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Volunteering for Nature

By on 27 February, 2020 in Conservation, Volunteering

Summer of 2019-2020 has been characterised by extreme weather in particular catastrophic bushfires and more recently rain and flooding events. Volunteers are needed to help local wildlife and bushland to recover from fires, floods and other climate change related events. Volunteering benefits both your physical and mental health and enables you to contribute positively to your community. To point you in the right direction below is a list of current nature conservation volunteering opportunities.

Regrow, Rewild – National Parks Association of NSW

The National Parks Association of NSW is looking for volunteers for future projects to assist in the recovery of national parks, communities and native species impacted by bushfires. Express your interest here.

Bushcare and Landcare

Bushcare and Landcare Volunteering is another way that you can contribute to the recovery of parks and other bushlands. Bushcare groups are often part of a local Council or National Parks & Wildlife Service program and may be provided with help such as supervision, tools and training. Landcare groups are mostly in rural areas, however there are also many in metropolitan areas.

Birdlife Discovery Centre Sydney

The Birdlife Discovery Centre at Homebush Bay in Sydney is looking for volunteers who enjoy bird watching, conservation and promoting awareness of bird conservation. For more information on this and other bird conservation volunteering opportunities click here or contact Debbie Harris at daisyproctor@yahoo.co.uk

Conservation Volunteers Australia

Conservation Volunteers Australia provides a range of opportunities for people with a passion for nature and conservation to get involved both locally and across Australia. Bushfire recovery projects are a current focus for conservation volunteers.

NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service

NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) has volunteering opportunities available. If you would like to contribute to the protection of the environment and meet other like-minded people click on this link to explore volunteering positions at NPWS.

iNaturalist Environment Recovery Project

The Environment Recovery Project is asking participants to record and upload their observations in areas of burnt bushland. Findings will be used to assist understanding of how species recover from the 2019‑2020 bushfire season.

Other nature volunteering opportunities

The Department of Planning, Industry and Environment has a range of volunteering opportunities in conservation, animal care, gardens and national parks. Click here for more information and to apply.

Seek Volunteer

The Seek Volunteer database is one of the largest in Australia and allows you to explore volunteer opportunities according to location and area of interest.

Birdata – Birdlife Australia

Birdata is a national bird monitoring program run by Birdlife Australia that you can contribute to. Visit the birdata website for information on how to get involved.

BirdLife Photography: Exciting opportunities exist for you to join this special interest group’s committee! Click here for more information.

National Office Volunteer Opportunities: BirdLife Australia E-Store pick and packer – email store@birdlife.org.au for further information

Birds on Farms (NSW): A regular surveying program is being established now. If you are interested in being a volunteer birdwatcher, click here for more information.

Re-aging the temperate woodlands of Central West NSW: Activities include habitat restoration, bird monitoring/watching, and engagement with schools and the general community. Click here for more information.

The Beach-nesting Birds program is always looking for new volunteers as our birds of focus are widely spread across an immense coastline and the threats facing them are as voluminous as the ocean. To read more about the many volunteer roles available click here. Training and mentoring can be provided!

For more information on Beach-nesting Birds volunteering, including where volunteers are most needed click here.

World Migratory Bird Day is coming up on Saturday May 9th! More information can be found by clicking here.

2020 dates for the National Migratory Shorebird program’s summer and winter shorebird counts are:

Summer Count: November 1st – February 29th (ideal date is January 15th)

Winter Count: May 15th – August 15th (ideal date is July 1st)

Forestry Industry, CFMEU campaign to log national parks

By on 6 February, 2020 in Conservation

The Australian recently reported1 that the forest industry and CFMEU have called for fuel loads in national parks to be aggressively managed through hazard reduction burning and selective logging, to avoid a repeat of the recent bushfire crisis.

The Colong Foundation for Wilderness2 notes that the science is clear that native forest logging is a major threat to our dwindling wildlife and makes landscapes more fire prone.

The SMH3 has reported that calls by the forestry industry for hazard reduction in native forests are misleading as ecology and fire experts state that the evidence shows that thinning trees makes forests more fire prone.

The Colong Foundation states that the Forestry Industry’s Forestry Management Zone and Eden wood-chip mill were burnt due to poor fire management practices. The Colong Foundation believes that consequently the forestry industry is now seeking to log national parks which hold some of the only unburnt areas.

The Australian reports that Australian National University landscape ecologist Professor David Lindenmayer said selective logging of wet forests elevates fire risk for up to 40 years and that thinning the forest opens the canopy and more light and litter on the floor dries out the forest.”

These views4 are shared by Professor James Watson, director of the Centre for Biodiversity and Conservation Science at the University of Queensland, who stated that we need to re-evaluate how we think about forestry and logging in Australia. “The science is pretty clear. Many of these fires got out of control in logged areas and logging is the very reason why many species are already endangered. If we want to maintain threatened species in these landscapes, we’ve got to realise that forestry does not work to save them.”

Writing for the ABC5, Professor Lindenmayer has expressed concerns that just as forests are starting to recover from fires they are now threatened by calls for post-fire logging. The Australian Forest Products Association has called for a “massive bushfire recovery harvesting operation” to recover burnt trees for timber.

Professor Lindenmayer writes “multiple independent, peer reviewed studies show logging forests after bushfires increases future fire risk and can render the forest uninhabitable for wildlife for decades or even centuries”.

 

References

1 The Australian, 8 January 2020, “Forestry industry, CFMEU united on logging, burns to take fight to bushfires”

2 Colong Foundation for Wilderness Media Release 8 January 2020, “Wildlife needs protection, not misinformation campaign by forestry industry”.

3 Sydney Morning Herald, 9 January 2020, “Scientists warn forest industry plan could increase fire risk” https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/scientists-warn-forest-industry-plan-could-increase-fire-risk-20200109-p53q4u.html

4 ABC News 19 January 2020, “Inside the race to protect 250 threatened species hit by bushfire” https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-01-19/inside-the-race-to-protect-threatened-species/11877990

5 ABC News 30 January 2020, “Post-bushfire logging makes a bad situation even worse, but the industry is ignoring the science” by David Lindenmayer https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-01-29/logging-bushfire-affected-areas-australia-increases-fire-risk/11903662?pfmredir=sm&fbclid=IwAR0dilzC1UOUTMjg_OoejKaKGEK5aY2dMqQWhR5hIxtGU36QeS24eymb26g

Bushfire in Gondwanan Rainforests

By on 5 February, 2020 in Conservation

2019 Fire in Nightcap National Park – A summary of Dr Robert M Kooyman’s talk at Wilsons Creek Hall, 23 January 2020

See below for videos of Dr Kooyman’s talk

Rainforests contain 40 million years of evolutionary history with a range of plant and animal lineages and communities with origins in Gondwana. The ancient supercontinent Gondwana broke up approximately 180 million years ago and as Australia drifted away from Antarctica, rainforests contracted to its east coast and far north. Only 1 percent of the original 40 million year old Gondwanan rainforest survives in Australia. Read more.

Australia has the most diversity of remaining plant and animal lineages with Gondwanan histories. The Gondwana Rainforests of Australia are world heritage listed in recognition of their unique landforms, species diversity and role in demonstrating the development of life on earth. Read more.

In particular, the Nightcap National Park (NP) area contains many plant and animal lineages with Gondwanan histories, including many threatened species.

The scale of the November 2019 fire event in the Nightcap NP was unprecedented and catastrophic. Historical logging activities in the Nightcap area up until 40 years ago resulted in the loss of 90 percent of old growth trees. Of the remaining 10 percent, the bushfires have caused the loss of a further 10 to 30 percent of old growth trees.

Historical logging activities increased forest vulnerability to fire as flammable eucalyptus components were accentuated at the cost of fire resistant rainforest species. On eucalypt ridges smaller re‑growth trees, such as blackbutt or Eucalyptus pilularis, growing close together with crowns touching enhanced the spread of canopy fire.  Shrubs growing on the forest floor due to increased light penetrating the canopy were dried out by drought and promoted fire through the understory. Logging debris pushed into the rainforest and increased fire heat and penetration into rainforest.

Recovery of the Nightcap area ecosystem is likely to take hundreds of years. A total of 16 plant and 27 animal threatened species were affected by the fire. Tragically, approximately 25 to 30 percent of the critically endangered Nightcap Oak species was lost to fire. The endangered peach myrtle species were also affected. Brushbox and palm forest species were burnt at Terania Creek.

There are signs of recovery in the eucalyptus forests as these species are fire adapted. The eucalyptus ridgelines are re-sprouting and acacias have re-seeded. However rainforest species are not fire adapted and it is likely that some will continue to die due to the stress of the fire event. Lowland rainforest was less affected by the fire than upland rainforest. The Mt Nardi rainforest was sprayed with fire retardant and is likely to recover as there are signs of re‑growth.

Fire resistance of the forest would have been enhanced if more rainforest had been preserved by the Forestry Commission given that rainforest species resist fire. Future planning policy should incorporate planting fire resistant rainforest species near houses/communities as a barrier to fire.

See below videos of Dr Kooyman’s talk including an earlier video of Dr Kooyman discussing Gondwanan rainforest.

Dr Rob Kooyman on the forest fires…Part 1.

Rob Kooyman (forest ecologist extraordinaire) takes us through what we've lost and what we can learn from the recent bushfires that ravaged Australia's forest whose evolutionary history goes back more than 100million years when Gondwanaland (mainland Australia) was still attached to Patagonia (current day Chile and Argentina) and the Antartica. Today's 8min clip relates to northern NSW where Rob lives and has done much of his field work from his earliest days as a forest ecologist 40 years ago (though not exclusively – Rob's in demand all over the world for forest regen and advise on how Govts from Madagascar to Kalimantan can best manage their forests). We'll be posting several more clips over next few days of Rob's talk at Wilsons Creek this week. So those who didn't make it or don't live in the area can learn from what Rob has to offer.

Posted by Frontline Films on Saturday, 25 January 2020

 

Rob Kooyman's Bushfire talk Wilsons Creek Hall conts.

'Doctor Rob' continues his talk from last Thursday night at Wilsons Creek Hall about the state of health in the forests of northern NSW and Australia generally post the Bushfires. Please share with your friends and those True Believers who know this has come about in part because of Government (both major parties…) inepitude in not tackling Climate Emergency as the real War of Terror bearing down on us all.

Posted by Frontline Films on Monday, 27 January 2020

Rob Kooyman's talk post Bushfires Part 3

I have nothing but the highest respect for Dailan Pugh's forest activism (which he was honoured with an OAM from Queenie Liz some years ago…) and long time koala lover (a key indicator species of forest health … just one of many animals and birds Dailan has fought for in the forests for over 40 years). Dailan has just written a note alerting us to the latest scam by loggers and the timber industry's greedy operators (eg Boral) who only view the forest as a resource to harvest and make money from. They are now using the pretext of 'salvaging' millions of tonnes of timber slightly burnt or badly burnt in the recent fires in Victoria and NSW to get into their with their industrial juggernaut machines that allow them in one coup alone to cut and truck upto 600 logs a day. We have to STOP this lunacy from happening, particularly after the fires. Otherwise we, our kids and grandkids are cactus because we ALL rely on healthy forests (which they hardly are any more…) for clean water, air and biodiversity. You all know the Rub and truth to that. As Rob Kooyman continues to outline in the video below. Dailan writes: "The tip is that there is going to be a press release (soon) …announcing an intent to introduce legislation to allow salvage and 'hazard reduction' logging in national parks. If correct, I imagine this is only part of a suite of measures that will herald an all-out assault on our national parks. The National Party's cherished aim of opening up National Parks to logging and grazing seems to have borne fruit in the midst of this environmental catastrophe. If correct, its important that as many people as possible make an immediate outcry.Dailan.

Posted by Frontline Films on Tuesday, 28 January 2020

Dr Rob Kooyman continues his talk on impact of Bushfires

Finally…Hopefully this clip holds Sync and Sound. In this clip, Rob Kooyman asks if we should start planting more rainforest deliberately, strategically as a buffer to future fires? Given his observations of what took place in the rainforests of the Nightcap Range and elsewhere on the east cost. “We saw in these last fires on the Nightcap how rainforest resists fire. The rainforest in one spot actually stopped the fire. If Forestry hadn’t increased the area of eucalypt forest, we’d have had a different outcome,” says Rob. The opposing idea put by our Prime Minister and others is we might consider clearing more, burning more, logging more…and using that as part of our carbon accounting..!

Posted by Frontline Films on Sunday, 2 February 2020

Rob Kooyman Clip 2 – Dangers in Paradise.

I recorded this interview with Rob Kooyman a year ago. Twelve months before the greatest disaster that has hit our forests in the recent bushfires. In the aftermath of 'the Bushfire we had to have', Rob's outlining how unique and how old and how our forests came about is timely. Where to from here? Do we just slash and burn, cull still more to avert more bushfires as some demand? Or do we selectively burn and nurture the rest of what remains?To think our forest's evolutionary history goes back over 100million years ago evolving into what is on the mainland Australia today – both rainforest and eucalpyt forests, coast to coast. One hundred million years ago Australia's forests began evolving after breaking away from Patagonia and Anartica. Its a savage indictment, pre-bushfires how out of sheer bastardry to conquor the land, put in agriculture and the desire to make a quick quid, an easy dollar, we have allowed our forests to be so ruined to the charred mess they now are. Instead of a blazing green emerald gem that would have stood out in space on Google Earth for all the world to see how wise and smart we were from 232 years ago in first invading this country, to look after what was so unique we have here.

Posted by Frontline Films on Sunday, 26 January 2020

 

 

 

The shoe spray challenge

By on 13 May, 2019 in Conservation

 

You know those boot-cleaning stations at the start of iconic walks?

They help to stop the spread of diseases, particularly Phytophthora Cinnamomi, that can fell mighty big trees.

One of the walkers on my most recent walk almost felled me with this brilliant idea:

He brought along his own spray bottle to spray everyone’s boots at the start of the walk! A portable boot-cleaning station.

We all raised each foot behind us, like a horse being shod, and got a spray all over our soles.

And oh boy did my soul feel good to be walking so softly through that beautiful un-tracked rainforest!

This little trick is easy and cheap to do.

All you need is a spray bottle with either methylated spirits (70-100%), bleach (dilute to 25%) or F10 disinfectant solution.

Read more

The challenge

Will you be the sole cleaner for the walks you lead or join?

You’ll be helping to preserve the beautiful places you visit, and probably also making some more souls feel good 🙂

 

Happy, clean walking shoes at the iconic Protester Falls in northern NSW | Fellow walkers with clean boots | Beautiful Protester Falls country. Photos: Kirsten Mayer

Unionists and Environmentalists Celebrate Lithgow’s NPA Members: Joyce and Vern Moffitt

By on 12 February, 2019 in Conservation, Events

By Janine Kitson

In December 2018 unionists and environmentalists came together to celebrate Joyce Moffitt (1930-1999) and Vern Moffitt (1924-2001) past members of the NPA who were pivotal in establishing NPA’s Bathurst Branch.

The Combined Retired Union Members Association (CRUMA) and the Gardens of Stone Alliance celebrated the installation of the NPWS ‘Moffitts Pagodas’ and highlighted how a Gardens of Stone Stage 2 State Conservation Area would be a win-win for Lithgow workers as it permits the continuation of underground mining;  would create a new vibrant tourist economy and protect Lithgow’s internationally significant pagodas and threatened upland swamps;  and would protect Lithgow’s internationally significant pagodas and threatened upland swamps.

Retired unionists travelled to Lithgow by train to celebrate the environmental achievements of NPA members Joyce and Vern Moffitt, who were pivotal in establishing the NPA’s Bathurst Branch, in December 2018.

Joyce and Vern Moffitt played a significant role in founding the Lithgow-Bathurst environment movement.  Joyce and Vern were founding members of NPA’s Central West Branch, the Bathurst Conservation Group and Central West Environment Council.  When Joyce was the Vice President of the Bathurst Conservation Group she wrote submissions opposing underground coal mining on the Newnes Plateau and highlighted the need to protect its rare and endangered Bathurst copper butterfly Paralucia spinifera and upland swamps.

Legendary Combined Retired Union Members Association (CRUMA) member Jack Mundey, former Green Bans BLF (Builders Labourers Federation) Secretary and union champion who saved so much of Sydney’s environment and heritage in the 1970s joined the CRUMA’s delegation to Lithgow in support for the Gardens of Stone Stage 2 Reserve Proposal.

On arrival at Lithgow Railway Station unions and environmentalists marched down the main street of Lithgow carrying their placards, followed by a bite to eat at Lithgow’s Tin Shed Café.  There up to 70 other environmentalists, community members, and even the odd coal miner met and listened to speeches that included Aunty Helen Riley, Wiradjuri Elder;  David Shoebridge, Greens MLC;  Councillor Wayne McAndrew, Lithgow Deputy Mayor;  John Koch, Mick Tubbs and Terry Relph, union Elders;  and Kathryn Newton, Lithgow Branch of the National Trust.

Former Blue Mountains Mayor Jim Angel, good friend of Joyce and Vern Moffitt, recounted how Joyce and Vern were passionate about protecting the Gardens of Stone and how the celebration was “long overdue”.

Due to difficulties in accessing the ‘Moffitts Pagodas’ NPWS sign in the Gardens of Stone National Park, a replica sign was ‘unveiled’ at Maiyingu Marragu Aboriginal Place.

Newnes Hotel Cabins’ Thomas Ebersoll generously donated the funds to hire a Lithgow Buslines coach to transport the retired unionists to Maiyingu Marragu Aboriginal Place.

Once at Maiyingu Marragu guests enjoyed seeing two impressive 30 metre banners written in Wiradjuri – Nganga-dha walawalag Malang – meaning “Respect for Country and People”.

More speeches were held again at Maiyingu Marragu Aboriginal Place again starting with Aunty Helen Riley, Wiradjuri Elder;  followed by Jim Angel, former Blue Mountains Mayor;  Bob Debus, former Member for Blue Mountains; and Keith Muir, well respected and long time campaigner for the Gardens of Stone who said that nothing in the Gardens of Stone reserve proposal would threaten Lithgow’s economy and that in time Lithgow would become the new Katoomba.

The replica ‘Moffitts Pagoda’ sign was proudly unveiled by the Moffitt family.

Peter Drinkall, Lithgow poet opened the Maiyingu Marragu ceremony with his song ‘Gardens of Stone’ and then finished the ceremony with his beautiful song ‘Maiyingu Marragu’.  Then Aunty Helen invited guests to walk up some steps to see the Wiradjuri people’s treasured, sacred and spectacularly beautiful rock art but to make sure, before their ascent to leave any negativity behind.

Then the retired unionists and guests reboarded the ‘Ebersoll bus’ and headed to the Clwyd of Vale Club where the Vale Ladies Club served a delicious, old fashioned afternoon tea with homemade sandwiches, cakes, slices and plenty of cups of tea.  Speeches were made again beginning with the Moffitts’ sons – Michael and Robert – who shared stories of their parents.  Michael eloquently described the danger of disunity between workers and environmentalists.  Corporations that destroy workers’ rights also destroy environmental rights.

Trish Doyle, MP, Member for Blue Mountains, joined the afternoon tea and acknowledged the important work that unionists past and present had done building positive and constructive bridges between unionists and other environmentalists.

Trish Doyle finished with graciously announcing the winners of the first ever ‘Gingerbread-Pagoda-Houses’ that Retired CFMEU Clelia Koch had spent weeks in the kitchen preparing.  Further raffle prizes were donations of a NSW Parliamentary Pack of Wine, overnight accommodation at the Newnes Hotel Cabins and the Fat Wombat Farm Bed & Breakfast.

Returning to the Lithgow railway station, the Lithgow Community Choir farewelled the unionists with songs of coal miners before the train whistle blew telling everyone to board the train.

CRUMA plans to hold a future event in 2019 to celebrate NPA’s Moffitts with the installation of a plaque that highlights their commitment to both Lithgow’s workers and Lithgow’s Gardens of Stone.

Save Kosci – the triumphant end, and what we’ve achieved

By on 20 December, 2018 in Conservation, Events

Most of the 200 Save Kosci walkers at the summit of Mt Kosciuszko

The Save Kosci walk ended on Saturday with amazing scenes as around two hundred walkers arrived at Rawsons Pass and headed to the summit of Mt Kosciuszko. The Save Kosci hired helicopter carrying Channel 7 and the Canberra Times circled the summit several times while we chanted ‘It’s a Park not a paddock’ and excitedly waved our arms off. The helicopter then took the media on a tour of undamaged and severely-damaged sites in the national park.

To reduce pressure on the alpine vegetation near the summit, we returned to the paved area at Rawsons Pass, where Andrew Cox, CEO of the Invasive Species Council, presented certificates to the five full-distance walkers – Marg Sharp, Alan Laird, Tom Vaughan, Paul Millgate and Donna Powell. And kindly gave me a thank-you certificate as well.

Sympathetic newspaper articles – in the Weekend Australian, the Canberra Times, the online editions of the SMH and Brisbane Times, and in the Guardian  – and an interview on ABC Radio South East, were triggered by the last day of the walk. A Channel 7 feature is still in preparation and will air in January.

Thanks to the amazing support from our communities, the Save Kosci walk has achieved many things:

  • The 2 weeks of the walk through the electorate of Mr Barilaro indicated that the majority of Monaro voters support Save Kosci’s aims. Although there were a few negative comments on social media and from passers-by, the vast majority of reactions were very positive. They ranged from thumbs-up from passing cars to home-made cakes. The promised confrontations and ‘you’ll be run out of town’ comments on some social media sites did not lead to anything.
  • The numbers at the protest in Queanbeyan on 22nd November – nearly 150 of us and just 17 brumby advocates – were further evidence that Save Kosci represents a majority view.
  • Media coverage has been extensive, especially in regional media, thanks to the work of Cynthia Burton. The list at the foot of this post relates to coverage triggered by the Save Kosci walk;  other excellent coverage from releases issued by our umbrella organisation, Reclaim Kosci, on horses starving from over-population and on the November 8th science conference, ensured that the issue of feral horse damage in Kosciuszko National Park (KNP) has been repeatedly in the news
  • We have had a lively presence on Facebook and Twitter, thanks to Terrylea Reynolds and Cynthia Burton
  • Because of the walk, we were able to put our case face-to-face to influential people including  Penny Sharpe (Deputy Leader of the NSW Labor Party), Mike Kelly (member for the federal seat of Eden-Monaro), Anoulack Chanthivong (member for the state seat of Macquarie Fields), Greg Warren (member for the state seat of Campbelltown), Sally Quinnell (Labor candidate for the state seat of Camden), Ursula Stephens (Labor candidate for the state seat of Goulburn), Bryce Wilson and Peter Marshall (Labor and Greens candidates for the state seat of Monaro), John Castellari (Councillor Snowy-Monaro Regional Council), Pru Goward, member for the state seat of Goulburn, Tim de Mestre (National Party Member and former Chair of Chairs of the Local Land Services Board) and Tara Cheyne (MLA, ACT)
  • We were welcomed to country by Indigenous elders Wally Bell (Ngunnawal) and Aunty Deanna (Ngarigo); Uncle Max Harrison (Yuin) attended the start of the walk and we also had supportive contact with the Wingecarribee Aboriginal Community & Cultural Centre.
  • We have nearly 1000 signatures on our petition to the state parliament of NSW; a good start towards our aim of 10,000 signatures by end of March 2019.
  • The walkers have forged new friendships, and once the blisters heal, will have many happy memories. Many ‘quiet bushwalkers’ have discovered environmental activism.

What’s next?

Now that the Save Kosci walk has successfully concluded, the focus is shifting to raising awareness of the feral horse issue prior to the NSW elections, and to the paper petition. (The NSW Parliament does not accept electronic petitions.)

I am looking for volunteers willing to help get petition signatures, through fellow club members and friends and/or staffing petition-signing tables at local shopping centres. Please contact me if you can help: lbgroom@gmail.com or 0473 919 441

Reclaim Kosci will also continue the campaign through their website and on Facebook.

THANK YOU ALL! The full distance and longer-distance walkers have been overwhelmed by your support.

Linda Groom

Convenor, Save Kosci Inc

Linda Groom, Corroboree frog, and Save Kosci through walkers on the summit of Mt Kosciuszko

***********

Media coverage included:

19 November

Queanbeyan Age/Chronicle:

Brett McNamara article with direct reference/link to Save Kosci –

https://www.queanbeyanagechronicle.com.au/story/5764506/park-becomes-a-paddock/

Canberra City News:

https://citynews.com.au/2018/hundreds-walk-for-kosci-repeal/

22 November

Queanbeyan protest, Win tv (ch 10) and ch 9:

https://www.facebook.com/9NewsCanberra/videos/1053616341513761/

Win News

ABC radio SE NSW:

Interview with Linda Groom on hourly repeating news bulletin (transcript/recording not available)

Canberra Weekly:

‘Marching for Kosciuszko’ (attached)  

28 November

Monaro Post:

‘Brumby Bill Rally in Queanbeyan’ (attached)

3 December

ABC radio SE NSW, Breakfast with Simon Lauder (transcript/recording unavailable):

Information on SK and extract from interview with through walker Tom Vaughan included in item on feral horse issues

ABC radio SE NSW, the Statewide Drive (transcript/recording unavailable):

Live interview with through walker Alan Laird

6 November:

Southwest Voice, 

http://www.southwestvoice.com.au/why-save-kosci-campaign-resonates-in-our-neck-of-the-woods/

Around 8 November, 

ABC Radio Illawarra Breakfast with Melinda James, 

Pre-recorded interview with Linda Groom – not available

13 November

Radio 2ST Bowral interview with walker Tom Vaughan, 

Website post available but not recording of interview itself:

https://www.2st.com.au/news/highlands-news/128943-save-kosci-walkers-pass-through-the-highlands

14 November, 

ABC Radio Southeast NSW Breakfast with Simon Lauder: 

Interview with walker Marg Sharp – no recording available

Early November : Milton Ulladulla Times

Story of Milton bushwalkers about to join segment of walk. Must subscribe to paper to read full story.

https://www.ulladullatimes.com.au/story/5757042/bushwalkers-join-campaign-to-highlight-wild-horse-law/

Early November: Southern Highland News, 

Story of visit of walkers to bush regeneration site on property of local Exeter residents,

https://www.southernhighlandnews.com.au/story/5758046/marchers-on-a-mission-to-protect-park/?src=rss

 

GUEST BLOG by Linda Groom, Convenor, Save Kosci Inc, and inspiration behind the Save Kosci Walk

Save Kosci Protest Walk

By on 28 November, 2018 in Conservation, Events

NSW and the ACT are currently experiencing the remarkable difference that one effective bushwalker can make.

Linda Groom

I’m talking about Linda Groom, from the Canberra Bushwalking Club who is the inspiration behind the Save Kosci Protest Walk – which aims to make repeal of the Kosciuszko Wild Horse Heritage Act 2018 an issue in the March 2019 NSW election.

Linda presented her vision at the November Bushwalking NSW General Meeting, saying “this legislation so disturbed me that I simply had to do something. I’m not a very political person, but I do know how to organise a long distance bush walk.”

And this 560km walk, from the doors of the NSW Parliament in Sydney to the summit of Mt Kosciuszko, is certainly making waves across the state and in the press!

What disturbs Linda even more than those starving horses, is that this Act gives feral horses and other feral animals more rights than native animals. It gives them the right to continue damaging this unique NSW National Park, endangering a host of threatened native species, and destroying the alpine flora:

A water source at Bill Jones Hut in 2014 (left) and 2018 (right)

Bushwalkers from across NSW, the ACT and Victoria have joined Linda in taking action to call for the repeal of this Act. They are walking, organising, sharing the word, and signing the petition which is on its way to reaching the 10,000 signatures required to force the NSW Parliament to meet on the issue.

“It’s a Park not a Paddock!” is the battle cry of the protestors, and you can join them:

  1. Sign the petition and collect signatures from your club and community. Here is a link to the petition. Please print, ask people you know to sign it, and mail it back by 31 March 2019 to GPO Box 160, Canberra, ACT 2601. Remember, with 10,000 signatures we can make parliament meet.
  2. Share the issue: https://savekosci.org/debate/
  3. Join the walk: https://savekosci.org/the-walk/ – there are some amazing sections left and a growing group of walkers!
  4. Donate to the cause: https://savekosci.org/donate/

Don’t delay, act now to help Save Kosci!

See the impact the walk is having with walkers meeting MPs and collecting signatures from across the state:

Photo credits: Linda Groom and the Save Kosci Walkers

Outback Landscapes: Full of Stories

By on 14 September, 2018 in Conservation

King parrots, cockatoos, kookaburras and bush turkeys are easy to spot around Catherine’s childhood home, which backs onto Berowra Valley National Park. Passionate the great outdoors since her days playing in the national park after school, Catherine decided to undergo a career change after 25 years working as a legal administrator and family lawyer. That career change – kicked off with a Master’s degree in environmental science at CSU Albury – saw her get back to what she had always been fascinated by around her north Sydney home: landscapes and environment.

Catherine Conroy underwent a career change from law to follow her passion for the great outdoors.

While studying environmental science, she learned about how much landscape management knowledge can be found within Indigenous communities. “I was interested to hear their stories on the Murrumbidgee River, which used to be used by Indigenous groups as a highway,” Catherine says. “Before I didn’t really appreciate what Indigenous people know about the Australian environment and landscape. They have a deep, abiding love for the land.”

Through consultation with Indigenous groups at Yanga National Park, Catherine also found out that levees and dams have greatly limited natural flooding events, altering aquatic food sources endemic to the region. There she also learned about local spirituality and the enduring Outback landscapes that dot the park.

Yanga National Park in its green glory.

 

A flat at Yanga National Park.

Outside of New South Wales, Catherine has also camped at Currawinya Lake near Hungerford, South-West Queensland. While travelling the sandy, red soils of Currawinya National Park she investigated best practices to manage feral cat populations – a pest that is among the hardest to catch because of its intelligent nature.

In her current role as South West NRM project officer, Catherine has also undertaken projects to regenerate the Ward River, Charleville, QLD, by building up plant life to stop erosion and create an ecosystem suitable for native fish to breed in. On dry land, she actively takes part in cacti bio-control programs – tiny bugs placed on invasive cacti that eat away at the succulent’s flesh until it is eradicated.

Along the way, the NRM project officer has been enjoying all that the Outback has to offer.

“The South West Queensland landscape is big, wide open spaces. I have been enjoying that and learning to read the landscape. You see dramatic changes from Mulgalands to flood plains when you go walking.”

Catherine reflects that a major conservation issue in her home state of New South Wales is coercing private landholders to get involved with conservation.

“Plans for conservation need to be sustainable beyond the Governments in office and the plans need to be bi-partisan.”

Her next major bushwalking trip – Mungo Lakes National Park (pictured below). A locale that interests her because of its landscape and history. “It’s one of the first Australian World Heritage sights and includes 19 lakes.”

Mungo National Park Landscape

When Catherine can’t head west she says Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park, with its unique Angophora trees and sandstone country, brings endless curiosity and satisfaction.

 

Pictures: Catherine Conroy

 

 

 

Save Kosci

By on 18 August, 2018 in Conservation

How to protest about feral horses – on your feet

Pounds Creek, Kosciuszko National Park, photo by M Bremers

In June, the NSW Parliament passed the Kosciuszko Wild Horse Heritage Act 2018. It gives an introduced species greater protection than native animals in Kosciuszko National Park – a disturbing precedent. With BNSW’s support, some member clubs have responded by setting up a new organization, Save Kosci Inc, to run a protest walk from Sydney to the summit of Kosciuszko.

The walk will take about 35 days, including rest days, from 3rd November to mid-December 2018. The main group of walkers will follow a mixture of major and secondary roads, via Camden, Mittagong, Goulburn, Canberra, Jindabyne and Charlotte Pass. The exact route is being surveyed now, looking at the walkability of the road verges and the availability of budget accommodation or camping en route.

Water source, crossing point, Bill Jones Hut Mar 2014

In addition to getting the Horse Heritage Act repealed, the aims of the walk are to:

  • Support a range of methods to control feral horses in NSW national parks, including ground-based lethal culling, under ranger supervision and according to RSPCA guidelines
  • Implement the NPWS Draft Wild Horse Management Plan of 2016
  • Protect the habitat of the broad-toothed mouse, corroboree frog and other native species affected by horses and other feral animals.

Save Kosci Inc is looking for these kinds of helpers:

  • End-to-end walkers
  • Section walkers – from a couple of hours to a couple of weeks
  • Support vehicle drivers and other non-walking helpers – from a day or two upwards; people with campervans, here is your chance to do a road trip for a Good Cause!
  • People to lead a walk for their club to the summit of Kosciuszko, from any direction, timed to arrive at the summit with the main walk (probably midday 8th or 9th December, to be confirmed)
  • Desk-based helpers, to do one-off research and writing tasks
  • People to sew banners
  • Photographers to record the walk, especially the first and last days, or to visit KNP to get close-ups of feral horses eating, drinking, trampling etc in KNP

Water source, crossing point, Bill Jones Hut, May 2018

A new web site for the walk is now running: savekosci.org, with a supporter registration form coming soon. If you are interested, please use that form to register; the form should be available online by late August. Registration costs $12. Inquiries welcome – to convenor@savekosci.org
Linda Groom, Convenor, Save Kosci Inc, 0473 919 441

Photos supplied by Linda Groom

A Concreted Coast

By on 18 August, 2018 in Conservation, Walks

Central Coast Council approved a Master Plan for a permanent Walkway in March 2012 to provide a fully signposted concrete path which provides a safe route from Copacabana to Winney Bay, including a new north-facing and wheelchair accessible lookout at Captain Cook Lookout.

Concerned local Joy Cooper reached out to us recently concerning the concreting of the 5 Lands Walk in Winney Bay. She is not the only walker. Local residents are concerned about the damage done to ecological and cultural heritage of what was once a bushwalk track, now an 8 metre wide footpath that Joy Cooper describes as a ‘concreted coast’ that appeals more to tourists than walkers. As local walkers, bushwalking enthusiasts and trailblazers is there a line we draw when suggesting maintaining and improving tracks? We know it’s certainly something walkers can’t help wondering when seeing drastic changes on their favourite walk. Joy’s concerns below:

What a wonderful announcement from Adam Crouch with the huge sum of $4.6 million for his electorate, and for the Bulbararang cliff top walk.

What a shame the original plan for the walk had veered so far off the original plan. Having a bush-walk which makes it safer for walkers is wonderful and to link the two seaside village communities of Copacabana and Avoca Beach is superb. However to clear large areas of bushland to put in the walk way and concrete it, is a travesty and not needed, nor good practice.

If the current stairwell nearing completion is any indication residents will not be pleased. While residents were told in a community meeting the stairs were only 2 metres wide, the clearing of bushland has been more than 8 metres for more than 720 metres, and each week it is easy to see the clearing gets wider with more trees being damaged.

While machinery and fuel were to be kept in a compound on the old farm house site, sadly both were stored in bushland resulting in even more bush being cleared and damage occurring.

More than 60 trees were removed for this ‘nature walk’ for all to enjoy and remaining trees near the path were to have special protection to prevent any damage while construction was occurring, yet that did not happen and there have been numerous trees with damage and limbs torn off and thrown into the bush.

While the damage has occurred with the stairway to nowhere, despite numerous requests for it to stop before it was started, there was insistence by council for the stairs to be built, so the funding wasn’t lost. The cliff top ‘nature walk’ along Bulbararing is still to start. Residents should be concerned once again little or no information is made public until it is too late and the destruction has occurred.

While the original 2012 master-plan clearly shows the walk way through Winney Bay and along the Bulbarang cliff top is to be bush track and even shows images with no concrete to be seen, the current plans are nothing like that. The current plans are for a concrete pathway and vehicular access to market stalls, cantilevered cliff top platform for destination weddings along with a whale carcass shaped bridgeover a huge ravine which has very sorrowful memories for some in the community.

The original master plan mentions ‘existing areas of unique, intact native vegetation which high aesthetic appeal’ in Winney Bay and along the Bulbararing Headlands and there is mention of the need to keep the infrastructure ‘simple and discreet’. However the current plans in my opinion are nothing like that.

So, while we have a huge divergence from the original intention of the upgrade of the bush track and no consultation with the community, we also have the state government/Central Coast Regional Plan 2036/. With the second goal being to ‘Protect the natural environment and manage the use of agriculture and resource lands’. How we can do this and remove bushland by concreting vehicular access and concrete paths with large areas of batter doesn’t correlate for me.

Additionally, we have the recently adopted/ONE-Central Coast/adopted by Central Coast Council and the numerous mention of the need to protect our natural environment which is ‘cherished’. There is even mention of ‘expanding of the Costal Open Space System COSS’. Ironically, this Winney Bay area and Bulbararing cliff top are already part of COSS and there are numerous endangered ecological communities in the area.

 

What use are these documents if the powers that be can’t follow their own plans? What hope do we have of preserving bushland if it is degraded, neglected and then concreted? How can we connect to a place if it is all concreted?

Winney Bay and Bulbararing headland deserve the $4.6 million dollars which should be spent on employing trained people to rehabilitate the area and remove the bitou bush and harvest and grow local provenance vegetation, bringing back the natural beauty of the areaand providing the ‘bush track’ as originally intended. Not concrete creep and destruction.