Wyong Coal Mine Granted Approval: Water Not Coal Becomes Coal NOT Water
The NSW government's 'independent' Planning Assessment Commission's approval of the Wallarah 2 Coal Project on Tuesday January 16th has been slammed by community groups, who say the decision shows that NSW mine approval laws are inadequate and need to be urgently overhauled.
The controversial project has been fought against by Wyong locals since 1996, and has been defeated twice by the local community. The project is subject to widespread opposition – including from the Member for Wyong, and the Central Coast Council – due to the risks it poses to the drinking water catchment for over 300,000 people.
“Wallarah 2 Coal Project is completely unacceptable and completely unwanted, and its approval is a slap in the face for local people who have been fighting it off for over 20 years”, said Alan Hayes, campaign director for Wyong group Australian Coal Alliance.
“The state government is more interested in appeasing the coal industry than in the welfare of the Central Coast community. It's sickening,” said Mr Hayes. “We will be exploring every option available to us to stop this project from going ahead, including court action,” he said.
Lock The Gate spokesperson Steve Phillips said the decision “shows just how desperately we need to fix the rules governing mine approvals in this state.”
“This is a risky, unwanted coal mine that threatens the safe drinking water supply for hundreds of thousands of people. The mine has been knocked back by a previous state government for those very reasons. How is it possible that the mine is now approved? The system is broken.”
“We call on the Berejiklian government to urgently fix up our state's broken mine approval laws, to protect water catchments and local communities from mining. Local people need the certainty that once a coal mine has been knocked back, it will stay knocked back for good.
“It's grossly unfair that local people are never entitled to rest easy that a mine project has been defeated for good, that it might be approved again at any time. It’s unfair that people cannot even take clean drinking water for granted.”
"The Coalition came to power promising to end mining in sensitive drinking water catchments. They promised to stop this very coal mine – Wallarah 2 – but now they’ve given it the green light.”
Wyong group Australian Coal Alliance have run with a slogan of 'Water not Coal' for years now, with politicians quite happy to don the red t-shirt - when an election is on.
Premier Barry O'Farrell during 2011 electioneering phase of state election with (from left) Chris Holstein (Member for Gosford), Darren Webber (Member for Wyong), Barry O'Farrell (Premier), Alan Hayes (Australian Coal Alliance), Chris Spence (Member for The Entrance) & Chris Hartcher (Member for Terrigal & Minister for Energy) wearing shirts protesting the mine.
This week the opposite was proved.
On page 17 of the PAC's Consent Conditions the 300 megalitres required for mining will need to be returned to the water catchment, 'treated';
Central Coast Water Supply Compensatory Arrangement
17. Prior to the approval of any Extraction Plan that authorises extraction of Longwell 6N, the Applicant must establish and implement a Central Coast Water Supply Compensatory Arrangement which provides 300 megafitres per annum of water to the Central Coast Water Supply system. The Central Coast Water Supply Compensatory Arrangement must:
a) be prepared in consultation with Council and CLWD;
b) be submitted for the approval of the Secretary not less than 12 months prior to the planned extraction of Longwell 6N;
c) supply mine water treated to an appropriate level for release into the receiving environment In the Central Coast Water Supplyincluding an equivalent or better quality for pH, dissolved oxygen and electrical conductivity as the receiving environment,
d) discharge at least 300 megatitres per annum of treated water directly Into the Central Coast Water Supply system at a location mutually agreed with Council;
e) incorporate an on-line water quality monitoring system that monitors river water quality upstream and downstream of the discharge point, and has the capability to connect to and gate into Council's supervisory control and data acquisition system. in order to ensure that required water quality parameters for discharged treated water are met;
f) operate at least until the cessation of mining operations (see condition 5 of Schedule 2): and
g) include operational procedures for the compensatory water transfer system, agreed with Council, to ensure that operation of the system Is compatible with Council's water supply infrastructure.'
The mine is slated to operate for up to 28 years.
“The Central Coast is both resilient and steadfast in its fight to protect the drinking water and community health from the draconian and unacceptable destructive impacts of a longwall coal mine,” Alan Hayes said after the announcement.
“If Wallarah 2 believes that they have beaten us, they are mistaken. We will not go away.”
According to a Statement of Facts (SOF) released to the public on January 17, the Commission has determined the proposal is in the public interest.
“The creation of 300 operational jobs and 450 construction jobs, along with the investment in the local area, would have significant local benefits for the community, provide investment in the Central Coast and contribute to the growth of the region,” the SOF read.
“The mine would also generate royalties for the State and the people of NSW, while providing a source of high quality thermal coal during the global transition to a decarbonised economy.
“In reaching this decision, the Commission considered carefully the concerns raised by the community, the Department of Planning and Environment’s assessment and recommendation for approval, and previous Planning Assessment Commission reviews of the project,” the SOF concluded.
The 'royalties' are estimated, now, to be around 32 million dollars. Down from the original Kores Wallarah2 announcement of one and a half billion dollars.
The jobs being created has shrunk too, although not yet updated on theWallarah2 website where they still state, as we go to press;
'Benefits to the community will include economic stimulation with over 1100 direct and indirect jobs created during construction and over 850 direct and indirect jobs created in the region during operations.The Wallarah 2 Community Foundation will also continue to operate, with an expansion of the program to create more opportunities for vocational training and community support."
“This same Liberal administration has eroded the democratic rights of people to stand up and object to development decisions that may adversely impact on communities." Mr. Hayes stated prior to that third 'consult' in November last year where residents overwhelmingly stated their objections, again.
“Under Barry O’Farrell’s leadership, merit rights appeal on coal mine approvals was taken away.
“Then Mike Baird made it illegal for people to peacefully protest against a proposed coal mine, introducing massive fines and up to seven years’ imprisonment for doing so.
“Gladys Berejiklian’s law was recently used to override our justice system about the unlawful mine extension approval of the Springvale mine.” - October 11, 2017.
Although the approval secured the jobs of Lithgow people and families, with no plans for shifting that community towards becoming a solar energy powerhouse in the forseeable future, irony struck at the same time as it became apparent that Lithgow residents were drinking “mine water” from the Clarence Colliery that sits on Newnes Plateau above the town. Despite Environment Protection Authority (EPA) assurances, the mine’s environmental monitoring data indicated that nickel and lead levels in the mine water exceed the recommended limits set by Australian Drinking Water Guidelines.
Most pointedly, former NSW government whip Peter Phelps hosted what he called a “Carnival of Coal”, at Parliament House on August 11, 2015, launching the 'Friends of Coal' group. Initially dreamt up to annoy those on the opposite side of The House hosting of a solar support do, the minister went on to say it was about supporting those who worked in or were working in related to coal industries, saying coal needs mates “because it has been demonised by the extreme green movement, despite it being the safest, cheapest and most reliable source of power in Australia and around the world”.
In 2008, the World Health Organisation estimated that coal is responsible for about one million deaths annually – about one-third of all premature deaths related to air pollution - so not that safe.
When news of the 'coal party' broke, social media pictures of coal heaped up on a plate ready to eat, or coal in your drinking glass, ready to drink, were imagined as the 'nibblies and refreshments' served at the Carnival of Coal.
The Honourable Minister then stormed off in March 22nd 2016, quitting being whip so he could vote against his own parties biofuels amendment bill to ensure all petrol stations made E10 fuel available as a cleaner alternative for consumers. Clearly not enough 'safe' carbon derivatives in the stuff to suit Mr. Phelps.
'Coal: you're drinking it!' will soon be the truer version of the Clever Country - with so much sunshine, so many beautiful places and so many wasted opportunities to do it better and do that faster, all gone.
Wonder if they played this song at the 'Carnival of Coal'?
Statement About The Crown-Of-Thorns Starfish Control Program
January 18, 2018: GBRMPA
The current outbreak of coral-eating crown-of-thorns starfish is occurring at several locations in the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park.
The Great Barrier Reef Marine Park — an area bigger than Italy — is the only place in the world where crown-of-thorns control is being undertaken in an area of this size and scale.
Ramping up crown-of-thorns control in the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park is one of 10 key actions identified in the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority’s recently released Reef Blueprint: Great Barrier Reef Blueprint for Resilience.
The Blueprint recognises crown-of-thorns starfish outbreaks are a major source of coral mortality across the Great Barrier Reef and targeted control can prevent further declines in ecosystem resilience.
As with all our management activities, our crown-of-thorns starfish control program is informed by the best-available science and since 2015 we’ve adopted a holistic and integrated approach which includes surveillance, targeted culling and research.
Collaboration with the research community through the National Environmental Science Program’s Integrated Pest Management project has enabled a number of new initiatives to strategically focus control activities and further enhance effectiveness.
For example, scientific modelling is being used to identify ecologically-critical reefs in the Marine Park that can help the Reef recover from impacts. These reefs that produce and spread coral larvae are targeted in control efforts.
Other improvements include:
- A single-shot bile salts injection technique that tripled the efficiency of culling has been adopted into the control program, replacing a multi-shot method that required each starfish to be injected 10 to 25 times.
- Coral and starfish density thresholds now used to inform vessel schedules and cull efforts. These important thresholds provide the target levels of culling necessary to ensure coral growth outpaces starfish feeding.
- After rigorous environmental impact testing, the Marine Park Authority also approved the use of household vinegar as an injection solution for use in the starfish control, providing a readily accessible injection method for permitted tourism operators to use to protect their dive sites.
- To monitor the effectiveness of the control program, the Marine Park Authority is surveying starfish numbers and coral cover where no culling is being done to compare this data to sites where there is culling. The monitoring is being conducted annually for three years by Marine Park rangers from the Field Management Program.
- Reports are provided by control program contractors every six months which summarise the total number of starfish culled each dive minute, the hard coral cover at the reefs where the work was carried out, and any changes over time. Monitoring on 21 priority reefs offshore Cairns and Port Douglas in 2016–17 showed the outbreak was successfully reduced to ecologically sustainable levels, with live coral cover maintained at 20 per cent despite the impacts of bleaching.
Funding is provided by the Australian Government to the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority to administer the control program.
To protect the Great Barrier Reef from the increasing pressures of climate change, the Marine Park Authority recognises the need to increase conservation efforts at all scales — national, regional and local.
Green Team Beach Cleans 2018!
Hosted by The Green TeamThe Green Team is back for 2018! It has been estimated that we will have more plastic than fish in the ocean by 2050...These beach cleans are aimed at reducing the vast amounts of plastic from entering our oceans before they harm marine life.
Anyone and everyone is welcome! If you would like to come along, please bring a bucket, gloves and hat. Kids of all ages are also welcome!
We will meet in front of the surf club. Hope to see you there!
The Green Team is a Youth-run, volunteer-based environment initiative from Avalon, Sydney. Keeping our area green and clean.
Beach Clean!
Saturday, January 27 at 8 AM - 9 AM
Avalon Beach: We will meet in front of the surf club.
Beach Clean!
Saturday, February 10 at 8 AM - 9 AM
Newport Beach: We will meet in front of the surf club.
Beach Clean!
Saturday, February 17 at 8 AM - 9 AM
Palm Beach - We will meet at Kiddies corner (the south side)
EPA Fines Unlawful Waste Facility On The Central Coast
18 January 2018: EPA
The operator of a demolition and excavation business based on the Central Coast has been fined $7,500 by the NSW Environment Protection Authority (EPA) for the unlawful storage of asbestos waste.
EPA, SafeWork and RID Squad officers inspected the site of Tuggerah Demolition & Excavation in November last year as part of a joint campaign and discovered the business was storing up to 16.9 tonnes of asbestos waste.
Under the Protection of the Environment Operations Act all businesses receiving 5 tonnes of special waste or more must hold a current Environment Protection Licence.
EPA A/Director Waste Compliance, Cate Woods, said Environment Protection Licences are a means to control the localised, cumulative and acute impacts of pollution.
“Licences outline requirements for waste storage and are an integral way of ensuring harmful substances stay out of the local community and environment.
“Even the temporary storage of asbestos, if not undertaken according to the regulations can increase the risk of harm to the community and the environment.”
Penalty notices are one of a number of tools the EPA can use to achieve environmental compliance including formal warnings, official cautions, licence conditions, notices and directions and prosecutions. For more information about the EPA’s regulatory tools, see the EPA Compliance Policy at www.epa.nsw.gov.au/legislation/prosguid.htm
Angophora Costata: Trees In Your Streets - Pittwater
Smooth-barked Apple
Angophora - from two Greek words, meaning 'vessel' or 'goblet', and 'to bear or carry', referring to the shape of the fruits; costata - ribbed; the capsules bear prominent ribs
The genus Angophora is closely allied to Corymbia and Eucalyptus (family Myrtaceae) but differs in that it usually has opposite leaves and possesses overlapping, pointed calyx lobes instead of the operculum or lid on the flower buds found in those genera.
Angophora costata, or Smooth-barked Apple, is a large, wide, spreading tree growing to a height of between 15 and 25 m. The trunk is often gnarled and crooked with a pink to pale grey, sometimes rusty-stained bark. The timber is rather brittle. In nature the butts of fallen limbs form callused bumps on the trunk and add to the gnarled appearance. The old bark is shed in spring in large flakes with the new salmon-pink bark turning to pale grey before the next shedding. The leaves are dark green, lance-shaped, 6-16 cm long and 2-3 cm wide. They are borne opposite each other on the stem.
Angophora costata - shedding old bark
The flowers are white and very showy, being produced in large bunches on terminal corymbs or short panicles. The individual flowers are about 2 cm wide with five tooth-like sepals, five larger semi-circular petals, and a large number of long stamens. The seed capsules are goblet shaped, 2 cm long and as wide, often with fairly prominent ribs. The usual recorded flowering time is December or January, but at the Australian National Botanic Gardens in Canberra the species flowers for about one month between early January and early February. The tree has a handsome, rugged ornamental appearance and its young red tips are often used in floral arrangements.
Angophora costata - currently flowering.
Angophora costata occurs naturally on the sandy soils and stony ridges of southern Queensland forests, extending inland as far as the Warrego district. In NSW it extends from Sydney northwards to the central coast and as far west as Bathurst, being particularly common on Hawkesbury sandstonewhere it forms almost pure stands. Rainfall in these areas varies between 635-1520 mm.
The species is grown from seed which normally germinates after seven days and no special treatment is required. The seed should be sown in a loose, well-drained mix just below the surface. When the seedlings reach a height of 1-2 cm they should be pricked out into a large container until they are large enough to be planted out.
Some trees suffer minor frost damage to new tips during winter, and caterpillars and the native leaf-cutting bee cause minor damage to the foliage. All eucalypts have an efficient method for shedding limbs, as described by Jacobs (1955). For this reason, larger species such as A. costata should not be planted so that they will overhang dwellings.
Above photo is of gum on an angophora costata. This indicates that it is being attacked by insects, but defending itself by exuding gum, called kino. This traps and smothers the insects, probably wood boring beetle grubs. Abundant kino is a sign of a healthy tree. Photo by Marita Macrae, 2015
Original text by ANBG staff (1978); since updated online. Photos by Marita Macrae and A J Guesdon, 2011 to 2018
ANCIENT RED GUM.
Centre of New Reserve.
BUSH NEAR AVALON.
'Set aside by' the Wild Life Preservation Society of Australia, primarily for the preservation of a giant example of the Sydney red-gum (Angophora lanceolata), the Angophora Reserve, at Avalon, was officially opened on Saturday afternoon by Sir Philip Street.
The president of the society (Mr. W. G. Kett) said the reserve was a memorial to the line work in the cause of science done by their secretary, Mr. D. G. Stead.
Sir Philip Street said that the society, in preserving this great tree as a natural monument and setting apart the area with its interesting fauna and flora, was rendering a public service.
The magnificent angophora, on which many axemen must have cast covetous eyes, was, he had been told, about 1,000 years old.
Mr. Kett said that, in the reserve, which contained about six and a half acres, there were many varieties of Australian trees and shrubs, and it was also the rendezvous of some of the most beautiful Australian birds.
Other speakers were the president of Warringah Shire, Councillor Green, Messrs. R. T. Baker, and D. G. Stead.
The reserve is a fine example of Australian bush land, rising from a small valley to the top of a hill overlooking the coast and Broken Bay. About 150 persons attended Saturday's function.
After the function, the visitors were entertained at afternoon tea by the society at the Avalon Golf House.
ANCIENT RED GUM. (1938, March 21).The Sydney Morning Herald (NSW : 1842 - 1954), , p. 9. Retrieved from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article17450337
Beautiful, isn't it?
A magnificent redgum, probably 1000 years old, has been "dedicated" in the six-acre Angophora Reserve at Avalon. We wonder who will sit in the shade of this big tree after another 1000 years? What color will he be, and in what language will they whisper? One thing, will, endure. The tree is close to the Avalon Golf Links; and whether Redgum lives to be 2000 or 3000 years old; the world will still talk golf. A WINDOW ON THE WORLD (1938, March 22). The Sun (Sydney, NSW : 1910 - 1954), p. 4 (LATE FINAL EXTRA). Retrieved from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article229877986
THE "ANGOPHORA" RESERVE
Preserving Australia's Fauna
The Angophora Reserve, which is the Wild Life Preservation Society's new Bushland Sanctuary at Avalon, N.S.W., was officially opened and dedicated by the Hon. Sir Phillip Street, K.C.M.G., on Saturday last, March 19th. This reserve had been set aside primarily for the preservation of a giant 'example of the Sydney Red Gum (Angophora lanceolata) as a national monument. Owing to the junction of two great geological forms (Hawkesbury sandstone and Narrabeen shales) at this spot, the trees and shrubs present many features of interest to the botanist, field naturalist and bush lover.
THE “ANGOPHORA” RESERVE (1938, March 23). Construction and Real Estate Journal (Sydney, NSW : 1930 - 1938), p. 7. Retrieved fromhttp://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article222925110
This photo shows the official opening of the Angophora Reserve on 19 March 1938 by Sir Phillip Street (KCMG). Much of the groundwork to enable the purchase of the land by the Wildlife Preservation Society in January 1937 was done by Thistle Harris. The reserve cost the Society 364 pounds 19 shillings and 7 pence (which converts to around 730 dollars!). The volunteer bush care group meet on the 3rd Sunday of each month usually at the Palmgrove Road entrance. – Geoff Searl, President of the Avalon Beach Historical Society - photo courtesy ABHS
The Birds Laughed!
A PARTY of our C.P. girls accompanied Cinderella to Avalon on March 19 to attend the official opening of the Angophora Reserve, a forest sanctuary purchased by the Wild Life Preservation Society and dedicated to the conservation of Sydney's largest redgum (Angophora Ianceolata), a giant possibly 1000 years old, but still in his prime. As the different speakers addressed the guests scattered over the grass, on the importance of preserving our beautiful bush and teaching the young generation to reverence such splendid national treasures as our forests contain, loud applause came from an unexpected quarter. A group of kookaburras had accepted the invitation for all forest-lovers to celebrate the day, and shouted their glee from the branches overhead. It was the mast eloquent of all the tributes paid that day to the value of tree-conservation. Who says that birds can't understand?
The Birds Laughed! (1938, March 30). Sydney Mail (NSW : 1912 - 1938), p. 63. Retrieved from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article166229598
Searle, E. W. Red gum, angophora lanceolata, Avalon, New South Wales, circa. 1935 Retrieved from http://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-142184682
THE OPENING CEREMONY, ANGOPHORA PARK, AVALON, 19th MARCH, 1938
The ceremony took place beneath the giant Angophora (Red Gum) which is estimated to be 1,000 years old. In this native bushland, only one hour's run from the city, flora and fauna will find sanctuary for all time, thanks to the enterprise of Mr. David G. Stead, the Wild Life Preservation Society and Mr. A. J. Small who released the land at a tithe of its value.
THE OPENING CEREMONY, ANGOPHORA PARK, AVALON, 19th MARCH, 1938 (1938, April 6). Construction and Real Estate Journal (Sydney, NSW : 1930 - 1938), p. 8. Retrieved from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article222925313
AVALON
Another Contribution by A. J. Small
When the history of Avalon is written, one man's name in particular will be outstanding. It is that of Mr. A. J. Small. Not only has he given headlands and parklands to the people to preserve for them vantage points from which ocean views can be seen for all time, but he is still giving. His last act of graciousness was when he gave an area of seven acres of land at half value in order that the Wild Life Preservation Society could acquire its Angophora Park. Mr. Small also erected the fence and iron gates, made the approach, built the steps, and cleared the paths so that the giant Angophora (sometimes called Red Gum) which is said to be 1,000 years old and of immense girth, may be viewed in its natural surroundings. At the time of the opening (by Sir Phillip Street on March 19th) there was an improvised orchestra of birds — butcher birds, soldier birds, warblers, and jackasses, in fact a representative from practically all the feathered families — which came down to look curiously on the people who attended the opening and to contribute, to the scene. Afterwards, 100 invited guests accepted Mr. Small's hospitality to afternoon tea at the New Golf House at Avalon. The fine golf course there has not a club. All visitors can play there on an equal footing, and in this respect it occupies a unique position among the metropolitan golf courses. The new building, illustrated herewith, is of white sandstone with buttressed corners. The internal walls are of brick. In the lower storey are locker and retiring rooms for golfers with hot and cold showers for both sexes. The upper walls are shingled and the roof is covered with semi' glazed brown tiles. It is mainly occupied by a large combined lounge and dining room about 60 feet in length. The flooring is of tallowwood designed for dancing. For log fires in winter, an open fireplace, framed in 9in. x 2in. briquettes, has been provided, with a hearth of 9 feet wide. Manchurian Ash of exceptional figure lines the lounge artistically furnished in autumn tints. The architect for the golf building was E. Lindsay Thompson, and F. C. Fripp, the builder. AVALON (1938, April 6). Construction and Real Estate Journal (Sydney, NSW : 1930 - 1938), , p. 8. Retrieved from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article222925312
Rare Turtle Surprises Boambee Beach Fisher
January 2018: NPWS
An early morning fishing trip had one local reeling with surprise when they spotted a marine turtle nesting on Boambee Beach on Tuesday morning (9/1) the first on record.
Coffs Harbour local and National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS), Aboriginal Field Officer Mick Phillips was fishing before sunrise and saw turtle tracks leading from the surf to the back of the beach.
“It was such a surprise to find the turtle tracks which looked like someone had rolled a large tractor tyre up the beach,” Mr Phillips said.
“The real pleasure however, was to see the turtle lay its eggs, cover the nest with sand then make its way safely back into the ocean.
“I am really glad to be able to say, this was one that got away,” he said.
Coffs Harbour-based NPWS Ranger Ann Walton said the nesting event is exciting news as there are no recent records of turtles nesting on Boambee Beach.
“It is believed to be a green turtle which is a species at risk of extinction in NSW so even one nest is highly significant,” Ann said.
“The temperature of the sand determines the sex of the hatchlings.
“Warmer sand means most will be female and cooler temperatures mean more males will be hatched.
“A temperature logger has been buried with the nest to monitor sand temperatures throughout the incubation period.
“The area has been fenced off and will remain fenced until the eggs hatch.
“If the nest is undisturbed the hatchlings are expected appear around Easter.
“People using Boambee Beach especially 4wd users and dog owners are asked to keep away from the nest site.
“People who find turtles nesting or their tracks are asked to contact the NPWS office at Coffs Harbour. Telephone 02 66502900.
To find out more about green turtles visit: Saving Our Species
Photos: by A Walton/NPWS Turtle nest on Boambee Beach on 9 January 2018, the first on record. All four species of marine turtle found in NSW are listed as threatened or endangered even one nest is highly significant. People using Boambee Beach especially 4wd users and dog owners are asked to keep away from the nest site. People who find turtles nesting or their tracks are asked to contact the NPWS.
Green Turtle (Chelonia Mydas)
The green sea turtle (Chelonia mydas), also known as the green turtle, black (sea) turtle or Pacific green turtle, is a large sea turtle of the family Cheloniidae. It is the only species in the genus Chelonia. Its range extends throughout tropical and subtropical seas around the world, with two distinct populations in the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, but it is also found in the Indian Ocean. The common name comes from the usually green fat found beneath its carapace; these turtles' shells are olive to black.
This sea turtle's dorsoventrally flattened body is covered by a large, teardrop-shaped carapace; it has a pair of large, paddle-like flippers. It is usually lightly colored, although in the eastern Pacific populations parts of the carapace can be almost black. Unlike other members of its family, such as the hawksbill sea turtle, C. mydas is mostly herbivorous. The adults usually inhabit shallow lagoons, feeding mostly on various species of seagrasses. The turtles bite off the tips of the blades of seagrass, which keeps the grass healthy.
Like other sea turtles, green sea turtles migrate long distances between feeding grounds and hatching beaches. Many islands worldwide are known as Turtle Island due to green sea turtles nesting on their beaches. Females crawl out on beaches, dig nests and lay eggs during the night. Later, hatchlings emerge and scramble into the water. Those that reach maturity may live to 80 years in the wild.
C. mydas is listed as endangered by the IUCN and CITES and is protected from exploitation in most countries. It is illegal to collect, harm or kill them. In addition, many countries have laws and ordinances to protect nesting areas. However, turtles are still in danger due to human activity. In some countries, turtles and their eggs are hunted for food. Pollution indirectly harms turtles at both population and individual scales. Many turtles die after being caught in fishing nets. Also, real estate development often causes habitat loss by eliminating nesting beaches.
Significant nesting grounds are scattered throughout the entire Pacific region, including Mexico, the Hawaiian Islands, the South Pacific, the northern coast of Australia, and Southeast Asia. Major Indian Ocean nesting colonies include India, Pakistan, and other coastal countries.
Green sea turtles move across three habitat types, depending on their life stage. They lay eggs on beaches. Mature turtles spend most of their time in shallow, coastal waters with lush seagrass beds. Adults frequent inshore bays, lagoons and shoals with lush seagrass meadows. Entire generations often migrate between one pair of feeding and nesting areas. Green sea turtles, Chelonia mydas, are classified as an aquatic species and are distributed around the globe in warm tropical to subtropical waters. The environmental parameter that limits the distribution of the turtles is ocean temperatures below 7 to 10 degrees Celsius.[49] Within their geographical range, the green sea turtles generally stay near continental and island coastlines. Near the coastlines, the green sea turtles live within shallow bays and protected shores. In these protected shores and bays, the green sea turtle habitats include coral reefs, salt marshes, and nearshore seagrass beds.
Green sea turtles migrate long distances between feeding sites and nesting sites; some swim more than 2,600 kilometres (1,600 mi) to reach their spawning grounds. Beaches in Southeast Asia, India, islands in the western Pacific, and Central America are where Green sea turtles breed.
Sea turtles return to the beaches on which they were born to lay their own eggs. The reason for returning to native beaches may be that it guarantees the turtles an environment that has the necessary components for their nesting to be successful. These include a sandy beach, easy access for the hatchlings to get to the ocean, the right incubation temperatures, and low probability of predators that may feed on their eggs. Over time these turtles have evolved these tendencies to return to an area that has provided reproductive success for many generations. Their ability to return to their birthplace is known as natal homing.
Clutch size ranges between 85 and 200, depending on the age of the female. This process takes about an hour to an hour and a half. After the nest is completely covered, she returns to the sea. The female will do this 3 to 5 times in one season.
The eggs are round and white, and about 45 mm in diameter. The hatchlings remain buried for days until they all emerge together at night. At around 50 to 70 days, the eggs hatch during the night, and the hatchlings instinctively head directly into the water. This is the most dangerous time in a turtle's life. As they walk, predators, such as gulls and crabs, feed on them. A significant percentage never make it to the ocean. Little is known of the initial life history of newly hatched sea turtles. Juveniles spend three to five years in the open ocean before they settle as still-immature juveniles into their permanent shallow-water lifestyle. It is speculated that they take twenty to fifty years to reach sexual maturity. Individuals live up to eighty years in the wild.
From Wikipedia
Green sea turtle grazing on seagrass - photo by P.Lindgren
World Wetlands Day 2018
Wetlands for a Sustainable Urban Future is the theme for World Wetlands Day in 2018.
Urban wetlands make cities liveable in many important ways. They reduce flooding, replenish drinking water, filter waste, provide urban green spaces, and are a source of livelihoods. These wetland benefits grow ever more crucial as the number of people living in cities has now passed the 4 billion mark and continues to rise.
By 2050, 66% of humanity will live in cities, as people move into urban areas searching for better jobs.
Unfortunately, most people are unaware of the value and importance of urban wetlands. In fast-growing cities, wetlands are often viewed as wasteland; places to dump rubbish, fill in or convert to other uses.
Scientists estimate that at least 64% of the world’s wetlands have disappeared since 1900, while in parallel, cities have exploded in growth.
World Wetlands Day 2018 aims to raise awareness about how urban wetlands contribute to the future of sustainable cities.
Key messages
- Urban wetlands make cities liveable by providing multiple benefits such as; flood control, water supply, waste treatment, green space and livelihoods.
- Urban wetlands should be integrated into a city’s sustainable future planning and development; not viewed as wasteland.
- Cities should adopt policies and actions which help conserve and promote urban wetlands
Retain and restore: practical ways cities can manage and preserve urban wetlands
Urban planners and decision-makers face a practical dilemma: how to meet the increasing demand for land in cities while still preserving the natural environment. Urban wetlands play a vital role in making cities safe, resilient and sustainable; the aims of SDG 11.
International Year Of The Reef (IYOR)
The Third International Year Of The Reef (IYOR 2018) @IYOR2018 / #IYOR2018
At the 31st General Meeting (November 2016 in Paris, France), the International Coral Reef Initiative declared 2018 as the third International Year of the Reef and encourages to:
- strengthen awareness globally about the value of, and threats to, coral reefs and associated ecosystems;
- promote partnerships between governments, the private sector, academia and civil society on the management of coral reefs;
- identify and implement effective management strategies for conservation, increased resiliency and sustainable use of these ecosystems and promoting best practices; and
- share information on best practices in relation to sustainable coral reef management.
History
1997 was declared the first International Year of the Reef (IYOR), in response to the increasing threats on coral reefs and associated ecosystems, such as mangroves and sea grasses around the world. IYOR was a global effort to increase awareness and understanding on the values and threats to coral reefs, and to support related conservation, research and management efforts. Over 225 organizations in 50 countries and territories participated, and over 700 articles in papers and magazines were generated, and hundreds of scientific surveys were undertaken.
Recognising that, ten years later, there continued to be an urgent need to increase awareness and understanding of coral reefs, and to further conserve and manage valuable coral reefs and associated ecosystems, the International Coral Reef Initiative designated 2008 as the second International Year of the Reef, IYOR 2008 (Resolution to Designate 2008 as the International Year of the Reef).
IYOR 2008 was a year-long campaign of events and initiatives hosted by governments and non-governmental organizations around the world, to promote conservation action and strengthen long-term collaborations for coral reef conservation.
IYOR 2008 Goals were the following:
- Strengthen awareness about ecological, economic, social and cultural value of coral reefs and associated ecosystems
- Improve understanding of the critical threats to reefs and generate both practical and innovative solutions to reduce these threats
- Generate urgent action to develop and implement effective management strategies for conservation and sustainable use of these ecosystems.
Nations, organizations, and individuals around the world celebrated the International Year of the Reef 2008 (IYOR 2008): from international organizations to village children, to raise awareness about the value and importance of coral reefs and to motivate people to take action to protect them. A tremendous amount of material was produced in several languages during that year, including educational DVDs, posters, children's books, and much more. More than 630 events were organized in over 65 countries and territories around the world. IYOR 2008 has now come to an end, but the spirit lives on... To learn more about the IYOR 2008 accomplishment, download the IYOR Report.
Recognizing that public awareness is an essential element of coral reef conservation and is necessary to ensure that the value of and the threats to coral reefs are understood by the general public, and that sufficient resources are devoted to conservation and sustainable use of coral reefs and associated ecosystems; noting the importance of developing relevant public awareness initiatives that reflect national and regional priorities as well as local culture and knowledge concerning coral reefs and to facilitate public involvement in coral reef conservation related activities in all countries; and acknowledging the success of the International Year of the Reef 2008 in raising awareness of the importance of coral reefs and associated ecosystems; ICRI members adopted a recommendation on continuing coral reef awareness efforts.
The International Coral Reef Initiative (ICRI) is an informal partnership between Nations and organizations which strives to preserve coral reefs and related ecosystems around the world.
Although the Initiative is an informal group whose decisions are not binding on its members, its actions have been pivotal in continuing to highlight globally the importance of coral reefs and related ecosystems to environmental sustainability, food security and social and cultural wellbeing. The work of ICRI is regularly acknowledged in United Nations documents, highlighting the Initiative’s important cooperation, collaboration and advocacy role within the international arena.
Brief history
The Initiative was founded in 1994 by eight governments: Australia, France, Japan, Jamaica, the Philippines, Sweden, the United Kingdom, and the United States of America. It was announced at the First Conference of the Parties of the Convention on Biological Diversity in December 1994, and at the high level segment of the Intersessional Meeting of the U.N. Commission on Sustainable Development in April 1995. ICRI now counts more than 60 members.
Objectives
ICRI emerged out of the recognition that coral reefs and related ecosystems found in tropical and sub-tropical regions are facing serious degradation, primarily due to anthropogenic stresses. Many nations face similar threats to coral reefs and related ecosystems as well as similar management problems. Recognising this, ICRI’s objectives are to:
- Encourage the adoption of best practice in sustainable management of coral reefs and associated ecosystems
- Build capacity
- Raise awareness at all levels on the plight of coral reefs around the world.
ICRI adopted a ‘Call to Action’ and a ‘Framework for Action’ as its foundational documents. Both documents set the four cornerstones of ICRI: Integrated Management; Science; Capacity Building and Review.
Find out more at: https://www.icriforum.org/
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Locally:
Palm Beach Seaweed Contributes To Reef Restoration - Bald Reef Gets New Growth With Seaweed Transplant - Issue 146, 2014
Operation Crayweed Update: Success As North Bondi Restoration Works Produce Next Generation Of Crayweed Also: Green Globe Award For UNSW SIMs Operation Crayweed Project - Issue 334, 2017
Learn To Swim Coastal Platform Tour - Issue 98, 2013
Avalon Boomerang Bags
Tuesdays
11am-5pm @ sewcraft cook
Unit 20/14 Polo Ave Mona Vale
Boomerang Bags is a bag-share initiative involving the installation of a number of ‘Boomerang Bag’ boxes throughout any given business district, shopping centre, street or market. Each box is stocked with re-useable bags for customers to borrow if they have forgotten to bring their own.
Unlike the traditional purchase-and-keep approach, Boomerang Bags are free, and local community members are responsible for returning the bags once they’re no longer required. The availability of free re-useable bags reduces the reliance of local businesses to supply bags to all customers, and encourages a mentality of re-use among local communities, thereby reducing the amount of plastic bag material entering our landfills and waterways.
So who makes the Boomerang Bags? Well, you do! Boomerang Bags are made by local communities for local communities, and are sewn from recycled and donated materials.
Get in touch if you'd like to donate materials, join us making bags, or implement Boomerang Bags in your own local area!
Permaculture Northern Beaches 2018 Events
Manly • Warringah • Pittwater | SydneyPermaculture Northern Beaches (PNB) is an active local group based on Sydney's Northern Beaches. Our parent body is Permaculture Sydney North.
PNB hold monthly permaculture related events on the 4th Thursday of each month at 7:15pm at the Nelson Heather Community Centre, Banksia Room, 5 Jacksons Rd, Warriewood
ZERO WASTE IN YOUR HOME
Sunday, February 11, 2018: 2:00pm – 5:00pm
Learn about the many ways you can reduce household waste in your home from food waste to single-use plastics as well as reusing and upcycling options. Household waste ends up in landfill and contributes to green house gas emissions.
Develop your own action plan to take your household waste down to zero. The workshop is at Avalon, for inquiries please contact: p.n.b@hotmail.com
This is part of our Green Home initiative and our focus in February and March for a non-toxic lifestyle made possible by the community grant program from the Northern Beaches Council.
LOW TOXIC LIFE
Thursday, February 22, 2018: 7:15pm – 9:00pm
Nellson Heather Comunity centre
5 Jacksons Road, North Narrabeen
onight's presentation on a low tox life is for people curious about HOW to and WHY to lower their toxic load, and then helps them do that in a positive, empowered way across home, body, mind and food. Alexx Stuart is a speaker who brings the concept of the Low Tox Life to life through her speaking and workshops across the globe leaving audiences feeling hopeful and positive about detoxing your life. This can range from products you use in your home, bathroom, on your body, what we eat and what we plant in the garden.
Start the year with a detox!
7:15 Pm at Nelson Heather Centre, Banksia room, 5 Jacksons Road, North Narrabeen. Entry is by donation, all welcome!!
We also have a swap table for any items from your garden or items to reuse for others. There is organic teas and coffees available, bring a plate of food to share.
AUTUMN SEED WORKSHOP + GARDEN TOUR
Sunday, March 25, 2018: 2:00pm – 5:00pm
For anyone interested in Seed Saving, join our PNB seed saving afternoon at Bungan Edible Sanctuary. Every three months, we meet to exchange seeds, package up excess seeds for distributing at the PNB monthly meeting and share whatever knowledge we have about seeds, seed saving and what grows well in our area.
This seed workshop will also include a garden tour around Bungun Edible Sanctuary which includes aquaculture, native bees, raised beds, chickens and a lot more.
Bring along seeds to swap that you are pretty sure are open-pollinated (not hybrid) and have been sourced from your own garden, or from somewhere you know OR bring a plate of food or healthy drinks to share around the table.
Please register for the Seed workshop by emailing JJ – jj@moksha7.com
ECO PRODUCTS MAKING WORKSHOP
Sunday, April 15, 2018: 2:00pm – 5:00pm
Learn how to make Eco-cleaning products such as dish washing liquid, householder cleaning spray, toilet cleaner, and furniture polish. We also make skin care products such as organic body moisturiser, essential oil perfumes and natural tooth powder.
Today's workshop at Avalon will involve making these products with an experienced team so as you can them make them for your own use at home. Spaces are limited. If you would like to be involved in the team and this workshop at Avalon please book your place by email to : maria.i.claverol@gmail.com
We are exposed to over 2,000 chemicals in our homes. For many of us this is the most exposure we will receive in our daily lives. This workshop is an easy and effective way to use non-chemical and non-petroleum based products.
This is part of our Green Home initiative and our focus in February and March for a non-toxic lifestyle made possible by the community grant program from the Northern Beaches Council.
INTRODUCTION TO PERMACULTURE WEEKEND COURSE
Saturday, April 28, 2018 – Sunday, April 29, 2018: 9:30am
WANT TO TAKE SUSTAINABLE LIVING TO THE NEXT LEVEL?
This two-day permaculture course is a great overview of all aspects of permaculture - so as to enable you to take the next steps to incorporate this into your life. Over the weekend we will cover topics from organic gardening, sustainable housing, soil, site analysis for your garden/site, permaculture design, and zoning. You will receive an Introduction to Permaculture certificate and a copy of Bill Mollison's book " Introduction to Permaculture." The course will be held at the Coastal Environment Centre (CEC) on Pelican Walk, Narrabeen Lagoon. This will also allow for some practical exercises such as PLANTING A RAISED BED GARDENand NATIVE BEES. You will learn how to include permaculture design in your own home and garden.
The course will be from 09:30 - 4:30 pm on both days. For bookings and information please contact - elle232@gmail.com with the subject heading ITP April 2018.
Teachers for the weekend include Margaret Mossakowska, biologist, and Moss House Sustainability founder and Michelle Sheather, international ecologist, Permaculture Northern Beaches coordination team.
Cost: $290 for permaculture group members, $330 for non-members, concessions available for students, pensioners, unemployed.
BOOK NOW AS PLACE ARE LIMITED!
SMALL SPACE GARDENING WORKSHOP
Saturday, May 12, 2018: 10:00am – 1:00pm
BIG IDEAS FOR SMALL SPACES
There are many scenarios where garden space is minimal including rental properties; apartments with balconies; townhouses with small courtyards; retirement homes; caravan parks; community garden allotments and many suburban blocks.
This workshop on small space gardening is to help you make the most of the space you have. You will learn techniques such as stacking, hanging pots, lattices, using narrow niches and wall and fence spaces, portable grow bags, clever plant choices such as dwarf varieties and low maintenance plants that take up minimum space with a high yield.
Design your garden to optimise your space. Join Angela Penn, kitchen garden teacher at Manly West Primary School; and science teacher for this workshop at Manly Vale Community Garden.
Organised by PNB in cooperation with Backyard in a Box. Bookings are essential inquiries: kiri@backyardinabox.com.au
Myna Action Group
Pittwater Natural Heritage Association (PNHA)
Indian Mynas - what a pest - like flying rats.
Contact us on pnhainfo@gmail.com for more information and have a look athttps://www.facebook.com/MynaProblems/
Indian Mynas are displacing our native birds. They often nest in and around shops where their food source is. I took this one down this morning in Avalon (no chicks or eggs but I disturbed the female). There were literally hundreds of tiny bits of plastic in the nest which makes you think that all this plastic would be swilling down the stormwater drains into the sea.
Living Ocean
Website: www.livingocean.org.au
Living Ocean was born in Whale Beach, on the Northern Beaches of Sydney, surrounded by water and set in an area of incredible beauty.Living Ocean is a charity that promotes the awareness of human impact on the ocean, through research, education, creative activity in the community, and support of others who sustain ocean health and integrity.
And always celebrating and honouring the natural environment and the lifestyle that the ocean offers us.
Our whale research program builds on research that has been conducted off our coastline by our experts over many years and our Centre for Marine Studies enables students and others to become directly involved.
Through partnerships with individuals and organizations, we conceive, create and coordinate campaigns that educate all layers of our community – from our ‘No Plastic Please’ campaign, which is delivered in partnership with local schools, to film nights and lectures, aimed at the wider community.
Additionally, we raise funds for ocean-oriented conservation groups such as Sea Shepherd.
Donations are tax-deductable
Permaculture Northern Beaches
Facebook page: www.facebook.com/permaculturenb
Want to know where your food is coming from?
Do you like to enrich the earth as much as benefit from it?
Find out more here:
Secrets Of Longevity Protein Revealed In New Study
January 17, 2018: Yale University
Named after the Greek goddess who spun the thread of life, Klotho proteins play an important role in the regulation of longevity and metabolism. In a recent Yale-led study, researchers revealed the three-dimensional structure of one of these proteins, beta-Klotho, illuminating its intricate mechanism and therapeutic potential.
Klotho proteins. Credit: Image courtesy of Yale University
The study findings, published in Nature, could have implications for therapies developed to treat a wide range of medical conditions, including diabetes, obesity, and certain cancers, the researchers said.
The Klotho family of two receptor proteins are located on the surface of cells of specific tissues. The proteins bind to a family of hormones, designated endocrine FGFs, that regulate critical metabolic processes in the liver, kidneys, and brain, among other organs. To understand how beta-Klotho works, the research team used X-ray crystallography, a technique that provides high-resolution, three-dimensional views of these proteins.
The researchers' analysis yielded several insights. First, beta-Klotho is the primary receptor that binds to FGF21, a key hormone produced upon starvation. When bound to beta-Klotho, FGF21 stimulates insulin sensitivity and glucose metabolism, causing weight loss. This new understanding of beta-Klotho and FGF21 can guide the development of therapies for conditions such as type 2 diabetes in obese patients, the researchers said.
"Like insulin, FGF21 stimulates metabolism including glucose uptake," said Joseph Schlessinger, senior author and chair of pharmacology at Yale School of Medicine. "In animals and in some clinical trials of FGF21, it shows that you can increase burning of calories without changing food intake, and we now understand how to improve the biological activity of FGF21." The authors also describe a new variant of FGF21 that has 10 times higher potency and cellular activity.
Additionally, the research team presented evidence of how a structurally-related enzyme, glycosidase, which breaks down sugars, evolved into a receptor for a hormone that lowers blood sugar -- which may not be a coincidence, Schlessinger added.
Having untangled the structure of beta-Klotho, Schlessinger and his colleagues have a platform for exploring potential therapies for multiple diseases. By developing drugs that enhance the pathway, he said, researchers can target diabetes and obesity. Conversely, using agents that block the pathway, they hope to explore therapies for conditions such as liver cancer and bone diseases, among others.
"The next step will be to make better hormones, make new potent blockers, do animal studies, and move forward," Schlessinger said.
Sangwon Lee, Jungyuen Choi, Jyotidarsini Mohanty, Leiliane P. Sousa, Francisco Tome, Els Pardon, Jan Steyaert, Mark A. Lemmon, Irit Lax, Joseph Schlessinger. Structures of β-klotho reveal a ‘zip code’-like mechanism for endocrine FGF signalling. Nature, 2018; DOI:10.1038/nature25010
Census Reveals Australia’s Religious Diversity On World Religion Day
18 January 2018: by ABS
World Religion Day aims to foster interfaith understanding and harmony, and is an opportunity to recognise the diversity of religion present in modern day Australia.
The 2016 Census of Population and Housing found that three-fifths of the Australian population (61 per cent, or 14 million people) are affiliated with a religion or spiritual belief.
Christianity is once again the dominant religion in Australia, with 12 million people, and 86 per cent of religious Australians, identifying as Christians. There was roughly a seven per cent drop in the number of Christians since 2011. More than two in five (43 per cent) of Christians are Catholic, the largest broad denomination, while a quarter are Anglican (25 per cent).
Just over two million Australians indicated a religion other than Christianity, accounting for 14 per cent of religious people and eight per cent of the total population.
Australia is home to a diverse collection of people, and this is also apparent through the wide variety of different religions recorded on the Census.
The most prominent non-Christian religions are Islam (600,000 people), Buddhism (560,000), Hinduism (440,000), Sikhism (130,000) and Judaism (90,000). Sikhism is in fact the fastest-growing religion in Australia since 2011 (74 per cent increase) ahead of Hinduism (60 per cent increase).
Other Spiritual beliefs practised by Australians include Middle Eastern religions (Baha’i, Mandaean, Druse, Zoroastrianism and Yezidi), Nature religions (Paganism, Wiccan, Animism and Druidism), East Asian beliefs (Taoism, Confucianism, Ancestor Veneration and Shinto), and Australian Aboriginal traditional beliefs.
Although Australia remains a predominantly religious country, about one third of all Australians (30 per cent, or 7 million people) indicated either ‘No Religion’ or a secular belief such as Atheism, Humanism or Agnosticism. The number of people indicating they had ‘No Religion’ has increased by almost 50 per cent from 2011 to 2016.
The 2016 Census also found:
- Islam and Australian Aboriginal traditional beliefs were the religions with the youngest median age (27 years), while Christianity and Judaism both have a median age of 44 years.
- The most urbanised religions are Mandaean, Druse and Jainism – with 99 per cent of Mandaeans, 98 per cent of Druse and 96 per cent of Jains living in a capital city. The least urbanised religion is Australian Aboriginal traditional beliefs (20 per cent), ahead of Paganism and Wicca (56 per cent and 57 per cent respectively).
- Hindus and Jains are most likely to be born overseas, with over four-fifths (81 per cent) emigrating from other countries – predominantly India.
- The religion with the highest proportion of females to males is Wiccan, with 26 males per 100 females, compared to the national ratio of 97 males per 100 females. The religion with the highest proportion of males to females is Rastafari, with 346 males per 100 females.
- Although not a recognised religion in Australia, close to 48,000 people reported themselves as Jedi.
Further information on Australia’s religious diversity can be found at the ABS website, by using one of our online data tools – QuickStats and Community Profiles, and in our Reflecting Australia analytical article.
Miles Davis Is Not Mozart: The Brains Of Jazz And Classical Pianists Work Differently
January 16, 2018
A musician's brain is different to that of a non-musician. Making music requires a complex interplay of various abilities which are also reflected in more strongly developed brain structures. Scientists at the Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences (MPI CBS) in Leipzig have recently discovered that these capabilities are embedded in a much more finely-tuned way than previously assumed -- and even differ depending on the style of the music: They observed that the brain activity of jazz pianists differs from those of classical pianists, even when playing the same piece of music. This could give insight into the processes which generally take place while making music and which are specific for certain styles.
Keith Jarrett, world-famous jazz pianist, once answered in an interview when asked if he would ever be interested in doing a concert where he would play both jazz and classical music: "No, that's hilarious. [...] It's like a chosen practically impossible thing [...] It's [because of] the circuitry. Your system demands different circuitry for either of those two things." Where non-specialists tend to think that it should not be too challenging for a professional musician to switch between styles of music, such as jazz and classical, it is actually not as easy as one would assume, even for people with decades of experience.
Scientists at the Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences (MPI CBS) in Leipzig demonstrated that there could be a neuroscientific explanation for this phenomenon: They observed that while playing the piano, different processes occur in jazz and classical pianists' brains, even when performing the same piece.
When the scientists asked the pianists to play a harmonically unexpected chord within a standard chord progression, the jazz pianists' brains started to replan the actions faster than those of the classical pianists. This was measured by EEG (Electroencephalography) sensors on the back of the head, which detected the brain signals in the related brain regions responsible for action planing. © MPI CBS
"The reason could be due to the different demands these two styles pose on the musicians -- be it to skilfully interpret a classical piece or to creatively improvise in jazz. Thereby, different procedures may have established in their brains while playing the piano which makes switching between the styles more difficult," says Daniela Sammler, neuroscientist at MPI CBS and leader of the current study about the different brain activities in jazz and classical pianists.
One crucial distinction between the two groups of musicians is the way in which they plan movements while playing the piano. Regardless of the style, pianists, in principle, first have to know what they are going to play -- meaning the keys they have to press -- and, subsequently, how to play -- meaning the fingers they should use. It is the weighting of both planning steps, which is influenced by the genre of the music.
According to this, classical pianists focus their playing on the second step, the "How." For them it is about playing pieces perfectly regarding their technique and adding personal expression. Therefore, the choice of fingering is crucial. Jazz pianists, on the other hand, concentrate on the "What." They are always prepared to improvise and adapt their playing to create unexpected harmonies.
"Indeed, in the jazz pianists we found neural evidence for this flexibility in planning harmonies when playing the piano," states Roberta Bianco, first author of the study. "When we asked them to play a harmonically unexpected chord within a standard chord progression, their brains started to replan the actions faster than classical pianists. Accordingly, they were better able to react and continue their performance." Interestingly, the classical pianists performed better than the others when it came to following unusual fingering. In these cases their brains showed stronger awareness of the fingering, and consequently they made fewer errors while imitating the chord sequence.
The scientists investigated these relations in 30 professional pianists; half of them were specialized in jazz for at least two years, the other half were classically trained. All pianists got to see a hand on a screen which played a sequence of chords on a piano scattered with mistakes in harmonies and fingering. The professional pianists had to imitate this hand and react accordingly to the irregularities while their brain signals were registered with EEG (Electroencephalography) sensors on the head. To ensure that there were no other disturbing signals, for instance acoustic sound, the whole experiment was carried out in silence using a muted piano.
"Through this study, we unravelled how precisely the brain adapts to the demands of our surrounding environment," says Sammler. It also makes clear that it is not sufficient to just focus on one genre of music if we want to fully understand what happens in the brain when we perform music -- as it was done so far by just investigating Western classical music. "To obtain a bigger picture, we have to search for the smallest common denominator of several genres," Sammler explains. "Similar to research in language: To recognise the universal mechanisms of processing language we also cannot limit our research to German."
R. Bianco, G. Novembre, P.E. Keller, A. Villringer, D. Sammler. Musical genre-dependent behavioural and EEG signatures of action planning. A comparison between classical and jazz pianists.NeuroImage, 2018; 169: 383 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2017.12.058
Window Safety Device Requirements In Strata Schemes By March 13, 2018
To prevent children falling from windows, all strata buildings in NSW must be fitted with devices that enable the maximum window openings to be less than 12.5cm. Owners corporations must have devices installed on all common property windows above the ground floor by 13 March 2018. The safety devices must be robust and childproof.
Residents will still be able to open their windows. However, they will have the security of knowing that when the devices are engaged, children will be protected.
Details and answers to the below questions are available on the NSW Department of Fair Trading Page HERE
Which windows does this apply to?
Are there any alternatives to locks?
When do the window safety devices need to be installed?
Will this mean the windows will never be able to open?
How can we arrange for window safety devices in our scheme that won't cost a fortune?
If the windows have grills over them, do they still need locks?
How do I know if a window safety device is compliant?
Do I need a certified professional to install the window safety device?
As a lot owner, do I need to obtain permission to install a window safety device in my own lot?
Can the installation of window safety devices be delegated to each individual lot owner?
Information for manufacturers and suppliers
Information for building professionals
Are window safety devices included in the Tenancy Condition Report?
Is an owners corporation required to monitor the use of the window safety devices?
My window forms part of a swimming pool barrier, do the window safety requirements still apply?
Where can I get more information?
Which windows does this apply to?
The laws apply to openable windows where the internal floor is more than 2m above the ground surface outside and within a child's reach (less than 1.7m above the inside floor) - see the diagram below.
Further details are explained in the Strata Schemes Management Regulation 2016.
The window safety requirements in NSW are based on the Deem-to-Satisfy provisions D2.24 of the Building Code of Australia (BCA). The BCA is part of the National Construction Code of Australia (NCC). For more information on the BCA or the NCC, visit the Australian Building Codes Board website.
Are there any alternatives to locks?
The alternative is security screens, such as bars or grills on the windows so long as they have gaps less than 12.5cm. Flyscreens do not comply unless they are the reinforced security type and capable of resisting the very strong outward pressure which would prevent a child falling through.
For a handy window safety product guide, visit the Kids Don't Fly page on the NSW Health website. Information is provided in 11 languages.
When do the window safety devices need to be installed?
If the window safety requirements are not met by 13 March 2018, owners corporations may face fines. Leaving it to the last minute places your scheme at risk of not complying by the due date and leaves young children vulnerable to falls from windows in your scheme.
Lot owners may install a window safety device in their property at any time, letting the owners corporation know. Tenants must get written permission from their landlord before installing locks that require drilling. Landlords cannot refuse a tenant's request unless they have a very good reason.