World Wetlands Day is celebrated internationally each year on 2 February. It marks the anniversary of the signing of the Convention on Wetlands of International Importance (Ramsar Convention) in Ramsar, Iran, on 2 February 1971. The international theme for World Wetlands Day 2009 is “Upstream-Downstream: Wetlands connect us all”. This is in recognition of how interconnected we all are within river basins and the impact that activities upstream have on the lower parts of a river catchment. For information on World Wetlands Day events around Australia visit the Water for the Future website.
Sydney Olympic Park Authority, the Sydney Metropolitan Catchment Management Authority and the NSW Department of Primary Industries (Fisheries) invite you to attend the opening of the Boundary Creek Fishway. This fishway was constructed to improve fish passage though a concrete culvert in Boundary Creek. For further information please see the event invitation and the project overview. All welcome, however please RSVP to Sara Galland by the 27 January on 02 9714 7870 or sara.galland@sopa.nsw.gov.au.
This year, THECA will be holding its ninth Bushcare Forum: Caring for our Waterways: ‘Clear’ or ‘Muddied’? The Forum will explore the current and future management of SEQ waterways and how best to manage these for the long-term future and sustainability of South East Queensland biodiversity. The subtitle ‘Clear’ or ‘Muddied’? refers to both the health of the waterways and their management. Proposals for presentations are now being sought – for further information please contact Rachel Griffiths, Forum Convenor on 07 3374 2656 or rachelgriffiths8@bigpond.com. The Forum will be held on 9 May 2009, at the Queensland Centre for Advanced Technologies, Pullenvale, Qld 4069.
After the resounding success of the inaugural Queensland Coastal Conference in 2007, the 2009 ‘Waves of Change’ Queensland Coastal Conference is an opportunity to broaden your understanding of how management and planning of the Queensland coast is evolving.
The conference is not just about learning of new developments in natural resource management, but will be a balanced discussion of practical, on-ground coastal management and the policies and programs that inform coastal zone management in Queensland. The program will feature a number of outstanding speakers, several concurrent sessions, workshops and poster presentations. It will attract over 250 delegates from Queensland and beyond and provides a wonderful opportunity to meet and extend contacts.
Delegates will include Commonwealth, State and Local Governments, Natural Resource Management regional bodies, leading research and education organisations, coastal and marine industries, coastal and marine consultants, managers, planners and engineers, NGOs, user groups, indigenous groups and many other community organisations.
Australian Government Minister for the Environment Peter Garrett has launched the new Bitou bush management manual at La Perouse, on Sydney’s south-eastern coastline.
Mr Garrett said the aggressive coastal weed bitou bush was one of 20 Weeds of National Significance (WoNS) and could out-compete or even totally eliminate native flora. In addition, the weed, which has invaded 80 per cent of the New South Wales coastline, could threaten the habitat of native fauna such as the eastern bristlebird, little tern and beach stone curlew.
La Perouse is home to the endangered ecological community Eastern Suburbs Banksia Scrub. This community of native species once occupied about 5300 ha between North Head and Botany Bay in the Sydney Basin Bioregion. Due to various threats including the invasion of exotic species like bitou bush and lantana, only 146 ha of the Eastern Suburbs Banksia Scrub remains on small pockets of land.
The 15 January 2009 issue of EnviroInfo includes:
General News
Conferences & Events
The 21 January issue of CO2 News includes:
News
Conferences & Events
Andrew Campbell
20 January 2009
We have recently been reminded of how easily the immediate swamps the important. Collapsing world credit markets and myopia on Wall St are of course important, but in the long view they are but an artefact of a financial system out of whack with the fundamentals of production, distribution and consumption.
Ross Garnaut rightly points out that climate change and the imperative to tackle it will be around long after the current financial crisis has washed through our superannuation statements and the credibility of bank executives and financial markets. As both Garnaut and Nicholas Stern have observed, climate change represents the world’s biggest market failure.
Now is exactly the time to be rewiring, re-stumping and re-plumbing the economy in order to meet the environmental challenges ahead. A key emerging issue in the climate change debate that exemplifies this challenge is food…
Read the full article here.
Food security is a topic that is increasingly in the public consciousness. Covering fast food, health food, institutional food, and more, ‘The No-Nonsense Guide to World Food’ shows how “real food” has become increasingly scarce, dominated as it is in the West by agri-business and supermarkets. In the no-nonsense tone for which these guides are known, Wayne Roberts covers nutrition, health, economics and more. He also gives examples of effective food-ways being developed by individuals, communities, and governments.
An essential guide to this important issue, ‘The No-Nonsense Guide to World Food’ will appeal to students, food professionals and activists, public health staff and concerned citizens – anyone who aims to understand the world food system and how it can be improved.
Vital Planet contains interviews with highly credible people whose work is contributing to a sustainable future – in the areas of Environment & Science, Wellbeing & Fullfillment, and Sustainable Business. With serious issues such as climate change and the ‘spin’ from special interests, the not for profit Vital Planet organisation believes that it is vital that these important voices can be heard by a greater number of people.