• “UN puts price on Biodiversity Loss ” – article at ABC (by environment reporter Sarah Clark 13th July 2010)
• “Biodiversity loss brings ecological systems closer to a tipping point”  – article at UN “Biodiversity loss is moving ecological systems ever closer to a tipping point beyond which they will no longer be able to fulfil their vital functions,” Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon warned  in his message for the International Day  for Biological Diversity, observed on 22 May, 2010.
• A Balance of Faeries .
• “East Coast Corridor to protect Wildlife” – article at SMH ( by Nicky Phillips 14th July 2010 “Australia has an very poor record of wildlife extinction. Close to half of all mammal extinctions that occurred on the planet in the past 200 years have occurred in Australia“
• THREATENED FAUNA of AUSTRALIA – at wikipedia
• FAUNA of AUSTRALIA – at wikipedia
• Creation : God and Endangered Species – at Ecospheric Ethics .
• Global Biodiversity Outlook GBO3 -  “flagship publication of the Convention on Biological Diversity”
• Resourcism , the Ideology of Despoliation &  earth mindless – short essays.
• Steve Keen’s Debtwatch at debtdeflation.com : including monthly reports on debt levels in Australia and USA. In his book “Debunking Economics,” ” Steve let the general public in on a little-known secret: that many widely believed economic models have been shown by economists to be wrong—hence the subtitle to his book, “the naked emperor of the social sciences”.”
• Koala Diaries – HOME - this website shows how people are concerned for the Australian KOALA. Is this concern going to go the same way of the Australia Koala Foundation, lots of furry suits, convenient politicised and sanctioned “scientific” reports, moneys collected, trinkets and badges sold, trackers on koalas, imprisoned koalas in reserves, justification for not considering the koalas of the Scenic Rim Council Region as development in SE QLD further fragments our Koala habitats on the east coast of Australia?

Green energy as a fuel : consequences - habitat loss for threatened species - AUSTRALIA

• “How South East Queensland Regional Plan gives developers power to trample upon residents’ rights” – article at candobetter.org

The Australian Koala is NOT listed as threatened by Australian EPBC laws. The Australian KOALA is at risk from:- Developments and infrastructure, clearing, non sustainable farming, dogs, cars, disease, stress, lack of habitat, fencing, light, noise,  and rural subdivision practices in the Mt Warning Caldera Region – from South of Ipswich, SE QLD, to over the border into NE NSW. All along the coastal strip in SE QLD and NE NSW intense, inappropriate urban development and infrastructure is destroying and fragmenting the BIODIVERSITY & HABITATS for Australian Koalas at an ALARMING RATE. Developments such as KINGS FOREST by Bob Ell and LEDA Group (project 28) signal the beginning of the end of local free Koala populations on the coast side of the PACIFIC HIGHWAY , Tweed Shire, NSW.

• “Stop developer Bob Ell from taking major koala habitat” at candobetter.org – this article reminds us that many people still are authentically concerned for Australian Native Wildlife, but that developer “right of way” has become the “Australian Way”, at the expense of our childrens’ future wellbeing.
  

• Kings Forest Residential Development – Hansard Transcript 10th March 2010 – NSW Parliament – speaker Ian Cohen .
• Phantom Koala and Part 3A of the NSW Planning Law – bluecray
• Australian wildlife should be able to enjoy environmentally sustainable habitats within which to live their lives free from human harm by high energy low sustainability  infrastructure developments created by people who are not acting wisely.
• Phantom Koala and the Goanna – environmental advocacy poem and some ideas about environmental activism

• Individual Responsibility : Biodiversity * Free Will * Part 3A of the NSW Planning Law :
• Local and regional Organic Lifestyles * History of Environmental Sustainability *

• Wisdom in the Land * A Balance of Faeries *
• ** The artwork of me meditating with the Black-footed Rock Wallabies is from Trephina Gorge NT, Australia, summertime, early 1990′s.

“The toolkit comprises a step by step guide to the Part 3A process with information on opportunities for public participation and ideas for how to achieve best practice outcomes” (from EDO website)

The EDO  Major Projects Toolkit is a simply presented 21 page downloadable PDF that outlines how people in NSW can interact and become involved in Major Project applications.

This interaction is essential because:-

• cumbersome Laws relating to Environment and Planning in NSW reflect a complicated, alienating and basically not easy to understand environmental planning process.
• the needs of  only the Developers and other beneficiaries of the Part 3A Projects clearly disadvantage many smaller community groups and individuals in the NSW Planning process.

• the wider community and more importantly, the Future Generations of Australians, and those of the wildlife that may be impacted by the Part 3A Development are almost totally unrepresented within the Part 3A planning Law. Education about Part 3A is essential.

• Environmental & Planning Law in Australia has become a cumbersome and largely inaccessible component of many peoples’ lives. There are  Environmental & Planning Laws in place that people just don’t know about.
• Given knowledge of these Laws, then cost and time can still make it virtually impossible to interact with, and understand the LAWS.
• The EDO is a precious Australian Resource of dedicated people and knowledge, that can help us understand Environmental Planning and Law in easy to read words and methodologies. This is practical Environmental Advocacy.

I once thought that the Australian Nation prided itself in a fair go for the individual. Slowly but surely, Laws have invaded our privacy, right to defend, right to know and freedom of reasonable expression.

Those who have vast resources available to them (such as having connections  in the government), access to large amounts of money,  consultants,  specialised LEGAL knowledge  – these people have a clear  advantage over  the individuals / community who believe that a particular planning process is abhorrent and non environmentally sustainable for future generations, but are unable to understand the Legal context.

The cost of going to court, in large development V’s community cases is beyond most of the population of Australia.

That Laws can be enacted to deny basic survival rights to Native Australian Wildlife, when other Australian Laws are working ever so hard to create a sustainable future for these Animals paints a very harsh picture of the intent of some “Lawmakers” and “Lawmaking” processes.

The  dichotomy is this:-

Environmental Sustainability is largely a hollow statement these days. Current and past methods of infrastructure building and development processes are brutal to any wildlife habitats on and nearby to such development. Mostly, when the developments are created, the wildlife is either locked up in nearby “corridors” and reserves or given token pathways in which they are presumed to live. Meanwhile, in reality:-they can be killed, maimed, their food chains and habitats disrupted horrifically and cruelly.

• Fences, landscaping, infrastructure, concrete drains, catchment and water table alteration, acid sulphate soil disturbance, new DAM requirements for increased urban water use, increased fires, traffic, noise, light, interference, toxins in food chains, dogs, cats, translocation, heavy machinery use, drastic change in micro habitat and native seedbank destruction are just some of the stressful challenges that wildlife face when non sustainable development occurs

• Animals DO NOT keep dwelling stress free in developing areas full of  machinery, noise, light, fencing, water catchment alteration and environments altered by  (human engineered) Chemical useage.

• When a development is commenced, it may be that the *developer has owned the land for some time, and gradually degraded the land so that the Native Australian Wildlife gradually disappear – this is called LOSS OF BIODIVERSITY.

• When a development is created on paper, it doesn’t account for changes to all the tiny micro biological components that are occurring within the future “REAL” development. The paper law only focuses on those components of the natural environment that it is required to by LAW. The multiplicity of  consequences, when the smaller units of BIODIVERSITY are killed and stressed ARE NOT TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT by the paper LAW. This is called loss of BIODIVERSITY.

• Loss of biodiversity and associated stresses to Australian native wildlife occur in many (most) of the developments that have proceeded and continue to proceed, unimpeded along the Coastline of SE QLD and NE NSW.

• Alteration of Catchments, both above and below the Ground can have long lasting consequences on biodiversity. (MURRAY-DARLING Catchment is a global example of  this; The Hunter Region in NSW is another example.)

If current Paper Laws enacted out the Environmentally Sustainable Vision that they supposedly say they do, then harmful and degrading engineering principles, machinery and chemical destruction of biodiversity,  and water catchment ill health would become a thing of the past.

This does not appear to be happening. Non renewable energy consumption, reliance of old, proven non sustainable infrastructure development practices are increasingly killing off our Australian Biodiversity and ecological communities.

However, there is a way. But it requires an honest approach to the real issues, instead of the focus on paper laws and processes that address issues largely unrelated to the reality of what is actually happening.

The Six Clusters of Denial—Death by Storytelling at candobetter.org

The Part 3A component of the NSW Planning Process hijacks much of the
current knowledge about the intricacies of Biodiversity, Water Catchment health and Air Quality. Part 3A creates a playing field that is ARTIFICIAL, not related to Future Environment(al sustainability). Part 3A  is  brutal to the beautiful and diverse habitats of our many smaller Australian native fauna that are struggling to survive in our quickly changing Australian Environment.

some links:-

• EDO Northern Rivers :
• The EDO discussion paper entitled ‘Planning in NSW: Reconnecting the community with the planning system’ – search results at bluecray environmental search
• EDO Planning Survey :- I am not too sure if this survey is still current, but have a look anyway
• EDO NSW Ltd WORKSHOPS :
• Total Environment Centre :-
• The Big Scrub Environment Centre :-
• EDO Planning Discussion Paper :-
• Planning Institute of Australia : – try searching for their “BIODIVERSITY” sections – appear very limited. Also try the NSW and QLD divisions….. “money talks”… as the song goes
• URBAN TASKFORCE :- their news 15th March 2010 “$1.8 billion in projects quietly rejected in just eight months”
  Media Release 15 March 2010
  “The NSW Government has quietly denied “Part 3A” status to 14 major development projects worth $1.8 billion since July last year, according to documents obtained by the Urban Taskforce“
• Independent Commission Against Corruption – media release, 13th December 2010 “ICAC recommends reforms to Part 3A of the NSW Planning legislation” following the release of the report  ”The exercise of discretion under Part 3A of the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979 and the State Environmental Planning Policy (Major Development) 2005″

…..“money talks”… as the song goes – there is a huge gap between the multi million dollar money sector of development groups in Australia and grass roots biodiversity and regional sustainability issues. It is time that this gap was breached. Money may talk, but unfortunately, if money is not the issue, then biodiversity has few advocates in a practical sense, when it comes to development in NSW and QLD. Not many people seek  to admit this, or even try to breach the gap. However, the EDO has come some way in attempts to breach this gap by openly informing people about the practical legalities surrounding development approvals and the rights of communities and individuals.

Revolutionary thinking is required to breach this gap – politically, socially, through development, infrastructure & market reform based on authentic Land and Water Stewardship and Custodianship. Self seeking profit takers within the development industry do little to enhance the situation. Self seeking egos within the environmental industry sustain the current system. ……. a little humility may go a long way.

• EDO Queensland, – there are a number of FACT SHEETS that the Queensland EDO publishes, concerning accessing information, coastal protection and management, climate change law and biodiversity, defamation, nature conservation, mining, heritage, planning and challenging development, water, vegetation protection, regional planning and planning schemes to name a few. Have a look at this website, and think about giving donations to the EDO to help their cause. Whilst there is a “paper” boundary showing separation of NE NSW and SE QLD, native fauna do not read maps, and are not necessarily permanent residents of just one state.

In SE Qld,  development is forging ahead, despite all the motherhood statements about “iconic” Koalas, environmental sustainability and how wonderful the SE Qld WATER GRID (stream stealing) is. In reality, development  has decimated the wetlands south of Brisbane and the Koala is disappearing.

Sprawling urban development  is riddled with vaste industrial developments, highways (existing and in the pipeline) and disappearing wildlife habitats. Coastal hinterland housing estates  are promoted as “real estate investment opportunities” and do little to enhance the decreasing habitats of many native wildlife species.

The website candobetter has some good information concerning the state of affairs in SE QLD, and makes good reading. The Koala is still a political football, and still disappearing at alarming rates.The koala is only one of many many threatened species at risk in SE QLD from habitat clearing for development and infrastructure creation.

below are some search engine results from bluecray for:-

koala SE QLD : there are no doubt plenty of other links to search, but this is a start

candobetter koala se qld : some very nice summaries about the state of play for KOALAS in SE QLD

*An example of inappropriateness and community concern regarding the Part 3A Planning Law in NE NSW can be found in the process surrounding the Kings Forest Development by Bob Ell’s LEDA Group (Project 28) in the Tweed Shire (Northern Rivers, NSW, Australia) :-

Environmental Sustainability as a guiding principle is found to be extremely hollow when connected with the NSW and Tweed Shire planning processes and Part 3A of the NSW Planning Law. In Luis Feliu’s article  “What’s the Hurry?” ( Tweed Shire Echo – March 11th, 2010) “Councillors are set to vote next Tuesday on a rescission motion aimed at scuttling a move which originally endorsed council planners’ submission to the planning department on the massive Cobaki Lakes and Kings Forest residential subdivisions.” READ the rest of the Article HERE , and view some of the Tweed Shire Echo’s more recent letters concerning this Kings Forest Development . Kings Forest is a State Significant Site, and hence comes under the Part 3A of NSW’s Planning Law.

• candobetter.org also has some great information concerning the above development here and here .
• some search results for recent Tweed News concerning Kings Forest and Cobaki Lakes Development
• also try Tweed Link Issues at the Tweed Shire Council.
• Environmental Justice Society – “environmentally conscious lawyers, doctors, scientists and campaigners who want to empower individuals and communities with the knowledge and resources to rally support and take action to bring negligent companies to account“

Well, congratulations, if you have reached the end of this article, as it is, like many of my long winded posts – um, rather sprawling…

However, if you have reached the end, then, do not forget to have a look at the EDO websites in the above links.

The above photos show introduced honey bees foraging on introduced pasture grass flowers. Native bees will also forage on this grass. Bees have communities that all work for the common good, from the leader down to the workers.

Educate yourself courtesy of the work done by the EDO, and above all, do keep your mind clear of worry. LAWS, such as the Part 3A, created and used by elected members of the NSW Parliament and Developers, define the individuals who make and use these Laws to their advantage.

Eventually, greater wheels turn than those impressive wheels of the “development must go ahead” vehicle. The compulsive and obsessive  habits  that promote wasteful, non sustainable economy of scale infrastructures, industrial centres, earthmoving businesses, large shopping centre complexes, monocultured nurseries, insatiable greed, need to control and pugnacious courtroom battle scenarios define those who seek to prosper from such habits.

These industries also appear to offer herbicides as an acceptable answer to mainstream Australian weed management. Diminishing biodiversity due to a weed chronically infesting an area is often the “umbrella” under which mass herbicide application occurs. The logic of killing on a large scale to create biodiversity is a remarkable dichotomy that does little to serve future life on earth.

• ” The Roles of Biodiversity in Creating and Maintaining the Ecosphere” by Ted Mosquin .
• National Weed Incursion TOOLKIT can be found at Weeds Australia .
• National Weed Incursion Response Plan at Weeds Australia .
• Weed Warriors : “Weed Warriors program is adaptive to all levels of education however the program is most often targeted at grades 3 to 6 in primary schools and years 7 –9 in secondary schools.” – whilst having some great info, this NSW website has very conventional vision – highlights how lack of practical level environmentally sustainable teachings can be fostered by inappropriate educational vision.
• Weeds and Biodiversity : search results at bluecray customised environmental search engine (remember- some more recent info will also be available, if you take the time to look in recent journal publications and Government/CSIRO updates)
• Ranking priority environmental weeds for biodiversity conservation in NSW:- Search for Regional weeds Management Priorities at  the NSW Office of environment and Heritage.  AND –  “Ten Worst Weeds” in the Gold Coast City Council Area, SE QLD .
• “Converting stands of camphor laurel to rainforest” – here you will find some excellent information about Camphor Laurel management (John Kanowski and Carla P.Catterall – Griffith University’s Centre for Innovative Conservation Strategies and the Northern Rivers CMA)
• Camphor Laurel Abundance in the Tweed Shire 2004:- (map3A.pdf) -

• Condong Mill, Sunshine Electricity, Delta energy, individual land owners and other Bioenergy consortiums, providers, merchants and “tradespeople” are currently harvesting biofuels to create GREEN ENERGY. They are currently doing this in the TWEED SHIRE, Northern Rivers, NSW, Australia.   They are doing this by clear felling native  (including endangered) wildlife habitats,  using bulldozers working  10 hours  per day, 6 days per week on private land.  At least three  Rufous Bettongs have been seen and heard living and nesting adjacent to this area over the past  years. Habitats that they are clearing and demolishing   become bare, steep sloped exposed soil.  Vegetation  taken, (via habitat destruction of endangered species habitats), is conveyed via machinery, into vaste piles of  “BIOFUEL” – or camphor laurel chip/dust, which is then trucked away to their storage areas for burning as GREEN FUEL.  This work has been going on for some time now, under the umbrellas of  “save the world from greenhouse gases” and “lessen the Mining of non renewable resources” pressures. This is weed management gone mad, is highly destructive to native flora and fauna “remnant habitats”, and gives the appearance of  using more energy to create less energy. This type of vegetation management gives the local area of Upper Burringbar, NE NSW  decreased habitats for endangered species and short-medium term loss of carbon stores and overall biodiversity loss. I call this “war on Biodiversity”.  What laws protect biodiversity, at a local level, in this situation????
• Rufous Bettong at NSW Threatened Species – Northern Rivers
• Some bluecray educational storyline articles about the Rufous Bettong and Habitat Clearing :- “PK and Litoria look for Rufous Bettong, and on the way, meet up with Goanna” ;  “Rufous Bettong and the Glyphosate Bank” ;   “Goanna leaves the glyphosate bank, the butterflies leave too” and   “Wildlife leaves glyphosate bank – finds refuge in organic garden“.
  

• BIOENERGY AUSTRALIA -  and its  MEMBERS .

• Invasive Weeds at Australian Botany Pages (ANBG) and Centre for Plant Biodiversity Research (CPBR) (includes article on Bitou Bush)
• Byron Environment Centre’s “weed control without chemicals” articles (4 in all), by Geoff Dawe can be found HERE .
• “Clearing the Habit of Habitat Clearing” :- bluecray article at Wisdom in the Land blog
• Animal-Plant Interactions in Rainforest Conservation and Restoration – Rainforest CRC proceedings – workshop 11th November  2003 and a few other interesting links
• Monitoring Revegetation Projects for Biodiversity in Rainforest Landscapes (Rainforest CRC Report 51) John Kanowski and Carla P. Catterall ISBN 0 86443 767 6
• Society for Ecological Restoration International : “to promote ecological restoration as a means of sustaining the diversity of life on Earth and reestablishing an ecologically healthy relationship between nature and culture.”
• The Ecology Centre – University of Queensland, Australia
• Plant Nurseries and the Australian Nursery Industry have much more to offer in the way of some  gentle, energy efficient weed management solutions. Sustainable management solutions!  The growing of local provenance and provincial native plant species and seed for sale is one of the best answers that a Nursery can offer, when it comes to helping Land and Water Stewards (Environmental Stewards).
• Northern Rivers Invasive Plants Action Strategy 2009 – 2013 NE NSW for the use of all Public and Private land managers -( it is  the “NCWAC-Weed-Book.pdf “  at northcoastweeds.org.au/ )
• The Council of Australasian Weed Societies Inc (CAWS) – here you will find some interesting info about weeds and their spread. This site appears to be weighted towards chemical control of weed, however they have some useful information. Past conference proceedings can be found at their website .

***You can click on each of the illustrations in this article to get a brief idea of the body of this article, if you are in a rush!!***

Collection and distribution of local, native seed.

Largely an unmentored industry, a strong and diverse Australian Native Seed Industry offers a practical, low energy solution to Australia’s Weed Management issues.

Habitat and ecological community restoration projects, developments, infrastructure landscaping and environmental rehabilitation programs -  all of these require a concerted, coordinated Vision and National Direction concerning their use of local provenance and provincial native plant species.

To date, this has not been effected by the Australian Government, nor any State government or Local Authority. There are some token gestures in place. There is some  work on a handful of native pasture grasses. Native plants are required to be used in development and infrastructure works, but not always local provenance or provincial strains. There has been some funded work for plant species that make up a large percentage of Australian Vegetation communities, but  that are relatively unkown in economic terms. (See LINKS below)

The Nursery Industry has many cultivars for Australian trees, shrubs, groundcovers and vines . With the rise of plant variety rights in the 80′s, the trend to market same style, same shape, uniform product has trended the development of Australian native species towards  cuttings (the same genetetic source) for mass growing and planting. This isn’t helping biodiversity, as it promotes the same genetic species being spread throughout an area, whilst the other genetic strains die out. This has occurred already in our food industries, and shouldn’t be allowed to happen in our natural environmental industries.

The Forestry industry has a large network of Australian native seed available for distribution – mainly trees and shrubs. Greening Australia has a mentorship program for native seed. There are also a number of other small seed industries that promote Australian native plant seed via collection and distribution. CSIRO  has some great information on native seeds and native seed banks.

The Society for Growing Australian Plants has been at the fore regarding work done on Native Plants. However, much, much more needs to be accomplished, if we are to replace our vaste weed inhabited, poorly managed landscapes with a diversity of local provenance and provincial native plant species.

• SGAP SEED BANK information about the Society for Growing Australian Plant’s Seed Banks – Queensland Branch
• Australian Native Plants Society – Australian Seed Suppliers for Native Seed .
• Native vegetation Management: A Needs Analysis of Regional Service Delivery in Queensland – a state summary : search results at bluecray Environmental Search
• NATIVE SEED IN AUSTRALIA: A COMMUNITY PERSPECTIVE – search results at bluecray Environmental Search Engine
• “Seed dispersal science used to combat weed invasions” ; article CSIRO Sustainable Ecosystems
• Australian Tree Seed Centre (CSIRO )

• ENSIS : CSIRO and SCION
• ANBG Seed Bank at  (Australian National Botanic Gardens):- this link has changed, but perhaps you can search the Centre for Australian National Biodiversity Research for seed bank information ( BOTANICAL WEB PORTAL)
• NSW Seed Bank (NSW Botanic Gardens Trust)
• Australia Advances series 15 :- Seed Bank (CSIRO)
• Greening Australia SEED & NURSERY
• Australian Government Grains Research & Development Corporation :-WEEDLINKS
• Land & Water Australia. 2009. The Lower Murray Floodplain seedbank: status and response to flooding. [Online] (Updated July 3rd, 2009)
  It was available at: http://lwa.gov.au/node/2931 , however the link has disappeared
• “australia native grass sustainable agriculture” search results bluecray environmental search engine – you may like to try other searches about weeds and weed alternatives, or native seed production etc
• Weed Seed Wizard – Weeds CRC – now a NON updated site
• “War against weeds goes underground with DPI&F-GRDC collaboration” 24 September, 2008 :-article about seed banks and the Qld Department of Primary Industries and Fisheries
• search for BRADLEY METHOD of WEED REMOVAL here.
• Philosophy of Environmental Destruction in the Name of Healing
  By al at bluecray on March 3, 2009
• Effects of Pasture Management on Germinable Seed Bank in a Degraded Phalaris Pasture  – Jim Virgona and Annabel Bowcher :- Australian Society of Agronomy article at the Regional Institute .
• Soil Seed Banks of Adjacent Unlogged Rain-Forest Types in North-Queensland by AW Graham and MS Hopkins in the Australian Journal of Botany 38(3) 261 – 268 (CSIRO)
• Biotechnology online : SEED BANKS - the Australian Government and the  Millenium Seed Bank Project
• Native Seed Pty Ltd : Native Grass Seed Suppliers in Australia

• Looking for some native pasture Alternatives? try here:- Grasses of Subtropical eastern Australia Margaret Elliott : search results bluecray Environmental Search Engine

• and, Grasses of Subtropical Eastern Australia by Penny Watsford & Margaret Elliott Nullum Publications, Murwillumbah .at Brunswick Valley Landcare Inc. BOOKSHOP. This book is worth buying or finding in your library. It comes with a CD, photos and clear illustrations. You may even like to purchase a copy and donate it to the library of your local school or TAFE!!

• Grassed up – guidelines for revegetating with Australian native grasses (Released/reviewed: 27 Jun 2001   Authors:Cathy Waters, Wal Whalley, Charles Huxtable) NSW Department of Primary Industries and here is a link to some of their useful publications .

• Weeds, Pests animals and ants at Qld Primary Industries and Fisheries
• North Coast Weeds Advisory Committee
• Weeds at Qld Biosecurity
• Australian Weeds : Australian Government – includes ID, management, biological, physical, cultural, preventative, integrated and chemical control chapters
• Natural Sequence Farming : search results at bluecray Environmental Search

• National Toxics Network:
• Australian Weeds :- search results at bluecray Environmental search Engine
• Integrated Pest Management (IPM) at bluecray Environmental Search

Instead of focusing on the WEED, the focus is better centred about the SEED BANK.

Environmental Management, under the leadership of the Australian Government,  has mentored the use of  herbicides over large scale areas of weed infestation, as well as fostering the use of herbicides in small scale revegetation and habitat rehabilitation projects. This is a destructive form of habitat restoration. Scientifically scrutinised, trials show varied results from these methods, depending on the agenda of the trials. Once the weed infested area is sprayed, then there are a number of possible outcomes:-

• the weed or another weed reinfests the area
• the habitat, weakened by the destruction, loses initial biodiversity
• the area remains low in biodiversity after only a small population of native plants are established through plantings and sowings (mainly plantings)
• other plants and animals (Australian Native) become stressed and ill
• the area, if allowed to naturally regenerate, without continual slashing, mowing, burning and herbicide spraying, may regenerate with increasing biodiversity, once animals (birds, marsupials, insects etc) move back into the area and act as seed vectors.
• planting of selected, same type species of native plants may struggle to form healthy habitats, due to lack of initial biodiversity planning and plantings.
• overall short term biodiversity loss until the future vegetation community and/or ecological community begins to function, often at least several years after spraying and destruction.

Australian Higher Learning and Understanding about Seed Banks (weed and non weed)

Historically, (and fairly recently), Australia has condoned  ill informed higher educational and extension practices that have also led to many weed infestations. Examples of this ?

• Tertiary and college teaching of species lists that include potential environmental weeds – for landscaping, architecture, agriculture, forestry and horticulture students.

• Tertiary teaching of Integrated Pest Management, yet focusing largely on the Agricultural Chemical Industry and it’s use of herbicides in pasture, recreational, infrastructure and development land and water management. ( I was extremely lucky to study, for part of my Bachelor of Applied Science with the (old) Plant Protection Department at the Gatton Agricultural College – Now University of Queensland Gatton Campus , where the dedicated staff gave me a sound,  very informed background in both Integrated Pest Management AND Pesticide Application Technology and Safety. )
• The use of herbicides for many government sponsored environmental rehabilitation projects:-  Landcare, Land for Wildlife, Large scale/regional Weed Management – (eg Bitou Bush, Lantana), environmental training projects for the unemployed and a range of scientific trials in development of food and textile cropping for the high energy, biologically wasteful practice of monoculture.
• The use of herbicides in Environmental training projects without consideration to gentle bush regeneration methods, without use of local provenance and provincial native seed and without habitat care.

The above picture shows two flowers. The flower on the right shows good Land and Water Stewardship. The flower on the left show very poor Land and Water Stewardship. Both flowers have, at their centre, the SEED BANK. {I use this term rather loosely here, as some plants self propagate by tuber, rhizome, suckering, air layering, leaves, stems. Some “seed banks” are held in the ground, some above ground on the plant, whilst, as in rainforests, the seed bank germinates, but often the plant is held, as a seedling, in a dormant state, awaiting an opportunity to grow bigger.} I have used the words seed bank, or reserve of future plants (native and weed) to keep this story simple.

The left flower is ill formed, out of balance and sick looking. It shows the current types of weed management practices that appear to be advocated for, by the NSW, Qld and Australian Governments. Herbicides are offered as a solution to weed control over and above the growing of native local provenance and provincial stock “seed” plants for seed collection, distribution and growing on in areas infested by environmental and noxious weeds. Extension methods, as perceived by bluecray, are in the main, for herbicide use.(Reference:- “Noxious & Environmental Weed control Handbook – a guide to Weed Control in non – crop, aquatic and bushland situation.” Rod Ensbey, Regional Weed Control Coordinator Grafton NSW (NSW DPI Bookshop, ORANGE, ISSN 1443-0622)

The flower on the right is full formed, balanced and well. It shows the type of educational and practical solutions to weed management that cater for BIODIVERSITY and Habitat care. (Reference:- see ##below)

So now you have the lowdown on my practical understanding of this issue, let us continue…..

The Flower on the right has biodiversity as one of the PETALS of knowledge. Biodiversity is all essential, when it comes to Environmental Stewardship.

The petals on the flower are not all encompassing, as there are a number of other “petals”  that I could add, but in order to keep it simple, let us look at the PETALS on the Right Hand FLOWER:-

• BIODIVERSITY : speaks for itself!!!
• Competition :- bare topsoil, degraded, overgrazed land with poor water runoff management offers little competition to weed invasion. On the other hand, a resilient and biodiverse vegetation community offers good competition to invading weeds
• Rain:- rainfall can trigger weed seed germination & invasion. It is also a useful natural aid for cultivating out weeds from an area. Run-off can carry both weed and native seed. Pooling of nutrients, after run-off can help create little islands of biodiversity.
• Soil and Water Health :-weed infested water and weed infested soils contribute to poor land management hygeine. They can be sources of future infestations via seed bank stores. Degraded topsoil can foster the increase of opportunistic weed species as opposed to Native Seed regeneration.
• Fire:- over burning can create bare degraded soil – thus increasing the opportunistic weed seed bank’s capacity  to colonise the burnt area. fire can also release native seed that is held in above and below ground seed banks
• Weed Map:-knowing where and when the weeds occur is essential to understanding the overall situation of the land being managed. Knowing where outbreaks are high or low can help you decide where to start your weed management strategy. A good focus for a weed map is to show the areas of HIGH RESILIENCE of native vegetation or working pasture. These are the areas that, if protected at their “edges”, can expand, as the seed source of wanted plants is already there.
• Seed Map:-knowing where to get native seed from, locally or regionally is essential to replacing vegetation. This is especially so where over grazing, over clearing, over cultivation and over spraying occurs. Your SEED MAP can also include the local seed resources nearby to you, where birds and other animals may act as vectors to carry the seed to your “weeded” or “regenerating” area.
• Time Management:- this is a pivotal knowledge point. If you do not have the time to manage your weeds, then perhaps you can look at how your time is managed. Herbicides are often used, due to time shortage. However, they are increasingly energy reliant. Also, naturally occurring cycles of weeds need to be understood, if management is to be successful. The biological and seasonal/yearly timing,  with regard to the overall weed and native seed cycles needs to be understood. Some weeds may stay in the seed bank for a number of years, until the conditions are right for germination. Planning ahead with a good supply of native seed for competition with weed seed germination can be helpful, when the conditions are good for germination events (after rain, seasons, disturbances, flooding etc)
• Cultivation:- cultivation primarily disturbs soil. This can give the seedbank signals to begin growing. If you know what weed or native seed is in the soil, then once cultivation begins, you can expect that seed to germinate, to some degree (depending on the season, rainfall, temperature, soil conditions and so on)
• Grazing:- over grazing, overstocking and disturbance by hoofed animals created degraded land. Weeds, if present in the seed bank, can then colonise the disturbed site unless other legumes, pasture grasses and herbaceous native plants are present and resilient in the grazed area.
• Wildlife:- wildlife often help seedbanks function – they eat and transfer (vector) seed, fruit and other plant material. Birds are an excellent indicator of how successful a weed management program is. A general rule of thumb:- more bird species, the more biodiversity. Wildlife disappears when overly destructive weed management techniques are used. Wildlife can carry both weed and native seed. If you look under a tree or post where birds sit, you will often find seedlings coming up. Some are weeds, some are native. You can help native wildlife by planting native, local plants, and they can help you by bringing in more seed, when they visit the plantings. Nice one, nature!!!
• Overwhelming:- some weeds, if in their initial colonisation period throughout an area, can be overwhelmed by native plantings. Time is important here, and patience. Shading out, nutrient competition, drought tolerance and native plant survival strategies often allow native plants to prosper where non native plants die. However, weeds, as opportunists, mainly do the overwhelming, in disturbed, non resilient, native remnants.
• Suppression:- techniques such as mulching, shading, high native plant densities and lack of disturbance can act to suppress weed cycles.
• Eradication:- this is best done at the initial onset of a weed infestation. This is best done where the weed has only spread to a small area. Eradication, on a larger scale demands strict replanting, resowing, non disturbance follow up practices. It often involves follow up weed seed bank germination for following seasons, and hence, more maintenance.
• Co-existing:- weeds infest an area and compete successfully, where the native seed bank has diminished or is supressed by the invading weed, cultural practices and disturbance. Co-existing of weeds and native vegetation is prevalent throughout much of Australia. some weeds co-exist so well, that they have become “naturalised”. Many flora and faune co-habit successfully with these weeds. However, co-existence of weeds with natural landscapes can offer a source of further weed spread in surrounding disturbed, non resilient habitats and ecological units.
• Habitat Enhancement:- at the crux of all weed management should be Habitat Health. The killing of weed vegetation en masse destroys whatever habitat there is, creating stress for our native wildlife and often destroying small surviving native plants that struggle to live with the weeds. Constant mowing, constant spraying, constant traffic and cultivation, constant burning – these things destroy habitat.
• Life Cycles:- the life cycle of the weed must be fully understood. some weeds have yearly lifecycles (annuals), some are herbaceous perennials (long & short lived), some are long lived woody species (small and large trees). Weed cycles give us an idea how and why they have invaded a disturbed area. Weed vectors such as wind, animals, human traffic, run-off, soil movement need to be understood. Weed propagation and renewal processes need to be understood fully. Where weeds have infested an area to the point of lack of biodiversity of native plants and animals, their growth and regeneration cycles need to be fully appreciated. These areas of widespread, non biodiverse areas of weed are often the target for herbicide use, burning, mowing and other destructive forms of habitat management. The life cycles of native plant species endemic to the area need to be understood fully, before any destruction of the existing weed infestation occurs. Otherwise, if there is no native seed bank to replenish the area, the habitats will suffer short term, and possibly long term.
• Resilient Areas:- where native vegetation is biodiverse and functioning with fewer weeds. These areas are to be treasured and enhanced. It is from these areas that native fauna help disperse native seed into surrounding weed infested areas. These areas can also be at risk of weed invasion, once disturbed. These areas are at the forefront of the weed infestation line. Spreading the resilient areas outwards, into the weed infested area is recommended. This can be done by either edge weeding (Bradley Method style) or by planting “islands” of similar vegetation comunities nearby, thus creating a chain of native vegetation stands that offer native fauna a refuge, habitat and food source. The native vegetation “islands” become future sources of seed bank, that can then naturally spread further or be used for future plantings of more “islands”.

Now let us look at the PETALS on the government extension offered by the NSW Government for Weed Management:-

• Slashing
• Mulching
• Fire
• cultivation
• Reafforestation
• Biological
• Flame Weeding
• Goats
• Herbicides
• Land Management – Pasture, grazing, cropping, hygeine, weed identification
• I should add one more petal as of about 2008 – the use of BULLDOZERS and FORESTRY HEAVY MACHINERY for CLEAR FELLING, as a method of WEED MANAGEMENT. This clear felling includes clearing creek banks down to the water line. Apparently Tweed Shire Council, the NSW and Australian Governments endorse the CLEARFELLING of mature stream bank holding trees along creek systems in the Northern Rivers of NSW.  The photo below shows typical BIOFUEL industry WEED MANAGEMENT. The trees are removed from the creek bank and surrounding flood plain. This is done by bulldozer type heavy machinery.

• And another petal I have observed over the past years. A method of weed management endorsed by the QLD , NSW and Australian Governments. This is the piling of clear felled vegetation matter into large heaps to be subsequently burnt through the evenings and into the next day or so. This method is employed by the BIOFUEL INDUSTRY in the Northern Rivers of NSW. Farmers in SE QLD and NE NSW also do this. In some instances, these piles are left some weeks before being burnt, but not always.

NATIVE SEED BANKS and WEED SEED BANKS

**Bluecray does not advocate the taking of seed from just anywhere, should you wish to collect native seed for yourself. You can, of course, take the seed from native plants on your own property, however, be mindful that the seed is also part of the functioning ecology in situ. To take from, usually means that you will also have to give back. This is especially true for endangered species and seed that doesn’t germinate easily. Taking this seed may mean a net loss in the overall seed bank, should your seed not germinate, and be wasted.

The interface between a weed area and a native bush area can be very dynamic, and hard to map out. It can change dramatically season by season, and is not something that can have a “line” drawn to show the weed from non weed area. Much of the seed bank is either under the ground, held in the above ground vegetation or growing nearby to be dispersed by wind, water, soil movement, animals and traffic.

Weeds and native plants compete for food, light, space, water. Weeds are often tough, adaptable, both by genotype and phenotype, opportunistic and are very good at renewal of themselves,usually by prolific seeding, suckering, tubering, leaf fall or air layering. Weeds, like some native plants, can produce chemical inhibitors that hinder the germination of other seeds nearby . Weeds method of spread also help them succeed. They often are wind born, but also eaten by animals, transported by water, animals, vehicles, movement of soil and dumping of vegetation “waste”.

Remnant vegetation is disappearing along much of our coastal strip, and also inland. It is becoming fragmented, weed infested and losing resilience.

Resilient remnant vegetation is important to protect. Weeds to not readily invade intact, resilient native remnant vegetation. Weeds invade disturbed landscape situations. The following diagram shows the hard to define line between weeds and remnant vegetation.

The capacity for the remnant vegetation to buffer up against incoming weed populations and spread depends in part, on its resilience. Resilient native remnants have capacity to withstand  opportunistic weed spread, via having enough seed bank and vegetation cover to outcompete the weed. They can  “win” by having reserves of seed, soil cover, niche populations via biodiversity and sheer domination over incoming weed populations by giving little  soil, light, water for the weed to grow. However, once the native vegetation stand loses its resilience, loses its biodiversity, and particularly, once it is disturbed, then weeds can gain a foothold.

Regarding time and space management in the world of weed and remnant vegetation “frontiers”?  Remember, weeds compete with the native stand for the resources of space, light, water and food. The weeds may co-exist with the remnant stand. They may suppress the native stand. They may overwhelm  or strongly compete . They may eradicate the native stand. This can also work the other way. The native vegetation may co-exist, suppress, overwhelm, eradicate or just compete with the weeds.

• A Balance of Faeries – revisited:- a story about clearing fragile remnants where Koalas and other vulnerable species live, and why recovery of those remnants may never occur unless immediate authentic land and water stewardship  action is taken.
• Goanna leaves the Glyphosate Bank
• PK and Litoria look for Rufous Bettong
• Living with and managing Fireweed in SE Qld and NE NSW By al at bluecray on September 26, 2009
• Land and water stewardship : Rescuing Remnants By al at bluecray on October 24, 2009
• Macleay’s Swallowtail – a beautiful green and brown butterfly By al at bluecray  on March 15, 2009 (this article covers some information on LANTANA management that is being carried out by the Australian, NSW and QLD Governments, in association with local councils, community groups and Catchment Management Groups)
• Centre for Spray Technology Application Research and Training at School of Land, Crop and Food Sciences, UQ, Gatton Campus :- research and training support programs are provided in agriculture, public health and forestry
• Seed Bank Research :- at bluecray enviromental search
  
• Seed Bank Research Australia :- at google search
• Australian Native Seed Suppliers:- at google search
• Australian Native Seed Growers:- at google search
  

##Reference:- (My own experiences:- Many years of varying types of seed bank studies(under and post graduate), native seed collecting, distribution and growing, environmental consulting for Department of Transport and power utilities, Integrated Catchment Committees, landcare groups, liason with organic growing and permaculture communities, foundation teacher and set up for TAFE horticultural studies, Bremer, 2nd paid landcare coordinator in QLD (100,000ha – lower Brisbane Valley and Bremer River- almost twenty years ago), award winning schools project on environmental weeds, training council and groundspersons in pesticide application and safety technology and integrated pest management, numerous habitat restoration and revegetation programs, training Greening Australia staff for native australian grasses educational extension- mid 90′s).

The following excerpt is from “Clearing the Habit of Habitat Clearing” – at Journey for Wisdom in the Land:-

HABITAT
H – for humanity, its history and  its law
A – for Aborigines and their ancestors before
B – biodiversity – to me it spells out “FREE”
i – for the little guy – that means you and me
T – for the teacher that leads us through the land
A – for AUSTRALIANS that learn to understand
T the Trust of wildlife friends living hand in hand

CLEARING
C is for cutting and clearing their land, taking their bedding, dispersing their clan
L is for larsony, looting and lost
E is for Everything in rubbish piles tossed
A is for Arid Lands’ creep from the west, and
R is remorse for failing this test
i is the little guy – that means you and me
N is right NOW. Wake up!!! LOOK and SEE!!!!
G is for Global, Gaia, God, Gift and Ground

Gracious abundance for many times round!!

The above photo is of the Hinze Dam and the City of the Gold Coast, SE QLD, Australia.

I have also included some of my Astrological Symbolic Collages. These have been based on themes using planetary positionings, Sabian Symbols and Fixed Star locations for particular times of the year (2009). They are more of a curiosity, than anything else.

Firstly, here are some of the Phantom Koala Collages. Phantom Koala (PK) comments for environmental sustainability, Land and Water Stewardship & environmental education issues. He has stories, poems and articles throughout bluecray.org and bluecray’s “Balance of Faeries” blog.

There is also a bluecray.org article about some of Phantom Koala’s Collages, history and stories HERE.

You will also notice that I use photos of  Benoit, my little crow friend in many of the Collages, as well as photos of  his Father. They are wild Torresian Crows that live nearby to me.

Environmental Advocacy collage reminding us that Caring for our Country is also about Caring for Our Children

protected by more than money can buy, our hearts, prayers and loving visions for this beautiful blue planet can help change the world

The website page at this link:-  http://nationalculturalpolicy.com.au/ , but now appears to be offline (November 2011) This includes (did include)  a short, one page discussion outline. The three key themes for this discussion are

• keeping culture strong
• engaging the community
• powering the young

Bluecray is currently putting together a Formal Submission.  The submission has a largely Environmental Educational and Advocacy agenda.  WHY?

Because  ENVIRONMENT encompasses all. Cultural interactions of our many different communities do not preclude  our diverse and wonderful Environment.

• “Education”:- an etymological history, at http://www.babeled.com/2008/11/27/word-power-education/
• “What on earth is Environment?” by J. Stan Rowe – slightly revised edition (Published in The Trumpeter 6 (4):123-126. 1989.) at Ecospherics Ethics . – includes the etymology of “environment” as :”derived from the French ‘virer,’ to turn, whence ‘in/viron’ meaning to encircle“
• “Ecocentrism and Traditional Ecological Knowledge” by J. Stan Rowe
• Sustainability Education in Australia . (Australian Government)
• Sustainability Education Publications in Australia .(Australian Government)
• Australian Wildlife Protection Council – and sample Environmental Education  “Wildlife Awareness Program” with assignment, syllabus plans, references and resources
  

• Senate Environment and Communications Committee (Parliament of Australia : SENATE):-  ”The koala—saving our national icon” 22 September 2011  Commonwealth of Australia 2011 ISBN 978-1-74229-524-4
  

• ACARA :-The Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority. become involved “Your input into Australian curriculum development is welcomed and encouraged“
• Australian Stereotypes and cultural identity : at Australian Policy Online (APO) – and the story also on ABC Fora 23rd October 2009.
• Oodgeroo Noonuccal: Biographic Note and POETRY

##Australian Centre for Cultural Environmental Research – “The Australian Centre for Cultural Environmental Research (AUSCCER) is an exciting new research initiative commencing in 2009, funded by the University of Wollongong and the Australian Research Council (ARC).“##

AND SO……………..

ENVIRONMENT gives us the breath of life, the food we eat, the clothes we wear, the energy we use and the waters we share. Our unique Australian Environment  inspires our Art,  Stories, Music, Architecture, Lifestyles and Visions.

Culturally, Australia IS a distinctly diverse continent. Our Heritage is unique & complex – both its social and  natural components.

“Reading the Constitution out Loud”  by Marcia Langton at Meanjin.com.au  .

Cross-Cultural Environmental Education & Australia’s Cultural Policy

Cross-Cultural Environmental Education in Australia does not  only mean Aboriginal cultures interfacing with other non-indigenous cultures. It is about all cultures interfacing, in a pluralistic #(see below) sense. And all Cultures, including Aboriginal CULTURES have stories, art, crafts, foods, plants,  animals and heritage that have woven their way into our unique pluralistic Australian Nation.

However, the Traditional,  long time Custodians of Australia, with their widespread Cultural Heritage, are to be treasured and respected. Our Indigenous Peoples have a UNIQUE HERITAGE and are immensely precious, as is their contribution to our  National Natural and Cultural Heritage.  Within Aboriginal Cultures,  the Environment and the Culture of their country & people are intrinsically linked. This is a basis for Australian Indigenous LAND CLAIMS.

Cross-Cultural Environmental Education has much to offer. Cross-Cultural Environmental Education can show us the way, when it comes to understanding our Land and Water Stewardship processes and responsibilities.

Cross-Cultural Environmental Education can help the young in the cities, increasing urban and semi-rural developments,  re connect with natural processes at a fundamental level. It can help awaken a more basic understanding of our Natural Environmental Heritage. It can help foster Regional Environmental Sustainability by facilitating  Cultural activities,  teachings, stories, dance, music and information that help our young choose a way of respect for Nature.

Environmental Advocacy Collage : CHOICES for Australians

Now, below is the basis of bluecray’s FORMAL SUBMISSION to the Department of the Environment, Heritage, Water & the Arts:-

“TOTEM” based Cross-Cultural Environmental Education at a Catchment, Regional and Local level via the School “House” System.

• The word “TOTEM”, is used, for lack of any better word. I mean it in a very loose sense here, not in the strict sense of a personal, clan or inherited indigenous TOTEM.

• The word “TOTEM”  is used to encompass a  practical understanding  and care of a particular LOCALLY or REGIONALLY SIGNIFICANT native plant or animal species or genus. Caring for a specific component of the local natural environment, when commenced in the early formative and schooling years of a child, provides opportunity for that child, when an adult, to more fully grasp the concept of Nature.

• BY this, I mean a “TOTEM” caring that is integrated into a student’s schooling, through exposure and interaction with teachers, artists, community workers, scientific workers, wildlife and environmental volunteers and experts, cross-cultural educators, musicians, story tellers.

• A caring that, through continued exposure to an understanding of that “TOTEM” over time, brings with it increased awareness and understanding of the habitat necessary for it’s survival and well being. An understanding, that when carried into adulthood, will foster in many, more informed decision making, as Australian youth become active community members and leaders.

Choice of  “TOTEM” could include a particular plant or animal that is currently :-

1. endangered or threatened (at risk) within the area of the school’s “Catchment”. eg Koala, Spotted-tailed Quoll, Powerful Owl, Richmond Birdwing Butterfly – the list can be seen by looking at individual bioregions and their threatened species lists

2. particularly relevant to the  environmental & ecological well being of the catchment area about the school. This includes ecosystem health. I am talking here about a key signature species, that  if looked after, can be instrumental in helping the biodiversity of  habitats, ecological communities and ecosystems naturally occurring within that “Catchment”. This type of list may include frogs, insects, mammals, plants that whilst not threatened under legislation, are still key indicators for health within the school’s region.

3. easily identifiable, able to be learnt about, incorporated into a variety of syllabi content across the schools’ curriculum, as well as in sport and cultural experiential learning programs. This type of list may include more common animals and plants that already have  significance to large groups of people – Koala, Wallaby, Cockatoo, Crow, Python – the list is again very long.

4. specifically identified by Australian Indigenous peoples as an animal or plant that they feel deserves more understanding and respect.

Why Chose a TOTEM based cross-cultural environmental educational approach?

• To encompass a holistic caring  and Stewardship approach toward a particular native plant and/or animal species  or genus and its HABITAT, through continued and diverse cultural exposure via all types of cross-cultural experiences, at a basic level of an individual’s schooling life.
• To foster  greater understanding and Stewardship responses in a youth, for when that individual later becomes an active, functioning adult member of the Australian Community at large.

Why chose a School “HOUSE” system by which to deliver such an innovation?

• I have chosen the school “HOUSE” system as this is often the basis for many activities within a school and one that often unites students on a number of different levels. It can be the basis for group learning, sport, achievement and exchange. It has CONTINUITY. Some schools already use native animal names for their “houses”. For new schools, this is an opportunity to engage Cross-Cultural learning, should their house system be formed about a “TOTEM”.

• To engage Students, via continuity, throughout a region, catchment or local area. To create a vehicle for an ongoing cultural dialogue,  via cross-cultural learning, with a  “SIGNIFICANT ” animal or plant, ( its history, habitat requirements and interactions, ecological contributions). This can help the students, over time, to more fully appreciate, understand and learn to live with a particular animal and/or plant species or genus.

Cross-Cultural Environmental Education and the Murray Darling Catchment System:-

Whilst some Australian Schools already have animals, and possible even plants as the “SYMBOL” for their “HOUSE” system, I am suggesting here that this concept can be encouraged Australia wide, especially in a Catchment or Regional context. New Schools could be encouraged to adopt this strategy, as they have less historical ties to other “HOUSE” names and house naming heritage.

However, my main idea, of “TOTEMS” and the School “HOUSE” system has the MURRAY-DARLING Catchment System in mind. This idea could prove to be valuable, culturally and environmentally significant.  I perceive it as workeable for a Cross-Cultural Environmental Education framework, if implemented as a Cross-Cultural Education Innovation along the Catchments of the Murray-Darling Rivers.

• Murray-Darling Basin Authority .

And so, in response to the three key themes for a National Cultural Policy

1. Keeping culture strong:-

All types of cultural heritage come under the umbrella of our unique Australian Environmental Heritage that is the setting for future Australian Cultural Exchange.

• National identity with our native wildlife and landscapes is already very strong, but based mainly on superficial understanding in the way of how to engage in meaningful Land & Water Stewardship.  Cross- Cultural Environmental Education can strengthen our National Identity, whilst keeping our pluralistic cultural identity.
• To maintain an ongoing dialogue with the country. This has often been associated with Aboriginal use of art and other cultural activities – in the form of painting, singing, dancing, celebrations and  stories.
• However, as well as Aboriginal Cultural exchange, there other valuable community members who have been practicing land custodians, Land and Water Stewards, Wildlife Carers and Vegetation specialists. Their stories, practical work, art, visions, music, photography, literature and creativity are part of our Cultural Environmental fabric.
• There are a number of other cultural experiences, concerning our native wildlife and habitats that can also be shared, for heritage purposes, in a “TOTEM” based Environmental Education initiative. For example building and architecture, gardening and landscaping, engineering and earthmoving, farming and livestock management, entertainment and recreational activities. These things all have cultural components in our diverse Australian Culture

2. Engaging the community:-

• The concept of Totem based Cross-Cultural Environmental Education within schools can be encompassed via ARTS, ENVIRONMENT, HERITAGE and many other forms of CROSS-CULTURAL exchange.

• As  a Regionalized and Catchment concept, this can only be a good thing, for our future as an environmentally sustainable nation of many identities, all caring for the Country.
• WATER CATCHMENTS, as a geographical and environmental reality, provide a basis by which localised and Regional cultural identity can be fostered, via linking with native wildlife habitat, and Land and Water Stewardship.
• Along any particular stretch of an Australian River or Creek System, there is always some animal/plant that needs mentorship, needs more habitat, needs help from threatening processes. In short:- a key signature animal or plant, that can act as an indicator for the Total Catchment Health.
• If Schools are encouraged to create vision with a “TOTEM” based environmental educational “HOUSE” system, leaving all types of “religious” implications out of it, cross-cultural outreaching may work for well with this  Vision.
• The word “totem” may work to ostracize some religious groupings,or more orthodox communities. Implementation of  this concept of a “TOTEM” based environmental educational initiative may need to look further into the meaning of the concept “TOTEM” , perhaps coming up with another “WORD” that satisfies the overall general meaning of the word “TOTEM”. It is important not to ostracise people who may be offended by the word, due to religious beliefs.
  
• At the heart of this idea of  the  word and concept -  “totem” -  is caring and fostering the future of our Australian Environment. The idea of linking one back to the environment, fostering a more harmonious life with one’s natural heritage. Using a signature animal or plant as a focus for creating environmental wellbeing , at a catchment or regional basis would involve Integrating the Cultural and Cross- Cultural components of Art, Music, Storytelling and Caring.
  
• Communities about many schools already have the information, or can locate the information for any number of native wildlife or plants that are undergoing habitat loss or threatening processes:- linkage with that part of the Community and the Student – this is what is important. It is important, in this day of a largely urbanised Australian Identity, to pass on information, using the process of CONTINUITY and a vision of CARE,  for the Land, Water and Habitats of our Natural Heritage. Continuity is important for community.
• The life cycle of the animal, the environmental and ecological contribution, the local carers experiences,  the science, the art, the stories, the songs etc: –   These, if combined into cohesive education and carried, at an all encompassing level through the School housing system, will engage many young people into understanding their local environment at a basic educational level. It will create opportunity for youth to be part of meaningful cross-cultural exchange via art, environment, sport, education and community.

3. Powering the young:-

• Vision leads us forward. Cohesion and continuity in the Vision, from elders to the younger creates strength in outcomes. The young, if educated in ways of the environment via cross-cultural exchange, creates a stronger future, and a powerful base for future, cultural discernment, tolerance, understanding and empathy via  many levels.

• Continuity, especially in times of great change, can be a useful tool. Continuity, with Cultural exchange can provide our Australian youth with practical skills, enhanced by increased awareness and understanding for vision building. This can help the Australian Nation’s young obtain the discernment necessary to help create  an Environmentally Sustainable Future

Some links (whilst not anywhere near exhaustive or comprehensive, these links are to give  you a taste of what is available currently), as an example of  resources for Cross-Cultural Environmental Education:

Negotiating Diversity – A Field Guide to the Convention on Biological Diversity -  and REFERENCES .

Department of Education and Child Development South Australia : there is a great resource library here for teachers, concerning Australian Indigenous Stories

Bangarra Dance Theatre , Laura Aboriginal Dance & Cultural Festival ,  Arts in  Queensland, Stories of the Dreaming at Australian Museum, Koomurri : Australian Aboriginal Dance Connections.

National Sustainability Initiatives at the Australian Government Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage & the Arts. This website page includes links to the related areas of :-  EPBC Reporting, Indicators & Local Agenda 21, as well as to  Ecologically Sustainable Development LINKS .

“Nature and society: anthropological perspectives” By Philippe Descola, Gísli Pálsson (at Australian Library collections) ISBN:  0415132169 (pbk.)

Griffith University : Centre for Public Culture and Ideas – “its central brief is to encourage greater collaboration between these areas, while articulating with contemporary debates in public culture and ideas.”  This centre promotes seminars, public lectures and events.

Queensland Stories : these include – “A collection of 11 digital stories made by Year 11 and 12 Modern History students at Park Ridge State High School. These stories explore the local history of the Park Ridge and Logan areas – from the Indigenous history of the area, to its volunteer organisations and small businesses.”

“How the Murray River was made” a story from the Bangerang Aboriginal Community, as told by Irene Thomas. A story for young children

The etymology of the words culture, cultural, environment and education.

The Ecologically Sustainable Development LINKS page includes :-

• Conferences and Events
• Sustainability Networks and Discussion Groups
• State Government Sites
• Australian Government Environment Sites
• Local Government Sites
• Non-Government Organisations

Environmental Education for a Sustainable Future: National Action Plan
Environment Australia, July 2000 ISBN 0 642 546 665 (9 years on, where are we now?)

• Social Sustainability Education : Sustainable South East Queensland PORTAL (maintained by QUT) – link seems to have dissapeared. There is a link via QUT website for Institute for Sustainable Resources however. I am unsure where the Sustainable South East Qld portal went..
• Environmental Education for Sustainability at Qld Education Department

• Environmental & Sustainability Education NSW
• 2005 NSW Department of Education “Excellence & Innovation” Consultation on the future of NSW public education & training.
• NSW Department of Education .
• Early Childhood  Australia Inc. with links to different State branches, includes QLD and NSW. Including Early Childhood Environmental Education Network NSW .
• Greening Australia Toolbox for Environmental Change 2009 .
• some recent history:- at Curriculum Leadership Journal January 1st, 2003 – Environmental Education for a sustainable future: formal schooling by Peter Woods
• Education for Sustainability in High Schools April 18th 2009 by Anna Rose .
• Gould League . An independent non-profit organisation dedicated to environmental education and training in sustainability.
• Live & Learn Environmental Education .
• Learningforsustainability.net : Aiming to “provide a practical resource for those who work with communities (in the wider sense of the term) to help them identify and adopt more sustainable practices“

**A pedantic note:

In his speech to the National Press Club (27th October 2009), three main themes were identified and outlined by the Minister, Peter Garrett:-

Keeping culture strong, engaging the community and powering **the young.

It is interesting  that the words “Powering the young” were chosen. I would guess, that with the scope of professional bearing that Peter Garrett brings to his portfolio, his understanding of the etymology and definition of the word “POWERING” is enough for him not to make a typographical or ideological mistake with regard to this choice of word.

I, personally, would have preferred to have seen the word “EMPOWERING”.

There IS a difference, you see, although in some contexts the word may be seen as similar.

from Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary – POWERING definition

etymology for POWERING from wiktionary

from the Free Online Dictionary – POWERING definition & EMPOWERING definition

etymology for EMPOWERING from wiktionary

# pluralism – definition

pluralism – etymology (“toleration of  diversity within a state or society“)

The above poem ‘by my’  Crow friend, Benoit, illustrates how simply a totem can explain environmental stewardship.

other bluecray “totem” stories at bluecray blog “Journey for Wisdom in the Land” .

Philosophy LINKS at bluecray.org

Biodiversity LINKS at bluecray.org

Cross-Cultural blog - A blog for students and teachers participating in the Cross-Cultural Rhetoric project. (Stanford University)

Warlpiri Media Association – Central Australian Media – and  PAW Media .

Because the NSW Department of Planning has approved a Woolworths Development in their beautiful little township, and the towns folk are still determined to have their valid arguments, for why this is not OK ,to be heard. A court case is pending, and the township of Mullumbimby needs your support!

Try these links to understand just why.

Firstly:-

Mullumaction.org : the Mullum Community Action Network that has formed to work to preserve the rural identity of the little township from being over-run by one of the two corporate giants (duopoly) in the Australian Grocery supply industry. Issues such as inadequate groundwater management, unfair competition against small local businesses, visual and physical impacts from the building of a large woolworths shopping centre in the township are just a few.

Mullumbimby at google maps.

bluecray Environmental Search Engine results for:-

Woolworths Mullumbimby .

Woolworths Gambling Poker Machines .

Mullumbimby Action Woolworths Court Appeal .(Woolworths Vs Byron Shire Council at NSW Land and Environment Court – possibly November 2009 hearing)

Woolworths hardware giant .

Phantom Koala sees that small regional communities can offer sustainable resources in a variety of ways, and large corporate developments offer sameness, blandness, non renewable resource dependency and the”rich get richer while the poor get poorer” scenarios

There are a number of small rural towns about the area of Mullumbimby. Many of them have small shops, local and regionalised industries  that offer community focus and community values far beyond what the woolworths corporate giant and its development has to offer.

Mullumbimby is a regional resource centre  to many of these small communities, and the issues at stake here, should woolworths gain the upper hand in retail grocery supplies (and possibly hardware as well?) could be against the basic principles of local and regional sustainability, as promoted and supposedly supported by the Governments of NSW and Australia.

The move by Woolworths, supported by the NSW Department of Planning,  to develop in this small rural township is an example of the rush of non sustainable developments that are now in the pipeline. These non sustainable developments have the potential of  overwhelming the coastal strip of NE NSW. Corporate leadership,  when it comes to Northern Rivers of NSW, appears to be based about non sustainable development, species and habitat destruction and land development at all costs to the environment. It is entirely out of step with the Global Vision for local environmentally friendly sustainable vision.

Biodiversity is subtle, and can offer resilience in times of Climatic Change. Regional and local sustainable community diversity can also offer resilience in times of climate change.

other bluecray articles for this topic:-

Mullumbimby Woolworths Approved by NSW Department of Planning 28.01.2009

The Long and Short of Corporate Vision 5.10.2009

Gambling can come in many forms, including throwing money into poker machines, coastal property development and large scale clearing of habitat in the name of habitat restoration

Bluecray experience is that whilst Governments can be elected by people and supportive of people who elect them, there are many voices making up the communities within the Mt Warning Caldera Region. One of the biggest pressures on both governments and communities is the need to make decisions when large corporations and businesses move to develop in a way that does not serve environmental sustainability or regional well being.

There is a current, highly obvious dichotomy within government where some non environmentally sustainable developments are considered “ok” and others are not. Some times it appears like rolling a dice as to what the outcomes will be, but often, there are also deeper undercurrents at play.

National Toxics Network:

Ross Gittens on Gambling, happiness and economic pursuits at the Sydney Morning Herald

But firstly , a few words about  bluecray experiential views, philosophies and  responses to land clearing, habitat clearing, inappropriate natural resource management and human consumption in the face of mass extinction.

• Many types of people and views make up our world of human knowledge. Basic human and animal rights are a huge issue globally.

• Some of us think about the above matters (threatened species, habitat clearing, natural resource mismanagement, animal and people advocacy etc) and we have deep concern, seek education, yet we feel that we can do nothing or very little – this is ok – perhaps it is our concern that is important. Never underestimate “concern”, and the passive impact it has on others.

• Some of us work towards action, compromise, practical step at a time issues. For example, realising to halt  development (that is environmentally unsustainable) all at once is not the way. Working slowly and surely towards a better world is valid.  Working with developers – not against them, working with poor land stewards, slowly helping them change their understanding has validity.

• Some of us have no idea that the level of habitat destruction has become critical to our own survival as a species in this world. That, again, is the individual’s path.  Do not think that they have any less a valid right to life and viewpoint than others. They are entitled to their life and the consequences there of, just as we all are.

• Some people see that the consequences of habitat clearing, poor land stewardship and the power of inappropriate persuasion by wealthy “movers and shakers” has become a consequence for many of our children and the future which is to be their life. They speak out about this, and take actions of various types that are aimed at deep change within humanity’s consciousness and spirit.

• Negotiation and honesty is a cornerstone to becoming a better society.

• Tolerance, love, forgiveness, redemption and compassion are powerful tools when dealing with poor land management, inappropriate land custodianship and ignorant land stewardship. These things can open up doors that anger, misdirected ego and intolerance have previously held shut.

In the scheme of things, action (Environmental Action and Activism) to change the world can come in three forms:-

• Identifying the critical issue, passively supporting change for the better in your heart, but recognising that beyond that, you can do little else, except heal your own inbalances and heart.

• Identifying the critical issues, actively supporting the change for the better and recognising that  balance, focus and the “heart” and “energy” behind those actions are to be considered as foundations to those actions.

• Identifying the critical issue, understanding the passive and the active response, then going beyond. Going to and working with, the underlying issue that has caused the initial problem is in this category. Going to the spirit of things, addressing them in a way that can help cause a massive shift in mass consciousness awareneness, thus facilitating change without really becoming involved in the individual issue.

Phantom Koala and the Goanna

“Dearest PK“ asked Goanna wise
“why don’t the Trees now reach to the Skies-
why is the Rain so late to fall?
I know many things but with these, I  stall.“

PK slowly shifted to see
who questioned him so from beneath his tree
“Why Goanna, you smarty, didn’t you know
The government let them clear  the trees,  so….
The rain doesn’t come, the wind blows hard
and everyone’s mowing down their back yard
They’ve channelled the water away from the streams
and ruined the chance of our childrens’ dreams.“

This disturbed the Goanna who said, “But PK, surely not everyone acts in this way?“
Well,  PK just laughed and pulled at some leaves
“It’s what’s in ones heart – that’s what to believe
Does it make sense to kill? does it make sense to steal?
Does it make sense to eat  much much more than your meal?“
“Well, that is what they do – the clearers of land, they kill all the trees and they make out they’re grand. Then they take all the water and pump it away
and they tell us that industries show us the way.
They hop on their jet stream and swan round the world
praising themselves with their grand flags unfurled
saying ‘We have the answer – we are the best‘
(though to you and me both – we know they’re the pest).“
Goanna thought deeply on PK’s last words and dreamily saw that it was quite absurd
“So why do they panic and call each day drought, why do the leaders still hold so much clout?“
“Oh Goanna! Dear friend, you wise brave old soul
because they can’t see from their justified hole. They’ve dug down so deeply, their egos as spades – that the only thing left between them and the hades-

is redemption and love. We must give them a hand, to clamber back up and to save our sweet land“

“Phantom Koala and PART 3A of the NSW Planning Law”

This Goanna photo was taken at Upper Burringbar, Mt Warning Caldera Region, NE NSW, Australia

KOALA at QLD Departmentof Environment and Resource Management : Koala plan, Maps, Information Sheets, Koala Species Outline, Local Government Involvement, Mapping of New Koala Habitat Areas

KOALA PROFILE at NSW Threatened Species pages : KOALA – listed as VULNERABLE

“A Balance of Faeries” 1989 by al at bluecray.org – a story about habitat clearing, Koalas and the consequences. When this story, “A Balance of Faeries”,  which is a true story happened, the land which was cleared – Koala Habitat, was also part of the home to the biggest GOANNA that I have ever seen. It was about eight feet in length. This massive Goanna would have been very very old indeed!

Alan Moir cartoons at Sydney Morning Herald – summing up wealthy corporate and political gamesmanship – these cartoons will make you both laugh and think!

Melissa Merry: “Blogging and Environmental Advocacy: A New Way to Engage the Public?”

Koala School

Also, if there are any great sites that you think I should include in the Search Engine – please let me know!

There is so much info about that somedays it is hard to find what is relevant, as there is often too much information – yet even then, in ALL of that INFORMATION,  it still is  not exactly what we are looking for.  So good luck, I hope that the search engines here help you with your task. If all else fails – try some SERENDIPITY!!!