B&B Highway

University researchers have identified special traits of a bird species for the first time thanks to citizen science. A team from the University of NSW's Centre for Ecosystem Science used citizen science databases, eBird and iNaturalist, to compile images of three individual species of the White-faced Storm Petrel.  The elusive sub-species of White-faced Storm Petrel, also referred to as the Kermadec Storm Petrel, is a breed of seabirds inhabiting an island off New Zealand's coastal regions.  Almost nothing was known about this species until now, and this is, in part, thanks to citizen science – as reported by Tom Melville…

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Australia has found itself in a unique position as a critical player in the development of data centre construction, but what does this mean for Australia’s environment and people? Data centres and their rapid development have dominated global news coverage much of the last year, and Australia is set to find greater footing in the race to construct hyperscale centres. These centres power our modern lives; storing cloud data, housing the internet, which critically includes the data that supports ever-growing artificial intelligence models. By Australia allowing the construction of data centres, it can bring many wealthy technology companies to our…

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Grass is not always greener Lawns present a challenge to biodiversity efforts. Big fields of uninterrupted grass are monocultures, and aren’t as ‘green’  for the environment as we might think. ‘Ecosystem services’ (what an ecological space contributes to an ecosystem) are not always equal, and by creating more diversity of native flora in green urban spaces, we can significantly improve our impact on Australia’s environment.  Australia’s Current Lawnscape Picture a lawn in your mind, and you most likely think of the sweeping expanse of a striped golf course, or a lush green backyard. But what you might not think about…

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In an unprecedented step for the protection of insects everywhere, stingless bees in Peru have recently been granted legal rights. Stingless bees native to the Amazon rainforest were recently given legal protections by the Peruvian-Amazon municipalities of Satipo and Nauta in order to support their survival and ongoing population health. Deforestation, climate change, and the competition of the introduced European honeybee are just a few of the many threats posed to this indigenous species, according to findings from the International Climate Initiative. This order of protection was built upon a pre-existing law which had recognized stingless bees as valuable native…

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Impacts of green infrastructure on urban heat often focus on trees and their canopies. But seeing the wood for the trees is important as it is the detail that counts. Urban heat research has found that it's not as simple as planting a few trees and considering how the top layers reduce heat. Local climate comes into the mix. Ground covers and shrubs contribute to comfort and biodiversity. And grey infrastructure such as reflective rooves is important too. Cooling and greening is complex and multiple solutions are important to mitigate against the impacts of climate change in cities and suburbs.…

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A new initiative from the NSW Government called Adapt NSW reflects how climate change and its impacts on all species is influencing knowledge, outlooks and actions. Adapt NSW aims to inform and empower communities, businesses and government to adapt to climate change ‘to build a more resilient and low emissions future for this generation and the next’. It provides information, actions, tools and case studies of adaptation that inspire action. The initiative also provides multiple links to curriculum, focusing on high school subject areas. Science, Geography, Economics, Business Studies, Society and Culture, Sustainability as a cross-curriculum priority and Interactive Learnings…

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