Spring 2018 – National Parks Association of NSW

What’s the Buzz this Spring?

Posted by NPA NSWon August 31, 2018August 31, 2018in Spring 2018Leave a comment

^{Margot Law, Citizen Science Officer}

The ‘Bringing Back the Buzz to the Cumberland Plain Woodland’ project aims to restore pollinator habitat in remnant patches of the Cumberland Plain Woodland in South Western Sydney.

Dragons of Sydney Wrap Up

Posted by NPA NSWon August 31, 2018in Spring 2018Leave a comment

^{Stephanie Clark, Citizen Science Officer}

Citizen scientists from all over Sydney have been collecting data on the charismatic Eastern Water Dragon with ROARING success! Water Dragons are an impressive semi-aquatic lizard found near fresh water and patches of bushland along the eastern coast of Australia. Full of character, and found at sizes up to a metre long, they are a much loved native species and perfect candidate to study the effect of urbanisation on native species. The ‘Dragons of Sydney’ project aimed to inspire, educate and increase community involvement in the conservation of Eastern Water Dragons.

Read More “Dragons of Sydney Wrap Up”

Upcoming WEA Environmental Courses

Posted by NPA NSWon August 31, 2018in Nature NSW, Spring 2018Leave a comment

Janine Kitson is continuing to run her excellent series of WEA workshops on significant people and issues of the conservation movement.

All events held at WEA House, 72 Bathurst Street, a short walk from Town Hall railway station. Tutor: Janine Kitson. Bookings essential. Contact WEA, SYDNEY Ph: (02) 9264 2781 E:info@weasydney.nsw.edu.au www.weasydney.com.au

The NSW National Parks Establishment Plan 2008 ten years on

Posted by NPA NSWon August 31, 2018September 5, 2018in Nature NSW, Spring 20181 Comment

What’s been achieved and where to next?

Rob Dick, Former head of the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) land acquisition program 1996-2012.

Most existing NPWS terrestrial parks and reserves still require major additions and boundary fine-tuning to ensure their long-term viability. In many parts of NSW there are still few or no parks at all. Recognising this in 2008, the NSW Government sought to better articulate the rationale and future plans for a long-term ongoing program to continue building the NPWS system of terrestrial parks and reserves (the ‘parks system’). The resulting ‘NSW National Parks Establishment Plan 2008’¹(‘the Plan’) declared this task only half complete. The Plan is currently under Government review.

Future of Australian forests is vital to our own

Posted by NPA NSWon August 31, 2018August 30, 2018in Native Forest Logging, Nature NSW, Spring 2018Leave a comment

^{Dr John Van Der Kallen, rheumatologist and member of Doctors for the Environment Australia.}

Forests add value to our lives in so many ways.

They clean our air and water, promote rain formation and protect soils from salinity and erosion.

On the campaign trail

Posted by NPA NSWon August 31, 2018August 31, 2018in Campaigns and Conservation, Nature NSW, Spring 2018Leave a comment

Snowy Hydro 2.0

The human impact on Kosciuszko National Park (KNP) also continues unabated, with the Federal and NSW Coalition Governments committing to the construction of Snowy Hydro 2.0. While supporting renewable energy like pumped hydro in principle, NPA opposes the development of this type of infrastructure within national parks. In early March, the NSW Planning Minister declared Snowy Hydro 2.0 Critical State Significant Infrastructure, with a Legislative Council Inquiry into the order being held in May. NPA made a submission to the inquiry and appeared as an expert witness. NPA is also preparing a submission in response to the recently released Environmental Impact Statement for Snowy Hydro 2.0 Exploratory Works.