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Re: Domestic cat Collars for Protecting Wildlife
2011-01-11 09:15:17 UTC
Have a look at http://www.catbib.com.au/ for a cat bib which is supposed to be more effective than bells.
Bernie Masters
environmental consultant -
Re: Programs to Promote Proper Maintenance of Septic Systems
2010-12-02 19:21:18 UTC
Thanks for the background information, Joan. Australia generally has strong state and local government laws which can force people to install Aerobic Treatment Units (ATUs - in effect, mini sewage treatment plants) as part of the building approval process if soil conditions are inappropriate for effective disposal of liquids. This doesn't help with existing installations of septic tanks, of course, where regular inspections seem not to be required here. Our state government authorities occasionally remind people about the potential of inefficient or defective septic tank systems to pollute underground drinking water supplies (and there are enforceable minimum separation distances between septics and groundwater bores throughout Australia).
We're also big into Natural Resource Management where the various levels of government promote integrated catchment management to protect water quality in wetlands, rivers and in near-shore marine environments. Septics are significant contributors of both P and N to surficial groundwater and to surface water bodies of various types and, while there is no legislation to remove septic tank systems that cause pollution of this type, there's a lot of publicity via the media about fish kills and how people should take personal responsibility for their contributions to nutrient enrichment problems.
Bernie Masters
environmental consultant -
Re: Programs to Promote Proper Maintenance of Septic Systems
2010-12-01 09:32:14 UTC
Can Doug or Joan please explain to an Australian what maintenance is required to US septic systems? Here in Oz, the primary maintenance is to empty the main tank once its full of solids. Not to do so creates wet areas in gardens with bad smells and often back-flushing of wastewater into or close to the house. So it's in the interests of the home owner to have a septic tanker visit and remove the 5 cubic metres or so of sludge. Are things different in the US?
Bernie Masters
environmental consultant -
Re: Tree vandalism
2010-11-09 09:03:28 UTC
Several local governments in Western Australia place large signs where the vandalised tree(s) once stood. The sign has a suitable message on it, advising of the fact that it has been erected in response to vandalism and will be removed in a few years' time once new trees have grown up to replace the vandalised trees.
Bernie Masters
environmental consultant -
Re: Reducing Residential Fertilizer Use
2010-06-22 08:49:43 UTC
The Geographe Catchment Council (also known as GeoCatch) in south west Western Australia has just started a new campaign called Bay OK to protect Geographe Bay from adverse human impacts, including domestic fertiliser run-off. Have a look at http://www.geocatch.asn.au/ to see what they're doing.
Bernie Masters
environmental consultant -
Re: Community Garden in Affluent Suburb
2010-02-10 19:36:09 UTC
Have a look at http://busseltoncommunitygarden.org.au/ for a very successful community garden in a rural town of some 25,000 people.
Bernie Masters
environmental consultant -
Re: Conservation Easements
2010-01-30 19:35:15 UTC
The Western Australian government operates two conservation covenant schemes:
http://www.dec.wa.gov.au/content/view/120/453/ through its environmental agency and http://www.ntwa.com.au/ through an independent body the National Trust. The Department of Agriculture and Food used to operate a similar scheme but it no longer does so.
The concepts behind both operating schemes are commendable but there are problems with both. The Department of Environment and Conservation scheme can be time consuming and costly to participate in, and there is still a degree of consumer distrust of the Department years after an unpopular CEO left. That National Trust scheme is under funded and, with the parent body being heritage-related, many landowners are hesitant to sign up with a group that is based in the capital city and has no presence in rural areas.
Bernie Masters
environmental consultant -
Re: Encouraging People to use Native Plants in their Gardens
2009-06-03 10:45:50 UTC
A good article is "Does variation in garden characteristics influence the conservation of birds in suburbia?" by G D Daniels and J B Kirkpatrick. Biological Conservation volume 133 (2006) pages 326-335.
Bernie Masters
environmental consultant -
Re: Looking for Comunity Gardens research
2009-04-26 10:40:22 UTC
visit busseltoncommunitygarden.org.au for a community garden project that's now about 18 months old and progressing very well. It's located in the south west corner of Western Australia and has had limited but essential support from the local government body which has made the land available for this use.
Bernie Masters
environmental consultant
Australia -
Re: Reporting of Endangered Species Sightings
2008-12-12 00:08:19 UTC
In south west Western Australia, we have an endangered marsupial, the Western Ringtail Possum. In the mid 1980s, sightings of this animal were uncommon and, when seen, they were usually roadkill. So our local nature study group started a "Squashed Possum Book" where members of our group recorded every sighting of the species, whether dead or alive. Today, we have some 4000 records from a geographical area some 50 km east west and 20 km north south. Analysis of this data is being carried out by 2 researchers, such is the value they place on the database, and an earlier less academic study showed interesting and credible changes of possum sighting frequency with time and place. Another semi-government group recently placed a quarter page questionnaire about possums sightings in several of our local newspapers, with one lucky person to receive a carton of wine if their completed survey form was pulled from the hat. In general, I think you need to make reporting both interesting or fun for the reporting person (ie, the squashed possum book) and valuable (reporters need to know that their reports will be very useful in efforts to assist in the conservation of the species of interest. One additional way we found of combining these two features was to hold spotlight searches in urban and outer urban areas to which the public were invited. Depending on the weather and what was on TV that night, attendance varied from 8 to 20.
Bernie
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