaffrey, N., Glenn, V., Erskine, P. D., Johns, C. and Fletcher, A. (2014). Detecting long-term ecological impacts of subsidence from underground coal mining: a tale of two pilot tests. Life-of-Mine 2014, Brisbane, QLD, Australia, 16-18 July 2014. Carlton, VIC, Australia: AUSIMM.
Maturity of jurisdictional abandoned mine programs in Australia based on web-accessible information
Unger, C. J., Lechner, A. M., Walton, A., Glenn, V., Edraki, M. and Mulligan, D. R. (2014). Maturity of jurisdictional abandoned mine programs in Australia based on web-accessible information. Life-of-Mine 2014, Brisbane, QLD, Australia, 16-18 July 2014. Carlton, VIC, Australia: AUSIMM.
Audet, P., Gravina, A., Glenn, V., McKenna, P., Vickers, H., Gillespie, M. and Mulligan, D. (2012). Above/belowground feedback may facilitate and sustain mono-dominance on rehabilitated North Stradbroke Island. Life of Mine Conference (AusIMM), Brisbane, Australia, 10-12 July 2012. Carlton North, VIC, Australia: The Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy (AusIMM).
Mapping and prioritising rehabilitation of abandoned mines in Australia
Unger, C., Lechner, A. M., Glenn, V., Edraki, M. and Mulligan, D. (2012). Mapping and prioritising rehabilitation of abandoned mines in Australia. Life of Mine Conference (AusIMM), Brisbane, Australia, 10-12 July 2012. Carlton North, VIC, Australia: The Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy (AusIMM).
Testing the resilience of mine site rehabilitation
McKenna, Phillip, Ufer, Natasha , Erskine, Peter, Glenn, Vanessa, Doley, David and Nath, Vinod (2021). Testing the resilience of mine site rehabilitation. Brisbane, QLD Australia: The University of Queensland.
Testing the resilience of mine site rehabilitation: final project report for Newlands Coal
McKenna, Phillip,, Ufer, Natasha, Erskine, Peter and Glenn, Vanessa (2020). Testing the resilience of mine site rehabilitation: final project report for Newlands Coal. Brisbane, QLD Australia: The University of Queensland.
Testing the resilience of mine site rehabilitation: interim progress report for Newlands Coal
McKenna, Phillip, Ufer, Natasha, Glenn, Vanessa and Erskine, Peter (2019). Testing the resilience of mine site rehabilitation: interim progress report for Newlands Coal. Brisbane, QLD Australia: The University of Queensland.
Testing the resilience of mine site rehabilitation: interim progress report for Newlands Coal
McKenna, Phillip, Ufer, Natasha, Glenn, Vanessa and Erskine, Peter (2019). Testing the resilience of mine site rehabilitation: interim progress report for Newlands Coal. Brisbane, QLD Australia: The University of Queensland.
Testing the resilience of mine site rehabilitation: interim progress report for Ensham Mine
McKenna, Phillip, Glenn, Vanessa and Erskine, Peter (2018). Testing the resilience of mine site rehabilitation: interim progress report for Ensham Mine. Brisbane, QLD Australia: The University of Queensland.
Testing the resilience of mine site rehabilitation: interim progress report for Newlands Coal
McKenna, Phillip, Ufer, Natasha, Glenn, Vanessa, Erskine, Peter, Doley, David and Nath, Vinod (2018). Testing the resilience of mine site rehabilitation: interim progress report for Newlands Coal. Brisbane, QLD Australia: The University of Queensland.
Mine rehabilitation and closure knowledge management WIKI: MRC-WIKI
Unger, Corinne, Baumgartl, Thomas, Bond, Carol, Glenn, Vanessa Caroline and Sabourenkov, Paul (2017). Mine rehabilitation and closure knowledge management WIKI: MRC-WIKI. Brisbane, QLD Australia: ACARP.
Compliance Assessment of North Stradbroke Island Mine Site Rehabilitation
McKenna, Phillip, Gravina, Mandy, Glenn, Vanessa, Erskine, Peter, Nath, Vinod and Johns, Caitlin (2016). Compliance Assessment of North Stradbroke Island Mine Site Rehabilitation. Brisbane: The University of Queensland.
Review of rehabilitation monitoring conducted on Sibelco’s Stradbroke Island mine leases
Johns, Caitlin, McCaffrey, Nic, Gravina, Mandy, Glenn, Vanessa, Williams, Elizabeth and McKenna, Phillip (2015). Review of rehabilitation monitoring conducted on Sibelco’s Stradbroke Island mine leases. Brisbane: The University of Queensland.
McCaffrey, Nic, McKenna, Phill, Glenn, Vanessa, Fletcher, Andrew and Erskine, Peter (2015). Research and monitoring of flora and native vegetation at Airly Mine and Mugii Murum-ban State Conservation Area, NSW.
Soil organic matter and green carbon in rehabilitation:their role in the carbon balance
Baumgartl, Thomas, Erskine, Peter, Chan, Jaclyn and Glenn, Vanessa (2015). Soil organic matter and green carbon in rehabilitation:their role in the carbon balance. Brisbane, Australia:
Gravina, M., Glenn, V. and McKenna, P. (2014). Long-term Rehabilitation Monitoring of Post 1987 Rehabilitation Following Heavy Minerals Sand Mining on North Stradbroke Island. 2013 Assessment. Report to Sibelco Australia Limited, May 2014. Brisbane, Australia: The University Queensland Centre for Mined Land Rehabilitation, Sustainable Minerals institute.
Gravina, M., Glenn, V. and Nguyen, H. (2014). Rehabilitation Monitoring at Ernest Henry Mine. 2013 Assessment, Report to Ernest Henry Mine Pty Ltd, Glencore Xstrata, March 2014. Brisbane, Australia: The University of Queensland Centre for Mined Land Rehabilitation, Sustainable Minerals Institute,.
McCaffrey, N., Glenn, V., Erskine, P. and Fletcher, A. (2014). Monitoring flora and native vegetation at Airly Mine and Mugii Murum-ban State Conservation Area, NSW. St. Lucia, QLD, Australia: Centre for Mined Land Rehabilitation, The University of Queensland.
McCaffrey, N., Glenn, V., Kilgour, C., Fletcher, A. and Erskine, P. (2013). Development of a monitoring programme for significant flora and native vegetation, Airly Coal Mine, NSW. St. Lucia, QLD, Australia: Centre for Mined Land Rehabilitation, The University of Queensland.
Gravina, M., McKenna, P. and Glenn, V. (2013). Rehabilitation Monitoring at Ernest Henry Mine. 2012 Assessment, Report to Ernest Henry Mine Pty Ltd, Xstrata Copper, 4 April 2013. Brisbane, Australia: The University Queensland Centre for Mined Land Rehabilitation, Sustainable Minerals institute.
Gravina, M., Glenn, V. and McKenna, P. (2012). Long-term Rehabilitation Monitoring of Post 1987 Rehabilitation Following Heavy Minerals Sand Mining on North Stradbroke Island. 2011 Assessment. Report to Sibelco Australia Limited, September 2012. The University Queensland Centre for Mined Land Rehabilitation, Sustainable Minerals institute.
Gravina, A., Glenn, V. and Audet, P. (2012). Tarong Coal Meandu Mine and Kunioon Test Pit Rehabilitation Monitoring and Compliance with EA Criteria. 2011 Assessment. Report to Stanwell Corporation, June 2012. The University Queensland Centre for Mined Land Rehabilitation, Sustainable Minerals institute.
Flora and fauna assessment: spring and early summer 2011, Airly Coal Mine, NSW
McCaffrey, N., Williams, E., Fletcher, A., Glenn, V., Goulding, W. and Erskine, P. (2012). Flora and fauna assessment: spring and early summer 2011, Airly Coal Mine, NSW. St. Lucia, QLD, Australia: Centre for Mined Land Rehabilitation, The University of Queensland.
Gravina, M. and Glenn, V. (2012). Rapid Survey of Phaius australis at 18 Mile Swamp Escarpment on North Stradbroke Island, 21 and 22 May 2012. Prepared for Sibelco Australia Limited. Brisbane, Australia: The University Queensland Centre for Mined Land Rehabilitation, Sustainable Minerals institute.
A review of the international experience of rehabilitating prime agricultural land after coal mining
Baumgartl, Thomas and Glenn, Vanessa (2012). A review of the international experience of rehabilitating prime agricultural land after coal mining. Brisbane, Australia:
Preliminary flora and fauna assessment of Airly Coal Mine, NSW
McCaffrey, N., Williams, E., Goulding, W., Fletcher, A., Glenn, V. and Erskine, P. (2011). Preliminary flora and fauna assessment of Airly Coal Mine, NSW. St. Lucia, QLD, Australia: Centre for Mined Land Rehabilitation, The University of Queensland.
Fletcher, A., Glenn, V., McKenna, P., Gravina, A., Erskine, P. and McCaffrey, N. (2011). Initial flora survey results and proposed scope to develop a routine monitoring program for Airly Coal Mine (ML1331 & A232). St. Lucia, QLD, Australia: Centre for Mined Land Rehabilitation, The University of Queensland.
(2015–2017) Australian Coal Association Research Program
Monitoring of Vegetation Condition at the Foot of the Escarpment on North Stradbroke Island
(2012–2015) Sibelco Australia Limited
Assessing the development of native ecosystems on North Stradbroke Island - LTM BSM 2011-2014
(2011–2017) Sibelco Australia Limited
Assessing the development of native ecosystems on North Stradbroke Island - IEM 2011 to 2013
(2011–2013) Sibelco Australia Limited