Use one or two sentences in this area to offer a teaser of your email's content. Text here will show in a preview area in some email clients.
                                                                             
JULY 2016

Heating up in council's reserves

Council's Environmental Operations branch has commenced the annual planned burn program with burns in Annie Hehir Road Environmental Reserve (Peachester) and Lake Weyba Bushland Reserve Network (Peregian Beach).

This photo shows Environmental Operations staff in action two weeks ago completing the 8 hectare burn at Lake Weyba just before the rains set in!

Council's burn program occurs between May and August when weather conditions are usually dry and cool.

Read more about council's bushfire management.

Working together to restore our dunes

In 2010, large seas eroded the dune and damaged fencing at North Moffat Beach. The Wildlife Preservation Society of QLD - Sunshine Coast and Hinterland approached council wanting to help restore the dune to protect the shoreline, promote turtle nesting, increase the ecological value of the area as well as protect the stand of Norfolk Island Pines.  

450 plants needed to be planted in the dune; a call went around for help and 17 volunteers came forward from the following groups:
  • Wildlife Preservation Society
  • Watson Park Bushcare Group
  • Shelly Beach Conservation Group
  • Beach, Bush and Birds Warana
  • Bokarina Beach Bush Care
  • Friends of Currimundi Lake
  • Turtlecare
  • and three new volunteers

Thank you to all the volunteers who came along to lend a hand. Visit council's website if you would like to find out how to become a Community Nature Conservation volunteer.


Traill Park Bushcare Group farewell dedicated volunteers
In 1996, a dedicated team of volunteers began restoring a small remnant paperbark forest and a neglected drain near Evans Road in Maroochydore.  Fast forward 20 years and with well over 100,000 native tube stock planted, the 1.6 hectare reserve is now a striking patch of bushland right in the heart of Maroochydore!

Sunshine Coast Council farewells Terry and Roland to their new adventures in Hervey Bay. We would like to thank them for their dedication to Traill Park and as great supporters of all our community planting and restoration days.

The group's working bees are held every Friday morning and the group is always looking for other enthusiastic volunteers to help weed and plant while savouring the refuge away from the hustle and bustle of the city nearby.  For more information contact council or email CommunityNature@sunshinecoast.qld.gov.au

Image (L-R): Terry, Jean and Roland

Events and volunteering opportunities

8 - 10 July    Queensland Garden Expo
Nambour Showgrounds, gates open 8am daily


29 July         The Cleantech Effect 2016
Lake Kawana Community Centre, Bokarina                       
Conference 12 - 5pm, including lunch; networking 5 - 7pm

Join leading South East Queensland businesses to find cost-effective, innovative cleantech solutions which are available for your business. 

‘The Cleantech Effect 2016’ will be headlined by Dr Karl Kruszelnicki, who will explore some great moments in both science and society as a backdrop to examining the current and emerging trends in Clean Technology, whilst indulging in a bit of speculation about what the future holds.
Visit the website for the program and event information.



31 July          National Tree Day
Make a world of difference to our local environment this National Tree Day. 
Dig in with other like-minded individuals at a tree planting event:

- Little Mountain (end of Village Way), 8:30am - 12pm
- Twin Waters  (Beach Access 135, end of North Shore Road), 7 - 11am

It’s a great way to recharge your batteries in the great outdoors and to help restore our natural environment. To find out more or to register your attendance visit the Events Hub on Council’s website



21 Aug          Wildflower Festival
- 3 Sept
This annual event is a collaboration with our local community and organisations to provide activities for the community to get outdoors to explore and experience (with guidance) the diversity of native flowering plants found in our local ecosystems. 
The program will be available from the 8 July at the Garden Expo and on council's website.

Would you like to attract wildlife to your backyard?

Whether you’re after birds, frogs, butterflies, bees or other wildlife you can get all the tips at Sunshine Coast Council’s living backyard display at this year’s Queensland Garden Expo at the Nambour Showgrounds from 8-10 July.

Our Living Backyard display will show you how to create a bio-diverse environment in your own backyard. Plus:
  • learn from the experts about preserving and enhancing the native flora and fauna in our community
  • enjoy vibrant displays
  • information sessions
  • a range of exhibitors with a wealth of knowledge about backyard nature conservation including: Barung Landcare Nursery, Birdlife Sunshine Coast, Bob the Beeman, Coolum Community Native Nursery, Earthling Enterprises, Native Plants Sunshine Coast, One Earth, QLD Frog Society, Wildlife Volunteers Association and Witjuti Grub Bush Foods Nursery
Living Backyard Information Session Program

Friday 8 July
9am:      From party pool to wildlife haven – converting your pool into a backyard
              billabong
by Julie O’Connor, Sunshine Coast Council
10am:    Native Plants in Containers
              by Joan Dillon and Anne Windsor, Native Plants Sunshine Coast
11am:    Recycle Right on the Sunshine Coast
              by Sandie Johnston, EnviroCom Australia. SCC Waste 2 Resource Program
12pm     Stingless bee boxes, honey frames and extraction by Bob Luttrell 
1pm       Living with Reptiles by Jill Zimmerman, Wildlife Volunteers Association
2pm       Bring back beautiful butterflies to our backyards
              by Helen Schwencke, Earthling Enterprises
3pm       Frog Ponds and Habitat Gardening by Sean Morrow, One Earth

Saturday 9 July
8:30am  Frog Ponds and Habitat Gardening by Sean Morrow, One Earth
10am     Toxic Weeds of our Region by Peter Bell, Sunshine Coast Council
11am     Native Plants in Containers
              by Joan Dillon and Anne Windsor, Native Plants Sunshine Coast
12pm     Recycle Right on the Sunshine Coast
              by Sandie Johnston, EnviroCom Australia. SCC Waste 2 Resource Program
1pm       Saving Wildlife by Roslyn Leslie, Wildlife Volunteers Association
2pm       Stingless bee boxes, honey frames and extraction by Bob Luttrell 
3pm       Sunshine Coast Council Feral Animal Control
              by Tony Cathcart, Sunshine Coast Council

Sunday 10 July
9am       Toxic Weeds of our Region by Peter Bell, Sunshine Coast Council
10am     Sunshine Coast Council Feral Animal Control 
              by Tony Cathcart, Sunshine Coast Council
11am     Recycle Right on the Sunshine Coast 
              by Sandie Johnston, EnviroCom Australia. SCC Waste 2 Resource Program
12pm     Stingless bee boxes, honey frames and extraction by Bob Luttrell 
1pm       Living with Reptiles by Jill Zimmerman, Wildlife Volunteers Association
2pm       Frog Ponds and Habitat Gardening by Sean Morrow, One Earth

Read more about the Garden Expo>>

Snapshots

~ On 1 July 2016 the Land Protection (Pest & Stock Route Management) Act 2002 will be replaced with the new Biosecurity Act 2014.

The Act provides comprehensive biosecurity measures to safeguard our economy, agricultural and tourism industries, environment and way of life, from
   - pests (e.g. wild dogs and weeds)
   - diseases (e.g. foot-and-mouth disease)
   - contaminants (e.g. lead on grazing land)


Visit Department of Agriculture and Fisheries website to find out what this means for you.

~ Researchers from University of Queensland are at the forefront of the fight against cane toads – using new and natural methods to trap the pest in their tens of thousands while they are still tadpoles. Read more>>

~ A report led by University of Queensland's Ian Gynther has confirmed the Australian extinction of the Bramble Cay melomys Melomys rubicolaRead the report>>    What compounds the already significant  declaration of a species' extinction is that its root cause was the impacts of human-induced climate change.  This is believed to be the first extinction of a mammal species linked to anthropogenic climate change globally.

It's not just a bit of dirt

A bird's eye view on Tuesday 21 June looking across to the Maroochy River mouth following the rainfall event on Sunday evening.

Minimising erosion on our properties helps to reduce the sediment moving through our waterways.

Read more about erosion and sediment control>>

Sunshine Coast environment photography award is now open

Photographers who love capturing creative, inspiring and emotive images of the Sunshine Coast’s beautiful environment are invited to enter the 2016 Environment Photography Awards.

Categories and prizes Read more>>

Environment Levy grants now open

Environment Levy Grants offer up to $5,000 funding to not-for-profit community based organisations for projects that make a positive ongoing contribution to the region's biodiversity and waterways.

Environment Levy Grants close 1 August 2016

Visit council's website for guidelines and to apply online.

Copyright © 2016 Sunshine Coast Council, All rights reserved.






This email was sent to <<Email Address>>
why did I get this?    unsubscribe from this list    update subscription preferences
Sunshine Coast Council · Locked Bag 72 · Sunshine Coast Mail Centre, Qld 4560 · Australia

Email Marketing Powered by MailChimp