Member Communiqué, January 2016 BirdLife Australia Board Meeting 5 December 2015
Key updates, developments and outcomes from the Board meeting.
STRATEGIC DEVELOPMENTS Annual General Meeting The BirdLife Australia Annual General Meeting will be held at National Office in Carlton, Victoria on Saturday, 28 May 2016. Review of Environmental Organisations The House of Representatives Standing Committee on the Environment is inquiring into the administration, transparency and effectiveness of the Register of Environmental Organisations under the Income Tax Assessment Act 1997. Paul Sullivan appeared before the Committee regarding BirdLife Australia’s submission in September. The presentation focused on the positive role civil society plays in achieving conservation outcomes, including the importance of advocacy. The committee sought to contrast BirdLife Australia’s practical conservation focus against other environmental NGOs. BirdLife Australia argued it was illogical to put a number on what is an “appropriate” level of advocacy. A copy of the transcripts is available at the link below. It remains unclear what recommendations will be adopted with the change in government leadership. http://www.aph.gov.au/Parliamentary_Business/Committees/House/Environment/REO/Public _Hearings Australian giving trends Koda Capital’s Australian Giving Review (2015) shows the proportion of people claiming a gift remains stagnant, volunteering levels have dipped and the Australian Government has cut spending across many sectors. 67% of donations in value were gifted by just 7.3% of the giving population. Despite those trends, BirdLife Australia is successfully growing its fundraising income, which is essential to fund our conservation work. BirdLife International CEO Paul Sullivan attended the BirdLife International Global Council meeting in Entebbe and Kampala in November 2015. BirdLife Australia represents the Pacific region; it is also an invaluable opportunity to share ideas and learning with like-minded conservation partners. Key developments include:
BirdLife International has planned campaigns for Important Bird & Biodiversity Areas (IBAs) and flyways in 2016;
A People Committee established performance indicators, priorities and a framework for organisational development;
Kazakhstan has been adopted as a new partner in Central Asia;
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Negotiations with International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) regarding governance and recognition of Important Bird & Biodiversity Areas as a key data source for Key Biodiversity Areas are ongoing;
Council endorsed conservation work in the East Asian Australasian Flyway as a priority and requested a work plan and strategy for mainland China;
Council endorsed BirdLife International’s Position on Climate Change before the Conference of the Parties 21 (COP 21) of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC); and
The World Congress has been confirmed in Singapore on 9-14 October 2017.
The Government of Uganda invited Council to the opening of the Uganda Expo Tourism in Kampala where CEO Patricia Zurita gave a speech and signed a MoU with the East Africa Community. The events helped to raise the profile of BirdLife and Nature Uganda.
CONSERVATION PROGRAMS Beach-nesting Birds Project The project team has won their third Victorian Coastal Award, this time for excellence in environmental education. Paul Sullivan and Renee Meade accompanied Minister Greg Hunt on a visit to a Hooded Plover conservation site at Point Roadnight. Shorebirds Program BirdLife Australia compiled a submission to the Primary Industries & Regions SA (PIRSA) to reduce the impacts of proposed beach-cast seaweed and seagrass harvesting industry expansion on international and nationally important shorebird habitat. BirdLife Southern Queensland, supported by National Office, was successful in their campaign to halt the draining of a nationally significant wetland on the Sunshine Coast – protecting 150 bird species dependant on this habitat, including Nationally-listed Australian Painted Snipe (Endangered), Curlew Sandpiper (Critically Endangered), Latham’s Snipe (migratory) and 10 other species of migratory shorebirds. BirdLife Australia will coordinate an integrated fundraising, communications and advocacy engagement campaign in 2016. The campaign plans to include the following elements:
launch the Australian Government’s Wildlife Conservation Plan for Migratory Shorebirds at a summit to secure momentum and commitment for implementation including practical on-ground actions;
engage supporters by tracking Grey Plovers in real-time across the flyway;
engage supporters by mapping threats to coastal wetlands; the data will underpin an advocacy campaign to recognise the cumulative impact of development; and
explore opportunities to play a greater role in the Yellow Sea over time, including engagement with corporates.
BirdLife Australia has secured some funding from the Australian Government to update migratory shorebird population estimates in partnership with the University of Queensland. This work will be a flagship publication capable of raising public awareness of the declines in migratory shorebirds. Work to repair the culvert at Snake Island has now been completed; demonstrating the potential for practical habitat improvement and on-ground outcomes.
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Wetland Birds Program Paul Sullivan and Andrew Silcocks met with the Game Management Authority’s (GMA) CEO Greg Hyams to explore the potential for improving conservation outcomes. South Australian Environment Minister Ian Hunter MP announced at the inaugural Flyway Festival that he will seek proclamation of the Adelaide International Bird Sanctuary as a national park and listing as a flyway site of international importance. The protection of the sanctuary is the result of significant groundwork and leadership by BirdLife Australia’s Chris Purnell. Paul Sullivan spoke at the event and welcomed the decision; challenging other states to follow suit and increase protection for key wetlands. The Samphire ICON project, managed in collaboration with the Adelaide & Mount Lofty Ranges NRM Board, was recognised by the SA Premier with a Big Picture Award. The NRM/Landcare awards acknowledge the outstanding contributions of South Australians who worked tirelessly to help safeguard the state’s natural resources. Woodland Birds The Great Cocky Count report 2015 was launched by BirdLife Western Australia in October 2015 at the WA Threatened Species Forum. Media coverage focused on the impact of urban sprawl on Carnaby’s conservation. The Threatened Species Commissioner reported that he would investigate adding Carnaby’s to the list of priority threatened species. BirdLife also campaigned to protect the Black-throated Finch in response to the Federal Court’s Adani decision. Swift Parrots received a temporary reprieve with the Tasmanian government suspending logging on Bruny Island (which is free of sugar gliders). A final research report and video for the Greater Western Woodlands (GWW) is now being finalised. The GWW committee will continue to coordinate volunteer surveys funded by an ABEF grant. Threatened Mallee Birds BirdLife’s advocacy for evidence-based fire management has helped Victoria abandon its area-based target for planned burning. The Victorian Government announced that it will adopt a more strategic, risk-based approach to planned burning on public land. BirdLife will be monitoring what this means ‘on the ground’ for species like the South-eastern Red-tailed Black-Cockatoo, which has lost important foraging habitat to burns. BirdLife was also instrumental in securing funding for a three-year Mallee Emu-wren fire ecology project to be undertaken by La Trobe University. This research project will directly contribute to improvements in the implementation and evaluation of bushfire management by delivering more detailed information on how fire affects the abundance of Mallee Emuwrens at a site and across the landscape. IBA Program The audit of IBAs has involved 50 sites to date. Golo Maurer presented the results at the AOC. The audit provides a platform for improving governance, coordination, and establishing IBA Guardians, projects and monitoring programs in priority IBAs. The annual IBA Easter Health-check is now a fixture on the BirdLife Australia calendar.
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Australasian Ornithological Conference (AOC) Over 200 delegates registered for the AOC. Delegates spoke highly of the quality of presentations and BirdLife Australia featured prominently. The high level of interaction between senior researchers and students is a particular strength of this event. The next AOC is scheduled for Geelong in 2017. Bird Conservation Portal and App The formal launch of the portal and app is planned for mid 2016. The current focus of development is reporting. The overall aim for the reporting/analysis sections is to:
provide guidance on where, when and how to survey birds;
present relevant and interesting statistics for sites and species;
allow researchers/community groups to present and report information/statistics for their program;
provide user access to their statistics and raw data;
explore species distributions on map interfaces; and
protect sensitive species information.
Seabird Program A meeting with Ben Sullivan and Ben Lascelles (BirdLife International), the Australasian Seabird Group (ASG) and seabird experts discussed the potential for BirdLife Australia to identify priorities and explore funding opportunities for seabird conservation. The BirdLife International partner survey identified seabirds and Marine IBAs as a significant gap in our program portfolio.
CONSERVATION ADVOCACY Threatened Species Policy The threatened species list has been updated based on BirdLife Australia’s bulk nomination of the Action Plan. IUCN uplisted the Swift Parrot to Critically Endangered in October; its EPBC status will also be reviewed, along with the Carpentarian Grasswren, by the Threatened Species Scientific Committee in March 2016. The Report Recovery Planning — Restoring Life to our Threatened Species http://www.birdlife.org.au/media/habitat-protection-must-be-a-focus-of-threatened-speciesrecovery/ was presented at the Australian Ornithological Conference. Places you Love (PYL) PYL’s Expert Panel on Environment Law launched a discussion paper “The next generation of Australia’s environmental laws: introductory paper” in November (see http://apeel.org.au/#/introductory-paper/). PYL has been successful with defensive campaigns (EPBC approval powers, and attacks on DGR and Section 487).
MEMBER/SUPPORTER DEVELOPMENT Member/Supporter Growth 25 September marked the day our 12,000th member signed up - an ex BOCA member who had let their membership lapse, and phoned in to re-join.
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Communications Proactive media focussed on lead-in for Bird Week and the Aussie Backyard Bird Count (ABBC) and the Great Cocky Count in Perth, generating over 500 BirdLife Australia mentions in print, on-line, radio and TV. Highlights included feature articles in Australian Geographic, Gardening Australia and Holly’s appearance on ABC Gardening Australia with Costa in October. Unsolicited BirdLife Australia media mentions were in relation to ‘Reasons to love the Ibis’ with local print and online media coverage across NSW and VIC; Swift Parrot listed as ‘critically endangered’; ‘Hooded Plover no match for dogs ...’ across regional ABC radio; Adani Group’s Carmichael coal mine announcement and some fun with the AFL grand final – ‘In a fight between an eagle and a hawk...’. BirdLife Australia’s Facebook page hit 28,000 ‘likes’ including organisations such as ACF; ABC Gardening Australia; Landcare Groups; Environment Victoria etc as well as various birding pages and groups. National Events 2015 Aussie Backyard Bird Count The target of over one million birds sighted and recorded was achieved, with 11,500 people recording 31,096 checklists on behalf of 42,000 observers. The event was well promoted with well over 50 radio interviews, TV including Channel 9 news (Melbourne), Channel 7 news (Adelaide), and an ABC Gardening Australia segment. The event was also featured in eight high circulation print magazines including ABC Gardening Australia, Australian Geographic, Royal Auto (RACV) and Better Homes and Gardens, as well as hundreds of mentions in local and regional on line and print publications. Above: ABBC /National Bird Week Pop–up Garden launch in Federation Square, Melbourne. Birds in Schools Project Identified as a key engagement project under the BIBY review it is anticipated running Birds in Schools at 30 primary schools in Victoria from 2016-2018. The project is also receiving interest from other areas such as NSW Environmental Education centres and some individual schools in the Melbourne metropolitan area.
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Options to partner with schools, branches and funders to take this school action-research project into new schools are being explored.
BirdLife Australia Network Five branches ran Twitchathons in 2015, raising funds for IBAs and threatened species. A meeting between branches interested in a nationally co-ordinated Twitchathon for 2016 will be held early in 2016.
Supporter survey Fundraising has conducted BirdLife Australia’s first Supporter Survey. The voluntary survey was undertaken to better understand the diversity of BirdLife’s supporters. The short, medium and long-term benefits from the Survey will be important in developing our planning and approach to 2016 and beyond. Inspired Adventures BirdLife Australia is partnering a travel company to offer a Kimberley birding adventure to supporters as a fundraising opportunity. Inspired Adventures are experienced at working with charities to fundraise in Australia and overseas. The offer is targeted at the experienced bird watcher and nature and conservation lover. Details can be found at: https://inspiredadventures.com.au/events/birdlife-australia-kimberley-2016/
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