Dr Bernard Doube OAM is an ambassador for the benefits of the soil-enriching and pest-control qualities of dung beetles. After 29 years with CSIRO, including 7 years leading the team at the CSIRO Dung Beetle Research Unit in Pretoria, South Africa, Bernard has, over the past two decades, continued his close involvement with dung beetles as the director of Dung Beetle Solutions International (DBSI), where he continues to be strongly involved in research and farmer education. In addition to managing numerous research grants, he provides advice to producers at workshops and field days, and frequently through email and telephone discussions. DBSI supplies field-cropped dung beetles to producers and researchers across southern Australia, and works in association with many research partners including water authorities, federal agencies (e.g. Meat and Livestock Australia), universities, and Landcare and other landholder groups. He has published many research articles on dung beetles, earthworms and the biological basis of soil health.
Bernard is a theme leader in the Dung Beetle Ecosystem Engineers project, in which he is responsible for the distribution of new species of dung beetles across southern Australia. A major part of this work is the development and management of on-farm producer-managed field nurseries for mass rearing new species for wide distribution. For more information on Dr Doube and DBSI go to Dung Beetle Solutions International.