Flinn, David William (1944 - )

Summary

Dr David Flinn spent his entire 45-year forestry career in the field of forestry research and development. Initially he focussed on improving aspects of pine plantation management, using better site preparation methods, fertilizer and selective herbicides. Later work included hydrology, nutrition, fire effects, and thinning in eucalypt forests. In the period 1993-1998 Flinn was the Director of the Centre for Forest Tree Technology, and later became the inaugural Director of the Forest Science Centre - a result of the merger of CFTT with the School of Forestry of the University of Melbourne. From 1995 to 2000, he represented Western Pacific nations on the Executive Board of the International Union of Forestry Research Organizations (IUFRO), a 100+ year-old NGO which at that time involved over 100 countries and over 14,000 scientists. He prematurely retired from his Government position in May 2000 due to illness. On recovery, he undertook many consultancies for Government agencies and industry bodies, including major reports on the forest fires that burnt 5% of Victoria's land area in both 2003 and 2006/07.

Details

Flinn published around 60 scientific articles in a diverse range of journals. Those cited below are just a sample. He also co-authored many technical and scientific reports, including the significant review, Management of Victoria's publicly-owned native forests for wood production. A review of the science of public native forest management for sustainable timber production in Victoria (cited below), which was his final report before his retirement at age 69 years. A full list of articles and reports is available upon request.

Chronology

1963 - 1965

Education - Diploma of Forestry (Creswick)

1969

Education - Bachelor of Science (Forestry) Hons, University of Melbourne

1975

Career position - Joined Research Branch, Forests Commission Victoria

1975

Education - Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), University of Melbourne

1993 - 1998

Career position - Director, Centre for Forest Tree Technology

1997

Award - Awarded National Medal for Service (to various aspects of forest firefighting)

1997

Career position - Appointed an Adjunct Associate Professor of Forestry, University of Melbourne

1999 - 2000

Career position - Director, Forest Science Centre, School of Forestry, University of Melbourne

2000

Award - Commonwealth Forestry Association Medal (Asia-Pacific Region)

2011

Award - NW Jolly Medal, Institute of Foresters of Australia

Related entries

Published resources

Encyclopedia of Australian Science and Innovation Exhibitions

• McCarthy, Gavan; Smith, Ailie; Moje, Christine; Rigby, Rebecca, The Study of Australian Eucalypts, eScholarship Research Centre, 2013, http://www.eoas.info/eucalypts/index.html. Details

Articles

• 'N.W. Jolly Medal Nomination Citation: David W. Flinn Dip. For.(Cres.), B.Sc. (For.) Hons., Ph.D. (Melb.)', The Forester quarterly newsletter, 54 (3) (2011), 4-5, http://svc043.wic023v.server-web.com/pdf/pdf-members/media/74-MR%202011%20Newman%20and%20Flinn.pdf. Details

Book Sections

• Raison, R.J.; Brown, A.G.; and Flinn, D.W., 'Application of criteria and indicators to support sustainable forest management: some key issues.' in Criteria and Indicators for Sustainable Forest Management. IUFRO Research Series No. 7, Raison, R.J., Brown, A.G. and Flinn, D.W., eds (2001). Details

Edited Books

• Flinn, D.W.; and Mamers, H. eds, Management of eucalypt regrowth in East Gippsland: executive summary of research findings. (Melbourne, Vic.: CSIRO and Dept of Conservation and Environment, Victoria, 1991), 43 pp. Details
• Raison, R.J.; and Squire, R.O. eds, Forest Management in Australia: Implications for carbon budgets. Part 1 of 2. NCAS Technical Report No. 32 (Canberra: Commonwealth of Australia, Australian Greenhouse Office, 2007), 400 pp. Section 3: Victoria (pp. 103-146). Details

Journal Articles

• Fagg, P.C.; and Flinn, D.W., 'Evaluation of hexazinone and 3-6 dichloropicolinic acid for control of Acacia dealbata and Eucalyptus spp. in young Pinus radiata plantations in Victoria.', Australian Forestry, 46 (1983), 190-199. Details
• Flinn, D.W., 'Nutrition of Eucalyptus globulus at Powelltown.', Forestry Technical Papers, 25 (1976), 5-7. Details
• Flinn, D.W.; Bren, L.J.; and Hopmans, P., 'Soluble nutrient inputs from rain and outputs in stream water from small forested catchments.', Australian Forestry, 42 (1979), 39-49. Details
• Hopmans, P.; Stewart, H. T. L.; Flinn, D.W.; and Hillman, T. J., 'Growth, biomass production and nutrient accumulation by seven tree species irrigated with municipal effluent at Wodonga, Australia.', Forest Ecology and Management, 30 (1990), 203-211. Details
• Hopmans, P.; Stewart, H.T.L.; and Flinn, D.W., 'Impacts of harvesting on nutrients in a eucalypt ecosystem in south-eastern Australia.', Forest Ecology and Management, 59 (1993), 29-51. Details
• McKimm, R.J.; and Flinn, D.W., 'Eucalypt species, site preparation and fertiliser requirements for reforestation of the Toorongo Plateau in central Victoria.', Australian Forestry, 42 (1979), 117-124. Details
• Squire, R.O.; Flinn, D.W.; and Campbell, R. G., 'Silvicultural research for sustained wood production and biosphere conservation in the pine plantations and native eucalypt forests of south-eastern Australia.', Australian Forestry, 54 (1991), 120-133. Details
• Stewart, H.T.L.; and Flinn, D.W., 'Establishment and early growth of trees irrigated with wastewater at four sites in Victoria.', Forest Ecology and Management, 8 (1984), 243-256. Details
• Stewart, H.T.L.; Flinn, D.W. and, Aeberli, B.C ., 'Above-ground biomass of a mixed eucalypt forest in eastern Victoria.', Australian Journal of Botany, 27 (1978), 725-740. Details
• Stewart, H.T.L.; Hopmans, P.; Flinn, D.W.; and Croatto, G., 'Harvesting effects on phosphorus availability in a mixed eucalypt ecosystem in southeastern Australia.', Forest Ecology and Management, 36 (1990), 149-162. Details

Reports

• Turner, J.; Flinn, D.W.; Lambert, M.J.; Wareing, K.; and Murphy, S., Management of Victoria's publicly-owned native forests for wood production. A review of the science of public native forest management for sustainable timber production in Victoria (2010), http://www.fwpa.com.au/sites/default/files/PRC174-0910_Research_Report_Native_forest_project.pdf. Details

Resources

• 'Flinn, David William, by David Flinn and Peter Fagg', The Study of Australian Eucalypts: Forestry, with Fagg, P.C. et al., eScholarship Research Centre, 16 December 2013, http://www.eoas.info/eucalypts/forestry.html. Details
• 'Flinn, D W (19440730-)', Trove, National Library of Australia, 2009, https://nla.gov.au/nla.party-636783. Details