The National Parks and Wildlife Service in the Blue Mountains built a rain garden with the help of NPWS Bushcare volunteers. The garden filters water from the roof of the new shelter in Blackheath and slows runoff, limiting erosion. It reduces nutrient levels, disadvantaging introduced weeds.
Read More »Yearly Archives: 2024
Rowe Morrow: Adapting to Rising Costs & Environment Change
Local permaculture expert, Rowe Morrow, has adapted her home to reduce her impact on the environment, cope with climate change, flooding, heat, drought, fire and rising energy and food costs. She provides inspiration and guidance for how we can too.
Read More »Mid-Mountains Garden Festival Celebrates its 40th Birthday: Bigger Than Ever Before!
As the Blue Mountains awaken to the vibrant colours of Spring, the Mid-Mountains Garden Festival is set to celebrate its 40th anniversary this September. The event is a much-loved tradition featuring a diverse array of local gardens, each offering a unique experience for visitors.
Read More »Healthier Waterways, Happier People
Springwood resident Phillip Birtles believes that there is an essential connection between people and water. Through his work at Sydney Water, he taps into that connection, strengthening it and contributing to healthier, happier communities while simultaneously improving waterway health.
Read More »Helping the Glossy Black Make a Comeback
The South Eastern Glossy Black Cockatoo is one of Australia's rarest native birds, with a population of just 8,000. Happily the staff and students at Glenbrook Public School were not willing to give up on the flocks who make their home in the Blue Mountains region, with the Glossy Black Cockatoo as the theme for their recent National Science Week program.
Read More »Taking Action to Protect Wildlife and Humans from Indian Myna Birds
Chris Oddie is a passionate member of the Lithgow Environment Group (LEG). With other members of LEG, she became increasingly concerned about the growing number of invasive Indian Myna birds proliferating in Lithgow. Mynas are listed among 100 of the world's worst invasive species by the World Conservation Union.
Read More »Insects and Ecology Take Centre Stage at MAGNIFY
Ever wondered what the world looks like to a tiny insect? That question was the basis of a recent interactive community performance MAGNIFY, featuring environmental songstress Amelie Ecology and hosted by Wildground Creative Adventures.
Read More »Learning About Systems Thinking from a Bat Cave!
Life is made up of complex systems in which everything is inter-connected. Over his decades-long teaching career, Stuart Hill, a retired Emeritus Professor, and Linden resident, has helped hundreds of students understand the critical relationships between human actions and the health of our planet.
Read More »How to Make Your Home More Fire Resilient
The villages of Bell, Clarence and Dargan found themselves in the path of two converging fires at the end of 2019. Afterwards, the communities engaged fire consultant Tony Hawkins and produced three videos on how to make your property more resilient in the face of fire.
Read More »Magical Creatures: the Under-appreciated Role of Insects in Our Gardens
There is an army of hard-working environmental warriors all around us: in soil, on plants, in the air and in the water. Insects are our hidden allies. They protect, develop and maintain our natural environments, and yet their contribution is so often misunderstood, ignored or actively maligned.
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