GREEN PAGES

Saving Species With Private Sanctuaries

Odonata Foundation’s Academy Mastermind program is working with landholders to establish threatened-species sanctuaries on their properties. The program has helped regenerate populations of some of Australia’s most threatened species like the southern brush-tailed rock wallaby and the eastern quoll, and in 2021, the program helped the eastern barred bandicoot be downlisted from ‘extinct in the wild’ to ‘endangered’. Given Australia’s alarming extinction record, programs like this allow landholders to make a tangible difference to conservation while connecting with a growing network of like-minded individuals. To learn more about the program, head to odonata.org.au/get-involved/establish-a-sanctuary

HILARY VAN LEEUWEN, Odonata Foundation

PERTH’S DRINKING WATER AT RISK FROM BAUXITE MINING

It’s official. Bauxite mining in the Northern Jarrah Forest is threatening Perth’s drinking-water sup ply. New information reveals that the Aluminum Company of America (Alcoa) has been granted ministerial approval to strip mine in near sight of Serpentine Dam, despite relevant government depart ments raising serious concerns about harmful sedimentation and pollution risks—and the failure of miners to plan to address these problems.

WA forest campaigners first raised drinkingwater concerns regarding bauxite mining in the late 1970s. Since then, climate change has seen an almost 80% drop in streamflow in the Northern Jarrah Forest, historically Perth’s main water catchment. The city now relies on desalinated water for nearly half of its supply. With the Serpentine Dam contributing another 18%, authorities question the risk from ongoing bauxite mining.

Moreover, Rio Tinto and other mining companies have lodged fresh exploitation licence applications for other minerals across large areas of the Northern Jarrah Forest. Again, these include source areas for public drinking water. What price for mining?

To learn more, head here: wafa.org.au/northern-jarrah-forests

JANE HUTCHISON, Western Australian Forest Alliance

Protecting Our Precious Bats

The Australasian region is a hotspot for bat diversity, but unfortunately it also has one of the highest numbers of species at risk of extinction. The Australasian Bat Society Inc promotes the conservation of bats and their habitats by supporting research and education initiatives and fostering community engagement. Bats play vital ecological roles in our natural environment by controlling invertebrate numbers, dispersing seed and pollinating flowers. To learn more about protecting our precious bats, head to ausbats.org.au

Coal Sludge Killing Frogs

In September last year, Wild Editor James McCormack discovered coal sludge in the Royal National Park following a pollution event at Peabody Energy’s Metropolitan Colliery in Helensburgh. PhD student Shannon Kaiser has since been studying frog populations in the park, and has found disturbingly large amounts of dead, dying or sick frogs throughout impacted areas along the Hacking River. Frogs are great indicator species; understanding the impact this pollution event has had on their populations is crucial in measuring the entire ecosystem’s health. Information can be reported to the NSW Environment Protection Authority on 131 555. Stay up to date with Shannon’s research by following him on twitter @shannonwkaiser. The Sutherland Shire Environment Centre also has information on the Metropolitan Mine’s ongoing impact on the Royal NP’s precious ecology: ssec.org.au

GOT ANY GREEN NEWS?

Engaging in an environmental campaign that Wild readers should know about? Send a paragraph explaining what’s happening and why it’s important to editor@wild.com.au