Greater Sydney Landcare Network

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Saturday December 5th, International Day of the Volunteer, was host to a Forum on the Biodiversity of western Sydney (the Cumberland Plain). The Forum was held in Luddenham, and attracted over 60 people, which was a fantastic turn out for an environmental event in western Sydney.

Six presentations were given to the audience, including Peter Ridgeway from Greater Sydney Local Land Services, on the topic of Old Growth trees. Pete explained that 80% of Sydney’s old growth remains in a handful of trees in the west, and showed some amazing photos of examples.

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Greater Sydney Landcare Network’s Annual General Meeting was a great event , held on Sunday 8th November at Sydney Olympic Park. We had a full room of guests and, a full agenda.

Science for Wildlife‘s Dr Kellie Leigh zoomed in to introduce her new video on the Blue Mountains Koala Project and the rescue efforts associated to last season’s horrendous fire season. What an amazing effort on behalf of the small organisation, rescuing 12 Koalas out of the path of the Gospers Mountain fire, relocating them and feeding them daily with wild food at Taronga Zoo, until such time as they could be safely released into an area with atleast some regenerating food for the species. All of this was done with the immense help of 140 volunteers! Well done to everybody involved. 

The Cattai Hills Environment Network spoke second in the morning, highlighting their eDNA results finding Platypus in almost all eight research sites, through the investigation for the species DNA in the water. Surprisingly, the Platypus was found in nearly all sites that had more impact on them and lesser so in the pristine areas. CHEN, with the help of Dr Michelle Ryan (Western Sydney University) will be investigating these results more, initially thinking it may be related to the higher level of macro-invertebrates found in the higher impacted areas. 

Of great significance to this presentation, was the call out for more testing to be done across Sydney, with audience members suggesting their local creeks to be tested. 

Our third special presenter was John Asquith OAM from the Community Environment Network in the Central Coast. John heads up the Land for Wildlife and Habitat for Wildlife programs, which offer amazing support for landholders on big and small blocks who want to know what species are on their land, and how better to look after them. CHEN and GSLN will certainly be dealing more with CEN around these programs in the future. More information on the work of CEN can be found here. 

GSLN’s staff members all did presentations on their work for the last year and the formalities of the AGM were then held on Nov 8th, before a lovely walk in the SOP grounds – thanks to Michelle Playford from SOPA for guiding the walk!

A video of the AGM – and the special presentations can be seen below:

Part 1: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8qJGAvhKzmA&t=58s
Part 2: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jdBK91AeOG8

Thanks to Jess Lumbroso, our Streamwatch Coordinator for the great photos!