Lismore City Council’s Biodiversity Officer Wendy Neilan is encouraging people to get active in their local community following the release of a United Nations-backed report that paints a bleak picture for the world’s species.
Findings released from the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) this week stated that up to one million plant and animal species face extinction because of human activities.
Wendy said this shocking report may make people lose hope. Instead, she encouraged people to get active and help the world’s species by doing something meaningful and getting involved in local biodiversity protection.
“The findings of the report are dire and you may be feeling disempowered by this news – but it’s not an empty platitude to say that one person can make a difference. We can all help this situation,” she said.
“We need to work together to prevent further land degradation, maintain the healthy habitat we have and restore what we can of our precious ecosystems. Lismore is home to some of the richest biodiversity in Australia. We can all get involved and help protect that for the future of our planet and our children.”
Here are some ways to get involved and help protect our local species:
- Learn about local biodiversity and how to improve the habitat of local plants and animals in your own backyard.
- Participate in Big Scrub Day and Science in the Pub (September 2019) events in 2019 to be inspired and learn more about our local biodiversity.
- Become a citizen scientist – e.g. look out for birds in backyards and the next koala count.
- Go to the Lismore Rainforest Botanical Gardens Open Day on Sunday, 26 May 2019 from 10am to 2pm.
- Subscribe to Council’s Lismore Biodiversity News quarterly email bulletin at www.lismore.nsw.gov.au.
- Plant a tree or plant a whole forest! Commit to rebuilding habitat in your backyard by planting native species and refer to the My Local Native Garden Guide available at Lismore Library, Rous County Council and Council’s Corporate Centre in Goonellabah.
- Get involved with your local Landcare group and enjoy bush regeneration activities and meet new friends. Contact Richmond Landcare to find your closest Landcare group at www.richmondlandcare.org or phone 6619 0115.
- Volunteer some time with your local wildlife rescue groups like Friends of the Koala, Northern Rivers Wires and Northern Rivers Wildlife Carers.
- Find out about Council’s biodiversity initiatives funded through the biodiversity levy – e.g. our Rural Landholder Initiative. Through this program, landholders can apply for funds for restoration of land and/or attend free field days and workshops to learn about practical solutions to common property issues and network with others.
Lismore City Council’s Environmental Strategies team works on actions to restore ecosystems through the Biodiversity Management Strategy.
Source: Lismore City Council
Featured Image: Protester Falls at Terania Creek, a biodiversity hotspot.