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Upcoming Events

ERIK project Update

On Ground Action

A Resource to review and regenTV to view

People, Portals & Pulse Checks

Who’s Who and What do they Do at AABR?

  • The National Board
  • The Vic Branch
  • The NSW/ACT Branch
  • Working groups
  • Website Working Group members wanted

Conservation Connections across the Country

  • Victoria
  • ACT
  • NSW
  • National

Upcoming AABR EventsCity nature Challenge at la Perouse 25 April

City Nature Challenge at La Perouse (NSW) with expert guide Danny Hirschfeld – 25/4/25

On Friday 25 April 11am-1pm,  a keen crew of 10 botanical brains with faunal friendly frontal lobes will explore the Henry Head walking track.

Be part of the City Nature Challenge and join us for a bioblitz in the critically endangered Eastern Suburbs Banksia Scrub at La Perouse to record wild plants and organisms using iNaturalist.

Potential innovations in methods of Bush Regeneration at Pt Nepean  (Vic) 1-4 May

The first event hosted by AABR Vic for 2025 is happening at Point Nepean, on the Mornington peninsula, 1-4 May.

Apart from being able to visit areas not generally accessible to the public, there will also be opportunities to reflect on the bush regeneration strategies that have been trialled and implemented over the past 30 years and discuss what may be worth exploring for the future management of the area. Limited spaces

Hat Head Holiday while volunteering 24-31 May

Join Hat Head Dune Care from May 24–31 to help regenerate vital coastal dunes. Volunteers work mornings on weeding and learning from bush regenerators, with afternoons free to explore. Accommodation and tools are provided (BYO linen, food). Support a dedicated community while enjoying Hat Head’s stunning beaches and natural surrounds.

Eucalypt ID workshops with Gum Guru GadsbyEuc ID event details

Back by popular demand are Euc ID workshops with Paul Gadsby. Hosted at the very well suited Mowbray Scout Hall, Lane Cove, where quaint facilities and lots of Eucs in the surrounding bushland for ID make for the perfect workshop environment.

The dates on offer are

This is not a wheelchair accessible venue. Accessing the venue requires the ability to climb some steps

ERIK Project UpdateInformation sheet

The Environmental Restoration Integrated Knowledge (ERIK) Learning System is a five-year NSW Environmental Trust funded project, now underway.

Project Officer Sandy Eager is coordinating this initiative to develop a learning platform built on the collective knowledge of the bush regeneration community.

We invite you to join a vibrant community of practice, sharing resources, expertise, and ideas to support ecological restoration.

We’re seeking input on best practice materials, templates, and policies—existing or needed—to fill knowledge gaps. Your feedback will shape a platform tailored to those restoring ecosystems.

Please complete our survey to guide this collaborative effort.
ERIK NSW Survey

The project progress will be shared on this AABR webpage

There is a facebook group to host conversations and connections AABR ERIK Project | Facebook

An Introduction to the ERIK project is available to share with your networks

On Ground Action

Spanish Moss: A serious environmental weed

In recent years STEP has become increasingly concerned about the proliferation of Spanish Moss on local trees and its potential impact on the bushland. In December 2023 we asked members to send us details of any Spanish Moss they have seen growing on trees. We then undertook a preliminary survey from Cowan to Marrickville, in Sydney to determine what tree species it grew on. What we found horrified us.

Roadside Revegetation St Helens Sports Complex- NE TasmaniaNewspaper article on St Helens vegetation removal

A community activated regeneration project highlights the value of using assisted natural regeneration approaches and that even small remnants can in some cases still have high levels of ecological resilience.

People, Portals & Pulse Checks

Members Survey

AABR is a membership-based organisation and we would like to know how to best serve our members. What would you like us to focus on? How can we best communicate with you? These and a few other questions are contained in our 2025 Members Survey .

Your feedback will greatly assist us in making sure we are providing the services and support you need to care for the bushland that unites us all in bush regeneration

2025 AABR members and supporters Survey

CRM heads up

AABR is entering a new phase of technological competency. A Customer Relationship Management System (CRM) is currently being implemented, providing a valuable opportunity to reflect on our membership and contact lists so that we can effectively communicate across our Branches, members and stakeholder groups.

The timing for the roll-out of this new system on the SupportHub Platform will align with the membership renewal process, which will hopefully be a seamless and satisfying process at the end of this financial year, June 30.

We will also be taking the opportunity to ensure any information you have provided is up to date and you know how we will be using it…exciting times ahead for policy development

 

Who’s Who and What do they Do at AABR?

AABR is governed by a national Board that has a constitution and bylaws to guide its operations. Sub-committees of the Board, once formed, have members elected on to them. The Victorian and NSW/ACT Branches are sub-committees. Due to the central role of Accreditation in AABR’s operations there is also an Accreditation sub-committee.AABR Board

There have been two AGM’s and a new branch formed since the last AABR News update.

The National Board has been expanded with the addition of Peta Lilley, Nina Koutts and Gerard Proust, supporting the continued commitment of Peter Dixon, Matthew Pearson, Sally Alldis, Tein McDonald, Jane Gye, Agata Mitchell, Scott Meier, Rob Scott and Andrew Scott.

The Victorian Branch now consists of Rob Scott, Sharon Mason, Alex Moodie, Craig McGrath, Kylie Robertson, Jeff Smith and Matt Hall with Gidja Lee Walker joining the group.

The inaugural representatives of the NSW/ACT Branch are Peta Lilley (NSW),

Meredith Cosgrove (ACT), Damon Bassett, Jaz Judd, Larry Langman (NSW), Andrew Scott (NSW), Brian Butlerkemp  (ACT) and Tim Baker (NSW)

Working Groups of Interest

The business of progressing AABR activities and projects is undertaken by Working Groups. Working groups are formed at Board or sub-committee meetings and chaired by a Board or sub-committee member.

All members of AABR are invited to contribute to the activities of the working groups. The Working Groups meet as often as required, are structured by a Terms of Reference and report bimonthly to the Board or as required to the Branch.

You can find out what Working groups are in existence here 

AABR’s Annual Report provides the details of what the Working Groups have been up to and a bit more.

New Website Working Group seeking members

AABR has made a commitment to upgrade its website and is looking for suitably skilled volunteers to assist by forming a working group to progress the project. If you’re interested please contact Suzanne admin@aabr.org.au

There’s something for everyone on an AABR Working group!

AABR Vic

AABR Vic will be focussing their efforts in 2025 across four Working Groups this year, Accreditation, Walk, Talk & Gawk, Major events and Industry Issues. There are lots of opportunities to network and collaborate so if you have a passion project and some time and energy you’d like to expend the working groups of the Vic Branch are keen to get working. vicbranch@aaabr.org.au

The first event hosted by AABR Vic for 2025 is happening at Point Nepean, on the Mornington peninsula, 1-4 May.  Apart from being able to visit areas not generally accessible to the public, there will also be opportunities to discuss AABR Vic and reflect on the bush regeneration strategies that have been trialled and implemented over the past 30 years and discuss what may be worth exploring for the future management of the area and beyond.

Resources to review and regenTV to view

A Plant Monitoring Manual – A guide to monitor plant populations in our environment for community and researchers has been released by The Arthur Ryal Institute for Environmental Research in Victoria (DEECA).

A regenTV milestone has been met, 10k views of Rescuing Wingham Brush

 

Regen 2.0 – the future of bush regeneration to give a future to the Bush AABR Keynote-Peter Dixon-

With over 500 connections on LinkedIn and lots of Fb friends Peter’s the closest we get to a bush regen influencer, offering a unique perspective from an on-ground bush regenerator who rose to the dizzying heights of administering $240million of restoration impacting grants. What works, what doesn’t and what we need to do to futureproof our native bushland is always uppermost on Peter’s expansive mind.

Peter’s Keynote from the Innovation in Conservation Symposium is available to watch, with a summary to read.

The contribution of Mycophagus mammals to Ecosystem Function and Restoration.

Outcomes of PhD research from Aviya Naccaretta. This study was funded by Royal Zoological Society NSW under the Paddy Pallin RZS grants.

 

Conservation Connections

AABR is a member of several state-based conservation groups. The following are links to some of their activities.

Victoria

Environment Victoria (EV):

  • EV are supporting a campaign is being run by the Murray-Darling Conservation Alliance (MDCA), a new organisation founded by Environment Victoria and other conservation councils in NSW, South Australia, QLD and the ACT, demanding all political parties pledge to restore 30% of rivers and wetlands in the Murray-Darling Basin, in line with international nature commitments. 
  • EV also have an open letter to sign initiated by the Renew Australia for All alliance  ”Cut our Bills for good with clean energy”

FriendsNET have a couple of petitions going Help save the Gippsland Lakes – sign Epetition and Help stop broadscale burning of native forests

Frogs Victoria’s next gathering is on 7/5/25, where Robert Bender will be presenting on Frogging in Ivanhoe. All welcome at The Elgin from 6:30 pm for dinner and drinks (available for purchase). Talk starts at 7:30 pm The Elgin Inn 75 Burwood Road, Hawthorn VIC 3122

The Field Naturalists Club of Victoria Botany Group are an online presentation from Damien Cook, protecting and restoring the Wirro-lo Wetlands on 15 May 8-10pm. Contact Sue Bendel botany@fncv.org.au for details

ACT

Conservation Council of ACT is campaigning for a federal environment protection agency and  seeking nominations for the ACT Environment Awards

NSW

Total Environment Centre is hosting a webinar on 22/4/25 at 1-2pm on the Rights of Nature – Mother Earth Day

The Nature Conservation Council of NSW is hosting its 14th Biennial Bushfire Conference, to be held in Sydney on Wednesday the 21st and Thursday the 22nd of May 2025, with a Field Day on Friday the 23rd of May.  This year’s theme, “Can we burn to learn? Sustaining people, nature and Country” will explore why, when and how can we best use fire across landscapes to protect what we most care about.

National

Society for Ecological Restoration (SER) are hosting a webinar on 30 April 12 am, in case you can’t sleep on Ecological Restoration and the Rights of Nature in Wetlands . You can register here

Australian Land Conservation Alliance (ALCA) are looking for speakers and the 2025 ALCA Conference – Scaling Up Local Action for Global solutions. It’s Taking place from 7–10 October in Gimuy/Cairns,