February 1 - 28, 2026: Issue 651

Long-Billed Corella, Careel Bay, February 19, 2026. Photo: AJG/PON. More in: Long-Billed Corella

Councils Approving DA's in Known Flood Zones - NSW Government's Proposed Climate Change and Natural Hazards State Environmental Planning Policy (SEPP): Have Your Say + Emergency Services Levy reform

On Tuesday February 17 2026 the Minns Government announced it is 'further streamlining planning approvals, while making sure new homes and infrastructure are built to better withstand the extreme weather impacts and natural disasters caused by climate change'. The government stated this while announcing it is seeking feedback on the 'Climate Change and Natural Hazards SEPP' until March 17 2026.

Local and state environment groups state the Climate Change and Natural Hazards SEPP supports more buildings to go in areas that should not be built in, which creates more hazards and greater impact again on the natural environment.

Concurrently, the government has opened feedback until February 27 on its Draft Sydney Plan, where, once again, not destroying the environment is not a high priority. In fact it is listed as 5th out of 7 Priorities. This was made available December 12 2025, when most people had clocked off for the year. Visit: www.planningportal.nsw.gov.au/draftplans/exhibition/sydney-plan

This had been preceded by a Sunday February 15 announcement on the State Government's 'Next steps for Emergency Services Levy reform' which reads as though those who chose not to build on a floodplain (or the sand), or in a bushfire zone, via approved state government legislation, or 'supported' by councils development proposals, can now pick up the tab for these decades of government policies and councils decisions, some of which continue being approved to the present day, for those who did buy into such properties.

The Emergency Services Levy (ESL) in NSW is a charge on insurance policies and local council rates used to fund roughly 85% of the operating budgets for critical emergency services. It primarily supports Fire and Rescue NSW, the NSW Rural Fire Service (RFS), and the NSW State Emergency Service (SES).

The NSW Government collects the majority of the ESL (about three-quarters) through insurance companies, which add it to home, contents, and commercial property insurance policies.

While the levy is not directly charged to residents on rate notices, local councils are required to contribute 11.7% of the total cost of NSW emergency services, so ratepayers are funding it. By May 1 2024 the NB council stated its Emergency Services Levy had increased to $9.3 million, the equivalent of $90 per ratepayer.

Major Australian insurers have been restricting or pausing the sale of new home insurance policies in specific high-risk, flood-prone, and bushfire-prone areas, particularly in Queensland and New South Wales. This is part of a broader industry trend where insurers are managing their exposure to risk following an increased frequency of natural disaster events.

Suncorp, one of those major insurers, has cited the need for improved flood mitigation infrastructure from local and state governments and the high cost of claims, often stating they cannot provide coverage in areas prone to repeated damage.

The released statement reads:

'Options to reduce household insurance costs and fix an unfair funding model for emergency services will be put to a NSW parliamentary inquiry.
While emergency services benefit everyone, most of their funding comes from a levy not everyone pays. The Minns Labor Government is committed to removing this Emergency Services Levy (ESL) and replacing it with a simple and transparent levy spread across all properties.
Currently, the burden of paying the ESL is unfairly placed only on those who take out property insurance. The cost of this levy for residential insurance has increased 48% from 2017-18 to 2023-24, adding pressure on household budgets.
All mainland states, apart from NSW, have implemented property-based levies to fund their emergency services.
In November 2023, the Minns Labor Government committed to reforming the ESL. The parliamentary inquiry will build on extensive public consultation carried out since then, and seeks to develop a consensus and strengthen support for the reform’s direction.
To inform the inquiry process, the Government will release an options paper which includes five levy model options. This follows a comprehensive collection of property level insurance policy data and land classifications performed by local councils under legislative amendments.
The Government thanks the insurance industry and local councils for their cooperation with this critical exercise for modelling reform options.
In designing the reform, the Government is also committed to protecting pensioners and vulnerable members of the community and ensuring a revenue-neutral model for sustainably funding emergency services agencies.
This is part of the Minns Labor Government’s commitment to cut red tape, remove unnecessary duplication across government and ease cost-of-living pressures on NSW households.'

Treasurer Daniel Mookhey said:
“This is an important step in moving funding for emergency services to an equitable and sustainable footing that cuts the cost of insurance. The parliamentary inquiry will provide an open and transparent forum to test the proposed framework and ensure stakeholder perspectives are meaningfully considered.
“We want to work with the Opposition and the crossbench to plot the last leg of this journey. This system funds services that protect all of us – and it is time for all politicians to work together to reform it.”

DA's in Flood Zones-Floodplains-Bushfire Zones being 'supported' - Approved

The insurance industry has urged the government to strongly consider climate risks and natural hazards in planning approvals to avoid future financial exposure.

While there have been moves to restrict development in the most dangerous areas, new projects continue to be approved in flood-prone regions, and on mapped floodplains, including in Pittwater.

The NSW Government has stated it is 'navigating a complex balance between addressing an acute housing shortage and managing the high risks associated with building on floodplains', particularly in Western Sydney and the Northern Rivers.

Despite stating on 29 October 2023:

'The NSW Government is delivering on its election commitment to no longer develop housing on high-risk flood plains in Western Sydney. The Government is today announcing it has rezoned parts of the North-West Growth corridor to ensure NSW does not construct new homes in high-risk areas. The Government is also releasing the Flood Evacuation Modelling report for the Hawkesbury-Nepean Valley, which informed the rezoning decisions.' Report is a PDF- 6.3MB

Earlier this month the NSW government green-lit almost 1000 new homes for a flood-prone north-western Sydney suburb. The proposed development at Marsden Park North, comprising 960 homes, is in the Hawkesbury-Nepean Valley, considered by the state government to have Australia’s highest unmitigated flood risk exposure.

Residents state the developers are in charge and the state government and local councils simply work to facilitate their proposals, which will pass the costs of future mitigation on to residents. Councils are charged with ignoring the still in place Development Control Plans for proposals in and on known flood zones, floodplains and in bushfire zones.

The 2023 NSW Government 'Flood risk management manual-The policy and manual for the management of flood liable land', states:

In regards to 'Your council's role' the state government says

'Your local council has 2 key responsibilities:'

They carry out studies to understand flood risk, examine options to manage it, and keep the community informed about flooding, supporting emergency management planning.
They take flooding into account when controlling the development of flood-prone land and in carrying out management actions, such as the investigation, design, construction, operation and maintenance of flood mitigation works.

The same document ensures councils that support DAs in flood zones cannot be sued afterwards, stating:

Section 733 of the Local Government Act 1993 provides local councils and statutory bodies representing the Crown, and their employees, with a limited legal indemnity for certain advice given, or things done or not done, relating to the likelihood of flooding or the extent of flooding

While DA's being lodged for these zones are progressed by councils, and lead to those who must deal with the impacts, and added costs - such as the seawall at Collaroy the forced amalgamation of all three councils has made the financial burden of everyone across the LGA - a belief by those who have objected to such projects being approved, is residents knowledges is ignored and they have been treated with contempt by the councils that 'support' these proposals before, during, and after they have 'worked with' developers to pass them.

One local example is the council supporting construction of a 4-storey residential flat building with a 2 level basement on the corner of Kunari Place and Park Street, Mona Vale.

Overland flooding, especially in areas or as part of a known flood-affected area zone can be exacerbated by installing structures into the earth, and through their channels - disrupting the flows.

Underground carparks significantly alter local hydrology by acting as large, impermeable barriers that force surrounding groundwater to move around or underneath them. As urban development covers natural, porous ground, stormwater and groundwater cannot flow freely, causing the soil to saturate and exert intense "hydrostatic pressure" on the underground structure.

Because the concrete structure is impermeable, water that would naturally percolate through the soil is instead forced to move through the remaining surrounding earth, impacting those 'downstream' or around the property.

Due to being below the water table, these structures are highly susceptible to flooding from rising groundwater or runoff entering via ramps.

This DA went to the Land and Environment court with the February 6 2026 Decision by Acting Commissioner of the Court, G Kullen’s Judgement noting:

A signed s 34 agreement with Annexure A and the amended plans were filed with the Court on 25 November 2025. A set of corrected conditions of consent was filed with the Court on 15 December 2025. The s 34 agreement is supported by an agreed statement of jurisdictional prerequisites.
Under s 34(3) of the LEC Act, I must dispose of the proceedings in accordance with the parties’ decision if the parties’ decision is a decision that the Court could have made in the proper exercise of its functions. In making the orders to give effect to the agreement between the parties, I was not required to, and have not, made any merit assessment of the issues that were originally in dispute between the parties.
The parties’ decision involves the Court exercising the function under s 4.16 of the EPA Act to grant consent to the DA.

Those who had objected to this DA were not provided with any of the amended plans or conditions of consent.

Additionally, the DA was made in reliance upon Chs 2 and 6 of State Environmental Planning Policy (Housing) 2021 (Housing SEPP) and proposes that 5 apartments be used for the purposes of affordable housing.

The five apartments are one-bedders of very small size, what others would term 'bed-sits', at the back of the development.

Under this scheme the Height of Buildings may be increased if such 'affordable housing' is included.

Pursuant to cl 4.3 of LEP 2014, the Site is subject to an 8.5m HOB (Height of Building) control. However, s 179(2)(e) of the Housing SEPP prescribes a non-discretionary development standard of 9.5m - which was applied atop that LEP HOB.

The parties (developer and the NB council) then advised the court that:

Section 16(3) of the Housing SEPP permits an additional building height equal to the percentage of additional FSR available under s 16(1) of the Housing SEPP. As the proposed development achieves the full 30% FSR incentive, the maximum permissible building height increases by 30%, resulting in a maximum building height of 12.35m.

Another 4 metres over the Pittwater Council LEP equates to another storey on these buildings.

The NSW Government Planning Department stated last year:

'Further amendments were made on 14 February 2025 to uphold the original policy intent of the in-fill affordable housing provisions. Developments seeking in-fill affordable housing bonuses can only use a local bonus if it meets relevant LEP provisions. The bonuses, unless otherwise specified, do not override or remove the requirement to comply with any land and development controls that apply. No other amendments were made.'

The now passed DA also approves the removal of 24 trees from the property.

An October 2025 published report out of the University of Sydney states: 'The chance of large-scale flooding in a specific catchment area can increase by as much as eight-fold if widespread deforestation has occurred.'

“Australia, and the rest of the world, must wake up to the new dangers floods are posing. These dangers will only increase as warming intensifies, bushfires become more frequent, and storms larger as the atmosphere holds more moisture than before.” - Professor Lucy Marshall, School of Civil Engineering, said

In assessing the proposal prior to the Land and Environment judgment the council, in its 'Natural Environment Referral Response - Flood', stated:

‘’This proposal is for the demolition of existing dwellings across three lots and the construction of two, four-story apartments. The proposal is assessed against Section B3.11 of the Pittwater DCP and Clause 5.21 of the Pittwater LEP. The proposal is located outside of the Flood Planning Precinct and is not subject to flood-related development controls. The proposal generally complies with Section B3.11 of the Pittwater DCP and Clause 5.21 of the Pittwater LEP. The proposal is therefore supported.’’

A 2023 NBC Flood Hazard Map does show that that corner, of Park streets and Kunari Place, is not within a known flood zone - on one side of that street:

screenshot of 2023 NBC Mona Vale Floodplain map and - Sections from -:

The NB council states on its Local Environmental Plan and Development Control Plan webpage that:

'On 14 October 2025 the NSW Government advised that the Planning Proposal for the draft Northern Beaches LEP may proceed subject to a range of matters including certain amendments and details for Council to apply prior to the public exhibition of the Planning Proposal in 2026. The new, consolidated LEP for the Northern Beaches will be complemented by a new comprehensive Development Control Plan (DCP), which is being developed in parallel to the LEP.'

As such the Pittwater Council LEP and DCP are still the determining documents and requirements applicable. These were informed by reports and studies commissioned by Pittwater Council which include, but were not limited to, the Mona Vale / Bayview Floodplain Risk Management Study and Plan 2008 Volume 1 and Volume 2- produced by Cardno Lawson Treloar for Pittwater Council.

The Pittwater Council DCP provides that, in regards to:

FLOOD EFFECTS CAUSED BY DEVELOPMENT
Development shall not be approved unless it can be demonstrated in a Flood Management Report that it has been designed and can be constructed so that in all events up to the 1% AEP event:
(a) There are no adverse impacts on flood levels or velocities caused by alterations to the flood conveyance; and
(b) There are no adverse impacts on surrounding properties; and
(c) It is sited to minimise exposure to flood hazard.
Major developments and developments likely to have a significant impact on the PMF flood regime will need to demonstrate that there are no adverse impacts in the Probable Maximum Flood.
CAR PARKING requirements are:
D1 Open carpark areas and carports shall not be located within a floodway.
D2 The lowest floor level of open carparks and carports shall be constructed no lower than the natural ground levels, unless it can be shown that the carpark or carport is free draining with a grade greater than 1% and that flood depths are not increased.
D7 All enclosed car parks must be protected from inundation up to the Probable Maximum Flood level or Flood Planning Level whichever is higher. For example, basement carpark driveways must be provided with a crest at or above the relevant Probable Maximum Flood level or Flood Planning Level whichever is higher. All access, ventilation and any other potential water entry points to any enclosed car parking shall be at or above the relevant Probable Maximum Flood level or Flood Planning Level whichever is higher.

However, the NB council has been working to update the Mona Vale Floodzones and Floodplain documents. The council webpage for that states:

‘’Following the completion of the McCarrs Creek, Mona Vale and Bayview Flood Study project in 2017, Council recently commissioned engineering consultants BMT to complete a comprehensive Floodplain Risk Management Study for the McCarrs Creek, Mona Vale and Bayview catchments.
This study will consider a range of flood management measures, such as structural options (levees, detention basins etc.), emergency management improvements, community awareness activities and land use planning. The options will be assessed to understand the potential impacts and benefits, with a final suite of recommended options presented in the McCarrs Creek, Mona Vale and Bayview Floodplain Risk Management Plan. This project is supported by the NSW Government’s Floodplain Management Program.’’
The 'Project Lifecycle' and 'Updates' provides
April 2019 - Project update: We would like to get your thoughts and suggestions on flood management options to reduce flood risk and improve emergency response planning for the catchments of McCarrs Creek, Mona Vale & Bayview. This short survey is your opportunity to contribute local knowledge to help with our future planning for the area. Please complete the survey online.
Timeline item 1 – complete; Data Collection, Review and Community Consultation - June 2019. Comments close 16 June 2019. Further opportunities to comment on flood management options during the public exhibition of the draft Study and Plan later in the year.
Updates: May 2020 - Study being prepared
Timeline item 2 - incomplete; Public Exhibition of Draft Flood Risk Management Study; Expected in 2024

Following the council announcing residents of Belrose, Davidson, Frenchs Forest, Forestville, and Killarney Heights can share their views on its draft Middle Harbour Flood Study in the first week of February 2026, on Tuesday February 10 2026 the news service inquired of the council when the 'Public Exhibition of Draft Flood Risk Management Study' for Mona Vale would be available.

Council responded on Friday February 20, stating:

''Council continues to progress important flood management work across the Northern Beaches. Several Flood Studies and Flood Risk Management Plans are under way and/or programmed with the McCarrs Creek, Mona Vale and Bayview Floodplain Risk Management Study and Plan scheduled for public exhibition and adoption in the 2027/28 financial year.

Council has already completed the following work for McCarrs Creek, Mona Vale and Bayview:

Stage 1: Flood information assessments and community consultation
Stage 2: Risk assessment and emergency management arrangements
Stage 3: Assessment of preferred flood risk management options

The remaining steps involve finalising the Draft Floodplain Risk Management Study, undertaking public exhibition and then presenting the Study and Plan to Council for adoption.'

No indication of what was in that feedback provided in 2019 is available yet, or whether that would have changed any of the DA's since 'supported' by the council if its original timeline for updating the Mona Vale-Bayview-McCarrs Flood Risk Management been realised.

However, residents of Mona Vale state they are well versed in where water flows across this former floodplain and wetland, and have kept records of their own, some of these stretching back generations. They have said the cumulative impacts of climate-change driven weather events are already here and occurring on a larger scale more frequently.

The recently released NSW State Disaster Mitigation Plan estimates that by 2060 Sydney's northern beaches will have the highest Total Average Annual Losses in NSW by 2060, with estimated losses of close to $1 billion dollars per annum to the built environment alone.

During the ‘Ability of local governments to fund infrastructure and services’ NSW Parliament Inquiry a question to the Chief Financial Officer, Northern Beaches Council revealed a deficit of almost $8million in costs sustained by weather events.

The CFO's Answers to Questions on Notice the response to 'What types of costs are incurred in response to a natural disaster?' was:

The Northern Beaches is highly exposed to a raft of natural hazards with current data indicating:

Over 22,000 properties are affected by flood;
19,000 properties are bush fire prone;
63,000 properties exposed to moderate to high geotechnical risk, and
close to 5000 properties affected by coastal hazards.

See:

Some residents have communicated that when the council chooses to participate in a Section 34 conciliation conference, this practice effectively denies due process to the community in relation to the observance of the Pittwater LEP and the interests of the community in the proper consideration of D/A’s. They have observed that the NB council will spend Pittwater ratepayers money to defend the same in the former Warringah council area.

See:

November 2025: Council Appeal on Oxford Falls Seniors DA Successful: Errors on Questions of Law Grounds (Warringah Local Environmental Plan 2000 (WLEP) ).

The council is not the sole driver of support for DA's residents state will 'obviously cause more flooding and distress and leave us with a huge and ongoing bill'. No matter how quickly councils may be able to update their mitigation structures to reflect what is happening on the ground, other policies at a state government level are increasingly overriding democracy within local government, and even placing delays on council actions - from informed studies and data-driven knowledge.

In October 2017 the then Coalition NSW government the draft Greater Sydney Region Plan was released which named Mona Vale as a 'Town Centre'.

This had been preceded in 2016 by the then installed by the Coalition Government Administrator, when Pittwater was forcibly amalgamated with Warringah and Manly, publishing another 'new' version of the prior Pittwater Council's 'Mona Vale Place Plan' which it had been working on when destroyed.

Although abandoned by that Administrator, as it was clearly being taken up by the NSW Government the following year, this stated it would, now, reflect what has been passed by successive Liberal and Labor governments.

At an October 2016 Meeting community leaders stated:

''Our community involvement has now been muddied by a place planning process that we were largely not included in. We have before us a plan that has a complete disconnect to the workshops held, a draft Plan that challenge’s what our ideas for Mona Vale were. Did we really, say, that we wanted six story buildings? Did we really, say, that we wanted a night time economy like Manly? No, we did not. In fact, one of the big points of difference that we identified to our neighbours in the south, was our low-rise landscape and the human scale and village character of our town centre. We identified as being an area of important low key tourism along with our village neighbours to the north and could see this as an attraction to tourists, investors and talent that could help build our economy. Six storey high buildings are not part of the character that we envisage for Mona Vale and will destroy our village feel. We do not wish to see developers coming in and developing whole precincts, setting a precedent for development in surrounding localities.''
''We already have the real estate agents spruiking the increases to property prices with a revamped Mona Vale and there is still no evidence that Mona Vale needs greater housing stock. Affordable housing does not equate to six storey high buildings.
We still do not know what the economic/environmental cost of population growth equates to in our area. What we do know however is that there is no reference to increased infrastructure in the plan. Only an improved bus service. There is no reference to an upgrade of the sewerage works or water systems and drainage. No reference to our crowded schools. With the continued development of Warriewood and the large land release in Ingleside, the introduction of town house legislation, and the interest in secondary dwellings on the peninsula, it does not paint a pretty picture. We need to respect the carrying capacity of our area when planning for our future.''
This place plan does not represent the communities’ desires. The process has been politically managed and PR dominated. Six thousand hits on a website does not constitute meaningful consultation. The State Government, The Property Council of NSW, The Future Cities group, local real-estate agents, mortgage brokers and banks, the developers waiting in the wings, should not be responsible for the evolution of Mona Vale. Nor should an unelected council executive who are pushing for densification and changes to our LEP.''

See:

November 2016 report: Mona Vale Place Plan Meeting Discloses Salient Points and Community's Objections and Mona Vale Rally regarding Place Plan brings together community residents - held November 27, 2016

The incumbent Labor NSW Government is in the process of changing that 2017/2018 GSRP to 'The Sydney Plan'. The draft Sydney Plan sets out how the NSW Government will manage growth across the Sydney region over the next 20 years. Once finalised, it will replace the Greater Sydney Region Plan – A Metropolis of Three Cities (2018) and associated district plans as the first of a new generation of regional plans outlined in A New Approach to Strategic planning: Discussion Paper. The draft Sydney Plan is currently on exhibition and open for feedback until 5 pm, 27 February 2026.

Mona Vale was maintained as a 'Town Centre' and approved for 6-storey buildings up to 24 metres under the State Government's Low and Mid-Rise policy announced on Friday February 21 2025.

Sites were selected considering the following criteria:

Access to goods and services in the area
Public transport frequencies and travel times
Critical infrastructure capacity hazards and constraints
Local housing targets and rebalancing growth

The buses in the B-line, newly finished upgraded Mona Vale Road East, already ticked off 'Mona Vale Town Centre' prior to feedback, and the council continuing this through its own housing policy, as required at a state level, outweighed what this will do to this part of Pittwater and all those who buy into it.

However, with councils bypassed through NSW Government State Significant Development (SSD's), developers are now taking that minimum Height of Buildings as the baseline, zones for areas as irrelevant, and applying to fill whole blocks with proposals almost three times over the limit, in, once again, known flood zones or on sand.

See:

June 2018: Golf Avenue Mona Vale Now A Car Park Due To B-Line Commuter growing Pains
April 2023: Clear Breach Of Height Limit in DA Recommended For Approval on Old Palm Beach Fish & Chip Site + Rezoning of Pittwater plans Ignite Renewed Calls for a Return of Pittwater Council +
July 2024: Over-development at Palm Beach general Store land: Palm Beach Whale Beach Association for residents encourages all to attend on site hearing
February 2025: Non-Compliant DA for Palm Beach General Store Site Now supported by council
February 2025 report: Mona Vale Set to Become Dee Why of Pittwater Under NSW Government's Low and Mid-Rise policy
May 2025: Pittwater MP slams the Government’s Low and Mid-Rise Housing Policy for turning on the tap for developers
November 2025: Scruby slams government and opposition teaming up to make it easy for developers as NSW Planning System Reform Bill passes - community asks: who are these elected Representatives actually representing?
November 2025: Regan Tables Development on Bushfire Prone Land Protection Bill 2025
November 2025: Over the Top Narrabeen DA Draws Large Crowd to Peaceful Protest: 'This is about Community Standing up For Community'
November 2025: Community Calls for Narrabeen Seniors Proposal to be Referred to IPC - Mona Vale Save Our Suburb Residents Group Formed - 2 Motions passed at council meeting
November 2025: Council Stands With Community on Objections to State Significant Development at Ocean Street Narrabeen - Culturally Significant Black Bean Trees to be destroyed - Site is Adjacent to Former grave of 'Narrabeen Man'
January 2026: Community Concern As Another Tree Up for Destruction by the Council - Doubling of prior Bassett Street Mona Vale DA proposal under NSW government SSD's provides stark illustration of impact on local environment of laws written 'for developers' (Feedback closes Feb 2, 2026) - Community Objections Being silenced or Ignored - Dec, 2025 Address to Council by Secretary of Protect Pittwater
February 2026: SOS (Save Our Suburb) Mona Vale: New Residents Group Launched
February 2026: Wakehurst MPs Bushfire Bill Lapse Date extended: Concerns persist Over DA's in High-Risk Fire Zones

Residents have stated they are outraged any state government or council expects them to pick up the tab for their past, current and future policies to enable developers greed to be prioritised at the expense of community safety, and approval of environment destruction.

Another factor has become more apparent in the past few weeks.

The cost of construction has increased so much that developers are abandoning projects in the western suburbs of Sydney in favour of builds in Pittwater and surrounds where the profit margins make these more attractive.

The approval of another underground carpark on the corner of Careel Head and Barrenjoey road in a DA, in another known high risk flood area, where people are seen weekly blowing refuse, into the gutters and blocking drains, and still unchallenged despite reports to the council, is already increasing the level of flooding and inundation of properties alongside this flood zone.

Some history on the site is available in: Careel Head Road Shops and the North Bangalley- Burrowong Creeks

Critics argue that building on or adjacent to floodplains or known flood zones puts lives at risk and, obviously, increases insurance costs - which is, as seen above, is set to be imposed on all residents, not the developers profiting from the same, and as the councils cannot be sued for 'supporting' the same, the huge loss of environment, costs levied on all residents, and ongoing mitigation costs to those who buy into such developments is being sacrificed so developers may profit.

The view north from Careel Head Road, North Avalon in 2022: This frequently flooded corner was causing drivers to cross over the lines into the other lanes to avoid the flooded section.

Careel Head-Barrenjoey Road section, January 17 2026 - more flooding, more often. Photo: Adam L'G/FB

screenshot of 2023 NBC Careel Head Road and Careel Bay Floodplain risk map - does this need updating again, already?

Housing Targets Rejigged

On May 29-31, 2024, the NSW Government released 5-year housing completion targets for 43 local councils across Greater Sydney, Illawarra-Shoalhaven, Central Coast, and Lower Hunter. These targets aim to deliver 377,000 new homes by 2029 to align with the National Housing Accord, focusing on infill development near existing infrastructure. The State Government is going to these lengths to ensure everyone has a roof over their heads.

Analysts agree Australia's housing crisis stems from a significant imbalance where demand far outstrips supply, driven by rapid population growth (including migration and international students), insufficient new construction (hampered by complex planning and high costs), decades of underinvestment in social housing, and housing being treated as an investment commodity rather than a basic need or human right, leading to soaring prices and rents.

The Northern Beaches Council had already set a target of almost 12,000 new dwellings by 2036 in 2021 under the previous government's requirements. It adopted this at the meeting held on 27 April 2021. Areas for high-density development include Dee Why, Mona Vale, Frenchs Forest, and Brookvale.

The NB council proposed, at that time, a locally specific medium density complying development model as an alternative to the Low-Rise Medium Density Housing Code. Additionally Council proposed seniors and affordable housing as an alternative to the new Housing SEPP (formerly the Affordable Rental Housing 2009 and Seniors and People with a Disability 2004 SEPPs) which were not supported by the then Coalition Government.

The department’s requirements meant the council cannot pursue everything in its strategy. This included exemption from the Housing SEPP which provides for different housing types such as seniors living and boarding houses.

The 2024 target made the NBC LGA quota 5,900 new completed homes by 2029. In comparison, Mosman Council must supply 500 new complete homes, although that may soon change.

See: Sale of Bulk of HMAS Penguin Site Approved - Pristine Angophora Forest Likely to be Destroyed, Wildlife Killed, Another People's Parkland stolen: Pittwater Annexe will be retained

Councils that meet or exceed these targets can access a $200 million grant pool for community infrastructure like parks and sports facilities.

Concerns are that these targets, focused on completions rather than approvals, may be difficult for councils to control, and that rapid development could affect building quality or the pressure on councils to meet their assigned targets by supporting proposals that will impact homes and residents already in these places - as exampled in the Mona Vale DA's being lodged and passed, as well as the SSD's now seeing proposals to increase what had already been approved, in one instance, in these flood zones.

See: Doubling of prior Bassett Street Mona Vale DA proposal under NSW government SSD's provides stark illustration of impact on local environment of laws written 'for developers' - Community Objections Being silenced or Ignored

New guide to support councils in identifying land for affordable housing

In addition to the CCNH SEPP, this week, on Wednesday February 18, the NSW Government announced its release of a new guide to support councils in undertaking their own land audits to identify vacant operational council land that could be used to deliver affordable housing projects.

The Council Led Affordable Housing on Operational Land Guide released by the Office of Local Government provides step-by-step guidance for councils on identifying and managing affordable housing sites utilising operational land – from planning through to construction and delivery.

'A major barrier to building more affordable housing is the high cost of acquiring well-located land. Council owned sites such as former depots or unused facilities that are well serviced and close to public transport can be ideal locations for affordable housing to support low-income households.' the statement reads

'The guide provides detail on delivery options available to councils to release and manage operational land for affordable housing and how councils can form partnerships with entities such as government agencies and housing providers to maximise the impact of affordable housing.'

It also includes case studies showcasing successful affordable housing projects led by councils to meet the needs of their communities. For example, Shoalhaven City Council transformed surplus council land in Bomaderry into 39 affordable housing units, while Lismore City Council is partnering with Landcom, Homes NSW and a community housing provider to construct 56 new affordable housing units.

'The NSW Government has set five-year housing completion targets for 43 local government areas in Sydney, the Illawarra-Shoalhaven, the Lower Hunter and Central Coast, and a single housing target for Regional NSW. In the draft Sydney Plan, out on exhibition at the moment, local affordable housing contribution schemes have been mandated for all councils in Sydney to increase the delivery of affordable homes within their communities.'

'This guide also supports the objectives of the National Housing Accord by encouraging councils to increase housing supply and affordability at the local level.

By harnessing under-utilised operational land in partnership with the NSW Government and community housing providers, councils can make a substantial impact in addressing the state’s housing crisis and deliver access to homes for people in need.'

The guide is available at: https://www.olg.nsw.gov.au/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/Guide-for-Council-Led-Affordable-Housing-on-Operational-Land.pdf

Minister for Planning and Public Spaces Paul Scully said:

“All levels of government need to play their part to help address the housing shortage. The Minns Labor Government’s land audit has identified several sites that are no longer being used that can deliver thousands of new homes, with the support of this new guide, we’re asking councils to do the same.

“This builds on the work of our successful Infill Affordable Housing Scheme, the delivery of 400 build-to-rent homes for essential workers on land audit sites in Annandale and Chatswood and mandated minimum affordable housing inclusions for new developments in Transport Oriented Development areas.”

Minister for Local Government Ron Hoenig said:

“Former council depot sites and other surplus buildings often sit on valuable land that could be better utilised for much-needed housing.

“This new guide provides councils as key partners in delivering housing, with the information and tools to address housing affordability in their area.

“Affordable housing is critical for fostering community diversity, boosting local economies and promoting long-term sustainable housing, and councils can help free up unused land to create homes for our key workers and future generations.”

Minister for Housing and Homelessness Rose Jackson said:

“This is what solving the housing crisis looks like – it means looking at it from every angle, pulling down barriers at every turn.

“We’re working constructively with many councils who want to build more affordable housing for their communities, but sometimes it can be hard to know where to start.

“That’s where this guide comes in. We’re providing the tools to help councils get more projects off the ground, doing their bit to build a future for young Australians."

Have your say: Climate Change and Natural Hazards SEPP

The NSW Government is seeking feedback on its proposed Climate Change and Natural Hazards State Environmental Planning Policy (SEPP).

''The proposed policy introduces a clear, consistent framework for tackling current and future risks, including climate change and natural hazards (coastal hazards, flooding, bushfires, and urban heat), and rebuilding after natural disasters''. the webpage states

'By bringing climate change and natural hazard frameworks together in one place, the policy makes planning controls easier to access, understand, and apply.

The policy will support the new object in the Environmental Planning & Assessment Act 1979 to better respond to these risks and make decisions that reflect the level of risk involved'.

The government states the proposed policy will:

Introduce new guidelines for managing natural hazards and update existing natural hazards controls to streamline decision-making.
Focus on climate risks, rebuilding after natural disasters, coastal hazards, flooding, bushfires and urban heat.
Establish a consistent approach for assessing climate risk and natural hazards throughout development assessment.
Provide an all-hazards approach to planning to ensure communities and developments are resilient to both current and future risks.
Help consent authorities, such as local councils, assess climate and natural hazard risks for different development types and guide decisions based on acceptable risk levels.

As part of the exhibition, the government is also seeking feedback on:

Draft Climate Change Scenario Guidelines outlining climate scenarios to be used with natural hazard frameworks.
Draft Urban Heat Policy Statement detailing objectives and planning principles to build resilience to urban heat.

The proposed SEPP will replace the existing State Environmental Planning Policy (Resilience and Hazards) 2021.

''Your feedback is valuable and will help inform the making of the Climate Change and Natural Hazards SEPP. A submissions report will be available on this page once the review is complete.'' the webpage states

Read the Explanation of Intended Effect

End of Summer Dispersal of birds From Birth Nests + Flying Foxes Feasting on Spotted Gum Blossoms

Pittwater residents, including our local Vet, have been hearing lots of owls at night of late, a classic end-of Summer nocturnal music as these juvenile birds begin finding their way in the world, having grown out of their birth nests.

This Powerful, photographed by PON's Features Photographer Michael Mannington OAM of Community Photography, was spotted in Mona Vale this week.

He's a boy and has been checked by Sydney Wildlife volunteers a few times over recent days. Apparently there are possums in the vicinity and he’s waiting for a dusk feed. He also ranges through Kitchener park as part of his new domain.

Another nocturnal music being heard by those still working late are Flying Foxes feasting on what is blooming - in the PON yard at present that's Pittwater Spotted gums - and they're joined in nocturnal flight by the microbats pair that also live in these same trees.

The birds watched growing up this past Summer are also dispersing or have already gone - off into the greater expanses of blue hills meeting green hills meeting blue skies.

See: Summer BirdFest 2026: Play antics of New Locals - Blue-faced Honeyeaters Breeding In Pittwater or All February 2026 Environment News

It's all classic end-of Summer in Pittwater stuff.

Please slow down at Dusk and Dawn

The powerful owl (Ninox strenua), a species of owl native to south-eastern and eastern Australia, is the largest owl on the continent. It is found in coastal areas and in the Great Dividing Range, rarely more than 200 km (120 mi) inland.

The powerful owl has a long tail and a small head, giving it an atypical silhouette for an owl and imparting a more hawk-like appearance than any other large owl. The protruding bill and distinct brow ridges enhance the hawk-like appearance of the species.

This species measures 45 to 65 cm (18 to 26 in) in length and spans 112 to 135 cm (44 to 53 in) across the wings. Unlike in a vast majority of owl species, the male is slightly larger than the female on average. Body mass in males has been reported at 0.99 to 2.22 kg (2.2 to 4.9 lb), with 13 males averaging 1.45 kg (3.2 lb), while females can weigh from 1.04 to 1.6 kg (2.3 to 3.5 lb), with an average in 9 females of 1.25 kg (2.8 lb). Among all the owls in the world, the powerful owl is the ninth longest from bill-to-tail, the tenth heaviest and the eighth longest winged. - From Wikipedia and BirdLife Australia

''Majestic is the suitable description.'' - Michael Mannington OAM, February 17, 2026

Generally, this species lives in primary forests with tall, native trees, but can show some habitat flexibility when not nesting. The powerful owl is a typically territorial raptorial bird that maintains a large home range and has long intervals between egg-laying and hatching of clutches. Also, like many types of raptorial birds, they must survive a long stretch to independence in young owls after fledging.

They are an apex predator and are often opportunists, like most predators, but generally are dedicated to hunting arboreal mammals, in particular small to medium-sized marsupials. Such prey can comprise about three-quarters of their diet.

As insects also form part of their diet, residents are asked to slow down at dusk and dawn as they will frequently feed at the sides of roads and this can lead to impacts with cars - please slow down!

If you do come across wildlife that has been injured or needs help, please contact:

Sydney Wildlife: For 24/7 Emergency Rescue or Advice CALL 9413 4300

WIRES: For emergency rescue support 24/7 please call 1300 094 737

Both operate 24/7 with local volunteers ready to help our other local residents - the feathered, furry and scaled. Their mission is to rescue and care for sick, injured, and orphaned native wildlife and to safely release them back into the wild

More of MM's photos:

NSW Government invests $1 million to fund biocontrol research to manage weeds: pittwater's 2020-2021 Connections

On Tuesday February 10 2026 the NSW Government announced it has granted $1 million to Australia’s national science agency CSIRO to carry out biocontrol research to help control invasive weeds.

'Biocontrol reduces weeds by deploying natural biological agents, such as fungi or insects, and is increasingly important as an environment-friendly, self-sustaining and cost-effective weed-management tool.' the government said in a released statement

The funding is good news for threatened species, primary producers and supporting healthy Country.

Invasive weeds cost Australian agriculture industries close to $4.9 billion each year through crop loss and weed-management costs. On average, biocontrol returns $23 in benefits for every $1 invested and significantly reduces reliance on herbicides.

This $1 million investment by the NSW Environmental Trust for the 2025–26 financial year will support new research initiatives led by CSIRO in partnership with the NSW Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD) and NSW Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water (DCCEEW).

The initiatives will target 11 weeds across diverse ecosystems from arid lands to moist forests. For example, mass-rearing and releasing a cochineal insect to tackle Hudson pear, while a leaf-smut fungus will manage wandering trad – each tailored to the specific environment and species.

Native to South America, wandering trad is a fleshy-leaved creeping plant that grows as a ground cover.

When it escapes into bushland, wandering trad smothers and crowds out native plants. It is considered a major environmental weed in subtropical and temperate rainforests. It has become a major problem in Pittwater.

Wandering trad has infested native forests across eastern Australia, from eastern parts of NSW and south-east Queensland, to the Dandenong Ranges in Victoria where the biocontrol agent was first released in 2019.

A CSIRO-Pittwater Natural Heritage Association project, co-funded by CSIRO and the New South Wales Government through its Environmental Trust, facilitating stakeholders’ releases of the fungus across the range of wandering trad in New South Wales, commenced in Pittwater in 2020.

Members of PNHA placed pieces of Trad infected with the fungus Kordiana were planted among healthy Trad beside the track to the Irrawong waterfall at Narrabeen, in McCarrs Creek Reserve Church Point and in Bangalley Head Reserve near the track on Whale Beach Rd.

The fungus may take a while to spread to healthy Trad. The effect will be to suppress its growth by damaging its leaves rather than kill it completely. This release is just the first of many to come.

Don't worry, it's not another Cane Toad. It has been carefully tested by the CSIRO and only infects Trad and not its close native relative Commelina which has blue flowers.

See: Trad Biocontrol release in Pittwater

An April 2021 update from PNHA showed the project was working.

Trad biocontrol in Ingleside Chase Reserve: Success! Trad biocontrol smut takes off

From Pittwater Nature, Issue 5 April 2021:

You’ll have read about our October 2020 smut releases in PNHA Newsletter 86.

We’re excited to announce that Trad next to where we planted some infected stems along the track to the Irrawong waterfall is looking yellow and sick. The spores of the smut, a type of fungus, have started spreading and infecting healthy Trad. We were advised to wait for up to a year for results, so to see Trad dying after only six months is wonderful.

We receive boxes of infected stems from the CSIRO in Canberra. In February this year we planted stems amongst dense Trad along Narrabeen Creek at Warriewood. This April we planted in the Avalon reserves Toongari, Palmgrove Park and Plateau Park and in Crescent Reserve Newport. A few stems were also planted in the Avalon Community Garden. McCarrs Creek Reserve had been planted in October, but in April we planted more in other areas there.

Click here: https://blog.csiro.au/smut-to-the-rescue/ to read about the CSIRO’s Wandering Trad biocontrol program.

Left: Smut spores form on the lower surface of the leaf. Centre: Yellow dying cells from upper surface. Right: Infected area. Leaves will die, the plant will collapse, native vegetation can get light. Bush regenerators and gardeners, rejoice!

Next Steps

The state government states the next steps to manage weeds are to ensure all approved biocontrol agents are easy and safe for the community to use.

Following biocontrol agent releases, monitoring programs will evaluate their impacts on weeds and the recovery of native ecosystems, and findings will be shared through a statewide network.

The project includes a co-designed Aboriginal Engagement Plan ensuring Traditional Custodian knowledge and values guide biocontrol efforts and strengthen outcomes on Country.

The Trust has already invested $3.4 million to date. Previous projects have reduced the impacts of serious environmental weeds such as the coastal invader sea spurge, helping native species to recover.

Dr Ben Gooden, CSIRO Senior Research Scientist said:

"This project unites cutting-edge science and ecological knowledge to tackle one of our most persistent environmental challenges – restoring landscapes impacted by invasive weeds.

"Biocontrol offers a sustainable, long-term solution to managing invasive weeds, helping native ecosystems recover and thrive without the need for repeated chemical intervention.

"Successful biocontrol reduces the burden on land managers, improves biodiversity, and supports more resilient landscapes for future generations."

NSW Environmental Trust Director, Katie Robinson said:

“This funding is part of the NSW Government’s Environmental Trust’s support to tackle invasive weeds across NSW.

“Invasive weeds threaten 40 per cent of threatened species and 89 per cent of endangered ecological communities in NSW.

“Weeds are a serious threat to our environment and economy. Biocontrol is another tool to manage weeds in the future.”

PNHA Volunteers planting infected stems of Trad amongst healthy Trad beside the boardwalk in Warriewood in October 2020 - note how the Trad has engulfed this section of local bushland reserves - beforehand. Report Photos: PNHA

Climate outlook for March to June

Issued 12 February 2026 by BOM

Long-range forecast overview

The long-range forecast for March to May shows:

Rainfall is likely to be below average for most of the southern two-thirds of Australia.
Daytime temperatures are very likely to be above average across most of the southern two-thirds of Australia and parts of far northern Australia.
Overnight temperatures are likely to very likely to be above average across much of Australia.

Rainfall—Summary

Below average autumn rainfall likely for much of the south

March to May

Autumn rainfall is likely to be below average (60 to 80% chance) for most of the southern two-thirds of Australia. The drier than average forecast signal generally increases in extent and likelihood as the season progresses.
For much of northern Australia, the rainfall forecast for March to May does not strongly favour a particular outcome, meaning there are roughly equal chances that rainfall will be above, below or close to average.
This rainfall forecast from ACCESS-S is generally consistent with forecasts from most international models although ACCESS-S predicts higher chances of below average rainfall.
There is an increased chance of unusually low rainfall1 (over 50% chance) for parts of north-eastern Tasmania and South Australia's interior.
For the month of March, the rainfall forecast does not strongly favour a particular outcome for much of the country, however rainfall is likely to be above average (60 to 70% chance) for parts of Cape York Peninsula, the Top End and northern Kimberley and below average in scattered parts of southern and central Australia.

1Unusually low rainfall is that in the driest 20% of March to May records between 1981 and 2018.

Temperature—Summary

Warmer than average autumn days and nights likely across most of Australia

March to May

Maximum temperatures for autumn are very likely to be above average (more than 80% chance) across most of Australia.
The chance of above average maximum temperatures is closer to 50% for northern parts of Queensland and the Northern Territory, where rainfall and increased cloud cover, particularly during March, may act to moderate temperatures.
These temperature forecasts from ACCESS-S are generally consistent with most international models, although ACCESS-S predicts higher chances of warmer than average temperatures, especially over the northern interior of Australia.
Much of Australia has an increased chance of unusually high maximum temperatures2 (over 50% chance), with the strongest chances in north-eastern Tasmania, and far western and eastern Australia (over 70% chance).
Minimum temperatures are likely to be above average (60% to over 80% chance) across most of Australia, with lower chances (closer to 50%) for the Kimberley, central Australia and some inland parts of south-eastern Australia.
There is an increased chance of unusually high minimum temperatures2 (over 50% chance) for parts of far western Australia and the Cape York Peninsula.

2Unusually high maximum and minimum temperatures are those in the warmest 20% of March to May days and nights, respectively, between 1981 and 2018.

We use our long-range model, ACCESS-S, to forecast up to four months ahead. It simulates how the atmosphere and oceans may change, using millions of observations from satellites, land stations, and ocean instruments.

We also track global climate indicators to help understand long-term weather patterns. These mainly reflect how the ocean and atmosphere interact.

Current climate indicators:

Sea surface temperatures (SSTs) during January 2026 were the sixth warmest on record in the Australian region and the fourth warmest for the global average.
The sea surface temperature (SST) analysis for the week ending 8 February 2026 shows warmer than average waters persist off parts of the Western Australian coastline, in particular the Gascoyne and south-western Pilbara coasts. Cooler than average waters remain in the Tasman Sea, Bass Strait and in the Arafura and Timor seas to Australia's north.
Forecasts for March to May show SSTs are likely to be warmer-than-average across much of the Australian region, but closer to average off parts of the southern and northern Australian coasts. Warmer oceans can provide increased moisture and energy, that can enhance the severity of storms, cyclones and rain systems.
La Niña is easing in the tropical Pacific

Mona Vale Dunes bushcare group: 2026 Dates

What’s Happening? Mona Vale Dunes Bushcare group catch-up.

In 2026 our usual work mornings will be the second Saturday and third Thursday of each month. You can come to either or both.

We are maintaining an area south of Golf Avenue. This was cleared of dense lantana, green cestrum and ground Asparagus in 2019-2020. 600 tubestock were planted in June 2021, and natural regeneration is ongoing.

Photos: The site In November 2019, chainsaws at the ready. In July 2025, look at the difference - coastal dune vegetation instead of dense weeds. But maintenance continues and bushcarers are on the job. Can you join us?

(access to this southern of MV Dunes - parking near Mona Vale Headland reserve, or walk from Golf Ave.)

For comparison, see this image of MV dunes in 1969!, taken from atop the home units at the end of Golf Avenue.

2026 Dates

North Avalon Beach Dune Planting

Sunday, 1 March 2026 - 08:30 am to 12:00 pm

Join us to stabilise North Avalon Beach Dune. All community members are welcome from 8:30am-midday.

Please bring:

Gloves
Hat, sunglasses and sunscreen
Wear long pants and sleeved shirt
Enclosed boots/shoes

Meeting point: North Avalon Beach; Refer to exact location below:

Bangalley Headland WPA Bushcare 2026

Watch out for PNHA signs telling you about bush regeneration and our local environment. This is one of many coming up.

Community helps shift future of NSW national parks: Applications from Community Members invited to join Regional Committees

Tuesday February 17, 2026

The NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) is inviting applications from community members across the state to join its eight Regional Advisory Committees, helping shape the future management of some of NSW most iconic national parks and reserves.

NPWS recognising the value of lived experience, cultural knowledge and diverse perspectives in caring for NSW’s protected areas is strongly encouraging applications from Aboriginal people, people from culturally and linguistically diverse communities, young people, people with disability and veterans.

Regional Advisory Committees provide advice on the management of national parks and reserves across NSW – including the Blue Mountains National Park, Royal National Park, Kosciuszko National Park, Mungo National Park, Myall Lakes National Park and parks along the North Coast, South Coast and Greater Sydney.

Committee members play an important role in connecting NPWS with local communities and ensuring regional voices help inform park planning, conservation and visitor management.

In 2025, the Regional Advisory Committees were briefed on the rollout of body work cameras for authorised officers and provided comments on early proposals for fee reform and updates to the format of plans of management.

The Blue Mountains Regional Advisory Committee visited Gardens of Stone State Conservation Area to inspect campsites and track work and Northern Inland provided comments on Cuttaburra National Park and Thurloo Downs Statements of Management Intent.

The South Coast provided advice on Ben Boyd and Bell Bird Creek Nature Reserve draft plans of management and visited the Kembla Mountain Bike Tracks and the West Regional Advisory Committee reviewed the public submissions and provided advice to the Minister for the Kalyarr National Park Draft Plan of Management.

Up to 17 members will be appointed to each committee across the following NPWS field branches:

West
Northern Inland
Blue Mountains
Southern Ranges
North Coast
Hunter Central Coast
Greater Sydney
South Coast

Under the National Parks and Wildlife Act 1974, Regional Advisory Committees provide advice to the Minister for the Environment on plans of management, and to the Department Secretary and the National Parks and Wildlife Advisory Council on policies, plans and activities relevant to each region.

NPWS is seeking applicants with diverse backgrounds, skills and experience, including in:

Conservation and environmental management
Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal cultural heritage
Community engagement
Education
Recreation, ecotourism and sustainable visitor use
Historic and World Heritage conservation
Rural and regional issues

NPWS Director Policy and Engagement Claire Allen said:

“We want our national parks to reflect the communities they belong to. NPWS strongly encourages applications from Aboriginal people, culturally and linguistically diverse communities, young people, people with disability and veterans.

“Regional Advisory Committees help shape how all parks, including Blue Mountains, Royal and Kosciuszko. are protected and enjoyed, ensuring local voices inform park management.

“If you have a connection and strategic interest in your local national park and want to make a difference, we encourage you to apply.”

Applications close at 11:55pm on Wednesday 25 February 2026 and can be made online at: www.environment.nsw.gov.au/racs

New analysis confirms ongoing destruction of high-value habitat under NSW land clearing laws: NCC

On February 12 2026 the Nature Conservation Council of NSW (NCC) warned that NSW’s land clearing laws are actively driving the destruction of some of the state’s most important wildlife habitat, despite explicit election promises from the NSW Labor Government to stop it.

New analysis by the Wentworth Group of Concerned Scientists has shown that between 2010 and 2023, 677,500 hectares was cleared, including 13,880 hectares of high-biodiversity habitat and 33,682 hectares in sensitive riparian areas - habitat to threatened species that should be afforded the highest legal protection.

“More than any other issue, Labor has failed to deliver on its election promise to stop land clearing” Jacqui Mumford, NCC CEO said

“The new evidence is confronting – some species, like the critically endangered Narrabarba wattle has been cleared across 16% of its NSW distribution.

“There is a clear disconnect between our current nature laws and on-ground biodiversity outcomes.

“High-value habitat that should be untouchable is still being bulldozed.

“Labor was elected promising to fix land clearing, yet we are still operating under Liberal-National rules that stripped back nature protections and gave landholders power to clear land with no oversight.

“Clearing native vegetation is widely recognised as one of the greatest drivers of biodiversity decline – it wipes out homes for wildlife and disrupts natural environmental processes.

“This report confirms what communities have been saying for years: the laws are failing, and the government has not delivered on their promise to fix rules that don’t work.” Jacqui Mumford said

This latest report adds to mounting evidence of the urgency of reform.

“How many times do community and civil society groups need to demonstrate that change is urgent? The Government’s own reporting shows biodiversity across NSW is in ongoing decline, exposing fundamental flaws in the current land management framework,” Ms Mumford said.

The NSW Government has committed to ‘protect, restore and improve biodiversity in NSW’ and to ‘leave nature better off than we found it’ through its Plan for Nature (2024). Those commitments remain unmet, NCC states.

We need to see:

An ambitious Nature Strategy for NSW, with clear targets and well-resourced programs which protect important habitat on the ground, to turn this trajectory around and make gains in restored land.
An overhaul of the land management rules currently governing how habitat can be cleared, including a rethink of the out of date ‘invasive native species’ provisions, which are still allowing hectares to be chain cleared with no oversight.

Background

This new report by the Wentworth Group finds that high biodiversity value habitat, threatened species and migratory bird habitat and essential riparian habitat have all been cleared under the current land clearing rules. These ecosystems are supposed to be afforded the highest possible legal protection.

View the new report by the Wentworth Group of Concerned scientists here.

Key findings of the report include:

Between 2010 and 2023 677,500 hectares of native vegetation was cleared in NSW, including 13,880 ha of areas identified as high biodiversity value, and 33,682ha in riparian areas (within 100m of a major river, 50m of minor river or 200m from edge of lake)
Critically endangered, nationally and state, Narrabarba wattle had 16.5% of it's mapped distribution in NSW cleared.
Threatened ecological community, Warkworth sands woodland of the Hunter Valley had 14.2% of its mapped distribution cleared.
Clearing occurred in habitat of 709 threatened or migratory species that occur in NSW.
For 12 threatened species, more than 5% of their known extent was cleared.

Agriculture remains the largest driver of land clearing in NSW. Much of this clearing is authorised under the ‘invasive native species’ code, a framework introduced by the former Liberal-National Government that enables native vegetation to be cleared en masse.

The Nature Conservation Council has repeatedly called for a review of the invasive native species designation and is currently undertaking legal action to prevent Verdant Earth from sourcing native vegetation cleared under the INS code for electricity generation.

Land clearing in western NSW. Photo by Alex Bonner CC BY-NC via iNaturalist. Image supplied.

Legal action against ‘closed’ coal mine that’s still wrecking protected landscapes

On February 11 2026 the Nature Conservation Council of NSW (NCC) advised environment group 4nature has launched action in the Land and Environment Court to require Centennial Coal to rehabilitate the long-dormant Angus Place coal mine near Lithgow.

4nature is a member of the Gardens of Stone Alliance that is calling for action to prevent coal mines in the region damaging sandstone cliffs, endangered upland swamps and Aboriginal cultural sites within the Gardens of Stone State Conservation Area, a protected landscape adjoining the Greater Blue Mountains World Heritage Area.

“This mine should already have been cleaned up. It has been closed for 10 years but continues to damage some of the most spectacular and sensitive landscapes in NSW,” said Jacqui Mills, spokesperson for the Gardens of Stone Alliance.

“Centennial Coal has failed to meet development consent obligations to rehabilitate the mine and restore the environment, and the NSW government has allowed them to get away with it. Ms Mills stated

“Whilst it remains inactive, to protect mining infrastructure, up to 13 million litres a day of toxic water is pumped from the disused mine, polluting waterways that flow into Sydney’s drinking water catchment.

“The proper rehabilitation Centennial was supposed to complete would stop most of this pollution. The real reason Centennial Coal won’t act is because they want to reopen and expand the mine into Angus Place West. This must never be allowed to happen.”

4nature states Angus Place West would pose a serious threat to the unique Gardens of Stone area. Mining shallow coal seams – some as little as 43 metres below the surface – beneath fragile sandstone geology would place pagodas and cliffs at risk of collapse. Endangered wetlands, groundwater systems and Aboriginal heritage sites could sustain permanent damage.

“This is a high-conservation, high-consequence area; it should never be treated as expendable. Lithgow and greater Sydney deserve clean water and a well-managed transition away from coal to a diverse economy and clean, renewable future,” Ms Mills said.

The Gardens of Stone Alliance was formed in 2005 to protect the natural and cultural values of the Gardens of Stone. Its members include the Blue Mountains Conservation Society, Lithgow Environment Group, Nature Conservation Council of NSW, Wilderness Australia, 4nature, Bushwalking NSW and the National Parks Association of NSW.

First Ecological Performance Scorecard for northern NSW forests

Monday February 16, 2026

The NSW Department of Environment has stated the overall ecological health of seven national parks and reserves in northern NSW, including parts of the UNESCO World Heritage-listed Gondwana Rainforests of Australia, has been measured on a large scale for the first time.

The 243,000 ha Great Divide Northern Forests site, assessed by the Ecological Health Performance Scorecards program, includes Oxley Wild Rivers National Park and State Conservation Area, Carrai National Park and State Conservation Area, Werrikimbe National Park, Willi Willi National Park and Willi Willi Caves Nature Reserve.

Sixty-seven monitoring sites were extensively surveyed producing over 420,000 images, 467,000 audio recordings and extensive data on plants, soil, water and fire. Results help inform park management and conservation programs.

The Department's Great Divide Northern Forests Scorecard reveals:

The site has retained 98 per cent of its original mammal assemblage from before European settlement.
The vulnerable yellow-bellied glider was detected in eight new locations for the first time.
Several threatened mammal species have strongholds in GNF, notably the endangered Hastings River mouse, vulnerable spotted-tailed quoll and Parma wallaby.
The overall population of the endangered brush-tailed rock-wallaby appears to have been increasing over the past 10 years.
Populations of the threatened long-nosed potoroo and rufous scrub-bird are recovering following the 2019–20 bushfires.
The population of the endangered gorge rice-flower within the GNF is stable.
The population of the critically endangered plant, Leionema westonii, is stable.

The Scorecard also reveals some challenges:

Nine feral animal species occur in the reserves. Feral cats were detected at 69 per cent of monitoring sites. Fox presence was low, detected at 15 per cent of monitoring sites.
The site has moderate water quality which is likely to be influenced by land use activities outside the reserves.
A total of 39 weed species were recorded at 40 per cent of monitoring sites.
Almost 80 per cent burned during the 2019–20 bushfires.

The National Parks and Wildlife Service states it is tackling these challenges including targeted weed control and aerial baiting for introduced predators.

The Great Divide Northern Forests Scorecard will also include results from targeted monitoring of the stuttering and sphagnum frogs, southern greater glider and Willi Willi zieria.

The Scorecards program is NPWS’ largest ecological health monitoring program. The program systematically measures the ecological health of eight national park sites over time to inform evidence-based park management.

For further detailed information and to read the program, visit Ecological Health Performance Scorecards program.

National Parks and Wildlife Deputy Secretary Alex Graham said:

"For the first time at a broad scale, we have a comprehensive picture of the ecological health of some of our most treasured national parks, including areas of World Heritage-listed Gondwana Rainforests.

“This landmark Scorecard shows the vital role of ecological monitoring in understanding the health of our national parks and guiding effective, science-based park management.

"Understanding and protecting these ancient rainforests and the incredible biodiversity they hold is not just a priority – it’s our global responsibility."

Leionema westonii is a flowering plant in the family Rutaceae and is endemic to New South Wales. It has white flowers borne in upper leaf axils.

Leionema westonii is a multi-branched shrub to 70 cm (28 in) high and forms a rhizome. The stems are covered with spreading, soft, fine, simple white hairs. The leaves are linear-shaped or narrow elliptic, 6–16 mm (0.24–0.63 in) long, 1–1.8 mm (0.039–0.071 in) wide, margins rolled under, apex pointed, upper surface covered with spreading, soft, weak hairs, lower surface covered with white, minute protuberances and with sparsely soft, fine, weak hairs. The single flowers are borne in upper leaf axils on a pedicel 3–5.5 mm (0.12–0.22 in) long, bracteole 2.4–2.8 mm (0.094–0.110 in) long and covered with soft, spreading hairs and tapering gradually to a point. The calyx is cup-shaped, 1.3–1.6 mm (0.051–0.063 in) long, with occasional long, stiff, upright hairs, sometimes with minute star-shaped hairs, triangular shaped teeth about 1 mm (0.039 in) long. The white petals are 4–4.6 mm (0.16–0.18 in) long, upper surface smooth, lower surface dotted with glands and with occasional short soft, weak, thin hairs. Flowering occurs from late Summer to Autumn. The specific epithet (westonii) honours Peter Henry Weston a co-discoverer of the species in 2004.

Photo: Leionema westonii (copyright) Lachlan Copeland – some rights reserved (CC BY-SA) - sourced from iNaturalist

NSW manufacturing can reduce gas consumption by 75% with the right policy support

NSW’s small to medium manufacturing sector has the potential to reduce its gas consumption by 75% by 2050 with the right policy support, future-proofing industry and helping to tackle climate change, according to the Nature Conservation Council of NSW.

A new report, Future Proofing NSW Small to Medium Sized Industry: A Decarbonisation Roadmap, released February 10 by the Nature Conservation Council of NSW, records that by supporting this sector to get off gas will deliver long-term economic and employment benefits for regional NSW.

Small to medium industries, representing 12% of NSW’s gas use, are not expected to reduce gas use to 2050 under current policy settings according to the report. Coordinated policy action from the NSW government is crucial to help these industries overcome existing barriers to get off gas.

By improving electricity network readiness streamlining and simplifying grant programs, lifting workforce capability, and unlocking timely capital investment, total gas use for small to medium manufacturers in NSW can be reduced from 14.5 PJ to 3.1 PJ by 2050.

Eve Altman, Clean Energy Campaigner, of the Nature Conservation Council of NSW said:

“As the NSW government looks to develop a Gas Decarbonisation Roadmap, it’s crucial that all types and sizes of industry are supported to get off polluting gas.

“Anyone who’s paid an energy bill in NSW knows how expensive gas is. It’s no different for businesses here.

“These businesses currently fall through the cracks in Federal and State policy, meaning it’s much harder for them to get the support they need to decarbonise.

“By supporting these businesses to shift to proven technology like heat pumps, the NSW Government could shore up Australian manufacturing, support almost 8,000 businesses to keep over 100,000 jobs in NSW and support regional economies.”

Case studies

1. After participating in an NSW government heat pump feasibility study pilot program, pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca installed a heat pump in their Sydney manufacturing plant which saw a 46% reduction in gas use. This shows how important government support is in helping small to medium manufactures overcome barriers and kickstart their gas substitution journey.

2. In 2024, plastics manufacturer Quenos went into administration, blaming both the rising cost and unreliable supply of gas. Rising gas costs pose a financial risk for all manufacturers in NSW. A strong policy strategy is needed to support the small to medium manufacturing sector to move off gas and onto more reliable energy sources.

Cover of new report, Future Proofing NSW Small to Medium Sized Industry: A Decarbonisation Roadmap ,

NSW Government's Heat Pump Feasibility Grant for businesses: closes March 31

Learn how heat pumps could lower your energy costs and emissions here.

Key information

Status: open now
Grant amount: up to $30,000 to cover up to 75% of the project costs
Application closing date: Tuesday, 31 March 2026 at 5 pm (AEDT) or earlier, if funding is exhausted
Total funding amount: $1 million

Heat pumps are an effective solution to cut costs and decarbonise heating systems. Switching to heat pumps can benefit your businesses in many ways, including:

lowering energy costs
reducing exposure to volatile global energy prices
reducing carbon emissions.

Discover energy savings that were identified during the NSW Government's Heat Pump Feasibility pilot program.

The Heat Pump Feasibility Grant is a great opportunity for eligible NSW businesses to assess whether a heat pump is a feasible option for your site. You can apply for up to $30,000 to cover 75% of the project costs.

What’s included in the grant funding

The grant provides funding to help you work with a specialist consultant who will first assess your site for any major barriers to installing a heat pump. If these barriers can be overcome, you will receive funding for a detailed feasibility study. This will help you make an informed decision about whether a heat pump is the right fit for your site.

The grant includes 3 milestones:

Milestone 1: Up to $5,000 to cover up to 75% of the cost to identify if a heat pump is suitable for your business site. This is an opportunity to identify potential barriers to heat pump implementation and assess possible solutions. The results of milestone 1 will determine your progression to milestone 2.
Milestone 2: Develop the heat pump design against the site’s current process requirements. There is no payment of Grant funding at milestone 2.
Milestone 3: Up to $25,000 (covering up to 75% of costs) to develop a detailed heat pump feasibility study (for milestone 2 and 3).

For full details about what is included and what is not, please read the funding guidelines (PDF, 637KB).

Who can apply

To be eligible for this Grant, you must meet all the following criteria:

You have an Australian Business Number (ABN) and are registered for goods and services tax (GST).
You are delivering your heat pump project at a NSW business site address.
You use between 5,000 and 100,000 gigajoules (GJ) of gas (liquified natural gas, liquified petroleum gas, natural gas) per year at your business site, excluding fuel for transport. You must be able to provide evidence of your annual gas use, such as energy bills. You must submit the most recent available evidence, no more than 2 years old at the time you apply.
You have identified a specialist consultant(s) to complete the Grant milestones.

You are not eligible for this Grant if you:

are a Commonwealth, state or local government entity
have already been approved for this Grant funding
have received or are going to receive funding from the NSW Government for the same activities.

Have your say on the Murray-Darling Basin Plan Review

The Murray-Darling Basin Authority (MDBA) has released a Discussion Paper to support public consultation on the Basin Plan Review.

As part of the 2026 Basin Plan Review, the Murray-Darling Basin Authority (MDBA) are inviting you to share your views by making a submission. Your feedback will help shape water management for future generations.

The 12-week public consultation is open until 1 May 2026. The MDBA want to hear your thoughts on:

The issues and options presented in the Discussion Paper
Any other issues and options we should consider
What you see as the priorities, and why.

“The release of the Discussion Paper kicks off the Basin Plan Review” MDBA Chief Executive Andrew McConville said.

“Through the Discussion Paper the Authority has explored progress that has been made to date and considered some of the issues and challenges for the Basin as we look forward over the next decade.”

“The Basin Plan has delivered real benefits, and we are starting to see improvements in some of the Basin’s most important rivers and wetlands.

“But the evidence is also clear that climate change, ageing infrastructure, disconnected floodplains, declining native fish and poor water quality mean we need to do some things differently.

Looking ahead we need a Plan that supports greater adaptation to a changing climate.''

Mr McConville explained that the release of the Discussion Paper is the start of the consultation process on the Basin Plan Review.

“We’ve been transparent about the evidence we’ve gathered from governments, basin communities and industries, First Nations and scientists, to get to this point. We’ve used this evidence to propose ideas and actions for the future – now we want to know what the community thinks of that.

“At this point it is a discussion, not a set of decisions. Nothing in the Review is yet settled, and we want to have a genuine conversation with communities, informed by their lived experience.”

Consultation on the Discussion Paper will run for 12 weeks from 5 February 2026 until 1 May 2026, during which the Authority will be encouraging individuals, communities, peak bodies and anyone with an interest in achieving better outcomes for the Basin, to make a submission.

“Our consultation over the coming few months will be extensive. We will be out in the Basin listening to people to understand what is working, what isn’t and what might need to change. We will be explaining what is in the Discussion Paper and outlining how people might get involved by making a submission,” said Mr McConville.

At the conclusion of the public consultation period, the submissions received will help inform the Authority as it develops the Review which is to be finalised and delivered to the Commonwealth Government before the end of the year.

Minister for the Environment and Water, Senator Murray Watt said that a healthy Murray-Darling Basin means resilient ecosystems, stronger industries, thriving communities and opportunities for future generations.

“Our challenge in the Basin is to balance competing pressures: reducing stress on major ecological systems, supporting Basin economies and communities, and adapting to a drying climate with increased scarcity and competition for water,” Minister Watt said.

“For well over a decade, the Basin Plan has been the blueprint for restoring the health of the Murray−Darling Basin while supporting communities and industry.

“As we near its final stages we want to be clear on what has worked and take honest and frank feedback on what can be improved.

“The Review will inform the future of the Basin Plan, to secure long-term sustainability for the environment and for Basin communities.

I encourage everyone in the Basin to get involved in the Review to have your say on how the Basin should be managed.

More information

North Head visitor access Changes

Consultation period: 28 January 2026 to 27 February 2026

The National Parks and Wildlife Service is seeking feedback about proposed works at North Head in Sydney Harbour National Park.

North Head, located in Sydney Harbour National Park, features some of Sydney's newest and most spectacular lookouts, Burragula and Yiningma, as well as the popular heritage-listed Quarantine Station.

This project aims to:

improve bus stops and pedestrian access
improve public transport and pedestrian access to Quarantine Station
repair drainage and road infrastructure
investigate the most appropriate pedestrian access to North Head and links to destinations.

Scope and purpose of works

NPWS is planning to carry out the following works to improve visitor pedestrian safety, public transport connections, whole-of-headland links and stormwater management along North Head Scenic Drive:

construction of a 1.8m wide footpath on Scenic Drive, connecting to the existing footpath networks; the works will improve all-abilities access throughout the headland
relocation of the northbound Q Station bus stop away from the roundabout and to a new bus bay in a safer location nearby with upgrade of the southbound stop
upgrade of existing in-lane bus stops to bus bay near the North Fort Road and Scenic Drive intersection
construction of raised pedestrian crossings to provide better linkages into the North Head Sanctuary precincts and walking tracks
construction of kerb and gutter along footpath to improve stormwater drainage and treatment.

NPWS has identified several safety concerns, with visitors using the gravel shoulders of North Head Scenic Drive as a walking path out to the lookouts, creating the potential risk for a pedestrian–vehicle collision.

The works will also address the unsafe configuration of bus stops at the Q Station entrance to improve visitor safety and traffic safety and visibility through the intersection.

The proposed drainage works will alleviate ongoing maintenance of potholes and water pooling on the Scenic Drive, improving safety for cyclists and drivers.

We will carefully manage the project to ensure there are no impacts on threatened vegetation or wildlife species. This includes the eastern suburbs banksia scrub threatened ecological community, bandicoots and other small mammals. We have conducted rigorous environmental assessment of the proposed works with input from relevant specialists, in accordance with NSW planning legislation.

Native vegetation

By utilising the existing gravel road shoulder as much as possible, the proposed footpath design minimises impacts to existing vegetation. NPWS has engaged an ecologist to undertake investigations and inform the plans. Monitoring will also be conducted during the construction process.

Bandicoot habitat

A project ecologist will undertake targeted surveys ahead of construction and will monitor and advise to avoid impacting bandicoot nests. Improved drainage along Scenic Drive will control and filter run-off, preventing erosion of their habitat.

Concept plans released

In the initial planning stages, we conducted investigations and assessments (environmental, engineering, heritage and geotechnical) to inform the project, leading to the development of concept plans.

These are now available for download at North Head Scenic Drive concept plans (PDF 13.5MB).

Any feedback or questions can be submitted via the online form on the project webpage below or email to npws.sydneynorth@dcceew.nsw.gov.au .

The consultation will be open until 27 February 2026.

Have your say by 5pm on 27 February 2026.

You can provide feedback in 2 ways.

Online: North Head visitor access improvements webpage
Email: npws.sydneynorth@environment.nsw.gov.au

Shelly Beach Echidna

Photos by Kevin Murray, taken late May 2023 who said, ''he/she was waddling across the road on the Shelly Beach headland, being harassed not so much by the bemused tourists, but by the Brush Turkeys who are plentiful there.''

Shelly Beach is located in Manly and forms part of Cabbage Tree Bay, a protected marine reserve which lies adjacent to North Head and Fairy Bower.

community invited to have a say on recreational opportunities In Great Koala National Park

On January 16 the NSW Government announced it is seeking community input to shape recreational opportunities in the proposed Great Koala National Park on the NSW Mid North Coast.

The Minns Labor Government is delivering on an election promise to create a Great Koala National Park, which will provide habitat for more than 100 threatened species, including more than 12,000 koalas and 36,000 greater gliders.

In addition to boosting conservation, the park will also create opportunities for better visitor experiences and recreation, boosting tourism and local economies.

An online survey is now open on the NSW Have Your Say website to seek feedback on current use of the State forests and reserves within the planned area of the park. We also want to hear from people who haven’t been to the region but might like to in the future.

The survey complements ongoing wider consultation with community groups who have so far provided more than 300 responses on what matters most to them when they visit these areas.

Input from 4WD clubs, mountain biking clubs, hiking/bushwalking and trail runners’ clubs, horse riding and trail riding clubs, archery and gun clubs, sporting car clubs, local government, environment groups and Aboriginal communities is already feeding into the planning for future management.

The overarching park will comprise individual reserves, which will enable a range of different recreational activities. While legislation determines what activities are permissible in each reserve category, we are looking to build the Great Koala National Park as a place where conservation is balanced with the community’s recreational needs.

The Have Your Say survey is open from 7am today until Sunday, 1 March and is available online: www.haveyoursay.nsw.gov.au/great-koala-national-park.

Acting Minister for the Environment, Steve Whan said:

“The Great Koala National Park will protect more than 100 threatened species, but it’s not just about conservation. The park will be a recreational hotspot for locals and visitors alike.

“We want to hear from people who use and relax in the footprint of the forests and surrounding landscapes that make up the park.”

Minister for Jobs and Tourism, Steve Kamper said:

“We want the Great Koala National Park to be at the top of the must-see list for visitors to NSW and Australia.

“This major eco-tourism hub and unique NSW experience will attract domestic and international visitors all year round, which is a key component of our new Visitor Economy Strategy, while boosting local economies and creating jobs.”

Minister for the North Coast, Janelle Saffin said:

“The Great Koala National Park is an election commitment, and we want the community right at the centre of shaping what it becomes. Locals know this landscape best, and their ideas will help create a park people feel real ownership of and want to use.

“Done well, this park will also be a major tourism drawcard – supporting local businesses, creating jobs and delivering long-term economic benefits for communities right across the North Coast.”

Royal National Park plan draft amendment: Have your say

National Parks and Wildlife Service is seeking feedback on the Royal and Heathcote national parks and Garawarra State Conservation Area plan draft amendment.

The draft amendment proposes changes to accommodation options for walkers using the Great Southern Walk and updates to reflect recent track realignments and additions to the parks.

The draft amendment includes:

a proposal to enable hard-roofed/hiker hut accommodation at Garawarra Farm and to remove it as a permissible activity at Garie Beach
updated maps to reflect track realignments and recent additions to the parks.

The draft amendment does not propose changes to the management of Heathcote National Park or Garawarra State Conservation Area.

The draft amendment for the Royal National Park, Heathcote National Park and Garawarra State Conservation Area Plan of Management is on public exhibition until 20 February 2026.

By making a submission on the draft plan, members of the community can have a say about the future management of these parks.

Submissions received on the draft plan will inform the preparation of a final plan for adoption under the National Parks and Wildlife Act 1974. Once adopted, the plan of management will direct how these parks will be managed.

Download the Draft document here

Have your say by 5pm on 20 February 2026.

You can provide feedback in 3 ways.

Online Have your say on the consultation website
Email: npws.parkplanning@environment.nsw.gov.au
Post: Address: Manager, National Parks and Wildlife Service Planning and Assessment, Locked Bag 5022, Parramatta NSW 2124

Birdwood Park Bushcare Group Narrabeen

The council has received an application from residents to volunteer to look after bushland at 199/201 Ocean street North Narrabeen.

The group will meet once a month for 2-3 hours at a time to be decided by the group. Activities will consist of weeding out invasive species and encouraging the regeneration of native plants. Support and supervision will be provided by the council.

If you have questions or are interested in joining the group please email the council on bushcare@northernbeaches.nsw.gov.au

Sydney Wildlife (Sydney Metropolitan Wildlife Services) Needs People for the Rescue Line

We are calling on you to help save the rescue line because the current lack of operators is seriously worrying. Look at these faces! They need you!

Every week we have around 15 shifts either not filled or with just one operator and the busy season is around the corner. This situation impacts on the operators, MOPs, vets and the animals, because the phone line is constantly busy. Already the baby possum season is ramping up with calls for urgent assistance for these vulnerable little ones.

We have an amazing team, but they can’t answer every call in Spring and Summer if they work on their own. Please jump in and join us – you would be welcomed with open arms! We offer lots of training and support and you can work from the office in the Lane Cove National Park or on your home computer.

If you are not able to help do you know someone (a friend or family member perhaps) who might be interested?

Please send us a message and we will get in touch. Please send our wonderful office admin Carolyn an email at sysneywildliferesxueline@gmail.com

2025-26 Seal Reveal underway

Photo: Seals caught on camera at Barrenjoey Headland during the Great Seal Reveal 2025. Montage: DCCEEW

The 2025 Great Seal Reveal is underway with the first seal surveys of the season taking place at known seal breeding and haul out sites - where seals temporarily leave the water to rest or breed.

The NSW Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water (DCCEEW) is using the Seal Reveal, now in its second year, to better understand seal populations on the NSW coast.

Drone surveys and community sightings are used to track Australian (Arctocephalus pusillus doriferus) and New Zealand (Arctocephalus forsteri) fur seals. Both Australian and New Zealand fur seals have been listed as vulnerable under the NSW Biodiversity Conservation Act 2016.

Survey sites

Scientific surveys to count seal numbers will take place at:

Martin Islet
Drum and Drumsticks
Brush Island
Steamers Head
Big Seal Rock
Cabbage Tree Island
Barrenjoey Headland
Barunguba (Montague) Island.

Seal Reveal data on seal numbers helps to inform critical marine conservation initiatives and enable better management of human–seal interactions.

Results from the population surveys will be released in early 2026.

Citizen science initiative: Haul-out, Call-out

The Haul-out, Call-out citizen science platform invites the community to support seal conservation efforts by reporting sightings along the NSW coastline.

Reports from the public help identify important haul-out sites so we can get a better understanding of seal behaviour and protect their preferred habitat.

The Great Seal Reveal is part of the Seabirds to Seascapes (S2S) program, a four-year initiative led by NSW DCCEEW and funded by the NSW Environmental Trust to protect, rehabilitate, and sustainably manage marine ecosystems in NSW.

NSW DCCEEW is a key partner in the delivery of the Marine Estate Management Strategy (MEMS), with the S2S program contributing to MEMS Initiative 5 to reduce threats to threatened and protected species.

622kg of Rubbish Collected from Local Beaches: Adopt your local beach program

Sadly, our beaches are not as pristine as we'd all like to think they are.

Surfrider Foundation Northern Beaches' Adopt A beach ocean conservation program is highlighting that we need to clean up our act.

Surfrider Foundation Northern Beaches' states:

''The collective action by our amazing local community at their monthly beach clean events across 9 beach locations is assisting Surfrider Foundation NB in the compilation of quantitative data on the volume, type and often source of the marine pollution occurring at each location.

In just 6 sessions, clear indicators are already forming on the waste items and areas to target with dedicated litter prevention strategies.

Plastic pollution is an every body problem and the solution to fixing it lies within every one of us.

Together we can choose to refuse this fate on our Northern beaches and turn the tide on pollution.

A cleaner coast together !''

Join us - 1st Sunday of the month, Adopt your local for a power beach clean or donate to help support our program here. https://www.surfrider.org.au/donate/

Event locations

Avalon – Des Creagh Reserve (North Avalon Beach Lookout)
North Narrabeen – Corner Ocean St & Malcolm St (grass reserve next to North Narrabeen SLSC)
Collaroy– 1058 Pittwater Rd (beachfront next to The Beach Club Collaroy)
Dee Why Beach – Corner Howard Ave & The Strand (beachfront grass reserve, opposite Blu Restaurant)
Curl Curl – Beachfront at North Curl Curl Surf Club. Shuttle bus also available from Harbord Diggers to transport participants to/from North Curl Curl beach.
Freshwater Beach – Moore Rd Beach Reserve (opposite Pilu Restaurant)
Manly Beach – 11 South Steyne (grass reserve opposite Manly Grill)
Manly Cove – Beach at West Esplanade (opposite Fratelli Fresh)
Little Manly– 55 Stuart St Little Manly (Beachfront Grass Reserve)

… and more to follow!

Surfrider Foundation Northern Beaches

This Tick Season: Freeze it - don't squeeze it

Notice of 1080 Poison Baiting

The NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) will be conducting a baiting program using manufactured baits, fresh baits and Canid Pest Ejectors (CPE’s/ejectors) containing 1080 poison (sodium fluoroacetate) for the control of foxes. The program is continuous and ongoing for the protection of threatened species.

This notification is for the period 1 August 2025 to 31 January 2026 at the following locations:

Garigal National Park
Lane Cove National Park (baits only, no ejectors are used in Lane Cove National Park)
Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park
Sydney Harbour National Park – North Head (including the Quarantine Station), Dobroyd Head, Chowder Head & Bradleys Head managed by the NPWS
The North Head Sanctuary managed by the Sydney Harbour Federation Trust
The Australian Institute of Police Management, North Head

DO NOT TOUCH BAITS OR EJECTORS

All baiting locations will be identifiable by signs.

Please be reminded that domestic pets are not permitted on NPWS Estate. Pets and working dogs may be affected (1080 is lethal to cats and dogs). Pets and working dogs must be restrained or muzzled in the vicinity and must not enter the baiting location. Penalties apply for non-compliance.

In the event of accidental poisoning seek immediate veterinary assistance.

For further information please call the local NPWS office on:

NPWS Sydney North (Middle Head) Area office: 9960 6266

NPWS Sydney North (Forestville) Area office: 9451 3479

NPWS North West Sydney (Lane Cove NP) Area office: 8448 0400

NPWS after-hours Duty officer service: 1300 056 294

Sydney Harbour Federation Trust: 8969 2128

Volunteers for Barrenjoey Lighthouse Tours needed

Details:

Johnson Brothers Mitre 10 Recycling Batteries: at Mona Vale + Avalon Beach

Over 18,600 tonnes of batteries are discarded to landfill in Australia each year, even though 95% of a battery can be recycled!

That’s why we are rolling out battery recycling units across our stores! Our battery recycling units accept household, button cell, laptop, and power tool batteries as well as mobile phones!

How To Dispose Of Your Batteries Safely:

Collect Your Used Batteries: Gather all used batteries from your home. Our battery recycling units accept batteries from a wide range of products such as household, button cell, laptop, and power tool batteries.
Tape Your Terminals: Tape the terminals of used batteries with clear sticky tape.
Drop Them Off: Come and visit your nearest participating store to recycle your batteries for free (at Johnson Brothers Mitre 10 Mona Vale and Avalon Beach).
Feel Good About Your Impact: By recycling your batteries, you're helping support a healthier planet by keeping hazardous material out of landfills and conserving resources.

Environmental Benefits

Reduces hazardous waste in landfill
Conserves natural resources by promoting the use of recycled materials
Keep toxic materials out of waterways

Reporting Dogs Offleash - Dog Attacks to Council

If the attack happened outside local council hours, you may call your local police station. Police officers are also authorised officers under the Companion Animals Act 1998. Authorised officers have a wide range of powers to deal with owners of attacking dogs, including seizing dogs that have attacked.

You can report dog attacks, along with dogs offleash where they should not be, to the NBC anonymously and via your own name, to get a response, at: https://help.northernbeaches.nsw.gov.au/s/submit-request?topic=Pets_Animals

If the matter is urgent or dangerous call Council on 1300 434 434 (24 hours a day, 7 days a week).

If you find injured wildlife please contact:

Sydney Wildlife Rescue (24/7): 9413 4300
WIRES: 1300 094 737

Plastic Bread Ties For Wheelchairs

The Berry Collective at 1691 Pittwater Rd, Mona Vale collects them for Oz Bread Tags for Wheelchairs, who recycle the plastic.

Berry Collective is the practice on the left side of the road as you head north, a few blocks before Mona Vale shops . They have parking. Enter the foyer and there's a small bin on a table where you drop your bread ties - very easy.

A full list of Aussie bread tags for wheelchairs is available at: HERE

Find out more at: https://ozbreadtagsforwheelchairs.org.au

Stay Safe From Mosquitoes

NSW Health is reminding people to protect themselves from mosquitoes when they are out and about.

NSW Health states Mosquitoes in NSW can carry viruses such as Japanese encephalitis (JE), Murray Valley encephalitis (MVE), Kunjin, Ross River and Barmah Forest. The viruses may cause serious diseases with symptoms ranging from tiredness, rash, headache and sore and swollen joints to rare but severe symptoms of seizures and loss of consciousness.

A free vaccine to protect against JE infection is available to those at highest risk in NSW and people can check their eligibility at NSW Health.

People are encouraged to take actions to prevent mosquito bites and reduce the risk of acquiring a mosquito-borne virus by:

Applying repellent to exposed skin. Use repellents that contain DEET, picaridin, or oil of lemon eucalyptus. Check the label for reapplication times.
Re-applying repellent regularly, particularly after swimming. Be sure to apply sunscreen first and then apply repellent.
Wearing light, loose-fitting long-sleeve shirts, long pants and covered footwear and socks.
Avoiding going outdoors during peak mosquito times, especially at dawn and dusk.
Using insecticide sprays, vapour dispensing units and mosquito coils to repel mosquitoes (mosquito coils should only be used outdoors in well-ventilated areas)
Covering windows and doors with insect screens and checking there are no gaps.
Removing items that may collect water such as old tyres and empty pots from around your home to reduce the places where mosquitoes can breed.
Using repellents that are safe for children. Most skin repellents are safe for use on children aged three months and older. Always check the label for instructions. Protecting infants aged less than three months by using an infant carrier draped with mosquito netting, secured along the edges.
While camping, use a tent that has fly screens to prevent mosquitoes entering or sleep under a mosquito net.

Remember, Spray Up – Cover Up – Screen Up to protect from mosquito bite. For more information go to NSW Health.

Mountain Bike Incidents On Public Land: Survey

This survey aims to document mountain bike related incidents on public land, available at: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/K88PSNP

Sent in by Pittwater resident Academic for future report- study.

Background:

Mountain Bike Incidents On Public Land: Survey Launched To Gather Data On What's Happening To Public Parks - Community Land - Bush Reserves In Pittwater
Mother Brushtail Killed On Barrenjoey Road: Baby Cried All Night - Powerful Owl Struck At Same Time At Careel Bay During Owlet Fledgling Season: calls for mitigation measures - The List of 'What You can Do' as requested

Report fox sightings

Fox sightings, signs of fox activity, den locations and attacks on native or domestic animals can be reported into FoxScan. FoxScan is a free resource for residents, community groups, local Councils, and other land managers to record and report fox sightings and control activities.

Our Council's Invasive species Team receives an alert when an entry is made into FoxScan. The information in FoxScan will assist with planning fox control activities and to notify the community when and where foxes are active.

Report where and when at: https://www.feralscan.org.au/foxscan/default.aspx

marine wildlife rescue group on the Central Coast

A new wildlife group was launched on the Central Coast on Saturday, December 10, 2022.

Marine Wildlife Rescue Central Coast (MWRCC) had its official launch at The Entrance Boat Shed at 10am.

The group comprises current and former members of ASTR, ORRCA, Sea Shepherd, Greenpeace, WIRES and Wildlife ARC, as well as vets, academics, and people from all walks of life.

Well known marine wildlife advocate and activist Cathy Gilmore is spearheading the organisation.

“We believe that it is time the Central Coast looked after its own marine wildlife, and not be under the control or directed by groups that aren’t based locally,” Gilmore said.

“We have the local knowledge and are set up to respond and help injured animals more quickly.

“This also means that donations and money fundraised will go directly into helping our local marine creatures, and not get tied up elsewhere in the state.”

The organisation plans to have rehabilitation facilities and rescue kits placed in strategic locations around the region.

MWRCC will also be in touch with Indigenous groups to learn the traditional importance of the local marine environment and its inhabitants.

“We want to work with these groups and share knowledge between us,” Gilmore said.

“This is an opportunity to help save and protect our local marine wildlife, so if you have passion and commitment, then you are more than welcome to join us.”

Marine Wildlife Rescue Central Coast has a Facebook page where you may contact members. Visit: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100076317431064

Ph: 0478 439 965
Email: marinewildlifecc@gmail.com
Instagram: marinewildliferescuecc

Watch out - shorebirds about

Pittwater is home to many resident and annually visiting birds. If you watch your step you won't harm any beach-nesting and estuary-nesting birds have started setting up home on our shores.

Did you know that Careel Bay and other spots throughout our area are part of the East Asian-Australasian Flyway Partnership (EAAFP)?

This flyway, and all of the stopping points along its way, are vital to ensure the survival of these Spring and Summer visitors. This is where they rest and feed on their journeys. For example, did you know that the bar-tailed godwit flies for 239 hours for 8,108 miles from Alaska to Australia?

Not only that, Shorebirds such as endangered oystercatchers and little terns lay their eggs in shallow scraped-out nests in the sand, NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) Threatened Species officer Ms Katherine Howard has said.

Even our regular residents such as seagulls are currently nesting to bear young.

What can you do to help them?

Known nest sites may be indicated by fencing or signs. The whole community can help protect shorebirds by keeping out of nesting areas marked by signs or fences and only taking your dog to designated dog offleash area.

Just remember WE are visitors to these areas. These birds LIVE there. This is their home.

Four simple steps to help keep beach-nesting birds safe:

1. Look out for bird nesting signs or fenced-off nesting areas on the beach, stay well clear of these areas and give the parent birds plenty of space.

2. Walk your dogs in designated dog-friendly areas only and always keep them on a leash over summer.

3. Stay out of nesting areas and follow all local rules.

4. Chicks are mobile and don't necessarily stay within fenced nesting areas. When you're near a nesting area, stick to the wet sand to avoid accidentally stepping on a chick.

Possums In Your Roof?: do the right thing

Possums in your roof? Please do the right thing

On the weekend, one of our volunteers noticed a driver pull up, get out of their vehicle, open the boot, remove a trap and attempt to dump a possum on a bush track. Fortunately, our member intervened and saved the beautiful female brushtail and the baby in her pouch from certain death.

It is illegal to relocate a trapped possum more than 150 metres from the point of capture and substantial penalties apply. Urbanised possums are highly territorial and do not fare well in unfamiliar bushland. In fact, they may starve to death or be taken by predators.

While Sydney Wildlife Rescue does not provide a service to remove possums from your roof, we do offer this advice:

✅ Call us on (02) 9413 4300 and we will refer you to a reliable and trusted licenced contractor in the Sydney metropolitan area. For a small fee they will remove the possum, seal the entry to your roof and provide a suitable home for the possum - a box for a brushtail or drey for a ringtail.

✅ Do-it-yourself by following this advice from the Department of Planning and Environment:

https://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/.../possum-removal-roof

❌ Do not under any circumstances relocate a possum more than 150 metres from the capture site.

Thank you for caring and doing the right thing.

Sydney Wildlife photos

Aviaries + Possum Release Sites Needed

Pittwater Online News has interviewed Lynette Millett OAM (WIRES Northern Beaches Branch) needs more bird cages of all sizes for keeping the current huge amount of baby wildlife in care safe or 'homed' while they are healed/allowed to grow bigger to the point where they may be released back into their own home.

If you have an aviary or large bird cage you are getting rid of or don't need anymore, please email via the link provided above. There is also a pressing need for release sites for brushtail possums - a species that is very territorial and where release into a site already lived in by one possum can result in serious problems and injury.

If you have a decent backyard and can help out, Lyn and husband Dave can supply you with a simple drey for a nest and food for their first weeks of adjustment.

Bushcare in Pittwater: where + when

For further information or to confirm the meeting details for below groups, please contact Council's Bushcare Officer on 9970 1367 or visit Council's bushcare webpage to find out how you can get involved.

BUSHCARE SCHEDULES
Where we work                      Which day                              What time

Avalon
Angophora Reserve             3rd Sunday                         8:30 - 11:30am
Avalon Dunes                        1st Sunday                         8:30 - 11:30am
Avalon Golf Course              2nd Wednesday 3 - 5:30pm
Careel Creek                         4th Saturday 8:30 - 11:30am
Toongari Reserve                 3rd Saturday 9 - 12noon (8 - 11am in summer)
Bangalley Headland            2nd Sunday 9 to 12noon

Catalpa Reserve 4th Sunday of the month 8.30 – 11.30

Palmgrove Park 1st Saturday of the month 9.00 – 12

Bayview
Winnererremy Bay                 4th Sunday                        9 to 12noon

Bilgola
North Bilgola Beach              3rd Monday 9 - 12noon
Algona Reserve 1st Saturday 9 - 12noon
Plateau Park 1st Friday 8:30 - 11:30am

Church Point
Browns Bay Reserve             1st Tuesday 9 - 12noon
McCarrs Creek Reserve       Contact Bushcare Officer     To be confirmed

Clareville
Old Wharf Reserve                 3rd Saturday 8 - 11am

Elanora
Kundibah Reserve                   4th Sunday 8:30 - 11:30am

Mona Vale
Mona Vale Beach Basin          1st Saturday 8 - 11am
Mona Vale Dunes                     2nd Saturday +3rd Thursday     8:30 - 11:30am

Newport
Bungan Beach                          4th Sunday 9 - 12noon
Crescent Reserve                    3rd Sunday 9 - 12noon
North Newport Beach              4th Saturday 8:30 - 11:30am
Porter Reserve                          2nd Saturday 8 - 11am

North Narrabeen
Irrawong Reserve                     2nd Saturday 2 - 5pm

Palm Beach
North Palm Beach Dunes      3rd Saturday 9 - 12noon

Scotland Island
Catherine Park                          2nd Sunday 10 - 12:30pm
Elizabeth Park                           1st Saturday 9 - 12noon
Pathilda Reserve                      3rd Saturday 9 - 12noon

Warriewood
Warriewood Wetlands             1st Sunday                         8:30 - 11:30am

Whale Beach
Norma Park                               1st Friday                            9 - 12noon

Western Foreshores
Coopers Point, Elvina Bay      2nd Sunday                        10 - 1pm
Rocky Point, Elvina Bay           1st Monday 9 - 12noon

Friends Of Narrabeen Lagoon Catchment Activities

Bush Regeneration - Narrabeen Lagoon Catchment

This is a wonderful way to become connected to nature and contribute to the health of the environment. Over the weeks and months you can see positive changes as you give native species a better chance to thrive. Wildlife appreciate the improvement in their habitat.

Belrose area - Thursday mornings

Belrose area - Weekend mornings by arrangement

Contact: Phone or text Conny Harris on 0432 643 295

Wheeler Creek - Wednesday mornings 9-11am

Contact: Phone or text Judith Bennett on 0402 974 105

Or email: Friends of Narrabeen Lagoon Catchment : email@narrabeenlagoon.org.au

Gardens and Environment Groups and Organisations in Pittwater

Avalon Beach Dunes Bushcare

Avalon Boomerang Bags

Avalon Community Garden

Avalon Golf Course Bushcare

Avalon Honey

Avalon Preservation Association

Bushcare in Angophora Reserve by Geoff Searl OAM

Careel Creek Bushcare Group

Careel Multi Layered Coastal Assessment CMCA

Dragonfly Environmental

Electrify Mackellar

Friends of Bungan Bushcare Group

Friends of Currawong

Friends of Narrabeen Lagoon Catchment

Grevillea Caleyi Baha’i Temple Bushcare Group

Katandra Bushland Sanctuary

Kukundi Wildlife Shelter

Living Ocean

Manly Lagoon Friends

Mona Vale Beach Dunes Bushcare

Mona Vale Garden Club

Newport Community Garden

Permaculture Northern Beaches - Manly, Warringah, Pittwater

Pittwater Environmental Foundation

Pittwater Environmental Heritage Group

Pittwater Natural Heritage Association

Pittwater Natural Heritage Association (PNHA)2024- 30 years

Save Manly Dam Catchment Committee

Say No To Plastics - Net Bags for Veggies while shopping

SeadragonSearch: Weedy Seadragons Citizen Scientist Project

South West Lovett Bay Coastcare Group

Stony Range Regional Botanical Garden

Sydney Wildlife

Sydney Wildlife Rehabilitation Facility at Waratah Park

The Green Team (formerly Av. Green Team)

The Powerful Owl Project

Ringtail Posses 2023

November 2024

A Turtle-y Awesome Rescue by Whale Beach SLSC + Shell us what you see this Summer: TurtleWatch needs your help!

January 2025

Are Turtles not Safe in the Estuary? Green Turtle Killed in Pittwater Prompts Renewed Calls for Boaters to slow down, adhere to the speed limit

Intense heatwaves directly threaten crops and native species. Here’s what we can do

Owen Atkin, Australian National University; Adrienne Nicotra, Australian National University; Belinda Medlyn, Western Sydney University, and Michael Kearney, The University of Melbourne

During Australia’s unprecedented heatwave in late January, air temperatures reached 50°C in inland South Australia.

Days of sustained heat and hot nights did real damage. A flying fox colony was all but wiped out in South Australia, while Western Australian mango growers suffered major crop losses as fruit literally boiled.

These increasingly extreme heatwaves are now posing a real threat to the crops and livestock on which we rely, as well as Australia’s wildlife and ecosystems.

But in coming decades, intensifying climate change will push summer temperatures beyond the records set this summer. Even after the world reaches net zero, unprecedented heatwaves will persist for centuries.

Most living things are strongly affected by heat. Sustained intense heat can degrade proteins inside plant and animal cells, cause cell membranes to rupture and disrupt metabolic processes essential to survival. That is, sustained heat can weaken and kill living things in many ways.

Everything in Australia has to cope with heat. But the continent’s wildlife and peoples are not prepared for the heat to come, or the changes this will force on natural ecosystems and food production.

We are not powerless. We could introduce more heat-tolerant plant species and engineer landscapes to create heat refuges. But we must plan for it.

Farms under threat

Australian farmers are already feeling the consequences. Wheat yields have stopped steadily increasing and have plateaued, due in part to more frequent heatwaves. Heat causes wheat to photosynthesise less and damages pollen in cereal crops, leading to less fertile seed and big falls in yields.

Heatwaves burn grape leaves, cutting grape yields and worsening wine quality. Almond growers are battling falls in photosynthesis, pollination and nut quality.

These threats are not hypothetical. Farmers are already grappling with the damage, while authorities see heat as a major threat to adapt to across the Riverland, Sunraysia and Mallee agricultural regions.

Heatwaves are driving ecosystems into decline

Extreme heatwaves can trigger mass die-offs of plants and animals.

Satellite and field evidence show extreme heat can scorch the leaves of many plants and trigger widespread leaf death across tree canopies. Without their protective canopy and with less ability to photosynthesise, trees are at higher risk of dying. This is one reason more trees are dying across Australia.

Extreme heat can push entire ecosystems past their physiological limits, causing sudden death across many species.

When several days of extreme heat hit, some organisms will be unable to repair the damage to their cells. As our new research shows, sustained heat is most damaging when the heat stays overnight.

Heat stress builds up progressively over years, weakening ecosystems and leaving them more vulnerable to fire, drought, pests and disease. A ecosystem which may seem OK can be hit by this “ecological debt” months or years later.

What can we do?

As extreme heat becomes a regular feature of Australia’s summer, we face unavoidable decisions over whether to intervene.

The question is what trade-offs we will be willing to accept.

1. Should we introduce more heat-tolerant plant species?

Some native plants, crops, insects and microbes can tolerate extreme heat far better, while others succumb.

If we introduce naturally heat-tolerant plant species or varieties into vulnerable landscapes, we could help ecosystems to keep functioning. But this boost to resilience would alter the character of existing ecosystems.

For farms, advances in molecular biology and crop genetics have made it possible to create crops with better heat tolerance faster than traditional breeding methods.

Precision gene editing and genetic modification approaches can improve heat tolerance by protecting a plant’s most vulnerable reproductive tissues and strengthening cells during extreme heat events. Success will depend on whether governments and communities are willing to adopt them.

Australian bush landscape, trees and grass trees in foreground. — One option to boost resilience is to plant native species with higher heat tolerance. Samantha Terrell/Shutterstock

2. Should we engineer landscapes to create thermal refuges?

Heat isn’t experienced uniformly. That’s because organisms live in microclimates with varying shade, soil depth, types of plants and moisture.

While leaves and soils are often much hotter than the surrounding air, microclimates can offer cooler refuges. We could scale up these thermal refuges through careful revegetation, canopy restructuring, water placement and better fire and grazing strategies. These could build resilience into landscapes, if authorities were willing to plan, invest and manage these programs at scale. We’re already seeing small-scale examples such as keeping flying foxes cool with water.

That’s not to say thermal refuges are a silver bullet. Feasibility will vary across ecosystems and scales.

In cities and towns, planting canopy trees, restoring wetlands and redesigning built surfaces is proven to reduce surface temperatures and could help species survive.

In farming regions, planting shelter belts of large trees, diversifying crops and working to keep moisture in the soil can protect crop yields and native species.

In more remote or wilder landscapes, going down this path would raise harder questions about what constitutes natural resilience. Would this kind of assisted adaptation favour some species? As heat intensifies, the debate will likely shift from whether we intervene to how deliberately and equitably we do so.

These questions aren’t purely scientific or technical. They pose societal choices around which values we prioritise when trade-offs are unavoidable.

We have to start planning now

We believe it will soon be necessary to intervene in ecosystems to boost heat resilience. We urgently need more research to understand how heat damage accumulates in different organisms and how we can support recovery.

We will also have to identify traits for heat-tolerance in as many native species as possible and learn how to cool landscapes and protect ecosystems at scale.

The stakes are extremely high. We can either act now in a deliberate, evidence-based way – or we can wait until accumulated heat forces change on us, after much has been irreversibly lost.

Owen Atkin, Director of the ANU Agrifood Innovation Institute, Australian National University; Adrienne Nicotra, Professor of Ecology and Evolution, Research School of Biology, the Australian National University, Australian National University; Belinda Medlyn, Distinguished Professor, Ecosystem Function and Integration, Western Sydney University, and Michael Kearney, Professor in Ecophysiology and Evolutionary Biology, The University of Melbourne

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

Plummeting fish numbers triggered controversial fishing bans in WA. But no-take zones could benefit fishers

Tim Langlois, The University of Western Australia; Charlotte Aston, The University of Western Australia, and Matt Navarro, The University of Western Australia

The Western Australian government recently announced the controversial closure of commercial and recreation fishing to prevent a collapse in the populations of under-threat species, such as popular dhufish and pink snapper.

Fishing for these demersal (bottom dwelling) species has been closed along a 900-kilometre stretch of coastline in south-west WA. There are plans to reopen the area in spring 2027, but for recreational fishing only.

One additional measure stands out: once the fishery opens, large “no-take” demersal recovery zones are proposed where all bottom fishing will be banned.

While no-take zones are a key part of Australia’s conservation strategy, they are more often used to create marine parks, rather than to improve fisheries. Proposed no-take zones have been historically unpopular with fishers. But perhaps we can have our cake and eat it too. Does closing areas of ocean to fishing result in a boost to fish numbers inside the protected areas and in surrounding fishing grounds?

Our recent research suggests the answer is yes. Setting aside no-take areas of the ocean, combined with standard fisheries management in the areas still open to fishing, can increase overall numbers of spawning fish. This means greater catch rates for fishers in surrounding areas.

Building a digital reef

We focused on the population of spangled emperor fish – a golden-coloured fish prized by anglers – in the iconic Ningaloo World Heritage Area. Currently, 34% of Ningaloo is covered by no-take zones, the largest percentage for any region in Australia. These zones were created to protect the diversity of species and create natural areas for tourism, education and science.

Understanding if no-take areas actually benefit fisheries is a challenging task. To compare the effects of protection and closures with standard fisheries management, we built a computer model for the spangled emperor population at Ningaloo.

We divided the reef into more than 1,800 spatial “cells” and included information about habitat distribution, fish movement, reproduction, mortality rates and how much and where fishing was occurring.

The resulting model is a digital “twin” of the spangled emperor population at Ningaloo. It helped us try to answer the question: how best to conserve and manage this vital resource?

A spangled emperor fish swims over a reef. — A spangled emperor fish at the Houtman Abrolhos, Western Australia. Steve Lindfield, CC BY

Exploring the possibilities

We explored several scenarios: what would happen with only standard fisheries management in place, compared with the addition of no-take zones or closing the area to fishing for five months. We also looked at what might have been achieved by combining all approaches.

The no-take zones delivered clear benefits, particularly by boosting the number of large mature fish and the number of offspring they produced. Closing the area for a five-month period was similarly effective for increasing fish abundance, but less so for large mature fish. Combining the two approaches resulted in a greater increase in large mature fish and replenishment of young fish.

Interestingly, our model predicted the addition of no-take zones resulted in recreational fishing catch rates doubling in open areas near where the fishers accessed the ocean (for example, within 10 kilometres of a boat ramp).

Bigger, older fish matter

Female fish of many species produce far more eggs as they grow larger. One big, older female can produce as many eggs as a dozen or more smaller adults. No‑take zones protect these large individuals, allowing them to survive longer and build up inside protected areas. Their offspring drift into surrounding waters, replenishing stocks and ultimately boosting catches for fishers.

These benefits are greatest for species that remain relatively local. Highly mobile species may require larger or connected no-take zones to achieve the same effect. In this way, no‑take zones help sustain healthy fish populations and fisheries.

Some in the fishing community have historically opposed protected areas, seeing the loss of access as negative. But when we talked to fishers at boat ramps around Australia, many supported protected areas and sensed what our model confirms: setting aside no-take zones can improve environmental outcomes.

Our research suggests strategic no-take zones – like those in the WA government’s announcement – along with effective management of fishing in other areas could replenish fish populations and increase catches.

We have consistently found that studying no-take zones provides a cost-effective way to understand fish habitat preference, their home-range size and how they spawn. This information will be key to designing no-take zones to protect fish spawning, recover populations and make fishing more sustainable.

Tim Langlois, Research Fellow in marine ecosystems, The University of Western Australia; Charlotte Aston, Postdoctoral research fellow, Indian Ocean Marine Research Centre, The University of Western Australia, and Matt Navarro, Research fellow in marine ecology, The University of Western Australia

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

Dramatic changes in upper atmosphere are responsible for recent droughts and bushfires: new research

Milton Speer, University of Technology Sydney and Lance M Leslie, University of Technology Sydney

Over the past decade, southern Australia has suffered numerous extreme weather and climate events, such as record-breaking heatwaves, bushfires, two major droughts and even flash flooding.

While Australia has always had these disasters, our research reveals these new extremes are the result of dramatic climate-driven changes in the upper atmosphere above Australia.

Eight to ten kilometres above the ground, the fast-flowing jet stream air currents have shifted further southwards, dragging rain-bearing winter weather systems away from Australia’s southern coastline.

This means southern Australia has experienced at least 25% less annual rainfall and is currently gripped by a continuing drought. Our findings should be a wake-up call for governments, primary producers and residents of some of Australia’s largest cities: the hotter, drier weather is here to stay.

Drought in the south, wet in the east

Southern Australia comprises the coastal and adjacent areas in the south of the continent, stretching about 4,000 kilometres from Perth to east of Melbourne. This region is home to ten million people, or about 35% of Australia’s population.

The two most recent droughts in southern Australia were the Tinderbox drought, from 2017 to 2019, and the present drought, which has not been named. It began in 2023 and is continuing into February 2026.

Drought is primarily a meteorological, or weather-related, phenomenon. It is defined by intense rainfall deficiencies over three months or longer, which severely impact agricultural production, water supplies and ecosystems.

Notably, six of the past ten years were dry, tipping much of southern Australia into drought. In marked contrast, eastern Australia, including Sydney and Brisbane, experienced moderate to extreme wet conditions, including flash flooding. The map below shows drought in southern Australia in 2023–25.

A map of Australia showing areas of drought between 2023 to 2025. — CAPTION HERE. Australian Combined Drought Indicator Map, CC BY-ND

The meteorological factors that drive drought in southern Australia, and the shift from dry to wet conditions in eastern Australia, can be explained by shifts in the upper atmospheric jet streams. These are fast-flowing, narrow air currents high in the atmosphere, about 8–10km above Earth.

Major changes to the jet streams

Our research reveals dramatic changes to the jet streams in the Australian region, particularly in the past decade. Put simply, jet streams are fast-moving belts of westerly winds in the upper atmosphere. They steer cold fronts and low-pressure systems across southern Australia, from west to east, determining rainfall and temperature patterns.

In the Australian region there is a subtropical jetstream over northern Australia and a polar jet stream in the mid-latitude westerly winds south of Australia. Historically, the jetstreams have steered the rain-bearing systems over southern Australia.

We discovered the subtropical jet stream, which brings rainy weather systems, has shifted about 10 degrees of latitude (roughly 1,000km) southwards towards the pole, since 2015.

This shift has caused traditional rain-producing weather systems to track south of the continent, completely missing southern Australia. Our previous research comparing 1965 to 1992, and 1993 to 2020, also showed the jet streams had shifted towards Antarctica.

This shift is due to climate change from increased greenhouse gas emissions that continues to warm the oceans and atmosphere. As the world keeps warming, the jet streams will be pushed further poleward.

Hence the jet stream changes are responsible for both the current drought, and the Tinderbox Drought (2017–19). Each drought was caused by below-average winter rainfall from April to October. And the greatest relocation of Australian region jet streams occurred in the past decade.

Where were the droughts?

Between 2023 and 2025, almost all of southern Australia experienced a serious to extreme lack of rain, causing severe to exceptional drought conditions. Drought has affected Melbourne, Adelaide and Perth, straining existing water supplies.

Brief winter rainfall in July 2025 provided some local relief, however, the impact was short-lived. Recently, the summer months from December 2025 to February 2026 brought extreme heat and record low rainfall. Consequently, drought continues into January and February 2026. In striking contrast, parts of eastern and northern Australia received record rainfall and flash floods.

In southern Australian, coastal and inland areas, river systems and dams are experiencing greatly reduced water supplies. This reflects the continuing long-term impacts of global warming.

In Adelaide, three extremely dry years have reduced water inflows to reservoirs. The city’s single desalination plant quadrupled its output from January last year, to meet demand. Perth has experienced a long-term rainfall decline since 1970. It has two desalination plants and is building a third.

After briefly recovering during the La Niña years from 2021 to 2023, Melbourne’s dams are at their lowest levels since the Tinderbox Drought. Melbourne received well below average rainfall through to October 2025. Its desal plant was activated briefly in 2022, and was reactivated in April 2025. A second Melbourne plant is planned, but will take almost a decade to complete.

Primed to burn

Droughts and low winter rainfall means southern Australia is very susceptible to bushfire. Heatwaves and dry vegetation at the beginning of this summer brought catastrophic bushfire conditions, bolstered by dry, westerly wind changes. This caused catastrophic bushfires in southern Australia. More than 430,000 hectares have been burned in Victoria.

These conditions should be a jolting wakeup call. A possible El Niño, or warming climate pattern, later in 2026 is likely to worsen existing drought conditions in southern Australia. Melbourne’s water storage is at 70% capacity and is in danger of falling much lower. Southern Australia needs to ready itself for a hot, dry year

Milton Speer, Visiting Fellow, School of Mathematical and Physical Sciences, University of Technology Sydney and Lance M Leslie, Professor, School of Mathematical And Physical Sciences, University of Technology Sydney

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

Want to boost uptake of battery EVs? Subsidise chargers at home and work – not the vehicles

Anilan V, Adelaide University

Let’s say you want to encourage more drivers to shift to battery-electric vehicles. What’s the best way to do it?

Globally, billions have been poured into incentives to encourage drivers to switch. The most popular approaches are rebates to cut the purchase cost and schemes to fund fast public chargers. The logic is simple: make EVs cheaper and public charging easier and consumers will follow.

But my recent research on Australian battery-electric vehicle policies suggests it’s not simple. Highly visible policies subsidising the upfront cost of new battery-electric vehicles represent surprisingly bad value for money.

What shifts the dial much more are quieter policies reducing annual running costs, boosting convenience and strengthening consumer understanding. The best return on investment comes from subsidising home and workplace EV chargers. This is because of the large savings on annual operating cost and the certainty and convenience of charging cheaply at home or at workplace.

As Australian policymakers review tax exemptions on new battery EVs, it’s worth taking a hard look at what actually drives uptake in an economically efficient way.

two men in electric car. — Education campaigns and test drives tackle information gaps and misinformation. Robbie/Unsplash, CC BY-NC-ND

Australia’s slow start

Sales of battery and plug-in hybrid EVs rose to over 13% of new vehicles last December – the highest percentage to date.

But Australia is lagging. Battery-electric vehicles globally averaged more than 20% of new car sales last year.

To understand what drives uptake efficiently, I asked a panel of Australian industry experts to shortlist top policy contenders based on a systematic review of successful global policies. I ran benefit-cost analyses of the six shortlisted policies and projected how effective they would be over 30 years.

These policies were: purchase rebates, public and private charging, education programs, incentives to cut operating costs and fuel efficiency standards.

How do these policies rank?

Of the six, two clearly stood out as boosts to uptake – private chargers and education programs. Public chargers didn’t give much economic return, but are essential to giving drivers certainty.

Purchase rebates and cheaper operating costs: popular underperformers

Purchase rebates give buyers some money back to effectively make the EV cheaper. These policies aim to support early adopters who might be deterred by higher upfront costs.

The problem is, they don’t work very well. My analysis shows these policies have a benefit-cost ratio of just 0.88, returning just 88 cents in benefits for every dollar spent.

Why? Freeriders. Many well-heeled people who get the rebate would likely have bought the vehicle anyway. But the policies do little to drive change with other groups.

International studies similarly show broad-based rebates are often weak in encouraging people to buy battery-electric vehicles who weren’t already planning to, while benefits disproportionately flow to higher-income households.

Incentives to cut operating costs had the same poor benefit-cost ratio of 0.88. These incentives – such as exemptions from road tolls and parking discounts – are more evenly spread, as they extend to secondhand owners.

Fuel efficiency: exceptional on value, modest on uptake

At the start of 2025, the long-awaited New Vehicle Efficiency Standard came into effect, bringing Australia into line with other developed nations.

Low implementation costs give these standards the highest benefit-cost ratio of all policies assessed at almost 47.

Importantly, the policy is technology-neutral, meaning it acts to cut emissions across all vehicle technologies, including hybrids and internal combustion engines.

But while the standards are a highly cost-effective way to cut transport emissions, they won’t drive mass uptake of battery-electric vehicles. They function as a foundational policy — efficient, essential but insufficient on their own.

Rebates for home and work chargers: strong boost to uptake

Incentives for home or workplace smart chargers are little discussed. But these policies had the highest total return on investment and a benefit-cost ratio of 1.86, as well as strong effects on uptake over time.

Why? Cost savings and convenience. Smart chargers let households charge cheaply at off-peak times or from rooftop solar, which also eases pressure on the grid. Owners strongly value the convenience of charging at home or work, rather than having to go to a public charger and wait for the car to charge. In the future, vehicle-to-grid technologies allowing owners to sell power to the grid will be another incentive.

The policy would be particularly effective in Australia, where off-street parking and rooftop solar are common. To date, Australia doesn’t have a nationwide rebate for home chargers.

Public fast chargers: important but not economically efficient

Australian governments prefer to fund public fast chargers rather than offer rebates for home chargers. This makes some sense, as fast chargers give drivers more certainty they can recharge away from home.

It’s not very efficient, with a low benefit-cost ratio of 0.88. But public charging is more equitable than purchase rebates, as these chargers give renters and people in apartments a way to charge. The chargers boost confidence in the network, even if they are used infrequently.

While public fast-charging has a borderline economic benefit, it’s essential on a social and psychological front.

Public education and exposure: surprisingly effective

Information campaigns and public education are another underappreciated policy option. Test-drives and hands-on demonstrations let people new to the technology become comfortable.

Education policies tackle common information gaps and misconceptions around range, battery life, charging costs and safety.

These programs are cheap and highly effective, with a benefit-cost ratio of 3.05 and an initial boost to uptake.

Which way forward?

In earlier research, we found different policies were more effective at different stages of battery-electric vehicle adoption. This means it’s important for policymakers to put the right policies in place at the right time.

Until now, Australian policymakers have focused on building the network of public chargers and giving rebates to reduce purchase prices.

But as our research shows, it’s not always the shiniest, most popular policies which do the heavy lifting.

We could get far better traction with less visible but more effective policies around private chargers and education programs – and making sure purchase rebates go to people who need them.

Anilan V, Postdoctoral Researcher, Adelaide University

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

‘Blood cobalt’ is disappearing from batteries – and cheaper, cleaner batteries are arriving

Canva, Pexels, The Conversation, CC BY-NC

Neeraj Sharma, UNSW Sydney

You might have heard the common claim that electric cars aren’t really green – that their lithium-ion batteries rely on “blood” minerals such as cobalt, mined in terrible conditions.

The critique had some truth to it. But this claim is no longer accurate. Electric vehicle (EV) manufacturers have been shifting away from cobalt because it’s expensive, toxic and ethically fraught.

What’s replacing it? Cheaper lithium-ion battery chemistries based on lithium iron phosphate (LFP), which avoid cobalt entirely. If you remember high-school chemistry, you’ll remember batteries have an anode and a cathode. The anode is nearly always graphite. But the cathode can be made from many different minerals and compounds.

This means battery makers have a great deal of choice over which minerals to include. There’s huge innovation taking place in batteries, as the market grows and diversifies across vehicles and energy storage. Even cheaper chemistries are emerging based around salt (sodium-ion), while high-performance solid state batteries are coming close to reality.

an electric vehicle battery pack being built, flat packs of batteries grouped together. — The battery industry has grown very rapidly in recent years. IM Imagery/Shutterstock

What happened to cobalt?

For years, cobalt has been a mainstay in cathodes due to its useful properties, including how much energy it can help store.

When the first commercial lithium-ion batteries arrived in the 1990s, the chemistry relied on cobalt (lithium cobalt oxide). Over time, lithium nickel mangananese cobalt (NMC) oxide and lithium nickel cobalt aluminium (NCA) oxide came to dominate the market, as their high energy density made them ideally suited for portable electronics.

As demand for lithium-ion batteries accelerated, sourcing cobalt began to be a problem. Three quarters of mined cobalt comes from one country: the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), which has half the world’s reserves. Australia is second, with 20%.

Cobalt is toxic. In the DRC, many people risk their health in small mines under conditions often described as slave-like. Illegal and legal mines can do huge environmental damage.

This and other issues led researchers to begin working on reducing or cutting cobalt out altogether. This led to low-cobalt chemistries, in which most of the cobalt was swapped for nickel, manganese or aluminium. To date, it’s been difficult to remove cobalt entirely, given how much of a boost it gives to battery capacity and stability.

In parallel, US researchers found the mineral olivine – made of lithium, iron and phosphate (LFP) – was a good candidate for battery cathodes. This discovery gave rise to cobalt-free LFP batteries. LFP chemistry is cheap, non-toxic and safe, though slightly less energy-dense.

These batteries have had a meteoric rise. Last year, 50% of all EV batteries and more than 90% of stationary home and grid batteries used this chemistry.

Given world-leading battery makers now rely heavily on this chemistry, it’s likely LFP batteries will dominate the market for EV and stationary storage applications in the near term.

two men climbing out of small mining pit using a rope. — Many people work as creseurs – small scale miners – in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, risking their lives to extract cobalt, copper and gold. Fairphone, CC BY-NC-ND

What’s on the horizon?

The global market for lithium-ion batteries has risen sixfold since 2020 and strong growth is projected to continue. EVs are taking more and more market share – especially in developing nations – and huge grid-scale batteries are proving essential in modern power grids.

What’s next?

Many next-generation batteries nearing the market are being developed for specific jobs – such as powering drones – or to outcompete current technology. Here are four new types to watch:

Sodium-ion: The world’s biggest battery maker, CATL, and other manufacturers are exploring an entirely different chemistry – sodium-ion – in a bid to eventually replace lithium-ion batteries as home or grid batteries. Sodium-ion batteries are typically heavier and less energy-dense than lithium-ion, so they wouldn’t work well in vehicles. But the chemistry has real promise for stationary energy storage.

Lithium-sulfur: These batteries rely on lithium and sulfur or sulfur-carbon composites. They can currently store four to five times more energy than traditional lithium-ion batteries, making them particularly useful for drones and other technologies where maximum power is needed. The challenge is giving them longevity, as the reactions in these batteries are harder to reverse. That means these batteries are harder to recharge many times at present. Several Australian companies are active in this space.

Solid state: Until now, lithium-ion batteries have relied on a liquid electrolyte as the medium for ions to shuttle between anode and cathode. Solid state batteries do away with the liquid, making them inherently safer. They could potentially lead to a drastic boost to energy storage. They’re not mainstream yet because it’s still tricky to get them to work at room temperature without using high pressure. If engineers figure this out, an EV using solid state batteries might travel 1,000km on a single charge.

Flow batteries: In the 1980s, Australian engineers at UNSW invented the vanadium redox flow battery. A cross between a conventional battery and a fuel cell, these typically larger batteries can feed power back to the grid for 12 hours or more, much longer than current lithium-ion battery systems.

These batteries are likely to be useful in renewable-heavy power grids. Lithium and sodium-ion batteries could provide shorter bursts of power to the grid, while flow batteries could kick in for longer periods.

So do we still need cobalt?

These developments are promising. But they don’t mean an end to cobalt entirely. Smaller amounts of cobalt will still be in the lithium-ion batteries in portable devices and EVs for the foreseeable future.

What we are likely to see is more recycled cobalt coming into the mix, as governments accelerate recycling of lithium-ion batteries and promote recycled minerals to be used in new batteries. Over time, the role of “blood cobalt” could disappear.

Neeraj Sharma, Professor of Chemistry, UNSW Sydney

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

How sailing voyages can inspire the next generation of ocean scientists and advocates

Pamela Buchan, University of Exeter and Alun Morgan, University of Plymouth

Setting sail from the busy port of Plymouth in Devon, the tall ship Pelican of London takes young people to sea, often for the first time.

During each nine-day voyage, the UK-based sailing trainees, who often come from socio-economically challenging backgrounds, become crew members. They not only learn the ropes (literally) but also engage in ocean science and stewardship activities.

As marine and outdoor education researchers, we wanted to find out whether mixing sail training and Steams (science, technology, engineering, art, mathematics and sustainability) activities can inspire young people to pursue a more ocean-focused career, and a long-term commitment to ocean care.

Research shows that a strong connection with the ocean can drive people to be active marine citizens. This means they take responsibility for ocean health not only in their own lives but as advocates for more sustainable interactions with the ocean.

Over the past year, we have worked with Charly Braungardt, head scientist with the charity Pelican of London, to create a new theory of how sail training with Steams activities can change the paths that trainees pursue.

Based on scientific evidence, our theory of change models how Steams activities can cause positive changes in personal development and knowledge and understanding of the ocean (known as ocean literacy). It shows how the voyages can develop trainees’ strong connections with the ocean and encourage them to act responsibly towards it.

Tracking change

Surveys with the participants before and after the voyage, and six months later, measure any changes that occur – and how these persist. Through our evaluation, we’re exploring how combining voyages with Steams activities can go beyond personal development to produce deep, long-lasting effects.

Our pilot study has already shown how the sail training and Steams combination helps to develop confidence, ocean literacy and ocean connections.

For example, the boost to self-esteem and feelings of capability that occur on board help young people develop their marine identity – the ocean becomes an important part of a person’s sense of who they are. As one trainee put it: “I think the ocean is me and the ocean will and forever be part of me.”

Swimming, sailing, even just building a sandcastle - the ocean benefits our physical and mental wellbeing. Curious about how a strong coastal connection helps drive marine conservation, scientists are diving in to investigate the power of blue health.

This article is part of a series, Vitamin Sea, exploring how the ocean can be enhanced by our interaction with it.

As crew members, trainees access a world and traditional culture largely unknown to them before the voyage. They learn to live with others in a confined space, working together in small teams to keep watch on 24-hour rotas.

Trainees are encouraged to step out of their comfort zone through activities such as climbing the rigging and swimming off the vessel. Our pilot evaluation found the voyages built the trainees’ confidence and social skills, boosting self-esteem and feelings of capability.

One trainee said: “I’ve felt pretty disappointed in myself not committing to my education or only doing something with minimal effort. But after this voyage, I want to give it my all.”

The Steams voyages encourage the development of scientific skills and ocean literacy through the lens of creative tasks at sea. These activities are led by a scientist-in-residence who provides mentoring and introduces research techniques.

The voyage gives trainees the opportunity to use scientific equipment, ranging from plankton nets and microscopes to cutting-edge technology such as remotely operated vehicles. The Steams activities introduce marine research as a potential career to these young people. One said they wanted to train as a marine engineer at nautical college following the voyage.

Ocean experiences provide a foundation for ocean connection. Trainees experience the ocean in sunshine and in gales, day and night, rolling with the waves and observing marine life in its natural environment.

Citizen science projects such as wildlife surveys and recorded beach cleans also develop their ocean stewardship knowledge and skills. One trainee explained how they have “become more interested [in] our marine life and creative ways to help protect it”.

Over the next 12 months, the information we collect from the voyages will help us to better understand the benefits and contribute to an important marine social science data gap in young people. It is important to understand how to develop young people’s relationships with the ocean, and the knowledge and skills that will empower the next generation of marine citizens.

As one trainee put it: “Being out on the Pelican showed me how vast and powerful the sea is – and how important it is to respect and care for it.”

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Pamela Buchan, Research Fellow, Geography, University of Exeter and Alun Morgan, Lecturer in Education, School of Law, Humanities and Social Sciences, University of Plymouth

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

Species on east-west coastlines are more likely to go extinct than those on north-south shores – new study

Cooper Malanoski, University of Oxford and Erin Saupe, University of Oxford

As the Atlantic warms, many fish along the east coast of North America have moved northwards to keep within their preferred temperature range. Black sea bass, for instance, have shifted hundreds of miles up the coast.

In the Mediterranean, the picture is very different. Without an easy escape route towards the poles, many species are effectively trapped in a sea that is warming rapidly. Some native fish are even being replaced by more heat-tolerant species that have slipped in through the Suez Canal.

It’s a process affecting coastal species around the world: without a continuous pathway to cooler waters, many are in trouble. Escape becomes difficult where coastlines run east–west or are broken into enclosed basins and islands. In these settings, species have to move huge distances just to gain a few degrees of latitude – the so-called “latitudinal trap”.

It’s also a process that has repeated throughout history. When we analysed 540 million years of fossil data for a recent study published in the journal Science, we found that species along east-west coastlines were more likely to go extinct than those with easier movement north-south.

Diagram of coastlines showing why north-south coasts have less extinction risk — Malanoski et al (2026) / Science

We hypothesised that the shape and orientation of coastlines could help species escape – or trap them. If coastlines provide direct, continuous pathways to move north or south, species should be able to better track shifting climates. But, where species have to travel a long way for minimal latitude gain, their extinction risk is raised during episodes of environmental change.

Coastlines themselves are not fixed. Over millions of years, plate tectonics rearrange continents, sometimes producing long north-south coasts, like those of the Americas today, and at other times sprawling east-west seaways such as during the Ordovician a bit over 400 million years ago.

This means climate shocks can produce very different extinction outcomes depending on the layout of continents at the time.

To test this hypothesis, we analysed fossil data for about 13,000 groups of related shallow-marine invertebrate species, such as clams, snails, sponges and starfish, spanning the last 540 million years. We then paired these records with reconstructions of ancient geography.

For each fossil, we estimated how difficult it would have been for that species to shift its latitude along shallow coastlines. We measured this as the shortest number of steps to travel 5°, 10°, or 15° latitude north or south. (For context, Great Britain covers about 9° from top to bottom). Short distances imply a relatively direct escape; long distances imply a long or maybe impossible escape route.

Annotated maps of various coastline shapes — A 5° shift in latitude can be reached quickly along a simple north–south coastline (A), but requires much longer routes—or cannot be reached at all—along convoluted east–west margins (B), interior seaways (C), and islands (D). Malanoski et al (2026) / Science

We found that, over the last 540 million years, extinction risk was consistently higher for marine animals with long escape routes.

Geography amplifies catastrophe

This pattern intensified during Earth’s five mass extinction events. In our models, species with longer distances showed increases in extinction risk of up to 400% during mass extinctions, compared with about 60% during other intervals, highlighting that geography becomes far more consequential when climate change intensifies.

Although our analyses focused on geologic timescales, our results help us understand how shallow marine species may respond to climate change today. Species living in the Mediterranean or the Gulf of Mexico or other regions with semi-enclosed geography, or around the margins of islands, may have more difficulty as the ocean warms.

Coastline geometry may matter less for species that are good at dispersing themselves, however, especially those that have a long planktonic larvae phase where they drift around the ocean before becoming fixed in place. The survival of those species depends more on factors like ocean currents than coastline orientation.

Estimating whether a species is at risk of extinction is typically done with reference to attributes such as body size or geographic range size. But our work shows that extinction risk also depends on geography. Survival during climate upheaval depends not only on a species’ biology – but on whether the map itself offers an escape.

Cooper Malanoski, Postdoctoral research associate, University of Oxford and Erin Saupe, Associate Professor, Palaeobiology, University of Oxford

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

How shaming unethical brands makes companies improve their behaviour

Janet Godsell, Loughborough University and Nikolai Kazantsev, University of Cambridge

Recent investigations have uncovered forced labour in agricultural supply chains, illegal fishing feeding supermarket freezers, deforestation embedded in everyday food products, and unsafe conditions in factories producing “sustainable” fashion. These harms were not visible on labels. They surfaced only when journalists, whistleblowers or activists exposed them.

And when they did, something predictable happened. Consumers felt uneasy. Brands issued statements. Promises were made. The point is that the force that set change in motion was not regulation. It was consumers.

Discovering that an ordinary purchase may be tied to exploitation or environmental damage creates a jolt of personal responsibility. In our research, we found that when environmental consequences are clearly linked to people’s own buying choices, many are willing to switch products — especially when credible alternatives exist.

But guilt is private. It nudges personal behaviour. It does not automatically reshape systems. The shift happens when private discomfort becomes public voice.

Consumers are often also the first to make hidden environmental harms visible. They post evidence on social media. They question corporate claims. They compare sustainability promises with independent reporting. They organise petitions, boycotts and review campaigns. By shining a spotlight on the truth, the scrutiny shifts from shoppers to brands.

That shift matters because modern brands depend on trust. Reputation is an asset. When sustainability claims are publicly challenged, credibility is at risk. Research in organisational behaviour shows that firms respond quickly to threats to legitimacy. Reputational damage affects customer loyalty, investor confidence and regulatory attention.

In many high-profile cases, supply chain reforms have followed intense public scrutiny rather than quiet compliance checks. Leaders may not act out of moral awakening — but they do act when inaction becomes costly to their reputation.

Consumers can trigger the emotional chain reaction. They feel guilt. They seek information. They speak collectively. That collective voice generates corporate shame.

woman shopper with trolley checking two bottles — Consumers have the power to demand more transparency from brands. Stokkete/Shutterstock

Sustainability professor Mike Berners-Lee argues in his book A Climate of Truth that demanding honesty is one of the most powerful climate actions available to citizens. Raising standards of truthfulness in business and media changes incentives. When the gap between what companies say and what they do becomes visible, maintaining that gap becomes harder.

Our research explores how that visibility can be strengthened. The findings were clear. When environmental and social consequences are personalised and traceable, sustainability feels less distant. People see both their own role and the role of particular firms. That dual awareness encourages two responses: behavioural change driven by guilt and corporate accountability driven by shame.

Shame works because it is social. Brands care about how they are seen. When the negative environmental and social effects of supply chains can be publicly connected to named products, corporate narratives become contestable in real time.

Making supply chains socially visible

The technology to improve transparency already exists. Companies track goods through logistics systems, supplier databases and digital product-tagging that collect detailed information about sourcing and production. The barrier is not data collection. It is disclosure.

Environmental indicators — carbon emissions, water use, land conversion risk, labour standards compliance — can be linked to products through QR codes or retail apps. Comparable reporting standards would ensure consistency. Simple digital interfaces would make information accessible. Social sharing tools would allow consumers to compare and discuss findings publicly.

Social media is crucial. It already enables workers, communities and campaigners to challenge corporate messaging. Integrating verified supply chain data into these spaces would shift transparency from crisis response to everyday expectation.

This strategy, with its behaviour change directive, could work more effectively than rules or green marketing campaigns alone.

Regulation is essential but often slow and uneven across borders. Marketing campaigns can highlight selective improvements while leaving deeper practices untouched. Transparency activated by collective consumer voice operates differently. It aligns emotional motivation with reputational consequence.

Consumers are not passive recipients of information. They are catalysts. By feeling the first twinge of guilt, asking harder questions and speaking together, they create the conditions under which companies experience shame. When shame threatens trust and market position, change becomes rational and inevitable.

Shame is uncomfortable. But when directed at opaque systems rather than consumers, it can be powerful. By demanding truth and making supply chains socially visible, consumers can push businesses towards greater transparency — and, ultimately, towards more sustainable practice.

Janet Godsell, Dean and Professor of Operations and Supply Chain Strategy, Loughborough Business School, Loughborough University and Nikolai Kazantsev, Postdoctoral Researcher, Institute for Manufacturing, University of Cambridge

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

Why coping with heavy rain in Scotland’s whisky country shows how to save water for the summer

Josie Geris, University of Aberdeen and Megan Klaar, University of Leeds

After weeks of relentless rain and flooding, and even more forecast, 2025’s droughts and hosepipe bans feel like ancient history. But they shouldn’t.

The UK is increasingly caught between these wetter winters and warmer, drier summers. What if this year’s summer brings water shortages again? The seemingly endless rainfall causing flooding across the UK right now could help solve future summer drought problems – if we capture it right.

The stakes are high in Speyside, home to around half of Scotland’s malt whisky distilleries. They had to cope with 2025 being the UK’s warmest and sunniest on record, where prolonged dry conditions led to widespread restrictions on water abstraction. Multiple distilleries were forced into temporary closures, costing the industry millions of pounds and highlighting just how vulnerable even Scotland’s famously wet regions are to water scarcity.

Whisky production represents one of the UK’s biggest industrial water users. Large quantities of water are required for the distilling process and the product itself, so understanding water conservation is both extremely important for the industry, and can also help others recognise the benefits.

If it was possible to retain this winter’s rainfall and release it gradually when it was needed, the nation could become more resilient to both floods and droughts without building expensive new reservoirs.

Managing droughts with floods

Across Speyside, they’re testing ways to slow, store and steadily release water by working with the landscape rather than against it. Distillers have invested in leaky dams (small barriers built across temporary upland streams) to slow the flow of water during heavy rain and allow the rainwater to soak into soil and recharge groundwater.

Leaky dams hold the water at surface level as well helping it store underground. Water in the soil and deeper groundwater move through the subsurface much more slowly than over land – taking weeks or months rather than hours or days – which is why rivers still flow even after long dry spells.

An overhead view of the Tromie river. — Tromie river in Speyside. Ondrej Zeleznik/Shutterstock

There are other examples of useful interventions. Peatland restoration, wetland creation and tree planting all work by increasing temporary storage in the landscape and slowing the movement of water into rivers.

Research across upland catchment areas in Cumbria and West Yorkshire shows how the principles being tested in Speyside could translate to elsewhere. A large academic review of natural flood management evidence concluded that measures increasing water storage, slowing the flow of water over the land or enhancing soil structure can consistently reduce the peak level of a flood.

This growing body of evidence supports a simple but powerful idea: the UK and other countries could be more resilient to droughts and floods by redesigning landscapes to keep water around for longer.

Three lessons for the rest of the UK

1. Design and location matter

Local factors and hydrology (the study of the movement and management of water) can determine what works best where. For example, planting trees “somewhere” delivers far less benefit than planting them in the right places, especially near rivers, near the source of the river, or where soil can absorb water.

2. Benefits must stack up or they won’t be adopted

Leaky dams and other projects, such as tree planting, are relatively inexpensive, compared with traditionally engineered flood defences or having to deal with flood and drought consequences. They can deliver benefits at a fraction of the cost, while potentially also increasing biodiversity, soil health, carbon capture and improving water quality.

But there are trade-offs, which need to be assessed early. For example, in some cases, large-scale tree planting can also reduce summer water availability in already stressed catchment areas. Tree canopies can temporarily store water on the leaves, but if this water evaporates it doesn’t return to the soil. Tree roots improve the soil so it absorbs and stores more water, but trees can also use more water. The net effects depend on factors such as climate, soil type and tree species.

3. Good governance will unlock funding

When water security has clear economic benefits, businesses are willing to engage. However, investment is not always private, and a recent review showed public funding is often fragmented, with inconsistent planning rules. Strengthening overall governance of these kind of schemes is essential, because farmers, businesses and landowners are far more likely to participate if they benefit.

Managing our landscapes appropriately won’t stop all floods or prevent every drought, but it can make both less severe, while restoring habitats, supporting farming, and protecting industries that rely on dependable water supplies.

Every river carrying floodwater to the sea represents water that could be stored for drier months. Thinking ahead for what happens during heavy rains can be part of forward planning for more extreme weather in years to come.

Josie Geris, Reader in Hydrology, University of Aberdeen and Megan Klaar, Associate Professor, Hydroecology and Catchment Management, University of Leeds

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

How Bad Bunny’s power pole dance spotlighted the colonial legacy of energy poverty

Jenna Imad Harb, Australian National University and Kirsty Anantharajah, University of Canberra

When Bad Bunny and his dancers scaled power poles during his Super Bowl performance, he wasn’t just entertaining millions. He was spotlighting how Puerto Rico’s chronic power outages are a legacy of its colonisation.

Puerto Rico is far from alone in this struggle – colonialism and geopolitical power imbalances have shaped access to electricity worldwide.

Puerto Rico has long suffered rolling blackouts lasting days and sometimes months. This leaves residents – especially vulnerable populations – without refrigeration, medical equipment, or air conditioning.

This isn’t just poor infrastructure management, though that is certainly an issue. It’s the ongoing legacy of colonial control over energy systems.

Colonial powers built energy systems designed to extract resources and profits for distant corporations and governments, not to serve local communities. As a result, local communities pay high costs for inadequate power. Similar patterns exist globally, from the Caribbean to the Middle East.

Colonial abandonment, not poor management

Puerto Rico’s chronic blackouts stem from what scholars call “energy colonialism”, where powerful countries and companies control the energy resources of less powerful countries or regions.

Puerto Rico became a US territory in 1898 but does not have voting representation in Congress. While under US responsibility, Puerto Ricans are denied the federal support granted to other US states.

After Hurricane Maria hit Puerto Rico in 2017, it took 11 months to restore the grid – the longest blackout in US history. Yet federal aid was drastically lower than for US states hit by hurricanes around the same period and “tens of billions short of the US$94.4 billion that disaster experts estimated is needed for a full recovery”. As Cecilio Ortiz García, co-founder of the University of Puerto Rico’s National Institute of Energy and Island Sustainability, explains:

the grid has become the poster child of the decay of the colonial system, its institutions and a very vulnerable population. This is colonial abandonment, not poor management.

Unreliable energy feeds hopelessness

Energy colonisation may manifest differently in different colonial contexts. Our research in Lebanon shows several ways colonial dynamics affect energy insecurity.

In Lebanon, energy access has been undermined by Israel’s deliberate targeting of electricity infrastructure in its strikes in southern Lebanon following its invasion of Gaza. It is also undermined by political corruption rooted in colonial governance structures, such as politicians maintaining ties to private diesel generator companies that profit when the public electricity grid fails.

When France colonised Lebanon in the early 1900s, it deliberately designed a political system that divided power along religious lines, a structure still in place today. This system was created to keep Lebanon weak and dependent.

It has fostered political gridlock and corruption, with politicians profiting from failing energy systems rather than fixing them. The state’s dependence on international donors – and donors’ hesitation to subsidise energy infrastructure – has also reinforced energy poverty for residents.

Reliable energy is essential for survival

Colonial energy development dynamics are exemplified by Pacific struggles to access climate finance. Pacific countries divert significant resources to become accredited to key climate funds, in the hope of directly accessing finance. However, both the practice of mobilising finance through intermediaries, and prioritising debt finance – further indebting poor regions – ultimately channels vital resources away from Pacific nations.

As climate disasters intensify, and reliable energy becomes ever more essential for survival, recognising the colonial roots of global energy systems is key. A critical site for recognition, as argued by Puerto Rican energy advocate Juan Rosario is ownership: “the most important thing in this energy revolution is who owns it and who rules”.

Energy justice – grounded in ownership, self‑determination, and equality — must be more nuanced. We need to ask: Who gets to own the energy systems? Who makes the decisions? Who gets the money? Right now, big corporations and governments control energy. Real energy justice means communities run their own power systems and keep the benefits for themselves. Thus, energy justice cannot focus solely on technical fixes. It must also confront the structures of power that shape who benefits from energy systems and who is left vulnerable.

Our research in Lebanon shows how these experiences of energy colonialism are felt – in the wellbeing of communities, and in individual emotions and bodies. In the humanitarian community in Lebanon, people are unable to escape extreme temperature during energy insecurity and blackouts. Feelings of hopelessness and frustration come from persistent energy poverty.

Recognising joy and strength

There are no easy solutions, but we can still take a key lesson from Bad Bunny’s performance. It is vital to call out the structures of power his performance made visible. Bad Bunny’s performance also demonstrated the joy that can be found, even momentarily, from shifting focus from colonial conditions to the strength and resilience of marginalised communities.

Our research showed this strength should be supported and not taken for granted. One participant in Lebanon said:

“Do people have the choice not to be resilient? Like, is there a counterfactual Lebanon where people are not resilient and they suffer more than what they’re suffering now? How do you determine what resilience is versus wanting to live your life? It’s just you waking up and having to find a way.”

Jenna Imad Harb, Research Fellow, Australian National University and Kirsty Anantharajah, Research fellow, University of Canberra

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

Trump has scrapped the long-standing legal basis for tackling climate emissions

Robyn Eckersley, The University of Melbourne

Regulating climate emissions just became more difficult. US President Donald Trump announced on Thursday the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has repealed its own 2009 legal finding that greenhouse gas emissions endanger human health.

Vindicated by a Supreme Court ruling in 2007, and based on scientific evidence, this so-called endangerment finding by the EPA provided the legal warrant for the regulation of greenhouse gases by the federal government. It underpinned the Obama administration’s Clean Power Plan, which regulated emissions from power plants. In his first term, Trump had tried to weaken it but a new version was introduced by the Biden administration.

Without the endangerment finding, and in the absence of new laws passed by both Houses of Congress, the federal government lacks the legal mandate for direct regulation of greenhouse emissions. The science hasn’t changed, but the obligation to act on it has been scrubbed out.

If you imagine the United States as a collection of big greenhouse gas pots with lids, the Trump administration has been lifting the lids off one by one, releasing more emissions by stepping up fossil fuel extraction, production and consumption. This legal finding held down the biggest lid on climate emissions — and Trump has pulled it right off. This will have a structural effect globally.

What is the endangerment finding, and how was it developed?

In 1970, when the US environment movement was at its most influential, Congress passed an important piece of legislation called the Clean Air Act. It empowered the new Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to declare something a pollutant if it endangered public health. Initially, it was used to regulate pollutants such as smog or coal ash, the byproducts of industry.

During the George W. Bush presidency, the EPA made a ruling that greenhouse gases were also a pollutant within the meaning of the Clean Air Act. This ruling was challenged in 2007 by fossil fuel interests in the case of Massachusetts v EPA, but the court ruled (five judges to four) that carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases were “air pollutants” that endangered human health and welfare. It directed the EPA to assess their impact on human welfare — allowing the agency to regulate them.

However, the Bush administration did not push the EPA to implement the ruling.

How was the endangerment finding used for climate action?

President Barack Obama promised to act on climate during his election campaign but faced a hostile Senate when he came to power. His efforts to enact an emission trading bill failed.

However, the endangerment finding allowed him to use his executive power to direct the EPA to regulate emissions. In his first term, the EPA issued new vehicle emissions regulations for cars and light trucks, and some power plants and refineries.

In his second term, Obama extended those regulations to all power plants. These moves represented the US’s first significant steps towards emissions reductions. They enhanced Obama’s diplomatic credibility in the negotiations for the Paris Agreement in 2015. This provided a footing for bilateral cooperation with China on clean energy, helping to build diplomatic trust between the world’s two biggest emitters. Their lead negotiators worked together in the final days of the negotiations to get the Paris Agreement over the line.

Why has Trump overturned it?

On February 12, Trump announced the EPA would rescind the legal finding it has relied on for nearly 20 years. Among all the wrecking balls he has swung at efforts to decarbonise the US economy, this is the biggest. He claims the legal finding hurts Americans. The EPA’s director, Trump-appointed Lee Zeldin, called the rule the “holy grail of climate change religion”.

“This determination had no basis in fact — none whatsoever,” Trump told the media on Thursday. “And it had no basis in law. On the contrary, over the generations, fossil fuels have saved millions of lives and lifted billions of people out of poverty all over the world.”

But without federal action to curb emissions, the impact of climate change will intensify. The US is the “indispensable state” when it comes achieving the goals and principles of the Paris Agreement. Although China’s annual aggregate emissions are much higher than the US’s, the US is the world’s largest historical emitter, which makes it the most causally responsible for the global heating that has already occurred.

Yet the Trump administration regards climate change as a hoax. Trump has withdrawn the US not only from the Paris Agreement but also the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change. In short, the US is now actively fanning the flame of global heating.

In a case of history repeating itself, the arguments being made by Zedlin are pretty much the same as those once put forward by the original opponents of the endangerment finding: claiming that the original legislation was supposed to apply only to local pollutants such as smog, but not greenhouse gases, and that the science isn’t clear.

Those arguments don’t stack up, because there is indisputable evidence that increasing concentrations of greenhouse gases do indeed harm human health and welfare. The EPA is obliged to regulate harmful pollutants at the specific source.

What’s next?

This move will trigger court cases, which won’t be resolved quickly. Zedlin and Trump will face a crowd of litigants, including environment groups and NGOs. The Trump administration will likely ignore these and steam ahead with its “drill, baby, drill” slogan.

If the lawsuits fail, or Trump ignores them, it will be devastating. There will be no overarching federal legislation directly regulating emissions in the US. What’s more, a new Democrat president committed to climate action will not have this easy lever to regulate greenhouse gases. Instead, they will have to get new climate legislation through an intensely polarised Congress.

However, there are ways forward. Assuming Trump is prepared to leave office after his second term (admittedly, a big if), it is possible a new Democratic administration might have the numbers in Congress to enact new climate legislation. In the meantime, climate action is continuing to ratchet up at the state and city level in many US states.

Robyn Eckersley, Redmond Barry Professor of Political Science, School of Social and Political Sciences, The University of Melbourne

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

‘A lingering in stillness’: philosopher Byung-Chul Han on the radical power of gardening

Thomas Moran, Adelaide University

Cicero, the Roman Stoic, once wrote to his friend Varro, pending a visit to his home: “If you have a garden in your library, we shall have all we want.” This same desire for good books and natural beauty is at the heart of Byung-Chul Han’s In Praise of the Earth, in which he reflects on gardening as a form of philosophical meditation.

Review: In Praise of the Earth: A Journey into the Garden – Byung-Chul Han (Polity)

Born in South Korea and based in Germany, Han has risen to prominence as a philosopher in the last ten years with a series of short, readable but penetrating works critiquing the values that govern contemporary capitalist society.

Han considers contemporary concerns like burnout, the loss of attention and information overload, drawing on thinkers such as Hegel, Marx and Nietzsche to diagnose the effects of digital capitalism.

As well as these canonical European thinkers, he considers the ideas of Eastern philosophers and poets like Lao Tzu and Bashō. Indeed he has written books on Zen Buddhism and the Chinese idea of shanzhai or “decreation”, which disrupts the usual hierarchy between real and fake.

Han is a rare thinker who can make complex ideas engaging without losing any of their intellectual acuity. He writes slim volumes, easily carried in a coat pocket, which brim with explosive diagnoses of contemporary ills while proposing new ways of living.

Byung-Chul Han pictured in 2015. Wikimedia Commons

In The Burnout Society, for instance, Han critiques the effects of what he calls “the achievement society”, in which efficiency and a relentless drive toward self-optimisation result in feelings of despair, loneliness and exhaustion. Against the tide of self-help manuals focusing on positivity and success, he suggests “rest and contemplation are acts of resistance against a world that demands constant productivity. In pausing we reclaim our humanity.”

In Praise of the Earth suggests the humble practice of gardening can offer one example of this kind of resistance. While he reflects on the deeper implications of gardening and thinking, Han’s book is also practical and personal. It is both a philosophical treatise on gardening and a diary of his experiences tending to his Bi-Won, Korean for “secret garden” in Berlin, over a period of three years.

Han describes gardening as a form of “silent meditation, a lingering in stillness”. Cultivating plants, he suggests, can transform our relationship to time. “Since I have begun working in my garden,” he writes, “I experience time differently. It passes much slower. It expands. The time until next spring feels like an eternity.”

This new sense of time is not only attuned to the changing seasons but to the growth of the plants and flowers he nurtures. “Every plant has its proper time,” he notes. “In the garden many such times overlap. The autumn crocus and the spring crocus have an altogether different sense of time.”

This awareness of overlapping time schemes prompts Han to reflect on what he describes as “the time of the other”, which invites an ethical response of care and concern. This time of the other is not related to acquisition or domination but instead thrives through a mutual act of cultivation.

For Han the time of the garden is fundamentally different to the time of digital capitalism, which is characterised by speed, distraction, and exploitation. “Digitalisation intensifies the noise of communication”.

In contrast, “the garden is an ecstatic place for lingering.”

The language of flowers

As a gardener, Han is entranced by the names of plants. Many of the book’s short chapters bear the names of those he is growing: Willow Catkins, White Forsythia, Anemones … These names prompt reflection: “Since I have taken up gardening, I try to remember as many flower names as possible.”

Reflecting on these names, Han begins to develop new ideas. He notes that astilbes are called Prachtspiere in German, which translates as “splendid splinters”. Spier means “small, tender tip”. He notes, “Without my garden, I would never have come across the word […] Such words widen my world.”

Astilbes, or splendid splinters. K8/unsplash, CC BY

His world also widens as his attention moves from language to nature more broadly and he starts to see plant life all around him in Berlin.

Before gardening, he writes, “I was in some way indifferent not only toward willow catkins but towards all plants. Today I see my former indifference as an embarrassing blindness.” Gardening opens our eyes to the movement of leaves and opens our ears to the buzzing of insects.

This reflection is complemented by Isabella Gresser’s botanical drawings interspersed throughout the book. The delicate, white line drawings on black paper are accompanied by the botanical names of the flowers in question, allowing the reader to linger.

Song of praise

The movement from the particular to the universal is one of the book’s great strengths. The practical problem of keeping a camellia alive on a snowy night prompts a reflection on care, while waiting for a Japanese allspice to bloom sparks a contemplation on the nature of hope. “Hoping is the temporal mode of the gardener,” Han writes.

By attending to the most minute bud of a flower Han believes we can begin to develop a “planetary consciousness”. This consciousness is accompanied by “a deep reverence for the Earth.”

This reverence is in turn complemented by one of the oldest philosophical sensations – that of wonder – which Plato described as the feeling that gives birth to philosophy.

In this spirit, Han writes,

We should learn again to wonder at the earth […] In the garden I experience that the earth is magical, enigmatic, and mysterious. As soon as you treat her as a resource to be exploited you have already destroyed her.

Han’s book is part of a long tradition of philosophical reflections on the art of gardening.

The followers of the ancient Greek philosopher Epicurus formed a community called “The Garden” where they practised philosophy among trees and flowers. Chinese literati found solace in ornamental gardens designed to reflect Taoist principles such as the unity of opposites.

It is also part of a recent wave of works in which contemporary thinkers reflect on the philosophical significance of gardens. Italian thinker Giorgio Agamben’s The Kingdom and the Garden (2019), for instance, illuminates the relationship between theological reflections on the biblical Garden of Eden and political theories of liberation.

In Praise of the Earth is a philosophical song, which finds in the most delicate blossom a resounding call for care. “Flowering is rapture,” Han writes and reading this book too, is a rapturous experience.

Thomas Moran, Lecturer in the Department of English, Creative Writing and Film, Adelaide University

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

Pittwater Reserves: histories + Notes + Pictorial Walks

A History Of The Campaign For Preservation Of The Warriewood Escarpment by David Palmer OAM and Angus Gordon OAM
A Saturday Morning Stroll around Bongin Bongin - Mona Vale's Basin, Mona Vale Beach October 2024 by Kevin Murray
A Stroll Along The Centre Track At Ku-Ring-Gai Chase National Park: June 2024 - by Kevin Murray
A Stroll Around Manly Dam: Spring 2023 by Kevin Murray and Joe Mills
A Stroll Through Warriewood Wetlands by Joe Mills February 2023
A Walk Around The Cromer Side Of Narrabeen Lake by Joe Mills
A Walk on the Duffy's Wharf Track October 2024 by Kevin Murray and Joe Mills
America Bay Track Walk - photos by Joe Mills
An Aquatic June: North Narrabeen - Turimetta - Collaroy photos by Joe Mills
Angophora Reserve  Angophora Reserve Flowers Grand Old Tree Of Angophora Reserve Falls Back To The Earth - History page
Annie Wyatt Reserve - A Pictorial
Annie Wyatt Reserve, Palm Beach: Pittwater Fields of Dreams II - The Tree Lovers League
Aquatic Reflections seen this week (May 2023): Narrabeen + Turimetta by Joe Mills
Avalon Beach Reserve- Bequeathed By John Therry
Avalon Beach This Week: A Place Of A Bursting Main, Flooding Drains + Falling Boulders Council Announces Intention To Progress One LEP For Whole LGA + Transport Oriented Development Begins
Avalon's Village Green: Avalon Park Becomes Dunbar Park - Some History + Toongari Reserve and Catalpa Reserve
Bairne Walking Track Ku-Ring-Gai Chase NP by Kevin Murray
Bangalley Headland  Bangalley Mid Winter
Bangalley Headland Walk: Spring 2023 by Kevin Murray and Joe Mills
Banksias of Pittwater
Barrenjoey Boathouse In Governor Phillip Park Part Of Our Community For 75 Years: Photos From The Collection Of Russell Walton, Son Of Victor Walton
Barrenjoey Headland: Spring flowers
Barrenjoey Headland after fire
Bayview Baths
Bayview Pollution runoff persists: Resident states raw sewerage is being washed into the estuary
Bayview Public Wharf and Baths: Some History
Bayview Public Wharf Gone; Bayview Public Baths still not netted - Salt Pan Public Wharf Going
Bayview's new walkway, current state of the Bayview public Wharf & Baths + Maybanke Cove
Bayview Sea Scouts Hall: Some History
Bayview Wetlands
Beeby Park
Bilgola Beach
Bilgola Plateau Parks For The People: Gifted By A. J. Small, N. A. K. Wallis + The Green Pathways To Keep People Connected To The Trees, Birds, Bees - For Children To Play
Botham Beach by Barbara Davies
Brown's Bay Public Wharf, on McCarrs Creek, Church Point: Some History
Bungan Beach Bush Care
Careel Bay Saltmarsh plants
Careel Bay Birds
Careel Bay Clean Up day
Careel Bay Marina Environs November 2024 - Spring Celebrations
Careel Bay Playing Fields History and Current
Careel Bay Steamer Wharf + Boatshed: some history
Careel Creek
Careel Creek - If you rebuild it they will come

Central Trail: Ku-ring-Gai Chase National Park, Spring 2025 by Kevin Murray
Centre trail in Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park
Chiltern Track- Ingleside by Marita Macrae
Clareville Beach
Clareville/Long Beach Reserve + some History
Clareville Public Wharf: 1885 to 1935 - Some History
Coastal Stability Series: Cabbage Tree Bay To Barrenjoey To Observation Point by John Illingsworth, Pittwater Pathways, and Dr. Peter Mitchell OAM
Community Concerned Over the Increase of Plastic Products Being Used by the Northern Beaches Council for Installations in Pittwater's Environment
Cowan Track by Kevin Murray
Crown Reserves Improvement Fund Allocations 2021
Crown Reserves Improvement Fund 2022-23: $378,072 Allocated To Council For Weed Control - Governor Phillip Park Gets a Grant This Time: full details of all 11 sites
Crown Reserves Improvement Fund Allocations 2023-2024
Crown Reserves Grants 2025 Announced: Local focus on Weeds + Repairs to Long Reef Boardwalk + some pictures of council's recent works at Hitchcock Park - Careel Bay playing fields - CRIF 2025
Curl Curl To Freshwater Walk: October 2021 by Kevin Murray and Joe Mills
Currawong and Palm Beach Views - Winter 2018
Currawong-Mackerel-The Basin A Stroll In Early November 2021 - photos by Selena Griffith
Currawong State Park Currawong Beach + Currawong Creek
Deep Creek To Warriewood Walk photos by Joe Mills

Turimetta Moods: mid-February to Mid- March 2025 by Joe Mills

Turimetta Moods: October 2025 by Joe Mills
Turimetta to Avalon Dunes Being Trashed
Warriewood Wetlands - Creeks Deteriorating: How To Report Construction Site Breaches, Weed Infestations + The Long Campaign To Save The Warriewood Wetlands & Ingleside Escarpment March 2023
Warriewood Wetlands and Irrawong Reserve
Whale Beach Ocean Reserve: 'The Strand' - Some History On Another Great Protected Pittwater Reserve
Whale Migration Season: Grab A Seaside Pew For The Annual Whalesong But Keep Them Safe If Going Out On The Water
Wilshire Park Palm Beach: Some History + Photos From May 2022
Winji Jimmi - Water Maze

Pittwater's Birds

ABORIGINAL LEGENDS: THE KOOKABURRA - for Children

Adrian Boddy's Bird Backyard

An Eye for Nature: The Life and Art of William T. Cooper by Penny Olsen, foreword by David Attenborough By Penny Olsen

Attracting Insectivore Birds to Your Garden: DIY Natural Tick Control - small bird insectivores, species like the Silvereye, Spotted Pardalote, Gerygone, Fairywren and Thornbill, feed on ticks. Attracting these birds back into your garden will provide not only a residence for tick eaters but also the delightful moments watching these tiny birds provides.

Aussie Backyard Bird Count 2017: Take part from 23 - 29 October - how many birds live here?

Aussie Bird Count 2017: Pittwater's Lists

Aussie Backyard Bird Count 2018 - Our Annual 'What Bird Is That?' Week Is Here! - This week the annual Aussie Backyard Bird Count runs from 22-28 October 2018. Pittwater is one of those places fortunate to have birds that thrive because of an Aquatic environment, a tall treed Bush environment and areas set aside for those that dwell closer to the ground, in a sand, scrub or earth environment. To take part all you need is 20 minutes and your favourite outdoor space. Head to the website and register as a Counter today! And if you're a teacher, check out BirdLife Australia's Bird Count curriculum-based lesson plans to get your students (or the whole school!) involved

Aussie Bird Count 2018: Pittwater's Lists

Aussie Bird Count 2019: Pittwater's Lists Reflect Diverse Range Of Species In Wide Range Of Habitats

Aussie Bird Count 2020 - Local By Postcode Statistics For Our Area

Australasian Figbird at Careel Bay

Australian Ibis for Children Australian Ibis Stretches

Australian Predators of the Sky by Penny Olsen - published by National Library of Australia

Australian Raven Australian Wood Duck Family at Newport

A Week In Pittwater Issue 128 A Week In Pittwater - June 2014 Issue 168

Baby Birds Spring 2015 - Rainbow Lorikeets in our Yard - for Children

Baby Birds by Lynleigh Greig, Southern Cross Wildlife Care - what do if being chased by a nesting magpie or if you find a baby bird on the ground

Baby Kookaburras in our Backyard: Aussie Bird Count 2016 - October

Balloons Are The Number 1 Marine Debris Risk Of Mortality For Our Seabirds - Feb 2019 Study

Bangalley Mid-Winter Barrenjoey Birds Bird Antics This Week: December 2016

Bird of the Month February 2019 by Michael Mannington

Birdland Above the Estuary - October 2012 Birds At Our Window Birds at our Window - Winter 2014 Birdland June 2016

Birdsong Is a Lovesong at This time of The Year - Brown Falcon, Little Wattle Bird, Australian Pied cormorant, Mangrove or Striated Heron, Great Egret, Grey Butcherbird, White-faced Heron

Bird Songs – poems about our birds by youngsters from yesterdays - for children Bird Week 2015: 19-25 October

Bird Songs For Spring 2016 For Children by Joanne Seve

Birds at Careel Creek this Week - November 2017: includes Bird Count 2017 for Local Birds - BirdLife Australia by postcode

Black Cockatoo photographed in the Narrabeen Catchment Reserves this week by Margaret G Woods - July 2019

Black-Necked Stork, Mycteria Australis, Now Endangered In NSW, Once Visited Pittwater: Breeding Pair shot in 1855

Black Swans on Narrabeen Lagoon - April 2013 Black Swans Pictorial

Blue-faced Honeyeaters Breeding In Pittwater

Breakfast with the Birds by Marita Macrae

Brush-turkey - the Australian Urban dwelling bird - for children

Brush Turkeys In Suburbia: There's An App For That - Citizen Scientists Called On To Spot Brush Turkeys In Their Backyards

Buff-banded Rail spotted at Careel Creek 22.12.2012: a breeding pair and a fluffy black chick

Bush-stone curlew at Palm Beach January 2024: Watch out, shorebirds are about - a few notes on our ground-dwelling bird residents and visitor birds

Careel Bay's Sulphur-Crested Cockatoos: February 2025 Antics

Careel Creek Birdland 8.8.2015

Careel Creek Egrets Return - Sign of Spring in August 2012

Careel Creek - If You Rebuild It They Will Come - Royal Spoonbill

Careel Creek Pictorial November 2012 - Rebuild and Rehabilitation Brings Back Natives

Cayley & Son - The life and Art of Neville Henry Cayley & Neville William Cayley by Penny Olsen - great new book on the art works on birds of these Australian gentlemen and a few insights from the author herself

Channel-Billed Cuckoo at Mona Vale

Chooks As Feathered Dogs

Corellas Of Pittwater

Crested Pigeons – An Australian Native - For Children

Crimson Rosella - + Historical Articles on

Death By 775 Cuts: How Conservation Law Is Failing The Black-Throated Finch - new study 'How to Send a Finch Extinct' now published

Destruction of 670 trees and baby birds during nesting season for transmission infrastructure proves biodiversity offsets are nature negative - you cannot 'offset' a tree that's 200+ years old - Merotherie Road 'SODA' (Strategic Offset Delivery Agreement), State Significant Development pathway for Central Orana REZ

Dragonfly Dreamings Summer Verges Spring 2014

Eastern Koel

Eastern Tern August 2012

Eastern Rosella - and a little more about our progression to protecting our birds instead of exporting them or decimating them.

Ellis Rowan's Adventures In Painting Birds, Flowers and Insects: 'This Meant That I Was Tapu - Sacred - Because I Painted The Birds' - Pacific Black Duck Songline through Pittwater

Endangered Little Tern Fishing at Mona Vale Beach

‘Feather Map of Australia’: Citizen scientists can support the future of Australia's wetland birds: for Birdwatchers, school students and everyone who loves our estuarine and lagoon and wetland birds

First Week of Spring 2014

Fledging - Baby Birds coming to ground: Please try and Keep them close to Parent Birds - Please Put out shallow dishes of water in hot weather

Fledgling Common Koel Adopted by Red Wattlebird -Summer Bird fest 2013 Flegdlings of Summer - January 2012

Flocks of Colour by Penny Olsen - beautiful new Bird Book Celebrates the 'Land of the Parrots'

Friendly Goose at Palm Beach Wharf - Pittwater's Own Mother Goose

Front Page Issue 177 Front Page Issue 185 Front Page Issue 193 - Discarded Fishing Tackle killing shorebirds Front Page Issue 203 - Juvenile Brush Turkey Front Page Issue 208 - Lyrebird by Marita Macrae Front Page Issue 219 Superb Fairy Wren Female Front Page Issue 234: National Bird Week October 19-25 and the 2015 the Aussie Back Yard Bird Count: Australia's First Bird Counts - a 115 Year Legacy - with a small insight into our first zoos Front Page Issue 236: Bird Week 2015 Front Page Issue 244: watebirds Front Page Issue 260: White-face Heron at Careel Creek Front Page Issue 283: Pittwater + more birds for Bird Week/Aussie Bird Count Front Page Issue 284: Pittwater + more birds for Bird Week/Aussie Bird Count Front Page Issue 285: Bird Week 2016 Front Page Issue 331: Spring Visitor Birds Return

G . E. Archer Russell (1881-1960) and His Passion For Avifauna From Narrabeen To Newport

Glossy Black-Cockatoo Returns To Pittwater by Paul Wheeler Glossy Cockatoos - 6 spotted at Careel Bay February 2018

Grey Butcher Birds of Pittwater

Harry Wolstenholme (June 21, 1868 - October 14, 1930) Ornithologist Of Palm Beach, Bird Man Of Wahroonga

INGLESIDE LAND RELEASE ON AGAIN BUT MANY CHALLENGES AHEAD by David Palmer

Issue 60 May 2012 Birdland - Smiles- Beamings -Early -Winter - Blooms

Jayden Walsh’s Northern Beaches Big Year - courtesy Pittwater Natural Heritage Association

John Gould's Extinct and Endangered Mammals of Australia by Dr. Fred Ford - Between 1850 and 1950 as many mammals disappeared from the Australian continent as had disappeared from the rest of the world between 1600 and 2000! Zoologist Fred Ford provides fascinating, and often poignant, stories of European attitudes and behaviour towards Australia's native fauna and connects these to the animal's fate today in this beautiful new book - our interview with the author

July 2012 Pittwater Environment Snippets; Birds, Sea and Flowerings

Juvenile Sea Eagle at Church Point - for children

King Parrots in Our Front Yard

Kookaburra Turf Kookaburra Fledglings Summer 2013 Kookaburra Nesting Season by Ray Chappelow Kookaburra Nest – Babies at 1.5 and 2.5 weeks old by Ray Chappelow Kookaburra Nest – Babies at 3 and 4 weeks old by Ray Chappelow Kookaburra Nest – Babies at 5 weeks old by Ray Chappelow Kookaburra and Pittwater Fledglings February 2020 to April 2020

Lion Island's Little Penguins (Fairy Penguins) Get Fireproof Homes - thanks to NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service and the Fix it Sisters Shed

Long-Billed Corella

Lorikeet - Summer 2015 Nectar

Lyre Bird Sings in Local National Park - Flock of Black Cockatoos spotted - June 2019

Magpie's Melodic Melodies - For Children (includes 'The Magpie's Song' by F S Williamson)

Masked Lapwing (Plover) - Reflected

May 2012 Birdland Smiles Beamings Early Winter Blooms

Mistletoebird At Bayview

Musk Lorikeets In Pittwater: Pittwater Spotted Gum Flower Feast - May 2020

Nankeen Kestrel Feasting at Newport: May 2016

National Bird Week 2014 - Get Involved in the Aussie Backyard Bird Count: National Bird Week 2014 will take place between Monday 20 October and Sunday 26 October, 2014. BirdLife Australia and the Birds in Backyards team have come together to launch this year’s national Bird Week event the Aussie Backyard Bird Count! This is one the whole family can do together and become citizen scientists...

National Bird Week October 19-25 and the 2015 the Aussie Back Yard Bird Count: Australia's First Bird Counts - a 115 Year Legacy - with a small insight into our first zoos

Native Duck Hunting Season Opens in Tasmania and Victoria March 2018: hundreds of thousands of endangered birds being killed - 'legally'!

Nature 2015 Review Earth Air Water Stone

New Family of Barking Owls Seen in Bayview - Church Point by Pittwater Council

Noisy Visitors by Marita Macrae of PNHA

Odes to Australia's Fairy-wrens by Douglas Brooke Wheelton Sladen and Constance Le Plastrier 1884 and 1926

Oystercatcher and Dollarbird Families - Summer visitors

Pacific Black Duck Bath

Painted Button-Quail Rescued By Locals - Elanora-Ingleside escarpment-Warriewood wetlands birds

Palm Beach Protection Group Launch, Supporters Invited

Pardalote, Scrub Wren and a Thornbill of Pittwater

Pecking Order by Robyn McWilliam

Pelican Lamps at Narrabeen Pelican Dreamsong - A Legend of the Great Flood - dreamtime legend for children

Pittwater Becalmed Pittwater Birds in Careel Creek Spring 2018 Pittwater Waterbirds Spring 2011 Pittwater Waterbirds - A Celebration for World Oceans Day 2015

Pittwater's Little Penguin Colony: The Saving of the Fairies of Lion Island Commenced 65 Years Ago this Year - 2019

Pittwater's Mother Nature for Mother's Day 2019

Pittwater's Waterhens: Some Notes - Narrabeen Creek Bird Gathering: Curious Juvenile Swamp Hen On Warriewood Boardwalk + Dusky Moorhens + Buff Banded Rails In Careel Creek

Plastic in 99 percent of seabirds by 2050 by CSIRO

Plover Appreciation Day September 16th 2015

Powerful and Precious by Lynleigh Grieg

Red Wattlebird Song - November 2012

Restoring The Diamond: every single drop. A Reason to Keep Dogs and Cats in at Night.

Return Of Australasian Figbird Pair: A Reason To Keep The Trees - Aussie Bird Count 2023 (16–22 October) You can get involved here: aussiebirdcount.org.au

Salt Air Creatures Feb.2013

Scaly-breasted Lorikeet

Sea Birds off the Pittwater Coast: Albatross, Gannet, Skau + Australian Poets 1849, 1898 and 1930, 1932

Sea Eagle Juvenile at Church Point

Seagulls at Narrabeen Lagoon

Seen but Not Heard: Lilian Medland's Birds - Christobel Mattingley - one of Australia's premier Ornithological illustrators was a Queenscliff lady - 53 of her previously unpublished works have now been made available through the auspices of the National Library of Australia in a beautiful new book

7 Little Ducklings: Just Keep Paddling - Australian Wood Duck family take over local pool by Peta Wise

Shag on a North Avalon Rock - Seabirds for World Oceans Day 2012

Short-tailed Shearwaters Spring Migration 2013

South-West North-East Issue 176 Pictorial

Spring 2012 - Birds are Splashing - Bees are Buzzing

Spring Becomes Summer 2014- Royal Spoonbill Pair at Careel Creek

Spring Notes 2018 - Royal Spoonbill in Careel Creek

Station Beach Off Leash Dog Area Proposal Ignores Current Uses Of Area, Environment, Long-Term Fauna Residents, Lack Of Safe Parking and Clearly Stated Intentions Of Proponents have your say until February 28, 2019

Summer 2013 BirdFest - Brown Thornbill Summer 2013 BirdFest- Canoodlers and getting Wet to Cool off Summer 2013 Bird Fest - Little Black Cormorant Summer 2013 BirdFest - Magpie Lark

Summer BirdFest 2026: Play antics of New Locals - Blue-faced Honeyeaters Breeding In Pittwater

Summer is Channel-billed Cuckoos Season - Fledglings 2013 by Jeffrey Sabri and Andrew Tiede

Superb Fairywren Colony at Careel Bay

Tawny Frogmouths in Pittwater

The Air Will Catch Me Because I Have Wings

The Galah and Oolah the Lizard

The Mopoke or Tawny Frogmouth – For Children - A little bit about these birds, an Australian Mopoke Fairy Story from 91 years ago, some poems and more - photo by Adrian Boddy

The White Cockatoos of Charles Harpur – Father of Australian Poetry: For Children

Third Week Of May 2012 - Bird Flaps

Topknot Pigeons: flock of 10 - Winter visitors to Pittwater

Unleashed Dogs In Wildlife Areas: Owners Clearly Don't Care Who They Scare

Water Water Water - Issue 190 Pictorial - Royal Spoonbills at Careel Creek

White Light Beams

Willy Wagtail

Winter Birdsong

Winter Bird Party by Joanne Seve

Yellow-Tailed Black Cockatoos: Pair Visit PON Yard - Cayley Grandson to Revisit Pittwater

New Shorebirds WingThing For Youngsters Available To Download

A Shorebirds WingThing educational brochure for kids (A5) helps children learn about shorebirds, their life and journey. The 2021 revised brochure version was published in February 2021 and is available now. You can download a file copy here.

If you would like a free print copy of this brochure, please send a self-addressed envelope with A$1.10 postage (or larger if you would like it unfolded) affixed to: BirdLife Australia, Shorebird WingThing Request, 2-05Shorebird WingThing/60 Leicester St, Carlton VIC 3053.

Shorebird Identification Booklet

The Migratory Shorebird Program has just released the third edition of its hugely popular Shorebird Identification Booklet. The team has thoroughly revised and updated this pocket-sized companion for all shorebird counters and interested birders, with lots of useful information on our most common shorebirds, key identification features, sighting distribution maps and short articles on some of BirdLife’s shorebird activities.

The booklet can be downloaded here in PDF file format: http://www.birdlife.org.au/documents/Shorebird_ID_Booklet_V3.pdf

Paper copies can be ordered as well, see http://www.birdlife.org.au/projects/shorebirds-2020/counter-resources for details.

Download BirdLife Australia's children’s education kit to help them learn more about our wading birdlife

Shorebirds are a group of wading birds that can be found feeding on swamps, tidal mudflats, estuaries, beaches and open country. For many people, shorebirds are just those brown birds feeding a long way out on the mud but they are actually a remarkably diverse collection of birds including stilts, sandpipers, snipe, curlews, godwits, plovers and oystercatchers. Each species is superbly adapted to suit its preferred habitat. The Red-necked Stint is as small as a sparrow, with relatively short legs and bill that it pecks food from the surface of the mud with, whereas the Eastern Curlew is over two feet long with a exceptionally long legs and a massively curved beak that it thrusts deep down into the mud to pull out crabs, worms and other creatures hidden below the surface.

Some shorebirds are fairly drab in plumage, especially when they are visiting Australia in their non-breeding season, but when they migrate to their Arctic nesting grounds, they develop a vibrant flush of bright colours to attract a mate. We have 37 types of shorebirds that annually migrate to Australia on some of the most lengthy and arduous journeys in the animal kingdom, but there are also 18 shorebirds that call Australia home all year round.

What all our shorebirds have in common—be they large or small, seasoned traveller or homebody, brightly coloured or in muted tones—is that each species needs adequate safe areas where they can successfully feed and breed.

The National Shorebird Monitoring Program is managed and supported by BirdLife Australia.

This project is supported by Glenelg Hopkins Catchment Management Authority and Hunter Local Land Services through funding from the Australian Government’s National Landcare Program. Funding from Helen Macpherson Smith Trust and Port Phillip Bay Fund is acknowledged.

The National Shorebird Monitoring Program is made possible with the help of over 1,600 volunteers working in coastal and inland habitats all over Australia.

The National Shorebird Monitoring program (started as the Shorebirds 2020 project initiated to re-invigorate monitoring around Australia) is raising awareness of how incredible shorebirds are, and actively engaging the community to participate in gathering information needed to conserve shorebirds.

In the short term, the destruction of tidal ecosystems will need to be stopped, and our program is designed to strengthen the case for protecting these important habitats.

In the long term, there will be a need to mitigate against the likely effects of climate change on a species that travels across the entire range of latitudes where impacts are likely.

The identification and protection of critical areas for shorebirds will need to continue in order to guard against the potential threats associated with habitats in close proximity to nearly half the human population.

Here in Australia, the place where these birds grow up and spend most of their lives, continued monitoring is necessary to inform the best management practice to maintain shorebird populations.

BirdLife Australia believe that we can help secure a brighter future for these remarkable birds by educating stakeholders, gathering information on how and why shorebird populations are changing, and working to grow the community of people who care about shorebirds.

To find out more visit: http://www.birdlife.org.au/projects/shorebirds-2020/shorebirds-2020-program

Surfers for Climate

A sea-roots movement dedicated to mobilising and empowering surfers for continuous and positive climate action.

Surfers for Climate are coming together in lineups around the world to be the change we want to see.

With roughly 35 million surfers across the globe, our united tribe has a powerful voice.

Add yours to the conversation by signing up here.

Surfers for Climate will keep you informed, involved and active on both the local and global issues and solutions around the climate crisis via our allies hub.

Help us prevent our favourite spots from becoming fading stories of waves we used to surf.

Together we can protect our oceans and keep them thriving for future generations to create lifelong memories of their own.

Visit: http://www.surfersforclimate.org.au/

Create a Habitat Stepping Stone!

Over 50 Pittwater households have already pledged to make a difference for our local wildlife, and you can too! Create a habitat stepping stone to help our wildlife out. It’s easy - just add a few beautiful habitat elements to your backyard or balcony to create a valuable wildlife-friendly stopover.

How it works

1) Discover: Visit the website below to find dozens of beautiful plants, nest boxes and water elements you can add to your backyard or balcony to help our local wildlife.

2) Pledge: Select three or more elements to add to your place. You can even show you care by choosing to have a bird appear on our online map.

3) Share: Join the Habitat Stepping Stones Facebook community to find out what’s happening in the natural world, and share your pics, tips and stories.

What you get

• Enjoy the wonders of nature, right outside your window. • Free and discounted plants for your garden. • A Habitat Stepping Stone plaque for your front fence. • Local wildlife news and tips. • Become part of the Pittwater Habitat Stepping Stones community.

Get the kids involved and excited about helping out! www.HabitatSteppingStones.org.au

No computer? No problem -Just write to the address below and we’ll mail you everything you need. Habitat Stepping Stones, Department of Environmental Sciences, Macquarie University NSW 2109. This project is assisted by the NSW Government through its Environmental Trust

Kimbriki Resource Recovery Centre

Newport Community Gardens

Anyone interested in joining our community garden group please feel free to come and visit us on Sunday at 10am at the Woolcott Reserve in Newport!

Profile

Keep in Touch with what's happening on Newport Garden's Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/newportcg/

Avalon Preservation Association

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The Avalon Preservation Association, also known as Avalon Preservation Trust. We are a not for profit volunteer community group incorporated under the NSW Associations Act, established 50 years ago. We are committed to protecting your interests – to keeping guard over our natural and built environment throughout the Avalon area.

Membership of the association is open to all those residents and/or ratepayers of Avalon Beach and adjacent areas who support the aims and objectives of our Association.

Report illegal dumping

NSW Government

The RIDonline website lets you report the types of waste being dumped and its GPS location. Photos of the waste can also be added to the report.

The Environment Protection Authority (EPA), councils and Regional Illegal Dumping (RID) squads will use this information to investigate and, if appropriate, issue a fine or clean-up notice. Penalties for illegal dumping can be up to $15,000 and potential jail time for anybody caught illegally dumping within five years of a prior illegal dumping conviction.

The Green Team

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This Youth-run, volunteer-based environment initiative has been attracting high praise from the founders of Living Ocean as much as other local environment groups recently.

Website: www.thegreenteam.network

Creating Beach Cleans events, starting their own, sustainability days - ‘action speaks louder than words’ ethos is at the core of this group.

Australian Native Foods website: http://www.anfil.org.au/

Wildlife Carers and Organisations in Pittwater:

Sydney Wildlife rescues, rehabilitates and releases sick, injured and orphaned native wildlife. From penguins, to possums and parrots, native wildlife of all descriptions passes through the caring hands of Sydney Wildlife rescuers and carers on a daily basis. We provide a genuine 24 hour, 7 day per week emergency advice, rescue and care service.

As well as caring for sick, injured and orphaned native wildlife, Sydney Wildlife is also involved in educating the community about native wildlife and its habitat. We provide educational talks to a wide range of groups and audiences including kindergartens, scouts, guides, a wide range of special interest groups and retirement villages. Talks are tailored to meet the needs and requirements of each group.

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Found an injured native animal? We're here to help.

Keep the animal contained, warm, quiet and undisturbed. Do not offer any food or water. Call Sydney Wildlife immediately on 9413 4300, or take the animal to your nearest vet. Generally there is no charge. Find out more at: www.sydneywildlife.org.au

Southern Cross Wildlife Care was launched over 6 years ago. It is the brainchild of Dr Howard Ralph, the founder and chief veterinarian. SCWC was established solely for the purpose of treating injured, sick and orphaned wildlife. No wild creature in need that passes through our doors is ever rejected.

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People can assist SCWC by volunteering their skills ie: veterinary; medical; experienced wildlife carers; fundraising; "IT" skills; media; admin; website etc. We are always having to address the issue of finances as we are a non commercial veterinary service for wildlife in need, who obviously don't have cheque books in their pouches. It is a constant concern and struggle of ours when we are pre-occupied with the care and treatment of the escalating amount of wildlife that we have to deal with. Just becoming a member of SCWC for $45 a year would be a great help. Regular monthly donations however small, would be a wonderful gift and we could plan ahead knowing that we had x amount of funds that we could count on. Our small team of volunteers are all unpaid even our amazing vet Howard, so all funds raised go directly towards our precious wildlife. SCWC is TAX DEDUCTIBLE.

Find out more at: southerncrosswildlifecare.org.au/wp/

Avalon Community Garden

Community Gardens bring people together and enrich communities. They build a sense of place and shared connection.

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Avalon Community Garden is a community led initiative to create accessible food gardens in public places throughout the Pittwater area. Our aim is to share skills and knowledge in creating fabulous local, organic food. But it's not just about great food. We also aim to foster community connection, stimulate creative ideas for community resilience and celebrate our abundance. Open to all ages and skills, our first garden is on the grounds of Barrenjoey High School (off Tasman Road). Become part of this exciting initiative to change the world locally.

Avalon Community Garden

2 Tasman Road

North Avalon

Website: avaloncommunitygarden.wordpress.com

On Facebook: www.facebook.com/avcomgarden

Newport Community Garden: Working Bee Second Sunday of the month

Newport Community Gardens Inc. is a not for profit incorporated association. The garden is in Woolcott Reserve.

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Objectives

Local Northern Beaches residents creating sustainable gardens in public spaces

Strengthening the local community, improving health and reconnecting with nature

To establish ecologically sustainable gardens for the production of vegetables, herbs, fruit and companion plants within Pittwater area

To enjoy and forge friendships through shared gardening.

Membership is open to all Community members willing to participate in establishing gardens and growing sustainable food.

Subscription based paid membership.

We meet at the garden between 9am – 12 noon

New members welcome

For enquiries contact newportcommunitygardenau@gmail.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pg/newportcg

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/newportcgnsw

Living Ocean

Website: www.livingocean.org.au

On Facebook

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Living Ocean was born in Whale Beach, on the Northern Beaches of Sydney, surrounded by water and set in an area of incredible beauty.

Living Ocean is a charity that promotes the awareness of human impact on the ocean, through research, education, creative activity in the community, and support of others who sustain ocean health and integrity.

And always celebrating and honouring the natural environment and the lifestyle that the ocean offers us.

Our whale research program builds on research that has been conducted off our coastline by our experts over many years and our Centre for Marine Studies enables students and others to become directly involved.

Through partnerships with individuals and organizations, we conceive, create and coordinate campaigns that educate all layers of our community – from our ‘No Plastic Please’ campaign, which is delivered in partnership with local schools, to film nights and lectures, aimed at the wider community.

Additionally, we raise funds for ocean-oriented conservation groups such as Sea Shepherd.

Donations are tax-deductable

Permaculture Northern Beaches

Website: www.permaculturenorthernbeaches.org.au

Facebook page: www.facebook.com/permaculturenb

Want to know where your food is coming from?

Do you like to enrich the earth as much as benefit from it?

Find out more here:

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What Does PNHA do?

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About Pittwater Natural Heritage Association (PNHA)

With urbanisation, there are continuing pressures that threaten the beautiful natural environment of the Pittwater area. Some impacts are immediate and apparent, others are more gradual and less obvious. The Pittwater Natural Heritage Association has been formed to act to protect and preserve the Pittwater areas major and most valuable asset - its natural heritage. PNHA is an incorporated association seeking broad based community membership and support to enable it to have an effective and authoritative voice speaking out for the preservation of Pittwater's natural heritage. Please contact us for further information.

Our Aims

To raise public awareness of the conservation value of the natural heritage of the Pittwater area: its landforms, watercourses, soils and local native vegetation and fauna.
To raise public awareness of the threats to the long-term sustainability of Pittwater's natural heritage.
To foster individual and community responsibility for caring for this natural heritage.
To encourage Council and the NSW Government to adopt and implement policies and works which will conserve, sustain and enhance the natural heritage of Pittwater.

Act to Preserve and Protect!

If you would like to join us, please fill out the Membership Application Form ($20.00 annually - $10 concession)

Website - Profile

Email: pnhainfo@gmail.com Or click on Logo to visit website.

Think before you print ; A kilo of recycled paper creates around 1.8 kilograms of carbon emissions, without taking into account the emissions produced from transporting the paper. So, before you send a document to print, think about how many kilograms of carbon emissions you could save by reading it on screen.

Friends Of Narrabeen Lagoon Catchment Activities

Bush Regeneration - Narrabeen Lagoon Catchment

Belrose area - Thursday mornings

Belrose area - Weekend mornings by arrangement

Contact: Phone or text Conny Harris on 0432 643 295

Wheeler Creek - Wednesday mornings 9-11am

Contact: Phone or text Judith Bennett on 0402 974 105

Or email: Friends of Narrabeen Lagoon Catchment : email@narrabeenlagoon.org.au

Pittwater's Environmental Foundation

Pittwater Environmental Foundation was established in 2006 to conserve and enhance the natural environment of the Pittwater local government area through the application of tax deductible donations, gifts and bequests. The Directors were appointed by Pittwater Council.

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About 33% (about 1600 ha excluding National Parks) of the original pre-European bushland in Pittwater remains in a reasonably natural or undisturbed condition. Of this, only about 400ha remains in public ownership. All remaining natural bushland is subject to encroachment, illegal clearing, weed invasion, feral animals, altered drainage, bushfire hazard reduction requirements and other edge effects. Within Pittwater 38 species of plants or animals are listed as endangered or threatened under the Threatened Species Act. There are two endangered populations (Koala and Squirrel Glider) and eight endangered ecological communities or types of bushland. To visit their site please click on logo above.

Avalon Boomerang Bags

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Avalon Boomerang Bags was introduced to us by Surfrider Foundation and Living Ocean, they both helped organise with the support of Pittwater Council the Recreational room at Avalon Community Centre which we worked from each Tuesday. This is the Hub of what is a Community initiative to help free Avalon of single use plastic bags and to generally spread the word of the overuse of plastic.

Find out more and get involved.

Email: boomerangbagsavalon@hotmail.com

"I bind myself today to the power of Heaven, the light of the sun, the brightness of the moon, the splendour of fire, the flashing of lightning, the swiftness of wind, the depth of the sea, the stability of the earth, the compactness of rocks." - from the Prayer of Saint Patrick