Small things done now will be disproportionately important in decades to come.

NEXT MEETING   Annual General Meeting - 7pm Thursday 17th April at Sunnybank Hills library     
Level 2 Sunnybank Hills Shoppingtown
Cnr. Calam Rd. and  Compton Rd.  Sunnybank Hills      

PRESIDENT’S REPORT
Recent movements on the political scene suggest the early possibility of a sea change in attitudes towards environmental issues.  Behind the various posturings of political parties as a whole, genuine suggestions are being put forward to solve some of our most pressing problems. It all falls under the buzzword of sustainability but there is an increasing acceptance that our survival on this planet is not a given and that serious thought needs to go into addressing even the most basic of survival questions.  Where are we to get our energy to continue to power the essential services we need? Where is our water coming from? What are we doing to the most basic of our resources such as air and soil?

Some of the Society attended the Moreton 2020 Summit at Griffith University on the 5th of April. Professor Stuart Bunn chaired the Population, Sustainability, Climate Change, Water and Future of Our Cities section of the Conference which was put on by our Federal Member, Graham Perrett ably assisted by the Deputy Vice-Chancellor, John Dewar. In that discussion it was mooted that the entire 2020 summit in Canberra should be couched within the context of an environmental sustainability agenda. It was proposed that the government should lead the way on many issues such as reducing the carbon footprint, water consumption and waste of various kinds. Finance and public accountability were raised but it was also thought that a national school curriculum could be developed at several levels.

There was no doubting amongst the various attendees that climate change was not only a reality but a pressing problem which needed to be addressed with some haste.  One good idea proposed was a nationally coordinated programme for volunteer emergency services to cope with the consequences of extreme weather events.  It was felt that the federal government should show an international leadership role, particularly in relation to our potentially disadvantaged neighbours in the South Pacific region.

Various models for solving the water crisis were put forth. Financial incentives for water conservation, stormwater capture, public awareness, and the unsustainable allocations of water out of the Murray-Darling basin were raised.  Future of the Cities issues included decentralization and public transport solutions.

Not only was there vital debate, but the general conclusion seemed to be that the Government needed to listen to the people like this on a more regular basis.  Our recent meeting with State Minister McNamara resulted in his offering to draw the State and all Councils involved with the Flinders Peak/Greenbank/Karawatha corridor together to discuss the issue, and Campbell Newman now having an outright mandate to act on his proposals, we can only hope that petty politics does not interfere in these levels of government acting together for the betterment of the environment.   

BUSH WALK-April
This months bushwalk will leave from the Illaweena Street entrance at 7am on Sunday 27th April.

ECHIDNAWATCH
Have you seen an echidna lately? Wildlife Preservation Society Queensland’s EchidnaWatch program is gathering information on the distribution and abundance of echidnas in your area – and they would like your help.
The only species of echidna in Queensland, and Australia – the short-beaked echidna – is one of our most loved and unique animals. With a distribution that extends from Tasmania to the Top End, this ambling adventurer can be found anywhere from the outback to the backyard.
We know that echidnas don’t cope well with traffic and sadly become roadkill. But we need to know the real extent of the damage that cars cause to echidna numbers. How well do echidnas cope with other modern hazards such as ant baits, fences and introduced pests, such as fire ants.

Aims
EchidnaWatch aims to collate information on the distribution of echidnas in Queensland. We can share this information with Wildnet, the wildlife data repository for the EPA, and other organisations, to help plan for better outcomes for echidnas. We also need information on how the echidna is coping with modern hazards and introduced pests.

Get involved
Echidnas are considered common, but hard facts about their distribution are scarce. EchidnaWatch is recruiting wildlife watchers. Wherever you live in Queensland, you can watch out for echidnas near you and tell us what you’ve observed. Together, let’s build an accurate up-to-date picture of echidnas in Queensland.

Activities
If you have seen an echidna, please complete the online survey form at www.wildlife.org.au or print out a hard copy and mail to Wildlife Queensland, 95 William Street, Brisbane 4000. If you don’t have a computer phone 3221 0194

MAKE POOLS FAUNA FRIENDLY
Stop animals getting into the pool in the first place or make it easy for them to get out.

1. Put a pool cover over the pool at night.
2. Check your pool filter box everyday for frogs and reptiles.
3. Attach a low shade cloth barrier all the way round the inside of the pool fence. This helps prevent small frogs, reptiles and other crawling animals from coming inside the fence and falling into the water.
4. Make an escape route for animals that do fall into the pool. Keep the water level high so that wildlife can climb out easily.
5. Most animals can get out on a fixed rope. Tie one end of a sturdy rope to a secure point outside the pool. Tie the other end to an empty plastic milk or juice container and let it float in the water.
6. Koalas cannot always escape on a rope, so put a board across the pool corner near the steps for them to climb out if you have koalas in your area.
7. Ducklings can also use a board if it is close enough to the water level. Keep ducks out in the first place - stretch ropes across the pool to make it difficult for them to land on the water.

THOUGHT FOR THE MONTH
The surest sign that intelligent life exists elsewhere in the universe is that none of it has tried to contact us.
Unknown

DID YOU KNOW THAT
1 ream of paper = 6% of a tree and 5.4kg CO2 in the atmosphere
3 sheets of A4 paper = 1 litre of water

DATES TO REMEMBER - MARCH/APRIL

Report illegal activities to 3403 888