Image: BHL, Wombat (Some rights reserved)
What would those in the know like others understand about Australia’s local biodiversity, parks, and wildlife? Spotlight on #WildOz. Presenting our overstuffed collection of relevant links in a somewhat random fashion: // ¿Qué entenderían aquellos que saben como otros sobre la biodiversidad local, los parques y la vida silvestre de Australia? Foco en #WildOz. Presentamos nuestra colección sobrecargada de enlaces relevantes de una manera un tanto aleatoria:
Headlines
Australian forests and where to find them – Paula Peeters
The Acclimatisation Society was driven by misguided ideals about ‘fixing nature’ in Australia
Conservationists say tourist development of national parks is changing their purpose
‘Dingoes were here first’: the landowners who say letting ‘wild dogs’ live pays dividends – Guardian
@adamlmorton
Environment department tried to bury research that found huge underspend on Australian threatened species – Guardian
‘It’s an ecological wasteland’: offsets for Sydney toll road were promised but never delivered – Guardian
Research reveals shocking detail on how Australia’s environmental scientists are being silenced
Unesco urged to oppose ‘alarming’ changes to Australian environment laws
Recommended Listening
Sweeping environmental reforms outlined two years after landmark review
Recommended Listening
Flying for your life – Every year, millions of birds make a monumental journey between their breeding grounds in Arctic tundra and their wintering grounds in Australasia. But shorebird populations are plummeting, with seven of Australia’s 37 migratory waders on the Commonwealth threatened species list. In this four-part series, Off Track takes you further than it ever has gone before to find out why. @jones_ann
Fraser Island marks 25 years as world heritage site
Geoff Mosley: a life for the environment
Geoff Mosley, the former director of the Australian Conservation Foundation, is one of the most significant figures of the environment movement in Australia. World heritage status of the Great Barrier Reef, recognition of the Alpine National Parks, preservation of Fraser Island – his achievements are many. And on Big Ideas he reflects on the history of conservation in Australia.
Our national parks need protection
Spotlight: Bush Heritage Australia
bushheritage.org.au – Facebook –
@BushHeritageAus
bushheritage.org.au/their-future-in-our-hands.html
http://www.abc.net.au/rural/telegraph/content/2011/s3341387.htm
State of the Environment Report
https://www.awe.gov.au/science-research/soe – 2021 Video
https://soe.environment.gov.au
https://soe.environment.gov.au/download/reports
https://soe.environment.gov.au/download
https://soe.environment.gov.au/sites/g/files/net806/f/soe2016-overview-launch-version328feb17.pdf
https://twitter.com/CSIROPublishing/status/843594221949014016
https://blogs.csiro.au/ecos/biodiversity-snapshot
http://www.australiangeographic.com.au/topics/science-environment/2017/03/state-of-the-environment-report-highlights-economy-nature-conflict
http://www.environment.gov.au/minister/frydenberg/media-releases/mr20170307.html
https://coralreefwatch.noaa.gov/satellite/publications_hughes-etal_nature_20170316.php
State of the Environment Reporting
Mixed report card for environment
Northern Australia Environmental Research Portal
nespnorthern.edu.au
Facebook
@NESPNorthern
Spotlight: Yakka Skink
https://twitter.com/CSIROPublishing/status/843618121055387648
http://www.environment.gov.au/biodiversity/threatened/publications/yakka-skink-egernia-rugosa
http://www.environment.gov.au/cgi-bin/sprat/public/publicspecies.pl?taxon_id=1420
https://www.ehp.qld.gov.au/wildlife/animals-az/yakka_skink.html
Egernia
Acoustic Lab
acousticobservatory.org
Birds
More than 860 species have been recorded in Australia, including albatross, gannets, emu, cassowaries, parrots, eagles, owls, frogmouths, lyrebirds and bowerbirds.
Birds Australia
Atlas of Australian Birds
Bell Miner – Wikipedia
http://www.birdobservers.org.au
http://www.wildlifeextra.com.au/go/news/painted-snipe.html
http://www.birdlife.org.au/get-involved/whats-on/bird-week
http://www.abc.net.au/radionational/programs/offtrack/twitchers-wave-farewell-as-annual-shorebird-migration-begins/5442242
http://farewellshorebirds.org.au – @BirdlifeOz
http://birdlife.org.au – @BirdlifeOz – https://www.facebook.com/BirdLifeAustralia
http://www.birdfair.com.au
ebird.org
https://www.facebook.com/bitternsinriceproject
@ABSAbirds
Birds and Songbirds
http://www.abc.net.au/science/articles/2015/08/13/4292661.htm
Brush turkey
http://www.wildlife.org.au/wildlife/speciesprofile/birds/brushturkey.html
Australian_brushturkey
http://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/animals/AustralianBrushTurkey.htm
The Australian Bird Study Association aims to support, encourage and promote the study of Australian birds and to contribute to their conservation.
http://www.absa.asn.au
Where birdsong began – Why Australia’s birds came to be so extraordinarily intelligent, aggressive, loud, long-lived, and how Australia was the source for the majority of the world’s songbirds.
Tim Low – Naturalist Tim Low says Australian birds are noisier, more aggressive and more intelligent than in any other country in the world.
Birdland – What birds mean to Australians… and how we’d feel if they were gone. A unique collaboration between ABC Radio National and its listeners, brings you Birdland.
Bell Miner Associated Dieback occurs through sclerophyll forests on public and private lands in New South Wales, Victoria and Queensland. These forests are regionally important for plant and animal conservation, water catchment management, tourism and the production of honey and timber. This form of dieback is of national significance as it is spreading through forest ecosystems in eastern Australia.
Penguins
http://www.abc.net.au/am/content/2013/s3812358.htm
Spotlight: Total Environment Center
http://www.tec.org.au – @angel4green
https://www.youtube.com/user/TotalEnviroCentre
https://www.facebook.com/totalenvironmentcentre
Environmental groups fear 20 per cent of open space will be lost in NSW – @LucyCormack
Threatened Species
Australia’s first Threatened Species Commissioner was appointed in July 2014 to bring a new national focus and effort to secure our threatened flora and fauna. Gregory Andrews, part of the senior executive team in Australia’s Department of the Environment, took up the role, with support from a threatened species unit and an informal group of expert advisers. The Commissioner’s report on his first six months in the job outlines achievements in: growing community awareness and support; drawing attention to the threat of feral cats; and investing in threatened species conservation projects. It also highlights key findings and future directions.
http://www.environment.gov.au/biodiversity/threatened/publications/tsc-report-feb2015
Quotes
This land is cursed; the animals hop not run, birds run, not fly and the swans are black not white.
– Dirk Hartog (1688)
We do not accept the description of protected areas as being ‘locked up’, which implies that the only beneficial
use of land or ocean is for the extraction of commodities. It ignores the reality that protected intact ecosystems
are highly productive of multiple benefits. It also leads to the erroneous view that protected areas exclude people. With well over 100 million visits a year, protected areas in fact ‘open up’ access to land for healthy recreation. Importantly Indigenous Protected Areas also get Traditional Owners back on their country as well as generating significant employment and measurable improvements to community health and well-being – vital national goals.
A key benefit of healthy, thriving nature is the multi-billion dollar tourism industry with international nature tourism responsible for $19.5 billion in foreign exchange and strong employment, particularly in regional Australia…The Australian Alps skiing and mountain based tourism industry contributes at least $280 million per year while tourism in the Great Barrier Reef creates over $5 billion in economic activity.
–
http://conservationplanning.org/wp/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/Letter-to-PM-from-WCPA-members.pdf
Related Hangouts
March 2015: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MZNco-iIxPg
May 2015: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=thRV7MEXcsc
Parks Australia
Parks Australia
http://www.environment.gov.au/topics/national-parks
About the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act
Facebook
Flickr
@Parks_Australia
Blogs
blog.parksaustralia.gov.au
Facebook
Parks Australia
Wildlife Tourism Australia
KakaduNationalPark
Protect the Bush Alliance
https://www.facebook.com/wildlifeaustraliamagazine
https://www.facebook.com/wilderness.society
Australian Marine Conservation Society
https://www.facebook.com/wltau
https://www.facebook.com/timswildlife/
Flickr
Parks Australia
Black Diamond Images
Australia 2012 – Greg Johnson
Flickr Groups
Identifying Australian Rainforest Plants – Main Database Index
Australia Natural
Ecotourism Oceania
Marsupials and Monotremes
Parks Australia
Elsewhere
Earth Learning – Facebook
Colong Foundation for Wilderness
Australia’s Wildlife – Tourism Australia
Canberra Nature Map – @NatureMapr
mdbarnes.wordpress.com – @ultimatemegs
bushexplorers.com.au – https://www.facebook.com/bushexplorers
andrewisles.com – https://twitter.com/AndrewIslesBook
wildlifespotter.net.au
ceed.edu.au
decision-point.com.au
natureglenelg.org.au
Australia’s Outback Needs People – Pew Trusts
natureaustralia.org.au – Facebook – Youtube
Youtube
The Wilderness Society
ConsCouncilSA
BirdLife Australia
Rivers
Australian Rivers Institute
The Conversation
unknown wonders: Australia is famous for its natural beauty: the Great Barrier Reef, Uluru, Kakadu, the Kimberley. But what about the places almost no one goes? We asked ecologists, biologists and wildlife researchers…
Unknown wonders: Christmas Island – John Woinarski, Charles Darwin University
Unknown wonders: Wolfe Creek Crater – Kenneth McNamara, University of Cambridge
Unknown wonders: Riversleigh – Kylie Williams
Unknown wonders:Barmah-Millewaforest – Susan Lawler, La Trobe University
Unknown wonders: KatiThanda-Lake Eyre – Fran Sheldon, Griffith University and Richard Kingsford
https://theconversation.com/without-public-support-new-national-parks-will-fail-18286
National parks are the least locked up land there is
Reports
http://www.environment.gov.au/system/files/consultations/4601b513-c4dc-4bc1-808a-b8cfa0755b3b/files/strategy-nature-draft.pdf
http://www.environment.gov.au/system/files/resources/58321950-f8b6-4ef3-bb68-6f892420d601/files/biodiversity-strategy-2010.pdf
http://www.placesyoulove.org/australiawelove
Read the FULL REPORT – The Australia We Love – a Comprehensive Survey of Australia’s Natural Systems PDF – 12.7MB)
@Places_You_Love
Biodiversity Month
Each September Australia celebrates Biodiversity Month which aims to promote the importance of protecting, conserving and improving biodiversity both within Australia and across the world.
Australia’s Biodiversity
Over 80% of its mammals are endemic – that is. found nowhere else in the world. Around half of the mammals are marsupials, mostly belonging to families found nowhere else (a few are found also in New Guinea, and the extreme eastern parts of Indonesia: the opossums of the Americas are in a totally different marsupial family).
Most songbird families found here are primarily Australian, often extending into New Guinea, the Pacific and Indonesia but quite different from Northern Hemisphere families. Several are found only in Australia or only in Australia and New Guinea.
Likewise there are many unique species amongst our retiles, frogs, fish and invertebrates.
Protection of Australia’s Biodiversity
Some 900,000 square kilometers is under some form of protected area status. There are still many ecosystems and species under threat, both within and outside of the protected areas.
Out of 20 threatened ecosystems around the world, 8 are in Australia
Australia has 7% of the world’s biodiversity.
Biodiversity
http://www.environment.gov.au/biodiversity/strategy/draft-strategy.html
Biodiversity and Climate Change
The implications of climate change for Australia’s biodiversity conservation and protected areas
- Implications for policymakers: Climate change, biodiversity conservation and the National Reserve System (pdf – 1.47mb)
- The implications of climate change for biodiversity conservation and the National Reserve System: Final synthesis (pdf – 1.71mb)
- The implications of climate change for biodiversity conservation and the National Reserve System: Postcard (pdf – 1.77mb)
Scientists predict major changes to biodiversity – Bush Telegraph
Climate change requires national parks rethink
Marine Reserves
Review of Australia’s marine reserves recommends winding back protections
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2016/sep/06/australias-marine-parks-could-be-significantly-reduced-following-review – @MikeySlezak
https://theconversation.com/why-are-australias-marine-parks-being-reviewed-so-soon-after-they-were-signed-off-40329
http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2015/feb/25/australias-ocean-marine-reserves-underprotected-and-under-threat
Marine parks plans fail to calm waters
Burke announces world’s largest marine reserve network
http://www.environment.gov.au/coasts/mbp/reserves/index.html
http://www.environment.gov.au/minister/burke/2012/mr20120614.html
protectourcoralsea.org.au
http://www.environment.gov.au/topics/marine/marine-reserves
Review of Australia’s marine protected areas set to be released
A review of Australia’s marine protected areas started under former Prime Minister Tony Abbott is complete and due for release in coming months.
Marine Biodiversity
nerpmarine.edu.au/hub-imagery/search
Overview
Australia’s Wild Habitats
Radio: A Question of Balance
Forests of eastern Australia are the world’s newest biodiversity hotspot
National Park Associations
npansw.org.au
npaact.org.au
npaq.org.au
vnpa.org.au – Facebook
environment.gov.au
environment.gov.au
Recommended Viewing
Australia’s New Extinction Crisis – Tim Flannery shows that Australia is now on the brink of a new wave of extinctions, which threatens to leave our national parks as “marsupial ghost towns.” Why are species becoming extinct despite the tens of millions of dollars being spent to protect nature? And what more should be done? Flannery discusses his essay with Nick Feik.
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/earth/australia-first-years.html
Echidnas
Echidnas’ unusual mating habits revealed
Tasmanian researchers have discovered echidnas have some unusual mating practices, including engaging in group sex. Male echidnas competing for a lower number of reproductive female echidnas may even resort to tackling a partner while she’s hibernating.
E is for Echidna – Flickr
Piggy the puggle born on Gold Coast
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-08-05/echidnas-breeding-in-queensland-observed-in-southern-style-group/7692156
@echidna_csi
Tourism Campaigns
http://www.australia.com/campaigns/nationallandscapes/australiasnationallandscapes.htm
Tourism in national parks
The Boobook declaration
Enviro legislation set to go strategic – Australia’s single most important piece of environmental legislation, the Environmental Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act, is about to be re-vamped and dragged into the 21st century.
Australia’s latest mammal extinction – the pipistrelle
How the wattle got its name
Naming Australian native animals
Cave painting helps date Australia’s extinct megafauna
Insects
Bogong_moth
Ants
Australia has roughly 4,000 species of ants
Green Ants
Australian endangered species: Dinosaur Ant
Mice
https://theconversation.com/tiny-desert-mice-could-help-save-australias-grasslands-from-invasion-68573
@CarlaWildlife
Megafauna
Imagine coming across a kangaroo three times the size of the great Red of today? Or how about a wombat the size of a small car? Did you see that two tonne hippo splashing about with the 500 kilogram Lord Howe Horned Tortoise?
http://museumvictoria.com.au/about/books-and-journals/books/science/new-releases/prehistoric-giants-the-megafauna-of-australia/
Australian_megafauna
Australia’s Megafauna – Late Night Live
Bullockornis
Diversity
Mammals – kangaroos and wallabies, koalas, wombats, bilbies, Tasmanian devils
A quarter of Australia’s mammal species are rodents.
Bettong
bettongs.org
Marsupials are the group of mammals commonly thought of as pouched mammals
http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/mammal/marsupial/marsupial.html
Marsupial
The only marsupial native to North America is the Virginia opossum.
talkorigins.org/faqs/marsupials.html
Quoll
Australia has four species of quoll: the spotted-tailed, the northern, eastern and western quoll. The spotted-tailed quoll and the smaller northern quoll are both found in Queensland. Spotted-tailed quolls are Australia’s largest native marsupial carnivore. Quoll Seekers Network (QSN) was established to raise community awareness of quolls in Queensland, gather information on quoll populations, and to help people enjoy living alongside quolls.
Tiger Quoll
http://www.abc.net.au/radionational/programs/bushtelegraph/spotting-the-tiger-quoll/4995926
Bandicoots
Bandicoots were once widespread across grasslands and grassy woodlands of western Victoria and South Australia. By 1991, the subspecies was on the brink of extinction, primarily due to habitat loss and predation by introduced foxes and cats.
http://www.zoo.org.au/werribee/animals/eastern-barred-bandicoot
http://www.abc.net.au/rural/nt/content/201109/s3312222.htm
Kangaroo
kangaroo
Wallabies
Their long tails and strong bodies make balancing on rocky outcrops and ledges a breeze. (Photo)
Platypus
The platypus is native to eastern Australia, including Tasmania, and is extinct in South Australia. The platypus (Ornithorhynchus anatinus) is a semi-aquatic mammal endemic to eastern Australia from North Queensland to Tasmania. Together with the four species of echidna, it is one of the five extant species of monotremes, the only mammals that lay eggs instead of giving birth to live young.
Platypus – Wikipedia
Platypus – Evolution and Conservation
How to spot a platypus
http://www.dw.com/en/authorities-hunt-platypus-serial-killer-in-australia/a-38396202
Tasmanian Tiger
Thylacine
The Thylacine Museum
Bilby
Bilby
easterbilby.com.au
savethebilbyfund.com
Saving the bilby is one of the most delicious things to do. Australian chocolate manufacturer and retailer Darrell Lea has been making chocolate Easter bilbies since 1994.
National Bilby Day is the second Sunday in September.
Bilby Summit –
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/series/first-dog-on-the-moon-at-the-bilby-summit
Bats (Flying Foxes)
flying foxes (fruitbats)
Grey-headed Flying Fox – Wikipedia
http://ausbats.org.au
https://theconversation.com/not-in-my-backyard-how-to-live-alongside-flying-foxes-in-urban-australia-59893
http://www.smh.com.au/federal-politics/federal-election-2016/election-2016-greg-hunt-accused-of-breaching-caretaker-provisions-over-bats-20160531-gp7wd0.html
Beetles
Beautiful beetles
Reptiles
Reptiles – crocodiles snakes lizards turtles frogs
Salt-water crocs (‘Salties) of the Northern Territory are the largest of all living reptiles
Goanna
Goanna
Sand Goanna …. Gould’s Monitor Lizard… or ‘Galawan’ in Gundjeihmi language
Sand_goanna
Lace monitor
Lace_monitor
Dugong
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2012-05-30/reef-dugong-numbers-hit-20-year-low/4041452
A vulnerability assessment for the Great Barrier Reef: Dugongs
Shipping, nets, hunting remain poorly regulated, driving dugong to extinction, >95% decline in 40years on 2/3 of Barrier Reef
Dugong
Fish
whale sharks coral reef fish seahorses leafy sea dragon, rays (stingrays or manta rays)
Invertebrates – butterflies, glow worms, crabs and coral
nativefish.asn.au
The Yabby is a small freshwater crayfish endemic to South Eastern Australia.
nativefish.asn.au/yabby.html
http://www.australian-aquacultureportal.com/industrygroups/mix_crustaceans_yabby.html
http://australianmuseum.net.au/Crayfish
Common_yabby
Cuttlefish
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-05-20/welcome-back-giant-cuttlefish/5464518
http://www.abc.net.au/radionational/programs/bushtelegraph/cuttlefish-return/5467458
Frogs
Mating habits of the spotted tree frog all too familiar
Horse
Tales of Horses and Humans – A horsey Australia Day special. The horse plays a significant part in our national story. There are the stockmen – both indigenous and settler; the Light Horse Brigade; the Melbourne Cup; the Man from Snowy River; and Elyne Mitchell’s Silver Brumby children’s novels.
Brumby
Sharks
The whale shark has been described as the gentle giant of the sea. It’s the largest of all the sharks, in fact the largest of all fish, but it poses no threat to humans, feeding only on small organisms. In recent years the whale sharks has become threatened. Now researchers at the Ningaloo Marine Park along the coast of Western Australia have used quite mind-boggling technology to help count whale shark numbers – and the results are promising. For more information or if you have a picture of a whaleshark to submit go to: http://www.whaleshark.org
http://www.abc.net.au/rural/telegraph/content/2009/s2584435.htm
Eels
There’s something about eels – The eel has an image problem – an unsavoury reputation that arises perhaps in part from the false notion that they feed on rotting corpses – yet eels are one of the human race’s survival foods and they feature in mythology and creation stories throughout the ages. There’s Something About Eels combines science, literature, history, anecdote and culinary art to present a radio portrait of this most maligned, misunderstood and unusual creature. listen | download (40.1MB)
Seafood Industry Victoria
Australian Museum: Fishes
Decoding Mysterious Glass Eels
Threats
Mapping feral animals
http://feralscan.org.au
Australia has more endangered species than any other country. In fact, Australia has lost more than 50 species since European settlement.
With the exception of the dingo, Australia has no large, land-based carnivores. Consequently, many native birds and mammals were devastated by introduced species, particularly dogs, cats and foxes. Said one conservationist: “Foxes are hunted in England because they are a pest, so what did the colonists do but bring foxes to Australia so they could hunt them!”
No widespread pest problem has ever been eradicated.
Imported Species
Rabbits
In the late 1800s a rabbit plague was sweeping through the Australian colonies, ravaging new farms and threatening to cripple the fledgling colonial governments.
Rabbits in Australia
Thomas_Austin
http://mpegmedia.abc.net.au/rn/podcast/current/audioonly/bth_20080915.mp3
<ahref=”http://www.abc.net.au/rural/telegraph/content/2011/s3123008.htm”>’Rabbitscan’ is launched as part of a feral map
download
Toads
The cane toad, native to Central and South America, has invaded Australia by the millions since it was introduced on to properties near Cairns in 1935 as an unsuccessful biological control measure against the cane beetle.
http://www.townsvillebulletin.com.au/article/2008/04/05/12009_news.html
Camels
http://www.abc.net.au/rn/awaye/stories/2008/2360674.htm
http://www.abc.net.au/cgi-bin/common/player_launch.pl?s=rn/awaye&d=rn/awaye/audio&r=aye_20092008_2856.ram&w=aye_20092008_28M.asx&t=Saturday%2020%20September%202008&p=1
Camel
Dingos
Getting to know the dingo
Dingoes and ecology
http://www.jirrahlinga.com.au/Dingoes.html
Dingo Discovery Sanctuary and Research Centre
Iconic animals – the dingo
Dingoes display ‘unbelievable intelligence’
Are dingoes native to Australia? Bandicoots answer the question
Gould Group
Bush Telegraph: The Gould League, now known as the Gould Group, was behind one of the first environmental campaigns waged in Australia, and next year it celebrates its 100th birthday. Formed in 1909 and named after John Gould, a well known naturalist, the league was set up in an attempt to save Australia’s native bird species from the hobby of bird egg collection, the fashion of bird feathers, and general disregard for their habitats. School students from around the country were encouraged to join the league and take the Bird Lovers’ Pledge: “I hereby promise that I will protect native birds and will not collect their eggs. I also promise that I will endeavour to prevent others from injuring native birds and destroying their eggs”.
Grevillea
Grevillea
Flora
Australia’s Virtual Herbarium
Kangaroo grass
Themeda_triandra
Invasive Flora: Prickly Pear
http://www.abc.net.au/rural/telegraph/content/2012/s3652360.htm
http://www.northwestweeds.nsw.gov.au/prickly_pear_history.htm
Elsewhere on the Web
Birds Australia
Wildlife Australia – Facebook
Australian Wildlife Service
Australia Wildlife Conservancy Sanctuaries
Australian Wildlife Conservancy
Australian_Wildlife_Conservancy
http://www.environment.gov.au/parks/nrs/getting-involved/organisations/wildlife-conservancy.html
http://www.wildlife.org.au
Australian Wildlife Conservancy
Diana Fisher
http://www.redmap.org.au – @RedmapMarine
ABC PM – Rumours of species extinction exaggerated
Australian Government – Conservation of Australia’s biodiversity
WWF Australia – Species
http://www.wildlifeextra.com.au
http://www.watermarkliterarysociety.asn.au
http://www.wildlifelandtrust.org.au
WLT Australia is a network of private lands providing habitat for native species. Showcasing wildlife, conservation and ecology news. Program of @hsi_australia
http://www.pewtrusts.org/en/projects/outback-australia – @traill1
http://www.greeningaustralia.org.au – @GreeningAust
Education
Australian Animals Care and Education
http://www.envirostories.com.au – @EnviroStories
http://www.envirostories.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2014TTT/Totems/ES2014-CTLLS-Totems-WEB.pdf
Commonwealth National Parks
Kakadu National Park
Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park
Booderee National Park
Norfolk Island National Park
Christmas Island National Park
Pulu Keeling National Park
Parks
http://www.environment.gov.au/parks/nrs/publications.html
http://www.environment.gov.au/about/structure/pa/index.html
http://www.environment.gov.au/parks/publications/index.html
Australian Alps National Park
The National Reserve System – Australia’s network of parks, reserves and protected areas – is a vital part of our national effort to conserve biodiversity. It protects examples of Australia’s distinctive landscapes, plants and animals for future generations, and is often referred to as nature’s safety net in the face of climate change. The Australian Government is investing $180 million over five years to accelerate development of the National Reserve System. This is one of the six national priorities of the Government’s $2.25 billion initiative Caring for our Country.
http://www.environment.gov.au/parks/publications/nrs/fact-sheet.html
Australian Alps
There are eleven national parks and reserves in the Australian Alps that cross State and Territory borders. These parks and reserves are collectively known as the Australian Alps national parks
‘It is not easy’: how science and courage saved the stunning Australian Alps
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Australian_Alps
Heritage
environment.gov.au/heritage
- Australian Heritage Week
- Public notices
- Asia-Pacific Focal Point
- Australia’s dinosaurs
- Managing Commonwealth heritage places
- Australian Heritage Council
- Australian Heritage Places Inventory (AHPI)
- Australian Heritage Database
- Australian Heritage Information
- Export permits
- Indigenous heritage
- Place managers network
- Historic Shipwrecks Program factsheet
- Patrimonito Storyboard competition
Warrumbungle National Park
http://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/NationalParks/parkHome.aspx?id=N0035
Trees
Category:Trees_of_Australia
Corymbia_ficifolia
Nuytsia floribunda (Christmas Tree)
Bauhinia cunninghamii (Jigal Tree)
Eucalypts: A celebration
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-03-07/deciduous-trees-in-australia/7200608
Eucalyptus – Mapping the Genome of the world’s favourite tree
The genome of the world’s favourite tree – the eucalyptus has been mapped.
Desert palms ‘not so ancient after all’
Australian scientists say an often-told tourist story about how an iconic Central Australia palm came to be is nothing but a lovely myth.
Waddi tree – On the fringes of the Simpson Desert, separated by hundreds of kilometres, are three stands of Waddi trees which are a miracle of arid zone botany. Jacqueline Hodder from the University of Melbourne tells the story of this remarkable tree which grows up to 18 metres.
The name Eucalyptus means “well-covered”, referring to the little cap that pops off when the flower opens.
Desert Palms
Research findings back up Aboriginal legend on origin of Central Australian palm trees – ABC News
Desert palms ‘not so ancient after all’ › News in Science (ABC Science)
Quandong is Santalum acuminatumhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Santalum_acuminatum
Boobook Declaration
The Boobook or ‘mopoke’ is the smallest and most abundant of Australia’s owls, living in all types of country where suitable nesting hollows exist. The call of the boobook has been adopted as a symbol of the ‘Boobook Declaration’, a call to action for biodiversity in Australia and our region.
http://boobook.org.au
http://www.abc.net.au/rural/telegraph/content/2010/s2802431.htm
Dinosaurs
aaodl.com
australianageofdinosaurs.com
Wattle
gazettal of Acacia pycnantha as Australia’s National Floral Emblem
Golden Wattle has been grown in temperate regions around the world for the tannin in its bark, which provides the highest yield of all the wattles.
Golden Wattle
wattleday.asn.au
Acacia_pycnantha
http://www.abc.net.au/rural/telegraph/content/2011/s3122200.htm
national emblem, Acacia pycnantha, green and gold
there were thought to be roughly 1300 species of acacia worldwide, about 960 of them native to Australia,
Heritage
Heritage
Australian Heritage Database
http://www.environment.gov.au/heritage/ahdb/legalstatus.html
Search
http://search.abc.net.au/search/search.cgi?form=simple&num_ranks=20&collection=abcall&query=parks
Flickr
Royal National Park NSW
Kakadu National Park
Alice Springs Desert Park
Grampians National Park
Parks Australia
Atlas of Living Australia
Atlas of Living Australia
Facebook
@atlaslivingaust
Digivol (Facebook, @AMDigiVol) is an online tool that enables volunteers to capture data and digitise collections held within museums, libraries, archives and herbaria. DigiVol is a collaboration between the Atlas of Living Australia and the Australian Museum
Australian Museum crowdsourcing website DigiVol sees spike in volunteers during COVID-19
The Australian Conservation Foundation is committed to inspiring people to achieve a healthy environment for all Australians. For over 40 years we have been a strong voice for the environment, promoting solutions through research, consultation, education and partnerships. We work with the community, business and government to protect, restore and sustain our environment.
Parks and Reserves – Environment Australia
http://www.environment.gov.au/parks/index.html
http://www.environment.gov.au/parks/publications/annual/
Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act (1999)
The Australian Environment Act: Report of the Independent review of the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999
http://www.abc.net.au/rn/nationalinterest/stories/2011/3149369.htm
Biodiversity
Biodiversity Summit
biodiversitysummit.org.au
- Australia’s Biodiversity Strategy 2010-2030
- Biodiversity: A summary of Australia’s Biodiversity Conservation Strategy 2010–2013
Events
April Australian Heritage Week is an annual national celebration of Australia’s unique heritage. It is an opportunity for all Australians to join together to celebrate our shared and special heritage.
http://heritage-week.govspace.gov.au
http://www.environment.gov.au/heritage
Deserts
10deserts.org – @10DesertsOz
wikipedia.org/Deserts_of_Australia
wikipedia.org/Tanami_Desert
Geoparks
UNESCO has launched the International Network of Geoparks programme. This programme has the dual objective of enhancing the value of sites, which act as key witnesses to the Earth’s history whilst creating employment and promoting regional economic development. A new internationally recognized label ‘UNESCO Geopark’, destined to become synonymous to environmental protection and development, will be awarded each year to some twenty territories which merit this distinction distributed all over the world. Eventually, up to 500 Geoparks will be recognized worldwide. The Division of Earth Sciences of UNESCO, after working with the International Union of Geological Sciences (IUGS) and governmental institutions, has taken the initiative to put together and coordinate national and international efforts, which deal with geoconservation, ‘geotopes’, ‘geosites’ or general geological heritage. The resulting Geopark Programme will operate in synergy with UNESCO’s World Heritage Centre and Man and the Biosphere (MAB) World Network of Biosphere Reserves.
A UNESCO Geopark:
Is a territory encompassing one or more sites of scientific importance, not only for geological reasons but also by virtue of its archaeological, ecological or cultural value;
Will have a management plan designed to foster socio-economic development that is sustainable (most likely to be based on geotourism);
Will demonstrate methods for conserving and enhancing geological heritage and provide means for teaching geoscientific disciplines and broader environmental issues;
Will be proposed by public authorities, local communities and private interests acting together;
Will be part of a global network, which will demonstrate and share best practices with respect to Earth heritage conservation and its integration into sustainable development strategies.
International_Network_of_Geoparks
Trees
No other continent is as characterised by a single genus of tree as Australia is by the eucalyptus. And no other tree has been so significant culturally and economically to the people who live here: gum trees are used to make everything from the didgeridoo to mosquito repellent to paper.
http://www.abc.net.au/rn/latenightlive/stories/2009/2501237.htm
Spotlight: VicNature 2050
vicnature2050.org
Flowers
Wreath Leschenaultia (Lechenaultia macrantha) in midwest Australia. (Interesting spelling variation — via Florabase @Science_DBCA) https://florabase.dpaw.wa.gov.au/browse/profile/7583 ht @RichardMcLellan
Wild Australia Bingo
Australia – Koala – Kookaburra – WildOz
Wikipedia
Black swan
Drop bear
Quokka
A Million Wild Acres
Persoonia terminalis
Osprey Reef
Wallace Line
Planeta.com