Hello Everyone,
On Saturday 4 June, EcoNetwork hosted the Sustainable Futures Festival Gala Dinner – for those who missed all the fun, check out our photo gallery highlights below.
If you’ve been receiving EcoUpdate for some time, you’ll know I’ve been hassling our readers to complete our Feedback Survey – thank you for responding, you’re very kind! The feedback showed that people want more articles about local wildlife. You asked – and we listened!
So in this edition, we bring you wombats, squirrel gliders and of course koalas. See below for an invitation to a new glider project I’ve signed up to – maybe you’d like to come along as well?
I’ve spoken to quite a few people and there seems to be a lack of data on many species that call Port Stephens home – if anyone would like to help me research information about local wildlife, please contact me. Maybe we could even look at options for undertaking citizen science projects for arboreal mammals, woodland birds, reptiles or other wildlife.
Keep warm and Keep smiling!
Ewa
Editor, EcoUpdate
ecoupdate@econetworkps.org
If you missed previous editions of EcoUpdate, you can read them here. Please forward this one to your friends and don’t forget to sign up HERE.
Sustainable Futures Festival
EcoNetwork Port Stephens and Artisan Collective present the aRRRRRt Awards!
These awards encourage artists to put the R into art: rethink, reduce, reuse, repurpose or recycle.
A competition for visual media including painting, wearable art, photography, ceramics, multi-media, jewellery and more. Judging will be based on relevance to the theme of supporting sustainable futures and artistic excellence.
Wildlife heroes saving our wombats
Did you know we have the only dedicated wombat hospital in Australia right here in the Hunter?
Many years ago, Roz and Kev Holme from Cessnock noticed that too many so-called ‘common’ wombats were falling victim to roads, habitat destruction and mange. Rescues of sick and injured wombats were increasing – so they decided to do something about it. Today, Roz and Kev run Australia’s only dedicated Wombat Hospital, operating entirely on donations. Spoiler alert – cute pics!
Koalas declared endangered …. Again?
While we were all busy preparing for the most significant federal election in years on 21 May, the NSW state government quietly (the day before) declared the koala as endangered under its Biodiversity Conservation Act 2016.
So … the second listing in a few short months – does this mean we will finally see better protection for koalas in NSW?
Habitat relief for Squirrel Gliders
Would you like to get involved in field work to help the threatened squirrel glider? How about planting food-trees, inspecting nestboxes and cameras – or spotlighting and habitat scouting.
As well as providing essential habitat for gliders, this project is also providing participants with the knowledge and resources needed to shape more ambitious conservation outcomes for this unique threatened species.
Get Involved: Preventing Burnout
Maintaining the energy levels required to be an optimistic, positive and productive volunteer is difficult. Research on volunteers and people working in the helping professions have shown they are highly susceptible to burnout.
Preventing burnout is about finding the right balance between contributing what you can and replenishing your own energy reserves.
Do you have a ‘Sustainable House’?
Sustainable House Day (SHD) provides the opportunity to explore some of Australia’s most unique and inspiring homes, and learn from the people who designed them, built them, and live in them.
In 2021, SHD connected 52,000 people from all over the world to share peer-to-peer knowledge about sustainable housing.
Renew, previously called ATA and the brains behind SHD, are now looking for houses to be featured online as part of SHD 2022. This involves the homeowner, builder or architect creating an online profile that details the sustainability measures of the home, and creating a simple house tour video that offers advice for those looking to build or retrofit. These profiles will be displayed on the SHD website, where people can ask questions about the build. Featured houses are not required to be open in-person.
If you’re interested in taking part, check out all the details and apply.
EcoExtras
Lots of Feel Good Stuff this month!
- Port Stephens Council is looking to employ young people to help local seniors learn digital skills as part of the Australian Government’s Be Connected program. Find out more here and here.
- Good news from EcoNetwork’s hardworking affiliate group, Voices of Wallalong and Woodville. The long-awaited 792 Seaham Road planning proposal has been rejected by Port Stephens councillors. Read their May 2022 newsletter.
- More good news – Anna Bay Helipad DA has been refused! In case you missed our EcoUpdate article – you can read it here. Details about the decision by Port Stephens Council is outlined on TRRAs website.
- See what Myall Koala and Environment Group’s Bitou Busters have achieved!
- Enova Energy win a Canstar award – Switch your energy supplier to Enova and EcoNetwork will receive a $50 contribution to support our projects and campaigns.
- BirdLife Australia Photography Awards now open until 1 August 2022.
- Plants communicate with each other via electrical signals in their leaves, find Polish scientists
- Farm in NSW central west given new lease on life after 15,000 trees planted in shelterbelts
- Glencoe’s Ghost Mushroom Lane begins to flourish after heavy rainfall
What’s on
- Sunday 19 and/or Monday 20 June 2022. Bridle Path, Nelson Bay. Help tackle invasive weeds and enjoy some restorative planting. Join us to support and strengthen our natural environment with other caring people along the beautiful Port Stephens shoreline. More information and bookings. Enquiries: ecopollinators@econetworkps.org
- Wednesday 22 June 2022, 6:30 pm – 7:30 pm. Renew Gold Coast Branch webinar. With power prices rising, feed-in tariffs reducing and storage batteries becoming more common – is it time to add batteries? Bring your questions, this will be in an interactive session with practical advice. Register here.
- Saturday 25 June – Sunday 26 June 2022. As part of International Passive House Day, the following Sydney homes will be open for just three hours each. There is no cost but registration is required through the Australian Passive House Association.
- Tuesday 19 July, 6.30pm. Lake Cinema, Boolaroo. Lake Macquarie’s Green Screenings program, highlighting today’s environmental issues, presents The Green Lie. Big corporations tell us we can save the world through our purchasing decisions. The Green Lie documentary exposes green washing and how we can protect ourselves. Book Here.
- Thursday, June 30 from 6.00 – 8.00pm. The Green and Golden Bell Frog (Litoria aurea) is the subject of Hunter Region Landcare Network’s evening of education about one of our local endangered species. You will learn about the value of Kooragang Wetlands National Park & other local habitats, threats to populations, mitigation strategies, as well as on-ground conservation works you can get involved in. Registration essential
In the News
- Hawks Nest Paradise under Threat – Update on Obeid family’s $100-million beachside apartment project. The NSW State Minister for Planning stated that the decision to rezone the land at 1 Sanderling was up to the Mid-Coast Council. Council say they have followed all the appropriate procedures and planning regulations to approve the rezoning of the land. What happens next?
- Do you know what threatened species live in your area?
- Extra information for community groups on preparing for the plastic ban
- Woolworths and Big W are phasing out reusable plastic shopping bags. Here’s what that means for shoppers
- Why Canberrans’ electricity bills are falling while other Australians’ power costs soar
- ABC NEWS: ‘The new Albanese government will unpick one of the Coalition’s most controversial changes to the public service by recreating a department focused solely on environmental issues. Mr Albanese’s predecessor, Scott Morrison, abolished the department of environment and energy three years ago, merging the functions into the agriculture and industry portfolios.’ Read More.
EcoNetwork Port Stephens
Our Vision: Ecologically sustainable communities existing in harmony with the natural environment.
Our Purpose: To support our members and to educate and advocate on environmental issues that impact Port Stephens communities.
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