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1. Bangalow Koalas creating koala wildlife corridor

   Posted on 3:00pm Saturday 10th Aug 2019

   Planting trees with Bangalow Koalas and IFAW The IFAW (that’s the International Fund for Animal Welfare) have planted 1,500 koala trees on Irish comedian Jimeion’s property. A number of private land owners in the Northern Rivers region of New South Wales, Australia, have taken action to keep the local koalas safe.  They are allowing parts of their properties to be re-planted with eucalyptus trees.  This means the koalas can have a safe haven and pass through the landscape. The idea came from Bangalow Koalas who want to restore a koala wildlife corridor from Byron Bay to Repentance Creek.  A neighbour of Jimeion kindly let everyone use his paddock so that they could get to the steep land behind Jimeion’s property. Over 120 people came to help, all wanting to help plant koala trees and secure the species’ future.   Amongst them were old and young volunteers – plus tourists from the UK and Germany.  Imagine going home after your holiday and telling people you were part of a volunteer group which planted trees to help secure koalas’ future! The land had been prepared already and the holes pre-dug.  Saplings had been provided – and all the volunteers planted 1,500 trees IN ONE HOUR!  They trees were the koalas’ favourite local food trees such as red gum, swamp mahogany, tallow wood and the important medicinal melaleuca that koalas eat from instinct when they don’t feel well. The trees grow quickly in the climate and in a few years they will be home for koalas, birds and native wildlife.  And Jimeoin hopes that by planting trees on his land, the koalas will stay.   The key message IFAW want us to take from this is that yes, there are messages of loss and possible extinction of koalas.  They are certainly in trouble.  But there is hope – and crucially THERE IS A SOLUTION. ©Bangalow Koalas IFAW and Bangalow Koalas hope to plant 25,000 trees by the end of the year.  It’s a fantastic thing to do and I hope they make it.  A big thank you to both IFAW and Bangalow Koalas, and also to volunteers and – of course – to the land owners who are willing to help the koalas in this way  Visit IFAW here Visit Bangalow Koalas here – check out their gallery, whatever you do.  It has some beautiful photos and videos of the Bangalow Koalas!  You can become a member or donate through their website to help.  Here’s a video of another project Bungalow Koalas worked on with the Northern Rivers Community Foundation.  They started a wildlife corridor in Binna Burra in the Northern Riveres of NSW to help conserve the local koalas.

2. Live in the US? Tell your Representative to give wildlife support with this Act

   Posted on 9:00pm Thursday 8th Aug 2019

   Tell your representative to support the Critically Endangered Animals Conservation Act. The Wildlife Conservation Society have been in touch about an Act that would be a major deal for endangered species. It’s called the Critically Endangered Animals Conservation Act. The act would re-establish a programme which provided funding for projects aimed at conserving animals who are threatened or endangered in the wild. Snow leopards, Andean cats, African penguins and the white-backed vulture would really benefit from this act: The Wildlife Conservation Society say the act would help by Fighting the illegal wildlife trade Improving wildlife health Adapting to climate change Preventing conflict between humans and wildlife PLEASE ask your representative to co-sponsor the Critically Endangered Animals Conservation Act.

    

3. Land donated - Presidential Estates in Eastern USA

   Posted on 8:00pm Tuesday 16th Jul 2019

   The West Virginia Governor, Jim Justice, and his family have made a donation to the future of Virginia. They have donated 4,500 acres in Virginia and in doing so have forfeited hundreds of development rights.   That’s about 7 square miles. The area will remain as timberland and for agriculture – but at least it won’t be full of sprawling housing developments and shopping malls.   Known as Presidential Estates, 2,657 acres of the property are ranked as having “High” or “Very High” forest conservation value, according to the Virginia Department of Forestry.   The property also has over 18 miles of watercourses.  These contribute to the aquatic habitat and public drinking water supplies of communities downstream. There are plenty of opportunities for us all to make land donations and every single square foot we can donate help.   Pledge a patch for wildlife - you don't need thousands of acres to make a difference.    Every square foot helps.   Your patch can be as big as this pot with wildlife friendly flowers in it! pic copyright to Worcestershire Wildlife Trust. Worcestershire Wildlife Trust are asking people in the area to Pledge a Patch – which means dedicating an area to wildlife.   This patch could be in your garden, school, community or work place.  It could be a window box, woodland, a bed full of wild-flowers, a tiny pond – anything that makes a difference to wildlife. The more of us who can do this, the better.  We have turned our garden over to wildlife and consider it theirs, as much as ours. Meantime, donations such as Governor Justice and his family make also help considerably, of course, so if you have a patch of land…. please consider leaving it to a local conservation charity or work out ways to make the most of for wildlife.   Keep it safe from human development.

    

4. Join 500 people who want to help fight poaching.

   Posted on 7:00am Thursday 16th May 2019

   The African Wildlife Foundation has an opportunity to match all donations made by new donors by 31 May 2019. New donors can DOUBLE THEIR IMPACT Help the charity raise $100,000 by that date and your gift will be doubled. Give $10, and will become $20.  Give $25 and it will become $50.   Double your impact with your gift – you give what you can and want to give, and it will be doubled!  The funds raised will help save elephants, rhinos, lions and other species from wildlife traffickers. So how will your donation help?  What difference will it make? The African Wildlife Foundation says that: Sniffer dogs will track poachers to their hiding places Co-ordination among wildlife authorities will deter poachers Canine detection teams will bust smugglers with 90% accuracy Law enforcement and prosecutors willuse AWF training to build cases against wildlife criminals and impose just sentences New technologies, including drones, will incrase surveillance and a new cybersecurity initiative will help identify international trafficers and disrupt online sales The charity are looking for 500 new donors by 31 May 2019  UPDATE:  THEY GOT THEM :-) But you can still donate! The email I had this morning says that Candice Bergen will kindly double your gift of any amount.  But the charity is needing these donors if that’s to happen. They are on the way to achieving that goal – so if you can donate to charity, please take a look at the African Wildlife Foundation and join 500 others (or maybe more!) in making a difference to wildlife. I'm in - will you join in as well?   DONATE TODAY

    

5. Support the PTES's Garden Wildlife Appeal

   Posted on 9:00pm Monday 13th May 2019

   The People’s Trust for Endangered Species (PTES) says that the biggest challenge for wild animals today is finding safe places to live. Cities are expanding Farming is intensifying Green spaces are rapidly disappearing And so animals have fewer places to live.  However, gardens have an important top play in providing havens for wildlife – in giving them food and shelter.  The more wildlife friendly we can make our gardens, the better a chance wildlife will have. There’s plenty we can all do to help, such as making a feeding station for hedgehogs – we’ve put a hedgehog hotel in our garden.  You can build a small pond for amphibians, or create a log pile for insects.  Pretty much all the flowers in our garden are wildlife friendly and it gives us huge pleasure to watch the wildlife enjoying them.  It’s easy to do.   And the good news is that PTES have put a kit together to help you make your garden more wildlife friendly! All you need to do is to donate £5 and you can receive your special Wildlife Friendly Garden Kit, with everything you need to turn your garden into a wildlife haven. Kits include: garden wildlife guide on the importance of your garden to wildlife and the species you’re likely to see. garden wildlife planner of monthly wildlife friendly activities all year round. garden wildlife poster with 12 top tips to make your garden more wildlife-friendly. PTES supporter booklet introducing PTES and their vital conservation work. Donate now to the PTES Garden Wildlife Appeal