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Koalas endorse UNE's work for the environment

September 07, 2006

Koala.thumb.jpgA koala, peacefully ambling along a footpath at the heart of the academic campus, gives silent testimony to the diversity of the natural environment at The University of New England.

Scenes such as that pictured here are not uncommon at UNE. An event at the University today aims not only at ensuring their continuation, but also at consolidating the University’s role as a focus for environmental awareness throughout the wider community.

Called “Biodiversity – research and action at UNE”, the day-long event coincides with National Threatened Species Day, September 7. (September, too, is “Biodiversity Month”.) One of the organisers of the event, Professor Andrew Boulton, explained that National Threatened Species Day had been established in 1996 to commemorate the death in a Hobart zoo, 60 years earlier, of the last Tasmanian tiger in captivity.

Professor Boulton, from Ecosystem Management at UNE, is Chair of UNE’s Talloires Committee, which monitors the University’s work towards an environmentally sustainable future. Last year UNE signed the Talloires Declaration, which commits universities around the world to work towards that goal. Professor Boulton titled his opening comments at today’s event “From Tigers to Talloires”.

UNE researchers working in a variety of fields related to biodiversity are giving presentations during the day. These include, in the morning, talks on birds, fungi, insects, and marine organisms.

“Many staff and students at UNE work on biodiversity and threatened species,” Professor Boulton said. “Although the concept of biodiversity is primarily biological, there is also value in diversity at a range of levels. Threats to these other forms of diversity (e.g. cultural, ideological and educational diversity) potentially endanger biodiversity conservation through human apathy and ignorance.” The afternoon’s presentations focus on more general issues of environmental sustainability, and modifications of human behaviour necessary to achieve that end.

The visiting guest speaker is Dr David Carpenter, Environmental Manager of ANUgreen, the Australian National University’s award-winning environmental management program working to reduce the environmental impact of ANU’s research and teaching.

About 60 people, including members of the Southern New England Landcare Group and the NSW Department of Natural Resources as well as UNE academic staff and students, are taking part in today’s event in the Marnie Yeates Room in Mary White College. It is scheduled to end shortly after 4 pm.

Among the audience are Year 11 and 12 students from most Armidale high schools. Professor Boulton pointed out that the signing of the Talloires Declaration commits universities to helping the development of environmental awareness among school students.

Posted by Jim Scanlan at September 7, 2006 11:52 AM