Brisbane’s The Hut Environmental & Community Association Inc (THECA) is hosting its 11th Bushcare Forum on 26 May 2012 with the theme “Connections: Spatial, Social and Temporal Links for Biodiversity”. The forum will explore the significance of connection issues in restoring and managing biodiversity for the long-term future and sustainability of the South East Queensland region.
World Environment Day is an annual event that is aimed at being the biggest and most widely celebrated global day for positive environmental action. World Environment Day activities take place all year round but climax on 5 June every year, involving everyone from everywhere. The theme for World Environment Day 2012 is “Green Economy: Does it include you?”
National Tree Day and Schools Tree Day combine to make Australia’s biggest community tree planting and nature care event. In 2011, thousands of Australians planted more 1 million native trees, shrubs and grasses at over 2900 Tree Day events across the country. This year, National Tree Day is on Sunday 29 July 2012 and Schools Tree Day is on Friday 27 July 2012.
The inaugural conference of the Society for Ecological Restoration Australasia (SERA) will be held in Perth, Western Australia, on 28-30 November 2012. For land managers, scientists and practitioners who work in biodiversity restoration, this SERA meeting will provide a critical international forum at a time of significance for the region’s species, ecosystems and landscapes.
Urban flooding is a serious and growing development challenge. It is a global phenomenon which causes widespread devastation, economic damages and loss of human lives. The occurrence of floods is the most frequent among all natural disasters globally. In 2010 alone, 178 million people were affected by floods. The total losses in exceptional years such as 1998 and 2010 exceeded $40 billion. Cities and Flooding: A Guide to Integrated Urban Flood Risk Management for the 21st Century provides forward-looking operational assistance to policy makers and technical specialists in the rapidly expanding cities and towns of the developing world on how best to manage the risk of floods. It takes a strategic approach, in which appropriate risk management measures are assessed, selected and integrated in a process that both informs and involves the full range of stakeholders.
The Australian Government is developing a strategy to restore and manage ecological connections in the Australian landscape. The National Wildlife Corridors Plan Advisory Group has prepared a Draft National Wildlife Corridors Plan. The Advisory Group is seeking public comments and consulting with key stakeholders before preparing a final plan for consideration by the Minister for Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities. Have your say – comments close 20 April 2012.
Courtesy of Biosecurity Queensland, the key to Environmental Weeds of Australia is now available for free online. This interactive identification and information resource for over 1000 invasive plants is an invaluable resource for all those involved with research, training and management of environmental weeds in Australia, especially State and local weed control officers, Bushcare and Landcare volunteers.
On 29 February 2012, the Australian Green Infrastructure Council (AGIC) launched the IS rating scheme for the design, construction and operation of Australian infrastructure, with the IS rating tool now available for use.