CCSERAC e-news

Campaign Updates

1. Climate Change

The Climate Recovery Coalition will be meeting on Wednesday 3rd September, starting at 7pm in the Conservation Council meeting room, 3 Childers Street Acton. Meetings are held on the first Wednesday of the month. Please contact Genevieve campaign@consact.org.au if you would like an agenda.

On Sunday at 2pm, 2 weeks before the Federal Election, Australians all over the country will be Walking Against Warming. In Canberra, we will gather at city walk near the fountain, joining with a growing community that is concerned about climate change.

You can Pledge to Walk Against Warming now at www.walkagainstwarming.org , and find resources and information about climate change, and about the Walk. You can also sign up to receive updates so you’ll be the first to know when the election is called and the exact date of the Walk Against Warming. Walking Against Warming will send a clear message to the next government of Australia that we need meaningful action on climate change, now.

The Big Switch keeps on building! Annette Ellis, Member for Canberra, scored 2.1 out of 5 on the Big Switch scorecard. You can see her response to our survey here
Bob McMullan, MP for Fraser, has so far chosen only to respond with the Labor party line, so he doesn’t have a score yet. The Labor party scores 1.8. Click here for his page.

You will see contact details for both of these Members on their pages. Contact them today and ask them to support the Big Switch Solutions to climate change, and to support an emissions reduction target of at least 30% by 2020.

2. Molonglo Valley

The ACTPLA and NCA have released plans for the development of Molonglo Valley, which are open for public comment until 26 November.
The Conservation Council considers these plans to be a direct assault on our biodiversity and that they should be opposed vigorously.
The ACTPLA documents can be accessed here and the NCA documents here
There are also public drop-in information session at:
• Belconnen Library (upstairs) Tues 9 October 4:00pm – 8:00pm
• The Teaching and Learning Centre, Canberra College Weston Creek Campus, Stirling Sat 20 October 2007 10am- 2pm

The Conservation Council’s position is:
• support the development of the former pine plantation areas in east Molonglo, as these lands are largely cleared and degraded
• Seriously concerned by the total extent of development put forward by the planning department
• area tagged central Molonglo should be removed from development plans and protected under reserve and conservation lease
• do not support the damming of the Molonglo to create yet another large urban lake/storm water retention pond
• development should use best practice urban water management including ponds embedded in the suburbs providing local water treatment and local recreation opportunities

You can read more about this on our website

If you have concerns about the MV development please write to Planning Minister Barr and Chief Minister Stanhope at GPO Box 1020, Canberra, ACT 2601


Events

1. Facilitator Training- ACT otherWISE
ACT otherWISE
When: Thursday 11 October, 12:30 PM- 5:00 PM
Where: Conservation Council, 3 Childers Street (adjacent the Street Theatre)

Since conception in 2006 the ACT Youth Leadership for Sustainable Consumption Capacity Building project (ACT other WISE) has trained 11 workshop facilitators, trained 53 young people in three workshops and reached another 50 young people at mini workshops run at the 2007 Youth InterACT conference. Over the coming year the project will be run six more youth workshops and two facilitator training sessions (of which this is the first).

Those who participate in the Facilitator Trainer session will be equipped to co-facilitate at youth workshops that will happen later in 2007 and 2008. In the youth workshops ACT young people will develop a greater understanding of their resource use and environmental impact, and develop plans to take action on personal and community sustainability projects.

Numbers for the workshop are limited so please email the Project Officer, Rachael Millsom, at otherwise@consact.org.au to reserve your place. You will receive additional information after registration, including background information and transport options.

If you have any questions about the training please call Rachael during business hours on any Thursday or Friday leading up to the event on (02) 6229 3211

2. ‘Best Management Practices for Serrated Tussock’ Workshop
When:
Goulburn – Revival Goulburn, River Street 10th October 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM
Cooma – Cooma Ex-Services Club 11th October 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM
Canberra – Sutton Driving Training Centre 12th October 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM

The Victorian Department of Primary Industries in conjunction with NSW Dept of Primary Industries is running three workshops. If you are interested in attending any one of these workshops please either contact Felicity Grant for a registration form or alternatively the course convenor at: peter.fullerton@dpi.vic.gov.au (03) 9785 0116

3. Entropy, Climate Change and Health: How Shall We Adapt?
ANU Public lecture
When: Wednesday 21 November, 4:00 PM- 5:00 PM
Where: Molony Room, ANU Emeritus Faculty, Fellows Lane Cottage, ANU

Mitigation of climate change will require an overall reduction in energy expenditure, with a transition from our high-consumption society. In this lecture Dr Bryan Furnass asserts there remains a huge deficiency of political and social will to achieve these aims.
For more information click here

4. Identifying plants of grassy ecosystems of the ACT region- a field-based course
Australian Network for Plant Conservation
When: Thursday 22-23 November 2007 (choose one or both days)
Where: Australian National Botanic Gardens & an ACT Conservation Reserve

The objectives of this field-based course are to improve skills in identifying plants of the ACT region and to learn to recognise species which indicate quality or conservation value of the site. You can register for one or both days. Registration form are available on the ANPC website or the ANPC office Registrations close: 5.00pm Monday 12 November 2007

Jobs

1. Senior Campaign Officer- Biodiversity
Conservation Council of the South East Region and Canberra

We are seeking an experienced campaigner to take carriage of a key biodiversity campaign. The position can be offered as part-time (2.5 days per week) or full time in combination with a project (see below).

The Heritage project will work with a number of stakeholders to research and document the natural and cultural heritage of selected area/s of the ACT.

A full-time salary from $51,878 to $54,989 per annum is available depending on experience. The position can be offered either as part-time or full-time for an initial period of 5 months. The position will be extended if additional funding can be secured.

download the position description here

Applications due COB Monday 8 October. For further information about this position please contact the Director, Trish Harrup on 02 6229 3202.

2. Walk Against Warming Organiser Assistant

The Walk Against Warming is an annual mass mobilisation of ordinary people, aimed at achieving meaningful political engagement on the issue of Climate Change.
This is a voluntary position, ongoing until one week following the Walk against Warming, which will be held a fortnight previous to the federal election.
We are looking for someone with great time organisation and communication skills to assist the campaigner in organising this event.
If you are interested in this position and would like more information, please contact Genevieve campaign@consact.org.au