Articles
News
-
Celebrating Lismore's Biodiversity on June 1st
Families are invited to this special event from PlantingSeeds’ B&B Highway. Featuring local groups and organisations such as Goonellabah Tucki and Richmond Landcare groups, Lismore City Council, Ngulingah Local Aboriginal Land Council, Bangalow Koalas, Firewheel Nursery, Friends of the Koala nursery, Bee Native Australia and Sugarbag Bees. Children can: For the adults: Register here: https://events.humanitix.com/the-b-and-b-highway-come-to-tucki-tucki-creek PlantingSeeds is working with six schools in the Lismore area to establish ‘B&Bs’ – Bed and Breakfasts for Birds, Bees and Biodiversity. Thanks to QBE Insurance grant funding, Albert Park Public, Kadina High, Lismore High, Mullumbimby High, Dunoon Public and St Carthage’s will be planting…
-
The Gist of GIS
If you have not heard of GIS, chances are a primary school student can explain what it is. Standing for Geographic Information Systems, it is enabled by the fact that most places in the world have a location reference. PlantingSeeds is using GIS to map out threatened pollinators and the plants they need. And many other Australian and global projects are, with the help of GIS, generating innovative solutions and strategies to biodiversity and sustainable challenges. GIS can help: One of the earlier and perhaps most impactful uses of GIS was in 1854, when John Snow discovered the origin of…
-
New study points to popular garden features helping wildlife
You may have installed a bird bath in your garden to attract birds. There may be a few wildlife boxes in neighbourhood trees nearby. And you may be wondering if they are effective in supporting biodiversity? Well, rest assured. A WA study, just published in the ‘Urban Ecosystems’ journal, shows that local nature is very thankful. University of Western Australia researchers examined the use of seven wildlife-friendly structure types used by four vertebrate taxa groups and conducted nearly 3,000 wildlife surveys between 2022 and 2023. The researchers found that all structures were used primarily by target taxa, water sources were…
-
Turf Wars: Where is the grass greener?
Turf wars are currently being played out on sporting fields, schools and in residential landscaping. The focus is pitching real grass against the artificial variety with many opponents very concerned about the health and environmental impacts of synthetic grasses. Advocates argue that less maintenance and weather readiness make artificial turf attractive. In March 2024, the NSW Government released draft guidelines (https://www.planning.nsw.gov.au/policy-and-legislation/open-space/synthetic-turf-study) for the use of synthetic turf on playing fields and the public has been invited to submit their feedback by the end of April 2024. However, many believe the guidelines do not go far enough, citing multiple concerns. Additionally,…
-
PlantingSeeds at the Nature Positive Cities Symposium
PlantingSeeds’ Dr Judy Friedlander presented at the recent EIANZ 2024 Nature Positive Cities Symposium in Sydney. She joined governmental, academic and business leaders to discuss how urban areas can rise to the challenge of supporting biodiversity. The conference at Sydney’s Sheraton Grand was focused on cities with key stats coming into play: As a precursor to the first Global Nature Positive Summit in Sydney in early October 2024, the symposium featured a welcome by the Minister for the Environment and Water, Tanya Plibersek, and Lord Mayor of Sydney Clover Moore with keynote and plenary speakers from across industry, government and…
-
The spectacled flying fox
The spectacled flying fox In the north-eastern regions of Queensland, from the lush mountains of Tully to the sandy beaches at the tip of Cape York and islands in Torres Strait, is an unsung guardian of biodiversity—the spectacled flying fox. This remarkable species, also known as the spectacled fruit bat, has a crucial ecological role and is facing threats that could jeopardize not just its own survival but also the health of the ecosystems it supports. Flying foxes, including the spectacled flying fox, are now classified by the IUCN (International Unionfor Conservation of Nature) as endangered and are essential for…