Interested to share your ideas, learn more from others, and network online about NRM governance? To join the new Good Governance for NRM Forum, visit www.ripeonline.com.au/launchpad/, scroll down and click on 'Good Governance for NRM Forum', then follow the instructions to create a new account. The Forum is an initiative of the Pathways to good practice in NRM governance research project.
24 April 2008
Urban Sustainability Support Alliance
The NSW Urban Sustainability Support Alliance (USSA) project aims to help councils progress towards sustainability. It is a partnership approach made up of organisations who, over 3 years, will:
- deliver training and professional development sessions;
- establish and maintain communication networks;
- share experiences and lessons learnt by councils in the journey towards sustainability;
- coordinate mentoring programs; and
- develop tools and resources based on sound research and need.
The Alliance project has been assisted by the NSW Environmental Trust through its Urban Sustainability Program (USP), and coordinated by the Local Government and Shires Associations of NSW.
Sydney Metropolitan CMA Community Forum 24 May 2008
Join Landcarers, Bushcarers, and other environmental volunteers and interested people from across Sydney for the Sydney Metropolitan Catchment Management Authority (CMA) 2008 Community Forum Building Partnerships for the Environment. Hear guest speaker Dr Jane Tarran from the University of Technology, Sydney, who will talk on 'Biodiversity in Urban Sydney - Achievements and Opportunities', find out about successful and inspiring community partnerships and get a better understanding of how Aboriginal heritage issues relate to your on-ground projects. Bookings are essential.
Latest Landscape Logic newsletter now available
The purpose of Landscape Logic is to work in partnership with regional natural resource managers to develop decision-making approaches that improve the effectiveness of environmental management. Landscape Logic aims to:
- Develop better ways to organise existing knowledge and assumptions about links between land management actions and environmental outcomes.
- Improve our understanding of the links between land management actions and environmental outcomes through historical studies of the effects of private and public investment on water quality and native vegetation condition.
Energy Transformed: Sustainable Energy Solutions for Climate Change Mitigation
This comprehensive online education and training package brings together the knowledge of how countries, specifically Australia, can achieve deep greenhouse cuts. Produced by The Natural Edge Project, the training package provides industry, governments, business and households with knowledge to enable them to realise at least 30 percent energy efficiency savings in the short term while providing a strong basis for further improvement. The package is presented as 3 modules each with 10 lectures. Each lecture is structured to enable you to find quickly what you need. Each lecture has a clear topic heading, aim, executive summary (key learning points), detailed 15 page essay and then further online resources.
Wetland Education and Training Workshops at Sydney Olympic Park
Sydney Olympic Park Authority offer a number of Wetland Education and Training (WET) Workshops each year. The WET Workshops are designed to facilitate the sharing of scientific research findings and the successful implementation of research in the management of the wetlands at Sydney Olympic Park. Register now for the next WET workshop on 5-6 June 2008 titled Climate Change, Sea Level Rise and Wetland Adaptations.
Towards Urban Water Reform: A Discussion Paper
Most urban households face severe restrictions on their use of water. These impose hidden costs that could amount to billions of dollars each year. Australia’s urban water shortages are only partly due to low rainfall. An important contributor has been inadequate institutional arrangements for the management of our urban water resources. In a new discussion paper, the Productivity Commission identifies a number of deficiencies in how urban water is currently managed, the most fundamental being the lack of any effective market.
Australian Association for Environmental Education (AAEE) Conference, Darwin, 9 - 12 July 2008
The Australian Association for Environmental Education (AAEE) is the premier professional association for those who work in the fields of environmental or sustainability education. The 15th Biennial AAEE Conference has the theme Environmental Education up the Track: Hot Topics for our Community. Come ‘up the track’ to Larrakia country and Charles Darwin University or join our virtual conference from your home-base.
06 April 2008
Queensland's Sustainable Homes Program
Governments and industry are partnering to design, build and promote the features and benefits of sustainable housing across the state. In a national first, the Sustainable Homes program is a Queensland legacy of the Year of the Built Environment (YBE 2004) - a year that highlighted the need for our built environments to become more sustainable through improved design and function. 
The Sustainable Homes program is providing communities throughout Queensland with display homes which incorporate principles of sustainable design and performance utilising the Smart Housing Design Objectives. The homes are unique because they provide practical examples within their regional climatic context of dwellings that aim to meet the triple bottom line concept of sustainability i.e. environmental, social and economic sustainability.
Green Building & Design Conference 2008
Melbourne: April 16-17, Sydney: April 30-May 1, Brisbane: 14-15 May, Adelaide: 28-29 May, Perth 4-5 June.
RMIT University’s ‘Green Building’ 2-day conference is back in 2008. After another successful year in 2007, the annual and highly regarded review returns, featuring the latest, greatest and cutting edge in ‘green’ building design and construction - be it engineering, planning, construction, or making the business case. Respected for its targeted topics, ‘warts and all’ discussions, site visits (some of the conference only), and breadth and quality of speakers and attendance, the conference is a must for policy makers, consultants, clients or constructors in the fast-growing green building space. As well as being held in Melbourne and Sydney RMIT University is also taking the 2-day conference to Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth.
Veg Futures 08 - Australia's national vegetation conference
Greening Australia and Land & Water Australia invite you to Veg Futures 08 on 20-23 October 2008 in Toowoomba Queensland.
Veg Futures 08 will be a comprehensive, practical conference about the nation’s most pressing challenges for vegetation management in regional and peri–urban landscapes. Veg Futures 08 tackles the big questions around vegetation management with a focus on biodiversity, water quality and landscape resilience in the face of climate change. The conference will also explore the policy environment for vegetation management, the potential role of carbon markets, the latest techniques for revegetation as well as specialist sessions on the role of art in the environment and communication for NRM practitioners.
Australia 2020 submissions close Wednesday 9 April
The Prime Minister of Australia Kevin Rudd will convene an Australia 2020 Summit at Parliament House on 19 and 20 April to help shape a long term strategy for the nation’s future. The Summit will bring together some of the best and brightest brains from across the country to tackle the long term challenges confronting Australia’s future –challenges which require long-term responses from the nation beyond the usual three year electoral cycle.
Contributing a submission to the Australia 2020 Summit is a way for all Australians to be involved in bringing the best ideas forward to address Australia’s long term challenges. Submissions must be received no later than 5:00pm Wednesday 9 April 2008.
National Pollutant Inventory (NPI) 2006-07 data now available
The National Pollutant Inventory (NPI) is a publicly accessible database with information on the types and amounts of substance emissions to the Australian environment. Emissions to air, land and water are estimated by facilities each year. The NPI also holds some data for diffuse sources whose emissions are aggregated together, including emissions from motor vehicles. The 2006-07 NPI data is now available.
SmartLink Transport in western Sydney
SmartLink Transport aims to both help the environment and to provide transport services for disadvantaged people and community groups in the Blue Mountains, Hawkesbury and Penrith local government areas in the west of Sydney.
Minister welcomes Port Phillip Bay Channel Deepening Decision
The Hon Peter Garrett MP, Minister for the Environment, Heritage and the Arts has issued a media release welcoming the judgement handed down in the Federal Court on 28 March dismissing the grounds for the Blue Wedges appeal against his decision on the Channel Deepening Project in Port Phillip Bay. Blue Wedges is a coalition that is campaigning against the deepening and dredging of Port Phillip Bay, Melbourne.
Free CyberTracker software for environmental monitoring
CyberTracker Conservation is a non-profit organisation whose vision is to promote the development of a worldwide environmental monitoring network. The open source CyberTracker software has been downloaded more than 30 000 times in more than 75 countries. Climate change, pollution, habitat destruction and loss of biodiversity may have serious impacts on human welfare. To anticipate and prevent negative impacts will require ongoing long-term monitoring of all aspects of the environment. The CyberTracker mission is to improve environmental monitoring by increasing the efficiency of data gathering and improving observer reliability.
Quarantine and Biosecurity Review submission period extended to 28 April
On 19 February 2008, the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, the Hon. Tony Burke MP announced a comprehensive, independent review of Australia’s quarantine and biosecurity systems. The timely review, the first wide-ranging assessment of quarantine and biosecurity in this country for many years, includes, but is not limited to, the functions of the Australian Quarantine and Inspection Service and Biosecurity Australia.
