The Sydney Metropolitan Catchment Management Authority (SMCMA) is upgrading its Catchment Action Plan (CAP) for the Sydney region. The CAP is the overarching document guiding natural resource management in the region and is central to the delivery of natural resource management in Sydney. SMCMA would like to invite you to provide input into the new Catchment Action Plan by completing an online survey which will remain open until the end of May 2012.
The Australian Government has transferred heritage-listed bushland at Malabar Headland in Sydney’s eastern suburbs, honouring a commitment made by Prime Minister Julia Gillard and Member for Kingsford Smith Peter Garrett in August 2010 to create a 70-hectare coastal National Park – see media release.
In an Australian first, the City of Sydney will roll-out new energy-efficient LED street and park lighting, halving electricity use and carbon pollution compared to conventional lights. A consortium of General Electric and UGL were selected after a tender and will replace about 6,450 street and park lights with the new LED lights over the next three years.
In Australia, the introduced Common Myna (Acridotheres tristis) is commonly believed to aggressively displace native birds and outcompete them for food and nest resources. However, the current paucity of scientific evidence makes it difficult to devise appropriate management strategies for protection of urban bird populations. The Journal of Ornithology paper Do Common Mynas significantly compete with native birds in urban environments? investigates the way in which the Common Myna uses the urban environment and interacts with other species while foraging and nesting in Sydney, Australia.
Over the last two decades, governments and the private sector have installed increasing amounts of green infrastructure such as Gross Pollutant Traps, wetlands and raingardens, to meet environmental objectives. Yet billions of dollars worth of more investment is needed if we are to fully transition to water sensitive cities. The How Green was my Valley? Pursuing Green Infrastructure and Natural Asset Management seminar will examine how we need to start acknowledging green infrastructure within our asset management systems and to plan for its construction and maintenance. This not only includes new green infrastucture but existing natural assets such as creeks, wetlands and bushland reserves.
Join the Earthwatch Australia Bandicoots on the Brink Family Weekend and visit one of Sydney’s hidden wonders, North Head Sanctuary – a spectacular area of endangered banksia bushland, diverse birdlife, military remnants with magnificent views of the harbour and the beautiful northern beaches – to lure and catch bandicoot predators on camera.
The National Water Account 2010 contains a set of water accounting reports for eight nationally significant water management regions. Reports are now available for the Adelaide, Perth, South East Queensland, Canberra and Sydney regions with Melbourne to be available in upcoming releases.
After just over two years of very intensive activity, the Hawkesbury-Nepean River Recovery Program (HNRRP) is coming to an end, having successfully delivered its intended outcomes on time and under budget. The final edition of HNRRP e-news reflects on some of the major achievements from the seven HNRRP projects and celebrates the great work that has been done to improve the health of the Hawkesbury-Nepean catchment. The Hawkesbury-Nepean river system frames the western edge of the Sydney Basin and is one of New South Wales’ most important natural assets.