ENVIRONMENT AND CONSERVATION

Issue 14/12 27 November 2012NewsWEST E R N A U S T R ALIA

TH

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GO V E R N M ENT OF

WEST E R N A U S T R ALIA

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GO V E R N M ENT OF

• AtributetoWendyBearfoot

• SouthFremantleSeniorHighSchooltakesouttopawardatWAEnvironmentAwards

• RobertAtkinsfarewelled

• UpdatedThreatenedSpeciesListreleased

• Partnershipleadstonationalsuccess

• Concernoverincreaseinillegalwastedumping

• NewsinbriefManagementplansreleasedReleaseoflatestIOCIresearchreportHedlandnamedWA’stidiesttown

In this issue

Published by the Department of Environment and Conservation’s Strategic Development and Corporate Affairs Division, Cygnet Hall, (cnr) Mounts Bay Road and Hackett Drive, CRAWLEY, WA 6009.

Managing editor: Madeleine Clews

Editor: Joanna Moore

Contributors: Emma O’Leary, Tania Durlik, Nigel Higgs, Mitzi Vance

Design and production: Peter Nicholas

Telephone: (08) 9389 4002

Email: ecn@dec.wa.gov.au

20120420

A tribute to Wendy Bearfoot

FaMily, friends, colleagues, and the albany and firefighting communities celebrated the life of a courageous and much loved wife, mother, sister, daughter, friend and colleague Wendy Bearfoot at her funeral on Wednesday 14 November.

Around200DECstaffwearinggreenfirefightingjacketsformeda

guardofhonouratAllambieParkCemeterytopaytributetotheircolleague,whotragicallylostherlifeafterfightingafirenearTwoPeoplesBayNatureReservelastmonth.

DECfiretrucksformedamotorcadewhileaDECfixed-wingwaterbomberflewoverheadasatributetoWendy’sbraveryandcourageasafirefighter.Theservicewasattendedbyhundredsofpeoplefromthroughoutthestateandthelocalcommunity,includingEnvironmentMinisterBillMarmion.

DECAssistantDirectorRegionalServicesKellyGillendeliveredsomemovingwords,preparedbyDECAlbanyDistrictstaff.

“OnbehalfofDECandtheGovernmentofWA,IwouldliketoexpressourheartfeltcondolencestoGarry,hissonsSteven,Joshand

Geoffreyandtherestofthefamilyfortheimmeasurablelossofonesoloved,”hesaid.

“DEC,andthepreviousCALM,isinmanywaysafamilyandthelossofWendyhasstruckattheheartofthatfamily.

“Inparticular,forthoseofuswhoworkinfire,thereisaspecialbondthatcomesfromworkingtogetherunderoftendifficultconditions,thedependencewehaveononeanotherandthecamaraderiethatdevelopsfromdoingatoughjobandsharingthehighsandlowsofthatexperience.

“Ourfriendandcolleaguebroughttotheworkplacealoveoflifeandaloveofherjobthatwasinfectious,andshewasgoodatherjob.

“ThanksforthetimeyousharedwithusWendy.Yourmemorywillbecherishedbyyourworkmatesandyourcolleagueswillforeverhonouryourlife,thejoyitbroughttothosearoundyou,andyourundeniablecourage.”

Inpayingtributetohiswife,GarryalsothankedthosewhoassistedWendyaftertheincident,asitallowedthefamilytimetofarewellher.

DECstaffgatheredattheAlbanyofficefollowingtheservice,wheremanystoriesweresharedaboutWendy’slifeandwork.

DECAlbanystaffthankedallwhoattendedandthosestaffthatwereunabletoattendbutwhosethoughtswerewithWendy’sfamilyandcolleagues.

DEC staff wearing green firefighting jackets formed a guard of honour at Wendy Bearfoot’s funeral.

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Page 1: A tribute to Wendy Bearfoot Page 2: South Fremantle Senior High School takes out top award at WA Environment Awards

Page 3: Robert Atkins farewelled • Updated Threatened Species List released Page 4: Partnership leads to national success • Concern over increase in illegal waste dumping

In this issue14/12

South Fremantle Senior High School takes out top award at Wa Environment awardsauSTralia’S first carbon-neutral school was awarded overall winner of the 2012 Western australian Environment awards.

Duringthepresentationoftheaward,EnvironmentMinisterBillMarmionsaidSouthFremantleSeniorHighSchool’sachievementsepitomisedthehighcalibreofentrants.“Ittakesagreatdealofcommitment,passion,

driveandinnovationtodevelopandimplementthekindofprojectsnominatedforthisaward,andIcongratulatethecommunitygroups,businessesandorganisationsfortheirtirelesswork,”MrMarmionsaid.TheMinistersaidSouthFremantleSeniorHigh

Schoolwasastandoutinitscommitmenttoenvironmentaleducationandcommunication.“SouthFremantleSeniorHighSchoolisastandout

notonlyinthisqualityfieldofEnvironmentAwardentrants,butalsoonanationalscale,becauseithasbecomeAustralia’sfirstcarbon-neutralschool,”hesaid.RePipePtyLtdwasawardedahighcommendation

foritsuseofinnovativetechnologyinreplacingundergroundpipeswithminimaldisturbancetovegetation.

MrMarmionsaidtheWAEnvironmentAwardswereanexcellentwaytoacknowledge,celebrateandpromotecommunityinvolvementinenvironmentalcareandbiodiversityconservation.“Muchoftheenvironmentalworkbeingdone

bythestategovernmentreliesoncommunityinvolvementandsupport.Theawardsareanexcellentwaytoacknowledgeworkwelldone,”hesaid.TheWAEnvironmentAwards2012were

coordinatedbyDECwithgeneroussupportfromsponsorsPublishersNationalEnvironmentBureau,WesternPower,SwanRiverTrust,RoyaltiesforRegions,WhitemanParkandtheWasteAuthority.TheWesternAustralianEnvironmentAwards

acknowledge,rewardandrecognisethebusinesses,governmentagencies,communitygroupsandindividualswhomakeavaluablecontributiontoprotectingandconservingthestate’snaturalenvironment.Theawardsprogramhasbeenverysuccessful

duringthepastdecadeinprovidingrecognitiontothoseorganisations,communitygroupsandindividualswhoaresettingnewbenchmarksinenvironmentalcareandconservation.

2012 WinnersOverall Environment Award WinnerSouthFremantleSeniorHighSchool−TheCarbonNeutralProject

Overall Highly Commended Award RePipePtyLtd−RePipe

Corporate Business Leading By Example AwardJoondalupHealthCampusandJohnHollandGroup−JoondalupHealthCampusRedevelopmentProject:pushingtheboundariesofsustainablebusinesspractice

Small Business leading by Example awardRePipePtyLtd−RePipe

Government leading by Example awardSEAVROC,WEROCandNEWROC(SouthEastAvonVoluntary,WheatbeltEastRegionalandNorthEasternWheatbeltRegionalOrganisationofCouncils)−Perennialfarmingsystemstargetingwinderosionwithinthenorth,easternandsouthernWheatbelt

resource and Waste Management awardCustomCompostswithMainRoadsWA–NewPerthBunburyHighwaySoilManufactureforLandscapingandConstruction

Bush, land and Waterways awardSouthEastRegionalCentreforUrbanLandcare(SERCUL)−RestoringandprotectingthewetlandsandestuariesofthesouthregionofPerth

Rivers, Estuaries and Wetlands categoryPeelHarveyCatchmentCouncil−ManagementandprotectionofthePeel-YalgorupRamsarSite

South Fremantle Senior High School representatives receive their award from Environment Minister Bill Marmion.

News in briefComment called for Esperance/Recherche parks plan

EnvironmentMinisterBillMarmionreleasedthe Esperance and Recherche parks and reserves draft management plan 2012 on31Octoberandinvitesthepublictocommentontheplan.

Stokes,CapeLeGrandandCapeAridnationalparksareincludedintheplanaswellas64naturereserves,includingislandsoftheRechercheArchipelago.

FormoreinformationvisittheDECwebsiteorreadthefullmediastatement.

East Kimberley nature reserves protected

ThefinalmanagementplanfortheOrdRiverandParryLagoonsnaturereservesintheEastKimberleywasreleasedon22October.Theplanoutlinesstrategiestoprotectthearea’snaturalvaluesandprovideopportunitiesforvisitorstoexperiencethesevalues.

The129,500hectarescoveredbytheplanincludedtheOrdRiverFloodplainRamsarsite,whichsupportsmorethan20,000migratorybirdsandotherspecies.

FormoreinformationvisittheDECwebsiteorreadthefullmediastatement.

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Page 1: A tribute to Wendy Bearfoot Page 2: South Fremantle Senior High School takes out top award at WA Environment Awards

Page 3: Robert Atkins farewelled • Updated Threatened Species List released Page 4: Partnership leads to national success • Concern over increase in illegal waste dumping

In this issue14/12

News in brief

Release of latest IOCI research report

DEC,jointlywithCSIROandtheBureauofMeteorology,hasreleasedthelatestIndianOceanClimateChangeInitiativeresearchreportprovidingimportantnewinsightsintotheintensifyingdryingtrendexperiencedinWA’ssouth-west.

DECDirectorGeneralKeiranMcNamarasaidtheSynthesisReporthighlightedthatthedryingtrendwasexpectedtocontinueasgreenhousegasemissionsrose.ItalsocoveredfindingsontropicalcyclonesandthefactorsinfluencingWA’snorth-westrainfallincrease.

Formoreinformationreadthefullmediastatement.

Hedland named WA’s tidiest town

ThedynamiccommunityofHedland(PortandSouthHedland)inthePilbarahaswonthestatetitleintheTidyTowns–SustainableCommunitiesAwardsforthesecondtimeinthreeyears.

Thestatewinnerwasannouncedduringaceremonyon16Novemberthatrecognisedcommunityeffortstoimprovetheappearanceandenvironmentoftowns.

Formoreinformationreadthefullmediastatement.

DEC’s Deputy Director General Environment robert atkins has retired, following a 32-year career across a variety of senior executive roles in the protection of Western australia’s environment.

Robertwasfarewelled—andhiscareercelebrated—atafunctionattheWAConservationScienceCentreon2November.

TheeventwasattendedbytheEnvironmentMinisterBillMarmion,DECDirectorGeneralKeiranMcNamaraandRobert’swifeJanetAtkins,andmanycolleaguesandfriendsfrombothindustryandstategovernment.

SpeechesatthefunctionclearlyshowedtherespectheldbymanyforRobert’sroleinthedepartment.

Keiran,togetherwithMrMarmion,presentedRobertwithaframedprintbyPhilippaNikulinsky,agoldparkpass,alifetimesubscriptiontoLANDSCOPEandaletterofpersonalthanks.

Retiring Deputy Director General Environment Robert Atkins thanked his wife Janet for her support during his career, his Executive Officer Vicky Sanford, his ministerial support team lead by Senior Policy Officer Cheryl Leyland, and his team of directors

and managers.

THE 2012 update of the Threatened Species list for Wa has been released, and includes an additional 16 fauna species and eight flora species.

DECDirectorNatureConservationGordonWyresaidninefaunaspecieshadbeenremovedfromthelistandthemostnotablechangewastheconservationsuccessstoryoftheMuir’scorella,whichhasbeenbroughtbackfrombeingnearlyextinct100yearsago.

“Conservationstatusreviewshavealsodemonstratedthatthegouldianfinchandthegracefulsun-motharenowadequatelyconservedinthewild,withthesun-mothbeingfoundtooccuroverawiderdistributionandwiderhostplantrangeontheSwanCoastalPlain,followingdetailedsurveysandscientificinvestigations,”hesaid.

“AnothersignificantlistingchangearosefromtherediscoveryofthepresumedextinctfloraspeciesPtilotus pyramidatus,thepyramidmulla-mulla,whichhadnotbeencollectedfor160yearsuntilrediscoveredwithintheGreaterBrixtonStreetWetlandsinPerth’smetropolitanarea.

“ThisdiscoveryhighlightstheimportanceoftheSwanCoastalPlainandPerthregionforfloraconservation,withimportantspeciesstillbeingdiscoveredonourverydoorstep.”

GordonsaidthelistwasupdatedfollowingtheMinisterforEnvironment’sconsiderationoftherecommendationsoftheThreatenedSpeciesScientificCommittee.Thenewlistingsbroughtthenumberofrecognisedthreatenedspeciesoffloraandfaunato653,anincreaseof15species.

Gordonsaidthedelistingofthreespeciesofthreatenedfaunahighlightedthesuccessofconservationeffortsandinvestigations.

“WhileMuir’scorellacannolongerbeconsideredthreatened,thereremainsaneedforthedepartment,incooperationwithlandholders,tocarefullymanagethespeciesanditsimpactonagriculturalproductionacrossitssouth-westerndistribution,”hesaid.

Formoreinformation,includingthelistingofspeciesandecologicalcommunities,visittheDECwebsite.

Robert Atkins farewelled

Updated Threatened Species List released

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Page 1: A tribute to Wendy Bearfoot Page 2: South Fremantle Senior High School takes out top award at WA Environment Awards

Page 3: Robert Atkins farewelled • Updated Threatened Species List released Page 4: Partnership leads to national success • Concern over increase in illegal waste dumping

In this issue14/12

a parTNErSHip between the Crooked Brook Forest association (CBFa) and parkfield primary School, and supported by DEC, has lead to the school winning an award for its exciting and innovative ‘pluS’ project (parkfield learning for understanding Sustainability).

The$30,000nationalaward,madeavailablethroughtheNABSchoolsFirstinitiative,recognisesthesustainabilityeducationprojectthathasgrownfromembryonicbeginningsoutintheforest,originallyinitiatedanddevelopedbyprogramcoordinatorandschoolteacherPeterRobinson.

SixyearsagoParkfield’syearfivestudentsventuredouttotheforesttoundertakerehabilitationplantingsindisusedgravelpitsinanattempttorestorethemtoanaturaljarrah-marriwoodland.

DECWellingtonDistrictParksandVisitorServicesCoordinatorLeonPrice,thedepartment’sliaisonofficerwiththeCBFA,workedcloselywithPetertopreparethepits(byripping)andtoprovideadvicefortheplanting.

Successivecohortsofyearfivestudentscompletedrehabilitationplantingineachareaandthenmovedontonewerpits.

BuildingontheCrookedBrooksuccess,yearsixstudentsbecameinvolvedinrehabilitationalongtheBrunswickRiver.These‘BRATs’(BrunswickRiverActionTeams)workedtohelptheLeschenaultCatchmentsCouncilachieveplantingstargets.

Then,asyearsevens—the‘DuneDudes’—theyteamedupwiththeSouthWestCatchmentsCounciltoplantinanumberofdunerehabilitationprojects.

Withtheupperschoolheavilyinvolvedintheirvariousactivities,teachersfromyearsonetofourjoinedtheinitiativeandnowallstudentsatParkfieldPrimarySchooltakepartinenvironmentaleducationexcursionsinvolvingapartnershipwithanoutsideagency.

TheNABSchoolFirstawardsprogramrecognisesschool-communitypartnershipsthatimprovestudentoutcomesoracteffectivelytomeetanopportunity.Nationalrecognitionfortheprojectisagreathonour,anditallstartedatCrookedBrookForest—acommunity/DECpartnership.

partnership leads to national success Parkfield Primary School year five students planting in the gravel pits at Crooked Brook Forest.

DEC has reported a spike in toxic and hazardous waste being dumped in bushland in the South Coast region.

DECSouthCoastregionalinvestigationsleaderNathanHallettsaidtheriseinrubbishbeingdumpedwasconcerning.

“Wearefindingmoreinstancesofhazardousmaterials,includingasbestos,beingdumpedinbushland,”hesaid.

“Whenpeopledeliberatelydumpwasteinbushornearroads,notonlyarefloraandfaunaimpactedbutitcanalsoaffectpeople’shealth.Illegaldumpingcoststhecommunityinmanywaysasresourcesneedtobedivertedtocleanuptherubbish.

“Ournaturalenvironmentisthereforeveryonetoenjoy,notforpeopletouseastheirpersonalrubbishdump.”

Individualsorcorporationsfoundguiltyoftheoffenceofunlawfuldumpingofwasterespectivelyfacemaximumfinesof$62,500and$125,000.

NathansaidasbestoshadbeendumpedontheroadandroadsidenearMtBarkerandhadbeenspreadoveralargearea,whileasbestoswasalsodiscardedinHassellNationalParkeastofAlbany.

“Inaddition,alargepileofbuildingrubblewasdumpedinGullRockNationalParkeastofAlbany,andcementrubblewasunloadedinTorndirrupNationalParksouthofAlbany,”hesaid.

DEChasremovedtherubbleinTorndirrupandGullRocknationalparks,andisintheprocessofcleaninguptheasbestosinHassellNationalPark.TheShireofPlantagenethasremovedtheasbestosnearMtBarker.

PeoplewithinformationaboutillegaldumpingcanreportittotheirlocalDECofficeorWAPolice.

Concern over increase in illegal waste dumping

Building rubble and asbestos dumped in bushland in DEC’s South Coast Region.