Australian Association of Bush Regenerators
C/- Total Environment Centre, Suite 2, 89 Jones Street, Ultimo NSW 2007
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Seminar to empower communities to heal the environment
Release date NSW, 6th October
2013
To encourage people to take positive action for the environment, the Australian Association of Bush Regenerators
(AABR) held a free seminar at Sydney Olympic Park on Thursday 3rd October, 2013. The occasion marked a change
within the organisation. For the first time in its 25-year history, AABR has opened its membership to anyone
interested in helping the environment, not just qualified bush regenerators.”
“This seminar was the perfect antidote to the avalanche of environmental bad news streaming from every quarter,”
said AABR president, Dr McDonald. “The range of talks offered a great opportunity to be inspired by on-ground
ecological restoration success stories, and meet like-minded people.
The seminar feature a range of speakers talking about environmental success stories from across NSW and
southeast Qld, including restoration of endangered ecological communities.
The seminar was opened by Jon Dee, 2010 NSW Australian of the Year and co-founder of Planet Ark, National Tree
Day and World Environment News. Jon is now the Managing Director and founding Chair of ‘DoSomething!’ - an
inspiring organisation working to create and promote positive social and environmental change. Jon spoke of the
importance of engaging children and families in simple steps that can help the environment, steps that can lead to
further understanding and engagement with our natural environments.
As well as 8 ‘speed talks’ on a range of restoration cases up and down the east coast, the talks featured four
outstanding cases.
The first was that of Big Scrub rainforest restoration, carried out by Big Scrub Landcare (BSL) – a community group
which has been working for 20 years rescuing from weed scores of rainforest remnants and allowing them to
regenerate back to health. Mike Delaney, speaking on behalf of the group, described how BSL have been supporting
landholders who are planting and regenerating new forests to link the remnants, increasing habitats for rainforest
animals and plants – although farmers need more incentives from government, to achieve this ‘public good’
outcome.
The second was the case of Eastern Suburbs Banksia Scrub, a uniquely Sydney-based ecosystem which was
virtually given up for dead until restoration practitioners discovered how to help it to regenerate. Peter Jensen from
the Sydney Harbour Federation Trust showed impressive ‘before and after’ photos of regeneration in North Head’s
important remnants.
The third major case was presented by Paul Gibson-Roy who has pioneered methods for reassembling complex
groundcovers - showing the audience that it is not just about planting trees and shrubs. If you get the groundcovers
right first, removing weedy and nutrient-rich topsoils, trees can then colonise naturally or be planted in later.
The fourth case described saltmarsh construction at Kooragang wetland in the Hunter River estuary. Peggy Svoboda
described how earthworks to minutely change elevations and allow tidal flows resulted in regeneration of this now
endangered ecosystem, creating new habitats now used by internationally important waterbirds.
“The audience was inspired by these cases and gained a sense that there is potential for positive change in society,”
said Dr McDonald. “Together – through improving the sustainability of our lifestyles and joining ‘direct action’
ecological restoration groups like AABR and DoSomething! - we can make substantial inroads into maintaining
healthy natural areas throughout our cities, suburbs, countryside and continent for generations to come.”
About AABR
The Australian Association of Bush Regenerators was established in 1986 out of concern for the continuing survival
and integrity of bushland and its dependent fauna. AABR’s aim is to promote the study and practice of ecological
restoration, and foster and encourage effective management of natural areas by qualified people, based on sound
ecological principles.
Up until Oct 3, 2013, AABR membership has been restricted to qualified and practicing bush regenerators. It is now
open to all interested people. AABR’s tradition of recognising skilled bush regenerators will now be
maintained through an accreditation system.
For further media Information or to request an interview, contact: AABR Secretary: Jane Gye
secretary@aabr.org.au ph 9456 6626 or mob 0415647 409