We created a scenario where Scientists discovered a cure for the AIDS virus from the Cumberland Plain Land Snail of Western Sydney. Unfortunately the destruction of this ecosystem has led to its extinction. This presentation offers solutions to preserve the biodiversity of this region.
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Biodiversity Gone | Biocity Studio
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2. BACKGROUND What is biodiversity? “biodiversity is the variety of all life forms: different plants, animals, the genes they contain and the ecosystems in which they live” Biodiversity in Sydney SYDNEY BASIN BIOREGION SYDNEY SURROUNDS SATELLITE IMAGE
16. BACKGROUND Sydney Metro covering 125,446 Ha: Pre 1750 European Sydney Metro covering 125,446 Ha: Today Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 Threatened Species Conservation Act
18. Stage 1: Protection of Remaining 11,000 hectares Stage 2 Scientific Classification and Rezoning Stage 3 Formation of a National Heritage Area SOLUTIONS Current Situation Proposed Solution Source: Mark Tozer NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service, Cunninghamia 8(1): 2003
19. Stage 1: Protection of Remaining 11,000 hectares Stage 2 : Scientific Classification and Rezoning Stage 3 Formation of a National Heritage Area SOLUTIONS MANAGED BY New South Wales Scientific Committee 2002 Bankstown City Council 2003 LandArc Pty Ltd 2003 NSW NPWS 1999; NSW Scientific Committee 2002 Vlaming 2005 Vlaming 2005 Environmental Partnerships 2004 Campbelltown City Council 2003 Vlaming 2005 Benson 1992; Bankstown City Council 2003 Department of Environment & Conservation 2005 Benson 1992 NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service 2002c NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service 2002c Morris & Wood 2001 Campbelltown City Council undated Vlaming 2005 Douglas 2000 Douglas 2000 Bankstown City Council 2003 , NSW NPWS 2002c LandArc Pty Ltd 2003b Bankstown City Council 2003 Douglas 2000 NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service 2007 Hunneyball 2007 AREA Agnes Banks Nature Reserve Bellevue Reserve Bruce Cole Reserve, Winston Hills Castlereagh Nature Reserve Fairfield City Farm, Abbotsbury Glossodia Park, Freemans Reach Gundungurra Reserve, Narellan Valley Ingleburn Reserve Kindelan Road Reserve Lansdowne Park Leacock Regional Park Longneck Lagoon Field Studies Centre Mount Annan Royal Botanic Garden Noorumba Nature Reserve Nurragingy Reserve, Doonside Pembroke Park Plumpton Park, Plumpton Prospect Lower Canal Regional Park Rouse Hill Regional Park The Crest Reserve Timbercutters Reserve, Winston Hills Walshaw park Western Sydney Regional Park Wianamatta Regional Park William Howe Regional Park Source: www.rbgsyd.nsw.gov.au the above areas may include remnants that are not part of the ecological community listed under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (Commonwealth). Such remnants still have conservation values as biodiversity reservoirs, faunal corridors etc.
20. Stage 1: Protection of Remaining 11,000 hectares Stage 2 Scientific Classification and Rezoning Stage 3: Formation of a National Heritage Area SOLUTIONS
30. Bibliography Benson, D.H. 2009, 14th January. Personal Phone Interview. Senior Plant Ecologist of Botanic Gardens Trust, Sydney. Benson, D.H. & Howell, J. 1990, Taken for granted, Kangaroo Press in association with the Royal Botanic Gardens Sydney. Flannery, T. 2003. ‘Beautiful lies - population and environment in Australia’, Quarterly Essay, Black Inc., Melbourne. Flannery, T. 1994, The future eaters, Reed New Holland, Sydney. Nature Conservation Council of NSW, viewed 13th January 2009 http://nccnsw.org.au/index.php <http://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/determinations/cumberlandplainpd.htm> Flannery, T. 1994, The future eaters, Reed New Holland, Sydney. Nature conservation council, viewed 16th January 2009, <http://nccnsw.org.au> NSW Government Sydney Metropolitan Strategy 2005, Crown Copyright 2005 Personal comments, in Interview with Lotte von Richter (Technical Research Scientist, Ecology, Mount Annan Botanic Garden), recorded 16 January 2009. Personal comments, in Interview with Debra Little (Senior Horticulturist Natural Heritage, Mount Annan Botanic Garden), recorded 16 January 2009. Personal comments, in Interview with Doug Benson ( Senior Plant Ecologist Royal Botanic Garden Trust, Sydney), recorded 13 January 2009. School of Earth Sciences, viewed 16th January 2009, <arthsci.unimelb.edu.au/antarctica/plateTectonics.html> Total environment centre, viewed 16th January 2009, http://www.tec.org.au Wilkins, S.,Keith, D., Adam, P., 2003 Measuring Success: Evaluating the restoration of a grassy Eucalypt Woodland on the Cumberland Plain, Sydney, Australia, Restoration Ecology Vol.11 No. 4 pp.489-503 http://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/bioregions/SydneyBasin-Biodiversity.htm https://www.wilderness.org.au/articles/cycle http://www.metrostrategy.nsw.gov.au/dev/ViewPage.action?siteNodeId=81&languageId=1&contentId=557 http://sydney.cma.nsw.gov.au/ http://www.cityofsydney.nsw.gov.au/ http://www.anra.gov.au/
Editor's Notes
“A catastrophe in the fight against the AIDS virus epidemic has occurred today here in Sydney. Scientists have revealed they had found a cure for AIDS only to have their discovery squandered by the extinction of the little known Cumberland Plain Land Snail of Western Sydney. This seemingly insignificant mollusc with multi-billion dollar potential and global significance has slipped from our grasp. The question as to the cause of this lost was announced by the NSW Environment Minister, as he conceded responsibility lied with the failings of planning strategies that resulted in the destruction of the vital ecosystem the snail required for survival. He singled out the old 2005 Sydney Metropolitan Strategy as a driver behind housing policy and continued land releases for development in Sydney from 2007 to 2028. An embarrassing blunder for Sydney and Australia on the world stage”.This the scenario we have foreseen in the year 2032 through loss of biodiversity. Its basis is a demonstration of the intrinsic value of a biodiverse ecosystem and that we don’t know what it is worth until it is too late. It is a story of mucus, symbiosis and predators. The mucus left in the snail trail of the rare Cumberland Plain Land snail contained an enzyme that was the focus of an AIDS cure. The snail feeds on a particular fungus growing on the roots of a tree in the CPW. A carnivorous snail then feeds on the land Snail and its excrement contains a more potent synergised enzyme that is the ultimate cure. Unfortunately the discovery comes about in tandem as the last pristine ecology of the snails habitat is bulldozed despite assurances that ecologies can be restored by man what nature took millions of years to create. This is called biodiversity.Irony of the story: the indivual snail was only This the scenario we have foreseen in the year 2032 through loss of biodiversity. It about the web of life in a lost ecosystem and how a potential cure for the AIDS epidemic was found to be contained in the mucus of a rare Land snail which became extinct, wiped out by urban expansion.
Definition of BIODIVERSITYbiodiversity is the variety of all life forms: different plants, animals, the genes they contain and the ecosystems in which they liveIts a resource and infrastructure for the city that we take for grantedWhat gives Sydney its character - surrounded by Natural bushland preserved in National parks, Wilderness area of the Blue Mountains, the diverse marine environment of the sea, harbour and wetlands
Sydney basin one the most biodiverse and densely populated regions in Australia. How do we integrate population growth with biodiversity?fragmentation
When we refer to Biodiversity, we need to make a clear distinction between these two typologies. no consideration for invertebrates or associations between species that make it one sustainable organism.We continue to believe the bush can be re-made once it has been cleared, or we can justify its removal by compensation by making a park or replanting an area. This is far from realityEg. Western Sydney ParklandsInterview with Doug Benson a week ago
Sydney’s obsession will suburbia. Not sustainable. Continued government land release to developers. Sydney Metropolitan Strategy: focused on the need to house 1.1million more people by 2030.
Only last month, the NSW Scientific Committee made a preliminary decision upgrading Cumberland Plain Woodland’s status from endangered to critically endangeredSource: Nature Conservation Council NSW
Stage 1 Complete Protection of Remaining 11,000 hectares(Legislation will be immediately passed by the NSW Government to place an emergency protection order over all CPW areas classified as such as a precautionary measure. Any privately owned areas will be obtained by compulsory Acquisition by the Commonwealth. The New legislation will enforce stringent laws and severe penalties will be enforced on any breach. A new effective monitoring system will be devised to prosecute offenders ie. Satellite Photography documentation. Eg. Not one infringement ever issued for land clearing in NSW??
Stage 2 Scientific Classification and Rezoning Once scientific data is available as to the level, size and integrity through of each remaining pocket of vegetation distinction can be made and each authority will be forced to relinquish all land classified as ‘to be protected’ Scientific assessment to determine exactly what areas should be combined to form a Listed National Heritage Area Scientific data will form the basis of an assessment vetted by t he NSW Scientific Committee. This will be based on scientific data not economics to determine value in terms of biodiversity
Stage 3 Formation of a National Heritage AreaFinally the remaining Cumberland Plain Woodland areas are united to form a single National Heritage Area for the People of Australia, and a species insurance policy for never to be compromised for future generations.
Stage 1 Amendments to the NSW Department of Education CurriculumWe know that change can be slow so our ultimate goal is to have a complete change in our value system in terms of the importance of biodiversity and its intrinsic value in one generation.Our most optimistic hope, although slow. We acknowledge that there have been great leaps forward in Environmental Education. It has come along way since Mark was at school and was non existent when I was at school. Based on our research of children and school teachers Environment and biodiversity should be pervasive in all subjects so that students will see that they are part of the environment and not separate from it.I have read the NSW government education policy and the word biodiversity is not mentioned. I guess it is the first thing we can change.Currently emphasises local actions in the context of global responsibility.Much mention is made of sustainabilityEcological sustainable developmentManagement of school groundsUse of water tanks etcHowever the word biodiversity is not mentionedMore emphasis should be put on not only the importance of the environment but the relationship between the Built Environment and the natural environment and the conflicts that can arise. Biodiversity is not just about rainforest but about all biological systems.
Stage 2 Federally funded public awareness CampaignMore of a short term solution but, humans need to realise that we are sharing this planet. Population increase is feasible although the population will have to be confined in more medium density housing on land that has been previously disturbed through previous human impact.An informed community will realise Biodiversity is more than a rainforest, more than a menagerie of cute and furry animalsThis realisation will encourage community participation in local environmental reparation works and vigilance ensuring the protection of biodiversity in any remaining threatened habitats we have.
ExtinctionWe are not in tune with our environment in the way so called primative indigenous communities were. Look at what we have done in the space of just over 200 years.Our presentation is based on a local issue.. However loss of biodiversity is a regional, state, national and global issue