Sunshine Coast Conservation Futures #4

 JOINED NATURE

Island biogeography theory – The theory of island biogeography states that a larger island will have a greater number of species than a smaller island.

Island Biogeography Theory can be applied to the design of nature reserves, as many reserves are essentially 'islands' of natural habitat in a sea of less favourable environment, for example, agric- cultural land or urban areas.

So the takeaways are that we need largest reserve areas possible and, ideally, we need as many smaller areas of habitat forming linkages between blocks of protected biodiversity.

Hinterland Bushlinks – is a really great example of this and there name says it all. Its efforts are concentrated on the hinterland of the SC and it works with land holders to link areas of habitat. As it says on its thorough website; The vision for Hinterland Bush Links is to protect and maintain existing bush blocks and to re-connect them with wildlife corridors. A vital ingredient in this is the bush on private lands. Planting native vegetation in addition to controlling weed species is central.

One disadvantage though is that there good work is restricted to the hinterland and a quick examination of a map on the coast suggests that links of habitat are needed elsewhere.

Existing creek lines need expanded riparian vegetation as these have massive linking and corridor potential. 

Along road ways – lawn could and should be replaced with local indigenous shrubs, ground covers and trees.

Highway edges should be replanted with native vegetation; especially to shield the plantation timbers from view. And perhaps fenced where appropriate.

Major rail corridors revegetated could also be major corridors for wildlife movement…..

As per the last blog entry our suburbs must be as vegetated as possible to allow nature to reside but also to travel through. Drive through a newish suburb on the Sunshine Coast - or an old one - and allow yourself to imagine native gardens almost everywhere you see lawn and you will start to see some biodiversity potential.

Vegetated bridges and Tree to Tree crossings should be ocnsidered at various locations on the Sunshine Coast.

Fauna bridge in Brisbane City Council area. Should we suggest sites for the Sunshine Coast?

Possum bridge in Brisbane

Ken Cross

All of the above is merely personal opinion and dreaming and NOT the perspective or policy of Birdlife Australia.

Sunshine Coast Conservation Futures #3

 Our suburbs - backyards, public urban parks, industrial areas - should be wildlife habitat that encourages wildlife. However instead of Land for Wildlife we should have Gardens for Wildlife schemes encouraging native planting within backyards, on roadside verges and, to a degree, footpaths. Imagine neighbours talking, planning and planting together; discussing, perhaps boasting about their yards’ critters. A keep up with the Joneses where the competition is competing diversity could happen…

From the website; The 'Gardens for Wildlife' program encourages and recognises wildlife-friendly gardens and environment-friendly practices in urban gardens. Your garden for wildlife can contribute to bringing nature home by welcoming wildlife to share your garden and by providing a healthy, weed free environment for them to do so.

If fifty percent of our gardens actively encouraged biodiversity by reducing lawn and planting suitable local natives, encouraging a little mess like compost piles etc where some of our insect fauna might multiply, that would be enormously positive.

An interesting read that focuses on similar issues in the USA is ‘Nature’s Best Hope’ by Douglas Tallamy. “Nature's Best Hope is nature writing at its best - rooted in history, progressive in its advocacy, and above all, actionable and hopeful. By proposing practical measures that ordinary people easily can do, Tallamy gives us reason to believe that the planet can be preserved for future generations.”

https://www.bookdepository.com/Natures-Best-Hope-New-Approach-Conservation-that-Starts-Your-Yard-Douglas-W-Tallamy/9781604699005?ref=grid-view&qid=1617227432097&sr=1-1

So, in brief:

Gardens for Wildlife type schemes need promotion and perhaps our personal embrace. This is, to my mind, extremely important. Every birder needs to be better as a native indigenous gardener. And, like everything our efforts need promoting. Which brings me to my next post…. 

Ken Cross

All of the above is merely personal opinion and dreaming and NOT the perspective or policy of Birdlife Australia.

Sunshine Coast Conservation Futures #2

MORE NATURE!!

What do I mean?

I want areas of natural vegetation cover expanded; especially areas that have some level of protection of their biodiversity.

I want biodiversity to increase; not to continue to slide…

I want, generally speaking, numbers of each native species, from insects to Eastern Grey Kangaroos to increase. I want to save endangered species and I want common species to become, if at all possible, abundant again. 

The greater Sunshine Coast area has the potential to become one of the showcase areas for biodiversity and biodiversity protection in Australia. And to do so, in many cases, we need to continue and expand programmes that we have already established. We just need the imagination and will to do it.

[The following descriptions deal with the Sunshine Coast Council area. This does not diminish the fact that the Sunshine Coast Area, as far as Birdlife Australia is concerned, includes Noosa council area and other places besides. Generalisations about SCC can, most likely, be applied to other areas.]

First, What do we have in terms of protected biodiversity? Within the SCC area we have a variety of protected public areas thus far. We have a National Park estate within SCC of over 40 000 hectares, administered not by our federal government but the state authorities. We have 5500 hectares protected by our Councils. We have private land protected as wildlife refuges and by conservation covenants [some 3000 hectares], again authorised by council. SCC has the most successful Land for Wildlife scheme in the nation with nearly 1200 private land owners protecting 8500 number of hectares of invaluable biodiversity on private land. SCC has established the Blue Heart Area – an area of some 5000 hectares – on the floodplains east of Yandina. A major part of which is the Unitywater owned Yandina Creek Wetlands; a valuable lowland freshwater reserve – The Yandina Creek Wetalnds was a conservation scheme instigated by Greg Roberts that was unique in that it succeeded! Notwithstanding that Greg is both a knowledgeable birder, conservationist and journalist; this remains a powerful example of the effect a committed individual can have. [Note to self – Encourage Greg Roberts to pen a ‘How to save a Wetland campaign’.] 

It is an excellent start but there is much more to do.

The first thing is to want more land of biodiversity value [public and private] protected otherwise significant natural vegetation that remains will continue to be eroded – cleared or modified. It is much better to have land protected prior to development plans.

Here we, the community, need to apply pressure to government. Government, of all levels, is both our ally and an enemy for while they are motivated, in part, to respect environmental law and protect our biodiversity, for them [and sadly the community they represent] the environment is but one issue of many. Governments, too, may lack necessary ambition. 

Case in point a statement from the SCC’s own Biodiversity Report of 2020.

This report states as a goal that by 2040 the Sunshine Coast has as much land under natural vegetation as in 2016. They also state, perhaps by way of preparing their excuses, if this rather unambitious target is unsuccessfully reached that the responsibility of this target is the community’s not just councils.

Let’s reflect a moment on these statements.

First – while this is a council statement, a council target, they remind all that it is not their responsibility alone. It is a good reminder, if we needed one, that we are ignorant to blindly rely on government [at any level] for the conservation of our biodiversity.

Second - No negative natural vegetation losses from 2016 levels to 2040.

First question – Why 2016? What makes 2016 the golden year in terms of natural vegetation cover? To me this is a classic example of Shifting Baseline Syndrome.

To put it in its simplest terms, Shifting Baseline Syndrome is basically the way in which humans, and every generation essentially, lowers its standards over the course of time. These generations are not lowering their standards on purpose, or because they have any negative goal, but simply because they don’t know any better. It is the idea that things were better in the ‘old days’. If we limit our view of the old days as ‘the oldest days in my lifetime’ we may not have a great reference point for what abundance the environment may be able to sustain and therefore could be satisfied with only very minor improvements or losses.

Our environments are suffering the death of a thousand cuts – Shifting Baseline Theory neatly hides the extent of the injuries and thus makes seeking appropriate remedy more difficult.

So what should we learn from Shifting Baseline Syndrome? I think that by knowing about it we guard against it. And we should remind governments, acting on our behalf, if their judgements are being affected.

Shifting Baseline Syndrome - changing environmental conditions lead to differing expectations with each decade. The knowledge of what is truly lost is lost.

We should also set more ambitious environmental targets. If, for example, we accept the 2016 target for natural vegetation are we not guilty of continuing to allow the slide of environmental degradation? My thinking is that we must not just protect what we had in 2016 but expand the areas of natural vegetation and, especially, protected areas of natural vegetation. [I appreciate this is reasonably simplistic as we also must take into account what habitats have been degraded the most? In other words not all areas of natural vegetation are the same.]

Perhaps our local governments should be persuaded to spend more of their environmental budget towards land acquisition as this strategy would prove to be more economically and environmentally sustainable in the mid to long terms. Each year the SCC raises some 9.3 million dollars via environmental levies; of this 3.6 million is spent on land acquisition. While I am not saying that land acquisition is the only important thing perhaps it is the most important…

Our state government also needs to be lobbied against when they set poor targets or fail to reach the ones they set.

Perhaps we need to lobby the state government to increase the National Park estate as recommended in the 2020 report, “Lost Opportunities for new National Parks in Qld”. Australia has signed on to the Convention on Biological Diversity and has committed to a target of 17% of terrestrial and inland water in the National Reserve System in a balanced way that is ecologically representative, with at least 10% of each bioregion protected, well connected, and well-managed.  Australia’s National Reserve System is a network of more than 12,000 Commonwealth, state and territory reserves, and Indigenous and private protected areas that covers 19.8% of the country (Fig 1).

Surprisingly Australia is meeting this expectation. Queensland though is not. Qld has the lowest percentage (8.7%) of area protected of all the states and territories, less than half the national average (Fig 1).

National parks cover 5.6% of Queensland which is well below the national average of 7.5% (Fig. 1).

Queensland is clearly falling behind the national and international expectations of protected natural estates. We must do better to insist to our pollies that they must do better.

On the Sunshine Coast there are areas that could be converted to our National Park estate [to help our government reach their targets] or, at least, improve their biodiversity such that they could be considered to be included.

Consider copying the technique used to convert forestry plantation lands to National Park estate as has been achieved in our Noosa area. Noosa National Parks Association contributed funds to the project along with Noosa Council. 

Consider innovative schemes such as Greg Robert’s scheme to convert Hoop Pine plantations in the Imbil area in our council’s western areas to more valuable nature estates. The scheme very quickly; Hoop pine, a native species, is being commercially grown and logged in areas that were, in many cases, lowland rainforest - an endangered ecosystem. Greg’s plan involves simply abandoning the plantations and allowing the rain forest to slowly consume the hoop pines. So don’t log and don’t weed native spp.  Predictably the response from forestry and politicians of all stripes is that economic concerns and jobs are too important. The environment must compromise apparently. Greg suggested a trial site of some 250 hectares between Charlie Moreland Park and Conondale NP. So far there has been no positive responses to any of these suggestions. I personally think that the trial idea is a good one and a relatively easy one for government. It is a relatively small area and thus relatively little economic pain while being a very positive good news story. Should we support this idea more publically and forcefully?

Biodiversity can never be protected completely though on public lands though. Consider if the 17% global target of publically protected land was reached on the Sunshine Coast then obviously 83% would be ‘unprotected’. Could we afford to lose 83% of our biodiversity? Obviously not, so therefore we need to insist that there is protections for biodiversity on all land use types.

So, very quickly and obviously, we [the community] should encourage the expansion of conservation covenants.  Expand and promote Land for Wildlife Schemes from the most successful in the nation to the ‘even more, most successful in the nation…’

Maybe start a similar Farms for Wildlife Scheme to instruct primary producers to better manage their farms to both improve their soil, their biodiversity in as many ways as possible although this is a subject for a never ending TV series…. [Please view the Australian Story on Charles Massey and Regenerative Farming and/ or read his book “The Call of the Reed Warbler”. Or buy a copy for a farmer….]

In Europe and no doubt other places abandoned agricultural land is proving a boon for wildlife. Here on the coast lowland agricultural areas are being abandoned by Cane producers for economic reasons offering land that can be returned to near natural areas. Dairy farming’s slide may allow some hinterland farmland to be converted from pasture to forest. I am not applauding the economic downfall of farmers, of course, but I am saying we should search for possible environmental silver linings.

And, by way of example, we need to consider our land - no matter how small - and the biodiversity there....but that is is the next entry.... 

So, in brief:

Birders are naturally positioned to be concerned with conservation of biodiversity.

We need to lobby local and state governments to continually increase the publically protected areas within our greater local areas. And to promote such beliefs within our communities.

We should consider, and perhaps lobby for and promote, innovative schemes to convert land currently managed for some other purpose [farming or forestry for example] to manage for nature.

Congratulate local government for their outstanding Land for Wildlife schemes and, among our contacts, promote conservation on private lands.

Learn about regenerative agriculture and its potential to aid global warming and biodiversity.

Ken Cross

All of the above is merely personal opinion and dreaming and NOT the perspective or policy of Birdlife Australia.

Sunshine Coast Conservation Futures #1

Recently I wrote a seminar to present at our mini congress. For a number of reasons that presentation was badly abridged so I thought I would try to write on our blog about some of the things I had in mind. 

My purpose was to try to get my audience to consider that, despite the fact that there are many ways in which biodiversity is disappearing, there are many ways in which people can get creative with ways to help protect biodiversity. 

I also wanted them to understand some of the ways in which environmental protection is difficult. I guess I wanted them to know that there are many options worth thinking about in the hope that members would think that there might be some ideas that they could engage in.... 

Today we want to engage in a little crystal ball gazing; to imagine what the future for nature on the Sunshine Coast might look like. The reasons why we would do this should be obvious.  Globally the natural world is diminishing. Species are being lost at an alarming rate. Vast areas of natural habitats are being destroyed. Common species are becoming uncommon. We are losing our biodiversity – our planet’s life. Here on the Sunshine Coast we are not immune.

In our crystal ball we should guard against a future image of Sunshine Coast nature to be based purely on global historic trends for if we do we might fail to be optimistic. We need to imagine something positive and then work out ways to spread this vision and list practical ways for it to be achieved.

One of the basic ideas that I want to share is that conservationists / environmentalists / birders understand better than most the value of biodiversity. We have ecological knowledge that sadly most people, including our leaders lack. Therefore we are uniquely positioned to imagine a future with nature and to lead any conversation about the future of biodiversity. To be a birder without having an interest in conservation should be strange indeed.

All people, including those who fail to appreciate the value of nature, need it. And we cannot allow those without ecological knowledge to sabotage our combined future.

A second basic idea regarding conservation and an environment future is that we birders and conservationists must be more proactive. At the moment the majority of conservation minded, green voices if you like, sound like ‘NO’ or ‘STOP’. We are always reacting to projects, to stop them. There is nothing wrong with this of course and it will always be the job description of an environmentalist to attempt to prevent unsustainable developments, especially those who clearly and markedly ignore existing environmental laws. What I am suggesting though is that there are proactive conversations to have about people doing things, learning things, creating things, respecting things that can lead to an environmental understanding and ethic which is felt more widely through our community.

So what do I [and hopefully] we want?

My general vision can be described pretty simply;

I want more nature than there is now.

I want nature to be joined.

I want more nature awareness.

I want nature restored.

I want to live in nature not separated from it.

Below, in a series of blog posts I will suggest a variety of tactics, projects, ideas [often poorly thought through] for people to read through and consider if one or more or many appeal to the extent that they could involve themselves. Some are easy – we are doing them already. Some are perhaps exceedingly optimistic. But please consider…

Ken Cross

All of the above is merely personal opinion and dreaming and NOT the perspective or policy of Birdlife Australia.

Mini Congress - a brief report

 YESTERDAY we held our second ever mini Congress. Birdlife Australia is concerned with Birds, Birding, Bird Conservation and Education. We aim to reflect those interests at our local scale. And so the Congress...

Our organising committe of two - John Birbeck and myself - were more than satisfied with how the day went. We were astonished with just how good our helpers were on the day. Every job was completed without any instructions given. A huge thankyou to all who assisted with set ups and clean ups!

THANKS too, to our team of caterers who provided home made goodies for afternoon and morning teas.

Thanks too must be given to our presenters. Nikolas Haass presented no doubt a small fraction of his incredible knowledge on Pelagic birds and pelagic birding. Tim Siggs presented some astonishing footage of common local birds plus some exotic native birds from our Northern Territory and the Kimberley; footage that no doubt will increase tarvel to those locales.

Russell McGregor

, our resident Historian and birder, presented a short history of birding in Australia - a subject that triggered far too many questions than we had time to answer. Many will be looking forward to Russell's eventual book on the subject. John Birbeck, a long serving government employee for SCC, who knows perhaps more about the ecology of our local environemnt than anyone shared a few insights into the interplay between governemnt and community in regards to conservation outcomes. Judith Hoyle, convenor of Birdlfie Australia Southern Queensland, reminded us about some of the achievements of Birdlife Australia.

One of the highlights of the day was to acknowledge and recognise one of the youngest conservationists on the coast, Spencer, whose work organising petitions and public awareness regarding the conservation of our Glossy Black Cockatoos.

I am pleased to have this year's mini Congress behind me however we aim to organise one every two years so hopefully we will see a good audience in 2023!

Any feedback on this year's mini Congress and suggestions for 2023 are welcome. Please message me privately.

Mini CONGRESS 2021

 “Birdlife and Conservation, Sunshine Coast, Qld”

A full day of presentations about birds, their conservation and conservation initiatives on the Sunshine Coast hosted by Birdlife Australia Sunshine Coast.

Birdlife Australia Sunshine Coast acknowledges the Kabi Kabi and Jinibara Peoples as the traditional custodians of the Sunshine Coast, and wishes to pay respect to their elders past, present and emerging.

WHERE? Maleny Community Hall, Maple Street, Maleny

WHEN?    Sunday, March 28, 2021        

COST? $35 – including morning and afternoon teas. This also includes a raffle ticket for our exclusive bird art prize.

 Attendees MUST register their attendance with Ken Cross via email friarbird43@bigpond.com Registrations will only be taken within the month of March. Numbers are limited. Payment will be taken in cash on the day upon arrival.

Covid 19 restrictions are still in place so there will be limited and spaced seating plus controls regarding catering.

 AGENDA – MARCH 28, 2021

8-00am – Arrivals and Registrations

9am - Welcome – Ken Cross [Sunshine Coast Birdlife Australia – sub-branch Convenor]

9-15 - “Pelagic Birds and Birding – A southern Queensland Perspective” – Nikolas Haass

10-15 – Morning Tea

10-45 - Tim Siggs – Australian Bird Video Collection - Bird videography and Film –

11 - 15 –  “The history of Birdwatching in Australia”  - Russell McGregor

12 -15  – Lunch    BYO or take advantage of the variety of local catering places in main street, Maleny.

1-15  – 2-30 pm –– ‘Sunshine Coast Conservation Futures’ – John Birbeck and Ken Cross

2-30 – 3-00pm – ‘Birdlife Australia Southern Queensland – Future Plans and Priorities’ – Judith Hoyle [BASQ – Convenor]

3-00 – 4pm – Afternoon Tea, Raffle draws and Close [and clean up!]

 

 

 

 

SPEAKERS OF THE mini CONGRESS

Judith Hoyle is the Convenor of Birdlife Southern Queensland, a position she has held for some years.  She leads a dynamic team, committed to the conservation of birds and their habitats in South East Queensland. In between her commitments to BSQ, she coordinates the annual Newhaven Wildlife Sanctuary bird survey for the Australian Wildlife Conservancy.

 

John Birbeck is the Sunshine Coast Regional Council’s Principal Environment Officer for Development Assessment. He has a deep understanding and knowledge of the native plants, Regional Ecosystems and birdlife of the coast. John’s long career has left a legacy of parks, revegetation areas and conservation covenants throughout the coast. John remains optimistic about the possibilities of conservation action. 

 

Ken Cross is a teacher, a birder and the Convenor for Birdlife Australia on the Sunshine Coast. He is committed to encouraging people to learn about wildlife, engage in birding and contribute to conservation efforts. Recently he has started a Birding Tour company, Australian Birding Safaris in an effort to reduce his classroom time…

 

Russell McGregor is an Adjunct Professor of History in the College of Arts, Society and Education. Before his retirement in 2014, he taught modern world history, Australian history and historiographic theory at James Cook University. His most recent book, Idling in Green Places: A Life of Alec Chisholm, tells the story of a pioneer conservationist who once ranked among Australia's most popular nature writers. It was shortlisted for the 2020 National Biography Awards. Russell is a keen and committed bird watcher and conservationist. He has combined his two loves of birding and history and now researches and writes on subjects in this field.

 

Tim Siggs is a passionate birder and film maker. For over five years he has maintained an online collection of HD footage of Australian birds – The Australian Bird Video Collection. His intention is to grow the variety of species and behaviour recorded for the enjoyment and education of Australians. Enjoy a variety of his film clips of birds at http://timsiggs.com/

 

 Nikolas Haass is a Professor at The University of Queensland Diamantina Institute/Translational Research Institute and Adjunct Associate faculty member at the Centenary Institute. His main area of specialty is concerned with melanoma research. He is also, importantly, a ‘mad-keen’ birder interested in everything that moves but has a special interest in seabirds. He is a member of Birdlife Australia Rarities Commmittee [BARC].

 

BIRD PAINTING RAFFLE PRIZE SUPPLIED BY..

 

Located on Reserve Street in Pomona QLD, This Bird is a working art studio, floristry and shop full of fun, unique and colourful items created by Tia Carrigan.​

MARCH – WEDNESDAY - MID WEEK OUTING

 

Leader/s and contact details – Patrick Colley paddybcolley@gmail.com

Location – Bellthorpe Stays

Location –   This is an excellent private property that offers, as its name suggests, accommodation. It also offers excellent birding. It is circa 30 min drive from Maleny.  200 Willett Road, Bellthorpe.

Date – 10 March, 2021

Time – [beginning] – 7-30am

Time – [ending -estimated] – c. 9-30am with bird call

What to bring – hat, sunscreen, insect repellent, folding chair, morning tea.

Other details – http://www.bellstays.com.au/