The Blue Mountains Bushcare Network is proud to present the third Bushcare Network Conference. This year our theme is Citizen Science so we’re having a Bioblitz! The day focuses on our beautiful and unique lower mountains vegetation communities. We are fortunate to be able to spend the day with experts to learn how to be “ears and eyes” on the ground. The data we collect will go into data bases for a wider audience.

In the morning, there will be concurrent sessions including 4 field-based citizen science activities at various locations around Springwood and 2 presentations at the Hub.

We will then regroup at the Blue Mountains Theatre and Community Hub in Springwood for lunch and hands on workshops including what to do with the data we collect. Morning tea and lunch are provided.

To register, click here: https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/blue-mountains-bushcare-bioblitz-conference-registration-33327202560

Please register for the field or Hub activity of your choice, as well as lunch. Please note that each activity will have a limited number of places available, so register early! Once you register you will be sent details about the workshop including where to meet and what to bring.

PROGRAM: HUB ACTIVITIES

Blue Mountains Theatre and Community Hub, Macquarie Rd Springwood

9:45 – 10:45 am 

1.1 Hollows as Homes – Adrian Davis Ground Floor, Room 1

1.2 Bushcare website update/setup – Hugh Todd Level 1, Room 2 & 3

Morning tea

10:45 – 11:15 am, Dining Room – Ground Level

FIELD ACTIVITIES 8:30 – 11:00 am 

A. Aquatic Wildlife – Jenny Hill & Fitzgeralds Creek Streamwatch Group Rosenthal Lane, Sun Valley

B. Birds of the Deanei – Carol Probets & Graham Turner, Deanei Forest Reserve, Springwood

C. Monitoring the Fauna of Fitzgeralds Creek Catchment – Peter & Judy Smith, Valley Heights Creek, Sun Valley

D. Plants of Fairy Dell Reserve, Springwood Susan Jalaluddin & Helen Yoxall

All groups reconvene at The Springwood Community Hub

11:15 am – 12:10 pm 

Site Data Entry , Level 1, Rooms 2 & 3

Collate information and save the data collected in the morning field sessions to the our website.

Birds of Endangered Forests of the Lower Blue Mountains – Margaret Baker 

Ground Level, Room 1

This talk will introduce the endangered eucalypt forests (Threatened Ecological Communities) that are found on clay soils of the Lower Blue Mountains from Springwood to Hawkesbury Heights and to Lapstone. Each community will be described, the main trees identified and rare plants mentioned. The focus of the talk will be on the diversity of birds to be found in each of the forest types. Special mention will be made of those birds that are listed under NSW legislation as Threatened.

12:15 – 12:45 pm “Citizen Science in Action –  what to do with your data” – Jenny Hill

Ground Level, Room 1

Citizen science has emerged as a distinct field over the last 20 years and is now enjoying a boom. What are some successes? What are the factors critical to its success and what role does Bushcare, Landcare and Swampcare play in this success? How could citizen science grow to be part of the bigger story about restoration and protection in the Blue Mountains? This is brief overview of citizen science is an introduction to group presentations.

In her community volunteer role Jenny Hill is Coordinator with the Leura Falls Creek catchment working group, Bushcarer and Streamwatcher. Jenny has been involved in environmental education and learning for over 35 years and is currently Environmental Educator for Blue Mountains City Council. In this role Jenny conducts citizen science and connects with nature programs across the mountains with schools and community groups. She brings this experience to the presentation and will provide the bigger picture of citizen science in many different contexts.

12:45 – 1:40 pm LUNCH Dining Room, Ground Level

1:45 – 2:00 pm Official Opening and Welcome to Country Ground Level, Room 1

2:00 – 2:45 pm, Site Visit Reports Ground Level, Room 1

2:45 – 3:15 pm Talk 4 Introduction to Biodiversity Atlases on the Internet – Margaret Baker Ground Level, Room 1

This talk will provide an introduction to the biodiversity atlases that are available on the Internet. It will focus on the Atlas of Living Australia – where to find it, how to use it to determine biodiversity in a selected area and how to record data as an individual or as a Citizen Science group. It will show how the kind of data collected in the field sessions of today’s conference can be readily entered into the global exchange of biodiversity information. The world-wide and unrestricted access to such information can however be problematic and so some issues related to atlas and database use will also be discussed.

3:15 – 3:30 pm Presentations, Raffle Draw, Evaluation and Conference conclusion