In this edition of Park Watch, we declare 2023 the year of greater vision for Western Port Bay, with a campaign to preserve and protect this incredible environment. And we’ve ‘had a bit of work done’ – Park Watch starts the new year with a brand new design, exciting new features and the quality read you’ve come to expect.
Following Labor’s victory in the November 2022 election, Executive Director Matt Ruchel asks what’s up for nature in Andrews’ third term, and we’ve taken the liberty to create some priorities for the new Environment Minister, Hon. Ingrid Stitt, looking at what’s overdue, what’s urgent, and where she can create a lasting legacy.
We take a deep dive into salvage logging operations in the Wombat Forest and Dandenong Ranges, uncovering the story of the Phascogales and the ‘phantom logger’. We look at the other housing crisis – the failure to protect hollow-bearing trees; investigate water regulation on the Murray and in Wyperfeld; call for better understanding of fire management; bask in the beauty of Macedon Ranges’ Snow Gums; ponder the protection of the extraordinary Mount Donna Buang Wingless Stonefl;y and consider the next steps to save the Western Grassland Reserve.
We have updates on the Mount Donna Buang Wingless Stonefly, the Great Victorian Fish Count, marine parks’ 20th anniversary celebrations, and the sums done down the seashore in the successful San Remo Sea Slug Census. We welcome the Nature Stewards program to the VNPA family, and chat to supporters Trevor Speirs and Ann Wigglesworth on what excites and inspires them about nature in Victoria.
In this Park Watch we also introduce a new series on ‘plant blindness’ – what is it, and can it be cured? Plus Wild Families, Explorer’s Corners, our new activities calendar and much more!
And as always we have a range of other articles covering the most important issues concerning our national parks and other natural areas across our state.
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