Community Activity
SLEX Sustainable Living Expo, Armidale
The Expo incorporates workshops and seminars focusing on the way in which sustainable practice can be promoted and implemented.
This annual event is sponsored by UNE and attracts 1000s of visitors from far and wide to Armidale to learn about sustainability.
Talloires Declaration Implementation Committee
In 2005 UNE made its commitment to environmental sustainability official by becoming a signatory to the Talloires Declaration, an international agreement for the promotion of environmental education and ecological sustainability in higher education. The UNE Talloires Declaration Implementation Committee was convened to ensure its implementation. The Talloires committee is supported by sub-committees and working groups throughout the institution which promote staff engagement and provide a platform for facilitating innovation in sustainable practice. The Committee includes community members and has active links with community and student groups. Some of the achievements of the committee are detailed at the UNE Talloires website: http://www.une.edu.au/talloires/.
Dr Robyn Bartel, a Geography & Planning staff member, has been the Chair of this committee since 2008 and a member since its inception in 2005. Dr Bartel has been a leader in many of its initiatives. A strategic level committee (Sustainability Strategic Committee) has also been established to provide UNE with a high-level direction relative to sustainability in both the academic and operational contexts. See http://www.une.edu.au/vc/cdo/unestaffonly/sscbuspapers.php
Annual Talloires events which the school supports includes the Sustainability Student Competition (students compete for cash prizes by designing a poster related to sustainability). The first student competition was launched by the Vice-Chancellor in 2008, for all students to submit their ideas of what it means for UNE to be sustainable. Entries were displayed, and, following their selection by an expert judging panel, winners announced at Open Day. In conjunction with this a People’s Choice Award was run, to engage further student interest to the stall. Such was the success of these competitions, in not only engaging students but providing the institution with insight into the student body’s interest in the issues, that the competition format was repeated in 2009, with a “Design a Spyder” competition and in 2010 with a “Design a Bin It Better” competition to promote the new waste management system on campus. In 2011 the school made a three year commitment to fund the prizes for the student design poster competition. The total prizemoney pool is $2000 each year. Previous award winning entries can be viewed at the Talloires website and are displayed at other sustainability events which the school supports, such as the Sustainability Living Expo (SLEX) held annually in Armidale. The poster competition forms an integral part of student and community ownership and engagement with sustainability and the university.
High Country Urban Biodiversity, New England
Armidale, Uralla, Walcha, Guyra
Several community groups are active in attempting to preserve and study urban biodiversity in the region. Don Hine (Psychology) Robyn Bartel (Geography and Planning) and Methuen Morgan (Psychology) are working with researchers from across the university (including Darren Ryder from ERS here pictured) and EcoLogical Australia to research social attitudes towards biodiversity.
UNE landcare activities are also supported by the Talloires Committee.
Volunteer events attract students and staff members monthly on campus and regularly in Armidale and across the region.
Day of Opportunity
The Day of Opportunity involves schools students and community members in activities and seminars concentrating on what UNE has to offer by way of education and professional development.
The Moree Day of Opportunity (pictured) featured Parramatta Eels player Pat O’Hanlon and several UNE staff members including Robyn Bartel from Geography and Planning
