Local Issues and Contacts

Locally, there are many issues and groups that would love to have volunteers to help.

The ACT and surrounding region

The following information on the ACT environment came from the ACT State of the Environment Report 1997. Generally the atmospheric conditions and air are of high quality, despite some pollution from cars, fires, and greenhouse gases. Water quality and availability are both high, and water use is declining through user-pay schemes. Groundwater is polluted by nitrates or by bacteria in some areas, raising concerns about leakage from landfill and hydrocarbon storage. Groundwater levels are also rising in some parts, and unknown in others. Chlorination is used against bacteria in drinking water. Salt levels in streams are quite high, due to land degradation by land clearing and grazing, which are also causing dryland salinity and extensive soil erosion. Stream-bank erosion is occurring because of changes in stream flow; livestock trampling; and removal of vegetation. Most of the land is suited to grazing, occasional cultivation, some forestry, and reserves. See http://www.palm.act.gov.au/actlic for an ACT land-use map.

There is a need to change certain land uses, particularly in regard to biodiversity. Although hilly areas tend to remain native and undisturbed, woodland and grassland communities have been under threat for some time, due to vegetation clearing. In the ACT, there are 22 endangered and vulnerable species ? such as the Golden Sun Moth, the Striped Legless Lizard, and a Leek Orchid ? as well as endangered natural temperate grasslands, which once covered a large area of inner Canberra including the ANU. All require strategies to protect vital habitat features; the ACT Governmentís strategies are available at Environment ACT for public comment.

The ACT State of the Environment Report is produced by the Office of the ACT Commissioner for the Environment, which independently compiles and analyses information from many sources to present to the Minister for Urban Services in each pre-election year. Copies are available on CD-ROM. The office also investigates any environmental-management complaints by the public that have not been otherwise resolved. Contact Helen Sims on 62072626, or on Third Floor North, 16 Challis Street Dickson, or on Env_Comm@dpa.act.gov.au.

Government strategies

Environmental policy and management are aiming towards greater integration between authorities, issues, regions, and with the community. There is a need in many areas for more ecological and community research. The ACT Government is developing a Local Agenda 21 Strategy, which aims to link all environmental and human plans and legislation. The Murrumbidgee Catchment Action Plan aims for integrated management of natural resources within the region surrounding ACT, which itself is part of the Murray Darling Basin. Environmental Flow Guidelines are also being developed for our part of the Murrumbidgee, but in places like Kosciusko National Park, irrigation is drying out the Snowy River, with drastic problems for wildlife and graziers (contact Snowy River Campaign on (02) 9299 5599).

Waterwatch is a community monitoring program of our local catchment area and aims to bring people together to solve common aquatic environmental problems such as algal blooms. See http://www.act.waterwatch.org.au for general information.

For more urban areas the Nature Conservation Strategy for the ACT at http://www.act.gov.au/environ/natstrat98 deals with biodiversity, ecological processes, and the community. Since the beginning of the "No Waste by 2010" strategy, waste to landfill has decreased and recycling has increased. There is now a methane-extraction plant at Belconnen landfill to produce green energy. Research is under way into such things as drying sewage in ponds using certain plants, and using earthworms (see http://www.act.gov.au/nowaste). The Healthy Cities strategy of the Department of Health and Community Services links human health with ecological health.

Community action

Official strategies aside, there are vital issues for the community to deal with, such as regenerating areas of parkland, getting together to raise awareness on local issues, and campaigning for things the government may not consider so important. For information on groups doing practical conservation work, see the "Doing something ó how to get outside & dig" section on page ///.

Conservation Council of the Southeast Region and Canberra is the peak campaigning and activist organisation of the local environmental movement, with 37 member groups from Albury to Jervis Bay. It is open Monday to Friday, from 10amó5pm at Kingsley St, Acton (in the ROCKS ó see page ///). Contact on 6247 7808, or (fax) 6248 5343, or by email at ccserac@spirit.com.au. See http://www.spirit.net.au/envoz.

Groundswell is a campaign office for people who are committed to working towards the achievement of social and economic justice, ecological sustainability, peace and disarmament, grass-roots democracy and human rights. It has monthly meetings at which members discuss workshops, plans for the future, office use, events, etc. Some campaigns and groups that Groundswell members are involved in are: Mount Jerrabomberra Preservation Society, World Trade Organisation Watch, Walk against Woodchips, Australia Tibet Council, Poachling (housing co-op), Full Tilt Performance Troupe, Community Aid Abroad, and 2XX. Groundswell membership is open to anyone willing to work within its general philosophy. Please feel free to ring to find out more!! Phone 6262 8488, see the web site http://www.effect.net.au/groundswell, or contact by email at groundswell@effect.net.au.

Nature and Society Forum is for learning about and discussing human and nature issues. Contact at PO Box 11, Canberra 2601; by phone on 6288 0760, or by email at natsoc@natsoc.aust.com.

Animal Liberation (ACT) deals with animal-rights issues such as banning battery hens in the ACT; circuses; and vivisection, through stalls, direct action, a strong legal focus, newsletters, and a magazine. It meets on the last Thursday of the month, at 7:30pm, at the Environment Centre, Kingsley St, Acton. Contact on 6247 4358 (answering machine), and see http://www.animal-lib.org.au.

If you are interested in urban and energy issues, you may like to contact the following organisations:

Alternative Technology Association meets on the last Wednesday of every month, at 7:30pm, at the Environment Centre. Contact on 6288 6038, by fax on 6288 6033, or by email: at richard.elliot@wic.net.au.

Australia and New Zealand Solar Energy Society (ANZSES) is contactable on 6249 5433 or by email at Keith.Lovegrove@faceng.anu.edu.au.

Urban Ecology (ACT) is contactable by email at urbanec@metropolis.org.au; or see http://www.urbanecology.org.au for information.

There are threats to natural habitats and forests in locations in NSW around Canberra, as well as within Canberra.

The Mt Jerrabomberra Preservation Society is working to protect some of the last remaining grassy woodland of the region from encroaching urban development. Contact Michael Calkovics through the Groundswell office (see below).

For more information about local forests which are threatened by logging such as Mongo and Croobyar contact:

South East Forest Alliance (SEFA), via Andrew Wong, c/- PO Box 188, Civic Square ACT 2608; and

The Wilderness Society (ACT Branch), contactable by phone on 6257 5122, via its website http://www.wilderness.org.au, or through the National Campaign Office (see page /// in the national campaign section for details).
 
 
 

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