From: Lizzie Corke - Conservation Ecology Centre [mailto:lizzie@conservationecologycentre.org]
Sent: Wednesday, 21 October 2015 11:34 AM
To: Grace Taylor <Grace.Taylor@student.geelongcollege.vic.edu.au>
Subject: RE: School Project
Hi Grace,
That sounds like fun!
I look forward to hearing how it goes. Please let me know if there is anything we can help you with.
All the best,
Lizzie
Lizzie Corke
Chief Executive
Conservation Ecology Centre
635 Lighthouse Rd, Cape Otway
PO Box 296, Apollo Bay
Victoria 3233
Australia
ph: (03) 5237 9297
mob: 0438132764
From: Grace Taylor [mailto:Grace.Taylor@student.geelongcollege.vic.edu.au]
Sent: Tuesday, October 20, 2015 11:48 AM
To: 'lizzie@conservationecologycentre.org'
Subject: School Project
Hi Lizzie,
Grace here ( Joyce’s daughter )
My mum emailed you about a fundraiser my friend and I were doing for school,
but our teachers have told us that we can’t do a fundraiser so we are going to make a film about,
Cape Otway Conservation Ecology Centre to help people understand better what you do to help
save the tiger quolls and koalas.
Regards,
Grace Taylor
Year 6B classroom
From: Lizzie Corke - Conservation Ecology Centre [mailto:lizzie@conservationecologycentre.org]
Sent: Tuesday, 3 November 2015 12:32 PM
To: Grace Taylor <Grace.Taylor@student.geelongcollege.vic.edu.au>
Subject: RE: Project for school
Hi Grace and India,
Here are some answers to your questions:
1. Why did you start CEC.
Shayne and I grew up with the Otways as our backyard – we have always understood how
very special this area is. So, when we graduated from university, dedicating our lives to
protecting and understanding the animals and ecosystems of the Otways became our life
plan. We established the Conservation Ecology Centre with a vision of creating an Otways
once more vibrant with wildlife, creating a base for our work and building a team of
ecologists who could make a difference through building knowledge and addressing the
conservation crisis.
2. Why did you chose tiger quolls and koalas out of all the animals to save?
Our projects are selected very carefully to channel effort and resources to the areas of
greatest need where we can have the greatest positive effect. Tiger Quolls are the largest
marsupial carnivore remaining on the Australian mainland – they have large home ranges
and depend on intact habitat and a healthy prey base. Like many other native Australian
species, they are badly affected by feral predators such as cats and foxes. Any efforts to
protect Tiger Quolls have flow on benefits for all other native wildlife and Tiger Quolls, with
their distinctive white spots and tenacious personalities, are a great focus species for
conservation. When we started this program there had been no evidence of Tiger Quolls in
the region for nearly ten years – we rediscovered them in 2012 and there have now been
four confirmations of their presence right across the Otways which is very encouraging.
Koalas are very special Australians but right here in the Otways the species is facing terrible
challenges from habitat decline. While koalas can eat a range of eucalypt species, manna
gum is their favourite and the manna gum woodlands of Cape Otway has a very large koala
population. Unfortunately these woodlands are dying as the koalas eat the manna gum
leaves the trees suffer from a range of other stresses - a lack of fire in the ecosystem
combined with drought has also played a part. Koalas are suffering and so too are a range of
species including, bandicoots, potoroos, endangered leafy greenhood orchids, lilies, gang
gang cockatoos and feathertail gliders who all share these woodlands. CEC is working on
restoring the woodlands through revegetation (93,000 trees planted across Cape Otway in
the last 3 years) and ecological burning in partnership with the Country Fire Authority. We
are also investigating aspects of koala ecology to help build knowledge which will assist in
more sustainable management of koalas and their habitats.
So, while Tiger Quolls and Koalas are the focus of the programs, the work we do helps entire
ecosystems across National Park, Forest Park and private land throughout the Otways.
3. Why do you want to save the tiger quolls and koalas?
If we can save Tiger Quolls and Koalas it will mean we have conserved whole ecosystems and
all the species which depend upon them – we will have contributed to the protection and
restoration of the ecosystems of the Otways. We will have worked successfully with
government, NGOs and our community for sustainable conservation and we will have
developed techniques and methods which can be applied to solve conservation challenges in
other areas of Australia and around the world.
I hope this helps.
Good luck with the project!
All the best,
Lizzie
Lizzie Corke
Chief Executive
Conservation Ecology Centre
635 Lighthouse Rd, Cape Otway
PO Box 296, Apollo Bay
Victoria 3233
Australia
ph: (03) 5237 9297
mob: 0438132764
From: Grace Taylor [mailto:Grace.Taylor@student.geelongcollege.vic.edu.au]
Sent: Tuesday, November 3, 2015 11:37 AM
To: 'Lizzie Corke - Conservation Ecology Centre'; India Connor
Subject: Project for school
Hi Lizzie,
Grace and India here about our film for school.
I know you’re probably really busy at the moment but we really need the answers to our questions
either today or early tomorrow, so we can start our film (which is due this Friday)
Thanks for your help,
Grace Taylor
Year 6B classroom