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Hi Eco-News Readers,
We are trialling publishing Eco-News monthly instead of bi-monthly so you can expect to receive Eco-News more often from now on.
Thank you to everyone who contributed to this issue and we apologise for those we couldn't fit. We encourage feedback on the new template so feel free get in touch and let us know what you think.
Michelle Brent, Environment Policy Officer - 9213 2027
In this issue..
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| City of Vincent new 'Adopt a Verge' Program |
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City of Vincent residents greening their verge.
Image supplied by Perth Voice Photo by Jeremy Dixon.
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City of Vincent now offers an ‘Adopt a Verge’ program, where keen locals take responsibility for planting up and maintaining their verge.
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The program was voted for unanimously by Council in November 2013 and a full report, model and guidelines were approved in December.
As part of a wider plan to green, cool and beautify the City, the program encourages ratepayers to care for their front or nearby verge, with a focus on re-vegetating it with suitable native plants which require little water and fertiliser. Verges must be planted with vegetation from the approved plant species list.
Mayor John Carey said the City of Vincent will undertake minor earthworks and mulching for successful applicants on a biannual basis, coinciding with the Local Native Plant Sales (April and August).
"Approved applicants will also receive a credit for 20 plants to be redeemed at the next Local Native Plant Sale," Mayor Carey said. |
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| For full details, including related policies, the approved tree species list and information on the application process, click here. |
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| City of Joondalup Food Gardens Workshop |
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Participants at the Food Gardens workshop held by the
City of Joondalup. |
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| The City of Joondalup recently held a Food Gardens workshop as part of the City's Think Green – Environmental Education Program. |
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Presented by Josh Bryne, the workshop was held on Thursday, 6 March at the Craigie Leisure Centre and focused on innovative ways to incorporate organic food production into backyards. Topics included:
- setting up a successful veggie bed;
- fruit tree selection and training techniques;
- organic growing tips to maximise productivity;
- energy efficiency;
- materials impact, soil improvement;
- organic waste recycling;
- organic pest and disease management; and
- water efficiency.
Over 140 people attended, with the majority (82%) of attendees from suburbs within the City of Joondalup.
Participants were very happy with the workshop and provided positive feedback to the City of Joondalup.
A Sustainable Gardens workshop with Josh Byrne will be held on Thursday, 15 May in Joondalup. |
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| For more information, please email Principal Environmental Project Officer, Danielle Bowler. |
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| Bin It Anti-Litter resources for Local Governments |
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| The Keep Australia Beautiful BIN IT anti-litter campaign sends the message that littering is not acceptable anytime, anywhere. |
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Everyone has heard the excuses...
- “It’s just an apple core - a bird will eat it”
- “It’s only a small bit of rubbish - no one will notice”
- “It's only a little bottle top - it won't do any harm"
Regardless of the excuses, the message is clear: it’s not okay to litter. In fact, we should always BIN IT, because it’s the right thing to do.
Keep Australia Beautiful WA (KAB WA) is seeking assistance from Local Government to broaden the campaign reach to all West Australians and deliver this important message.
The campaign includes cinema, bus and bin advertisements and posters, stickers and other resources are available to help spread the BIN IT message in your community, workplace, school or business.
To find out ways to connect with the ‘BIN IT’ message, visit the KAB WA website. |
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| For more information please call Maureen Maher, Community Education Coordinator on 6467 5339. |
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| Grants to make a splash in Waterwise Schools |
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All Waterwise Schools now have the opportunity to undertake water efficiency projects with the assistance of Waterwise Schools Innovation Grants.
Launched in 2013, the Waterwise Schools Innovation Grants are designed to help Waterwise Schools across Western Australia promote water efficiency and reduce their scheme water use.
The Waterwise Schools Innovation Grants provide a perfect opportunity for Councis to work with the Waterwise Schools within thier areas and form a collaborative approach to water efficiency.
By joining the forces of Local Government and local schools, the whole community wins by learning about water efficiency and helping to reduce scheme water use.
The Grants are available to eligible schools until 2016.
For more information and to find out what Waterwise Schools are eligible, click here. |
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| Climate Change Risk Awareness Seminar Series |
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Dr Bryson Bates delivering his presentation on the current
status of climate change. |
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| The first seminar in the Future Proofing: Climate Change Risk Awareness Seminar Series was held on 6 March, hosted by the Town of Bassendean. |
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The Seminar was organised by the EMRC and titled Know the Risks: How will climate change impact you in your workplace? and Dr Bryson Bates delivered an insightful presentation on the current status of climate change.
Dr Bryson Bates was the 2007 shared Nobel Peace Prize winner and former Leader for the Pathways to Adaptation Theme in CSIRO’s Climate Adaptation National Flagship.
His key messages included the need to act, and act now. He said there will always be some uncertainty within climate modelling due to its complexities, but what is certain is that the South West of WA will get hotter and drier.
The Regional Climate Change Adaptation Action Plan 2013-2016 (RCCAAP) is due to be approved by Council in April.
The RCCAAP and member council’s Local Climate Change Adaptation Action Plans work in conjunction to future proof Perth’s Eastern Region against the impacts of climate change. |
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| For more information regarding the Future Proofing program, email EMRC's Erin Harrison, Environmental Advisor or call 9424 2247. |
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| City of Vincent $2.5million Bike Network Plan |
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| The City of Vincent’s Bike Network Plan will spend $2.5 million delivering 10kms of cycling paths and infrastructure, making it one of Australia's most bike-friendly Councils. |
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The Bike Network Plan aims to create safer and smarter routes around the City for cyclists, and improve access between urban villages to encourage economic growth and activity.
The Bike Network Plan was developed with Aurecon Transport Planners & Engineers, a WALGA Preferred Supplier and is the result of substantial community and stakeholder input.
Mayor of Vincent John Carey said the Bike Network is a key project for the City over the next 18 months, with the aim creating more liveable neighbourhoods.
“Alongside the Plan will be associated streetscape enhancements, such as lighting and additional tree planting – so it’s not just about putting in new bike lanes, we’re actually looking at each area holistically to integrate the cycling infrastructure.
"There will be some loss of on-street parking but we believe the overall boost to amenity and benefits to greater Vincent will outweigh this,” said Mayor Carey.
Vincent will consult with the community again in the affected areas in the coming weeks. |
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| For more information on the Bike Netowrk Plan click here. |
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| Hundreds flock to 'Less is More' Festival |
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The 'Less is More Festival' sewing workshop. Photo by Lindsay Miles |
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| The 2014 'Less is More' Festival was held on Saturday, 22 February at The Grove Llbrary. |
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Organised by the Western Metropolitan Regional Council (WMRC), it is estimated over 800 people from all over Perth came to the event.
It was standing room only in many of the workshops, which included breadmaking, fruit tree growing, yoghurt making, playing with clay or making festive bunting.
This was the third year the festival has been held and it was the largest to date.
Countless hours of preparation and planning for the festival by Lindsay Miles, festival coordinator and Earth Carers volunteer and Gabrielle Grime from the Earth Carers staff team paid off on the day. |
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| WMRC extends a sincere thank you to Lindsay, Gabrielle, The Grove staff, the presenters who volunteered their time and the volunteers who supported on the day. |
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| Green Army Legislation introduced |
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| Legislation to establish the Green Army has been introduced into Parliament and Local Governments will soon be able to put forward applications for Green Army project proposals.
The Federal Minister for the Environment, Hon. Greg Hunt, said in the first year, the Green Army would be rolled out with 250 projects and about 2,500 people undertaking on-the-ground environmental activities.
It will grow become Australia's largest-ever environmental workforce with 15,000 participants by 2018. Already 150 projects had been committed and these would be delivered in the initial rollout, the Minister said.
The Commonwealth will soon be seeking tenders for Service Providers who will engage the Green Army teams, manage projects and report on progress.
Local Governments, community groups and natural resources management organisations will be able to submit Green Army project proposals for consideration.
Applications will open shortly and Green Army projects will include activities such as:
- restoring and protecting habitat;
- weeding;
- planting;
- cleaning up creeks and rivers; and
- restoring cultural heritage areas.
For more information about the Green Army project, please click here.
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Upcoming Events |
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| EARTH HOUR |
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| Saturday, 29 March
8:30 PM - 9:30 PM |
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| On Saturday, 29 March at 8:30pm, millions of people across the world are switching off lights for one hour to celebrate their commitment to the planet. |
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| For more information click here |
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| ENVIROFEST 2014 |
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Sunday, 30 March
10am - 3pm
Venue: The Village at Whiteman Park |
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The key theme for this year's EnviroFEST is living a green and sustainable lifestyle.
Presented in conjunction with Men of the Trees, EnviroFEST 2014 will feature Enviro Theatre from popular sustainable gardening specialists, the Great Gardens team. |
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| For more information call Whiteman Park on 9209 6000 or click here. |
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THE GREAT DEBATE:
What will transition us to more sustainable buildings the fastest: market, legislation or incentives? |
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Thursday, 3 April
5:30pm - 7:30pm
Venue: Spacecubed
45 St George's Terrace, Perth. |
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Join eTool and Cundall, with support from Property Council of Australia, for a night of good-natured discussion and debate.
The debate topic will be: "What will transition us to more sustainable buildings the fastest: Market, Legislation, or Incentives?"
Drinks and light refreshments will be provided. |
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| For more information and to register click here. |
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| 2014 GREAT COCKY COUNT |
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Sunday, 6 April
Time: Sunset
Venue: Across WA |
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Being involved is very easy – volunteers go to a specified location and count all the cockatoos flying into their night-time roosting trees.
The survey only takes an hour, starting 30 minutes before sunset. |
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| For more information or to volunteer click here. |
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| BUSH SKILLS FOR THE HILLS: Maximising biodiversity in our reserves |
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Saturday 5 April
9:30am - 12pm
Venue: Parkerville Hall, corner Seaborn Road and Riley Road, Parkerville. |
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The workshop will be presented by the Local Biodiversity Program (LBP), an initiative supported by WALGA.
The LBP will demonstrate how to best utilise its publicly available tools and resources to better understand the values of your local natural areas and how to help look after them.
The workshop will include a demonstration of an online public mapping viewer with over 70 data layers relevant to natural resource management. |
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| Bookings essential - Email EMRC's Jaya Vaughan or call 9424 2216. |
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| INVITATION TO THE SWAN REGIONAL STRATEGY FOR NRM |
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Wednesday 9 April
9am - 4:30pm
Venue: Burswood on the Swan. |
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Local Government Elected Members and staff are invited to attend a Local Government Forum to discuss natural resource management in the Perth region.
The purpose of this forum will be to identify the issues and opportunities for Local Government involvement in natural resource management to inform the updated Swan Region Strategy for NRM. |
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| Places are limited. Register before 27 March here or call Jason Pitman at Perth Region NRM on 9374 3305. |
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| COAST TO COAST CONFERENCE |
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Monday, 27 October - Friday, 31 October
Venue: Performing Arts Centre, Convention Centre and the Sebel, Mandurah. |
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Theme: Coastal Knowledge for coastal change
The 2014 Coast to Coast conference explores how knowledge, both community and scientific generated can help address the various changes occurring on the coast.
The main focus will be on the value of working collaboratively and in partnerships to sustain use, management and development of our coast. |
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| For more information, click here or email the Conference Secretariat. |
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NEW FUNDING GRANTS OPEN |
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COASTAL ADAPTATION AND PROTECTION (CAP) GRANTS
Application Deadline: 5pm Friday, 4 April
The latest round of the Coastal Adaptation and Protection (CAP) Grants are now open.
The CAP Grants are a State Government grants program which provides funding to coastal managers to undertake projects associated with identifying and adapting to coastal hazards.
For more information visit the WALGA Climate Change website or the CAP Grants website.
For further information, email the Department of Transport’s Coastal Management Team. |
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COMMUNITY GRANTS SCHEME: 2014 FUNDING ROUND
Application Deadline: 5pm Friday, 11 April
Does your community group have ideas for projects that will reduce waste?
The next round of the Waste Authority’s Community Grants Scheme (CGS) is now open and groups are invited to submit applications for funding to amaximum of $20,000.
For more information including guidelines and the application form, click here.
For further enquiries, email Bianca King, Waste Grants Officer or call 6467 5318. |
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DAFWA FUNDING - BIOSECURITY GROUPS PHASE 1
Application deadline: Monday, 31 March
DAFWA has received $700,000 from the State Natural Resource Management Office for a project to encourage increased community participation in biosecurity management.
Initially, DAFWA will provide interested groups with approximately $5,000 each for early formation processes ($50,000 will be allocated in total).
For more information and how to apply for funding, email Simon Merewether, State Operations Manager, DAFWA or call 9780 6291. |
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| WALGA |
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ONE70, LV1, 170 Railway Parade,
West Leederville, WA 6007
PO Box 1544, West Perth, WA 6872
Tel: (08) 9213 2000 | Fax: (08) 9213 2077
Email: info@walga.asn.au
www.walga.asn.au |
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| © Copyright Western Australian Local Government Association 2014 |
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