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News Details - Landcare Australia Ltd
29-08-2008
Landcare Australia calls for volunteers to help save Sydney’s threatened wildlife
| Author: | Peter Scott |
Photo Credit: Green and Golden Bell Frog by Martin Schulz
Landcare Australia is calling on Sydneysiders to volunteer for urban landcare groups as a new study shows that one in ten of Sydneys wildlife species is under threat and some are already extinct.
The study, which was released today (Monday, September 1) to mark the start of Landcare Week, shows how volunteers are desperately needed to help protect and restore the natural habitats of species like the Eastern Pygmy-possum, the koala, the Wallum Froglet, the Grey-headed Flying-fox and the Gang-gang Cockatoo.
Brian Scarsbrick, Landcare This alarming study is a call to arms for anyone interested in preserving our wildlife to volunteer for their local urban landcare group and help protect and restore the natural habitat of our threatened indigenous wildlife. We need to act now if were going to save the 53 species under threat.
Photo Credit: NPWS Regent Honeyeater
According to the study, which was conducted for the Sydney Metropolitan Catchment Management Authority (CMA) by the Department of Environment and Climate Change (DECC) with funding from the Natural Heritage Trust, some species like the Eastern Bristlebird are already extinct and eight out of the 53 threatened species are Endangered. These species include; the Southern Brown Bandicoot, the Green and Golden Bell Frog and the Regent Honeyeater.
A recent survey we released showed that 40 per cent of the Australian population was considering volunteering for a local environmental group. Well the moment has now arrived. Landcare Week is the perfect time to get involved and
Photo Credit: Grey-headed Flying-fox by Martin Schulz
Sydney Metro CMA Chairman Bob Junor backs Landcare
Wherever you live in
The study lists some of the main threats to wildlife as:
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clearing of native vegetation,
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alteration to the natural flow of rivers and wetlands,
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climate change,
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predators like foxes and feral cats, and
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weed infestation.
Photo Credit: Koala by Martin Schulz
The study, which was compiled from existing local reports combined with field surveys (some nocturnal) carried out by DECC surveyors with the help of some 40 volunteers, catalogues over 550 native fauna species and profiles the top 50 wildlife sites throughout the Sydney CMA area, ranking them in order of wildlife importance.
Fifty per cent of the highest ranked sites are in non-conservation areas including; land owned by the Department of Defence at Holsworthy, Malabar and Ingleburn and Sydney Olympic Park.
A number of the non-conservation hotspots occur in areas were the land has a number of different managers including the Botany Wetlands, Middle Harbour Valley, the Upper and Lower Georges River, Kurnell Peninsula and Narrabeen Lake.
Among the top wildlife hotspots identified in conservation areas are; the Royal National Park, the internationally recognised Towra Point wetlands at Kurnell, the Cumberland Plain Woodlands at Prospect Reservoir and the heaths, forests and bushland of the Dharawal State Conservation Area and Nature Reserve.
There are around 1,000 urban landcare and Coastcare groups in the
Sun 7 Sept
Wed 3rd Sept -
HarbourKeepers (National Parks Association)
Sat 7th Sept - Bradleys Head
Harbourkeepers complete bush regeneration in
Lane Cove Bushcare
Sat 6 Sept - Our Community Nursery is open for community members to learn about native plant propagation from
Mon 8 Sept - Osborne Park Bushcare: 9am - 12noon, meet outside 78 Osborne Rd, Lane Cove Dorritt St Bushcare 1pm - 4pm, meet at the corner of Dorritt St and Phoenix St, Lane Cove
Contact: Michelle Greenfield, Lane Cove Council Bushcare Co-ordinator on 9911 3579.
Nielsen Park Bush Regeneration Group.
Tues 2nd Sept (and every Tuesday)
Thurs 4 Sept -
Tamarama Bushcare Group (
Sunday 7 September
Wolli Creek Preservation Society
Join Westpac volunteers on Tues 2 Sept and Fri 5 Sept. Local volunteer group Sat 6 Sept,
Woollahra Bushcare
Tues 2nd Sept - Cooper Park, Double Bay
Thurs 4th Sept -
Fri 5th Sept -
For contact details for other landcare groups visit www.landcareonline.com/directory
You can also help Landcare
Or you could enter the Blackmores Sydney Running Festival, which is taking place on Sunday, September 21, and is sponsoring Landcare
Editors Notes: The wildlife study is entitled the Rapid Fauna Habitat Assessment of the Sydney Metropolitan Catchment Management Authority Area and is published by the Department of Environment and Climate Change.
This study covered terrestrial vertebrates only and concentrated on sites where there was continuous remnant vegetation greater than 50 hectares (ha) in area. The study acknowledged that smaller remnants and even scattered original trees and ornamental gardens can have significant value for individual species or groups of species.
The Sydney Metropolitan CMA area starts at
To obtain more details on the study contact
For more information on Landcare