Earthwatch
Australia
Earthwatch
has some fascinating projects on the go – including the water
rat surveys around the harbour which will be the subject of the
talk at Sydney Aquarium in a couple of weeks. If you would like
more information or wish to get involved check their websites about
the projects below.
Scientist
for a Day: http://www.earthwatch.org/australia/expeditions/1_day
There are 3 projects
running out of Sydney at the moment:
Sydney's
Hidden Mammals - looking at the Rakali, Sydney's native
water rat, with Dr Peter Banks from UNSW. (Dates available in Aug,
Oct, Dec)
Bushwalks
for Healthy Habitats (or Amazing Ants!) - looking at ants
as indicators of ecosystem health, with Dr Dieter Hochuli from Sydney
University.
Sydney's
Tropical Damsels and Surgeons (or Finding Nemo!) - investigating
the impact of climate change on tropical fish species on the east
coast of Australia, with Professor David Booth from UTS. (Dates
available in Oct, Nov, Dec)
Expeditions:
http://www.earthwatch.org/australia/expeditions/
These are run both in
Australia and overseas, and generally last 2-3 weeks.
For any further
information or to book on Earthwatch expeditions, including Scientist
for a Day projects based in Sydney, please contact Yohanna Aurisch
in the Melbourne Office, who is Earthwatch's Field Operations and
Expeditions Manager. Yohanna's contact details are: yaurisch@earthwatch.org.au
and the office number is 03 9682 6828.
ClimateWatch:
http://www.climatewatch.org.au/
This program
will be launched in September and is about to undergo trialling
of the data entering and exporting. If you would like to be involved
in this stage, please contact either Rachel Maitland (RMaitland@earthwatch.org.au)
or Andy Donnelly (adonnelly@earthwatch.org.au)
and they will be in touch. If you require any more information on
ClimateWatch, please do not hesitate to contact Rachel – there
is soon to be an email newsletter coming out about this, and if
you would like to be kept in the loop please also contact Rachel
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NPWS
Wildlife Atlas
Want to learn
more about how NPWS keeps its records on wildlife sightings? Are
you interested in having your own sightings contribute to these
records? How about how we monitor the progress of threatened fauna
in Sydney North? How does our fox baiting program work? And how
do we monitor its effects on local wildlife populations?
For those who
are keen to get straight into it, or who can’t get along on
the 6th, see the information and links below for the Wildlife Atlas.
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Blue
Gum High Forest at St Ives safe at last
Ku-ring-gai
Council has purchased the “missing piece in the jigsaw”
of Ku-ring-gai’s treasured Blue Gum High Forest site at 102
Rosedale Rd, St Ives, Mayor Nick Ebbeck has announced.
Cr Ebbeck said
the sale of the half hectare piece of land, which has been finalised
this week after a lengthy negotiation process, means the entire
18-hectare forest site will be kept intact and protected for future
generations.
“This
is a great win for Ku-ring-gai and has been a real combined effort
with funding from the Federal Government, Council and the community
via a public campaign led by well-known local conservationist Nancy
Pallin,” he said.
“I would
like to congratulate Ms Pallin and all those involved in the Blue
Gum High Forest Action Group, as well as Bradfield MP Dr Brendan
Nelson, who secured an extra $150,000 in federal funding in October,
bringing the Federal Government’s contribution to $350,000.
“I also
thank all members of the public who have donated and pledged money
to the campaign over the past few years.
“This
was the last section of land within the site still in private ownership
– so it was very important that we acquired it to protect
it from any future development.”
Cr Ebbeck said
the sale guaranteed the future of the site, which provides a snapshot
of this once majestic forest that originally covered 40 per cent
of Ku-ring-gai.
“All
Blue Gum High Forest remnants, which stretch from Willoughby to
Hornsby and Baulkham Hills, have been listed as critically endangered
by both the Federal and State governments. Less than five per cent
of the original forest remains intact.
“Earlier
this year, 100 Rosedale Rd, next to the 102 Rosedale Rd site, was
acquired by the NSW Department of Environment and Conservation under
an “environmental offset” deal for the removal of a
small tract of forest in Hornsby to make way for railway improvements.”
Cr Ebbeck said
Blue Gum trees are one of Ku-ring-gai’s most recognisable
attributes and are featured on Council’s new logo and corporate
identity.
“We will
continue to work with the State and Federals Governments and groups
such as the National Trust to ensure this rare forest is protected
from threats such as urban development and preserved for future
generations to enjoy.”
Click
here for more information
The Friends
of Lane Cove National Park Inc.donated $3,000 towards the purchase.
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