Pittwater Environment Notes: Issue 376
Spring Flowers.
Swamp Oak, Casuarina glauca, trees are either male or female. Noticed a few brown ones just now? It's not drought, but the millions of rusty flowers of the male trees. Some of the billions of wind-blown pollen grains land on the hairy red tiny female flowers, which later develop woody capsules containing winged seeds.These are in Bilarong Reserve.
Information and photos by Pittwater Natural Heritage Association (PNHA)
Swamp Oak, Casuarina glauca, trees are either male or female.
Noticed a few brown ones just now? It's not drought, but the millions of rusty flowers of the male trees.
Some of the billions of wind-blown pollen grains land on the hairy red tiny female flowers, which later develop woody capsules containing winged seeds.
These are in Bilarong Reserve.
Information and photos by Pittwater Natural Heritage Association (PNHA)
Swans On Narrabeen Lagoon
Swans feeding on Narrabeen Lagoon 12.9.18, in the little bay where a proposed aquatic walkway could damage their habitat. We are negotiating for a widened onshore track instead. - Pittwater Natural Heritage Association (PNHA).
Swans feeding on Narrabeen Lagoon 12.9.18, in the little bay where a proposed aquatic walkway could damage their habitat. We are negotiating for a widened onshore track instead. - Pittwater Natural Heritage Association (PNHA).
Birdlife Along The Careel Creek Corridor
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Australian king parrot Alisterus scapularis
Australian king parrot Alisterus scapularis
Warming: Peatlands Will Store More Carbon Initially, But That Will Change
September 10, 2018: University of QueenslandPeatlands are extremely effective at storing carbon, but an international study featuring a University of Queensland researcher has found climate change could stop that.
The group investigated how peatlands -- swamps and bogs with organic rich soils -- have responded to climate variability between 850 BCE and 1850 CE.
Associate Professor Patrick Moss, from UQ's School of Earth and Environmental Sciences, believes the research is critical in understanding how climate affects the absorption properties of peatlands.
"Peatlands store between 530 to 694 billion tons of carbon globally," he said.
"So as our world warms, it's important to know how their carbon uptake might change, with possibly big repercussions for the future.
"Carbon is absorbed as peatland plants grow, and eventually turns into peat itself, but at the same time decomposing plants and microbes release it, so it's a fine balance."
The research revealed that the capacity for carbon to build up in peatlands was much higher in temperate regions during warmer periods, but was much less during the same warm periods in the tropics.
"This suggests that carbon accumulation is lower under warmer climate regimes," Associate Professor Moss said.
"This has important ramifications as it suggests that peatland carbon sinks will initially store more carbon -- counteracting warming to some extent -- before switching to releasing more carbon and reinforcing global warming.
"Applying this information to future climate change scenarios suggests that the present day peatland carbon sink will increase slightly until 2100 CE, but then decline."
Associate Professor Moss's observations were made at Moon Point on Fraser Island -the only site in Australia and New Zealand and one of the few in the Southern Hemisphere included in the study.
UQ and the University of Exeter have collaborated on the research and are considering further studies into peatlands and carbon dynamics in Australia, Indonesia and South America.
Angela V. Gallego-Sala, Dan J. Charman, Simon Brewer, Susan E. Page, I. Colin Prentice, Pierre Friedlingstein, Steve Moreton, Matthew J. Amesbury, David W. Beilman, Svante Björck, Tatiana Blyakharchuk, Christopher Bochicchio, Robert K. Booth, Joan Bunbury, Philip Camill, Donna Carless, Rodney A. Chimner, Michael Clifford, Elizabeth Cressey, Colin Courtney-Mustaphi, François De Vleeschouwer, Rixt de Jong, Barbara Fialkiewicz-Koziel, Sarah A. Finkelstein, Michelle Garneau, Esther Githumbi, John Hribjlan, James Holmquist, Paul D. M. Hughes, Chris Jones, Miriam C. Jones, Edgar Karofeld, Eric S. Klein, Ulla Kokfelt, Atte Korhola, Terri Lacourse, Gael Le Roux, Mariusz Lamentowicz, David Large, Martin Lavoie, Julie Loisel, Helen Mackay, Glen M. MacDonald, Markku Makila, Gabriel Magnan, Robert Marchant, Katarzyna Marcisz, Antonio Martínez Cortizas, Charly Massa, Paul Mathijssen, Dmitri Mauquoy, Timothy Mighall, Fraser J. G. Mitchell, Patrick Moss, Jonathan Nichols, Pirita O. Oksanen, Lisa Orme, Maara S. Packalen, Stephen Robinson, Thomas P. Roland, Nicole K. Sanderson, A. Britta K. Sannel, Noemí Silva-Sánchez, Natascha Steinberg, Graeme T. Swindles, T. Edward Turner, Joanna Uglow, Minna Väliranta, Simon van Bellen, Marjolein van der Linden, Bas van Geel, Guoping Wang, Zicheng Yu, Joana Zaragoza-Castells, Yan Zhao. Latitudinal limits to the predicted increase of the peatland carbon sink with warming. Nature Climate Change, 2018; DOI: 10.1038/s41558-018-0271-1
These are the peatlands of Moon Point on Queensland's Fraser Island. Credit: Patrick Moss
September 10, 2018: University of Queensland
Peatlands are extremely effective at storing carbon, but an international study featuring a University of Queensland researcher has found climate change could stop that.
The group investigated how peatlands -- swamps and bogs with organic rich soils -- have responded to climate variability between 850 BCE and 1850 CE.
Associate Professor Patrick Moss, from UQ's School of Earth and Environmental Sciences, believes the research is critical in understanding how climate affects the absorption properties of peatlands.
"Peatlands store between 530 to 694 billion tons of carbon globally," he said.
"So as our world warms, it's important to know how their carbon uptake might change, with possibly big repercussions for the future.
"Carbon is absorbed as peatland plants grow, and eventually turns into peat itself, but at the same time decomposing plants and microbes release it, so it's a fine balance."
The research revealed that the capacity for carbon to build up in peatlands was much higher in temperate regions during warmer periods, but was much less during the same warm periods in the tropics.
"This suggests that carbon accumulation is lower under warmer climate regimes," Associate Professor Moss said.
"This has important ramifications as it suggests that peatland carbon sinks will initially store more carbon -- counteracting warming to some extent -- before switching to releasing more carbon and reinforcing global warming.
"Applying this information to future climate change scenarios suggests that the present day peatland carbon sink will increase slightly until 2100 CE, but then decline."
Associate Professor Moss's observations were made at Moon Point on Fraser Island -the only site in Australia and New Zealand and one of the few in the Southern Hemisphere included in the study.
UQ and the University of Exeter have collaborated on the research and are considering further studies into peatlands and carbon dynamics in Australia, Indonesia and South America.
Angela V. Gallego-Sala, Dan J. Charman, Simon Brewer, Susan E. Page, I. Colin Prentice, Pierre Friedlingstein, Steve Moreton, Matthew J. Amesbury, David W. Beilman, Svante Björck, Tatiana Blyakharchuk, Christopher Bochicchio, Robert K. Booth, Joan Bunbury, Philip Camill, Donna Carless, Rodney A. Chimner, Michael Clifford, Elizabeth Cressey, Colin Courtney-Mustaphi, François De Vleeschouwer, Rixt de Jong, Barbara Fialkiewicz-Koziel, Sarah A. Finkelstein, Michelle Garneau, Esther Githumbi, John Hribjlan, James Holmquist, Paul D. M. Hughes, Chris Jones, Miriam C. Jones, Edgar Karofeld, Eric S. Klein, Ulla Kokfelt, Atte Korhola, Terri Lacourse, Gael Le Roux, Mariusz Lamentowicz, David Large, Martin Lavoie, Julie Loisel, Helen Mackay, Glen M. MacDonald, Markku Makila, Gabriel Magnan, Robert Marchant, Katarzyna Marcisz, Antonio Martínez Cortizas, Charly Massa, Paul Mathijssen, Dmitri Mauquoy, Timothy Mighall, Fraser J. G. Mitchell, Patrick Moss, Jonathan Nichols, Pirita O. Oksanen, Lisa Orme, Maara S. Packalen, Stephen Robinson, Thomas P. Roland, Nicole K. Sanderson, A. Britta K. Sannel, Noemí Silva-Sánchez, Natascha Steinberg, Graeme T. Swindles, T. Edward Turner, Joanna Uglow, Minna Väliranta, Simon van Bellen, Marjolein van der Linden, Bas van Geel, Guoping Wang, Zicheng Yu, Joana Zaragoza-Castells, Yan Zhao. Latitudinal limits to the predicted increase of the peatland carbon sink with warming. Nature Climate Change, 2018; DOI: 10.1038/s41558-018-0271-1
These are the peatlands of Moon Point on Queensland's Fraser Island. Credit: Patrick Moss
Australian Fur Seal Pup Population Is Shrinking
September 2018A census of annual pup production by Australian fur seal populations revealed the first reduction since species-wide protection was implemented in 1975, according to a study published September 5 in the open-access journal PLOS ONE by Rebecca McIntosh of the Phillip Island Nature Parks in Victoria, Australia, and colleagues. The study also shows that the long-term monitoring program for the Australian fur seal has effectively tracked population trends over time.
In the marine environment, monitoring the abundance and population trends of a top predator can provide measures of ecosystem health and management success. Fur seals, Arctocephalus pusillus doriferus, are important upper trophic level predators that, in Australia, are a protected marine species facing specific challenges related to fisheries and aquaculture management, ecotourism, potential impacts on seabirds, and response planning for oil spills and other emergencies. For these reasons, it is important to obtain accurate information about their abundance and population changes. An ad-hoc monitoring program coordinated across multiple stakeholders conducted a range-wide census of live pups in the Austral summers of 2002, 2007 and 2013. In the new study, McIntosh and colleagues set out to assess whether the monitoring program for the Australian fur seal is achieving its goals of determining pup abundance and estimating population trends.
The findings reveal that monitoring of the Australian fur seal between the 1970s and 2013 has effectively recorded population changes. The census successfully tracked signs of population recovery up to 2007. In addition, the 2013 census identified the first pup population decline, estimated to be 4.2% per year since 2007, since species-wide protection was implemented. According to the authors, the study highlights the importance of regularly assessing long-term monitoring programs and provides valuable information on how to effectively design and improve these programs.
Roland Pick, of Phillip Island Nature Parks, notes: "As wildlife managers it is important for us to regularly review our monitoring programs to examine the reliability of the information we have collected, and also to identify enhancements which may assist in a greater understanding of any population changes detected. We are currently using drone technology and Citizen Science programs at Phillip Island Nature Parks to enhance our monitoring of Seal Rocks as the largest breeding colony for the species."
Rebecca R. McIntosh, Steve P. Kirkman, Sam Thalmann, Duncan R. Sutherland, Anthony Mitchell, John P. Y. Arnould, Marcus Salton, David J. Slip, Peter Dann, Roger Kirkwood. Understanding meta-population trends of the Australian fur seal, with insights for adaptive monitoring. PLOS ONE, 2018; 13 (9): e0200253 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0200253
Fur seal pup. Credit: Phillip Island Nature Parks, CC-BY
September 2018
A census of annual pup production by Australian fur seal populations revealed the first reduction since species-wide protection was implemented in 1975, according to a study published September 5 in the open-access journal PLOS ONE by Rebecca McIntosh of the Phillip Island Nature Parks in Victoria, Australia, and colleagues. The study also shows that the long-term monitoring program for the Australian fur seal has effectively tracked population trends over time.
In the marine environment, monitoring the abundance and population trends of a top predator can provide measures of ecosystem health and management success. Fur seals, Arctocephalus pusillus doriferus, are important upper trophic level predators that, in Australia, are a protected marine species facing specific challenges related to fisheries and aquaculture management, ecotourism, potential impacts on seabirds, and response planning for oil spills and other emergencies. For these reasons, it is important to obtain accurate information about their abundance and population changes. An ad-hoc monitoring program coordinated across multiple stakeholders conducted a range-wide census of live pups in the Austral summers of 2002, 2007 and 2013. In the new study, McIntosh and colleagues set out to assess whether the monitoring program for the Australian fur seal is achieving its goals of determining pup abundance and estimating population trends.
The findings reveal that monitoring of the Australian fur seal between the 1970s and 2013 has effectively recorded population changes. The census successfully tracked signs of population recovery up to 2007. In addition, the 2013 census identified the first pup population decline, estimated to be 4.2% per year since 2007, since species-wide protection was implemented. According to the authors, the study highlights the importance of regularly assessing long-term monitoring programs and provides valuable information on how to effectively design and improve these programs.
Roland Pick, of Phillip Island Nature Parks, notes: "As wildlife managers it is important for us to regularly review our monitoring programs to examine the reliability of the information we have collected, and also to identify enhancements which may assist in a greater understanding of any population changes detected. We are currently using drone technology and Citizen Science programs at Phillip Island Nature Parks to enhance our monitoring of Seal Rocks as the largest breeding colony for the species."
Rebecca R. McIntosh, Steve P. Kirkman, Sam Thalmann, Duncan R. Sutherland, Anthony Mitchell, John P. Y. Arnould, Marcus Salton, David J. Slip, Peter Dann, Roger Kirkwood. Understanding meta-population trends of the Australian fur seal, with insights for adaptive monitoring. PLOS ONE, 2018; 13 (9): e0200253 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0200253
Fur seal pup. Credit: Phillip Island Nature Parks, CC-BY
Global Coastal Wetlands Need To Move Inland In Fight Against Climate Change
September 12, 2018: University of LincolnUp to 30 per cent of coastal wetlands could be lost globally by the year 2100 with a dramatic effect on global warming and coastal flooding, if action is not taken to protect them, new research warns.
The global study, led by researchers at the University of Lincoln, UK, suggests that the future of global coastal wetlands, including tidal marshes and mangroves, could be secured if they were able to migrate further inland.
Geographers examined localised data from around the globe on coastal elevation, tides, sediment availability, coastal population and estimates of sea level rise to assess whether coastal wetlands are likely to have enough sediment to increase their elevation at the rate sea levels will rise, or whether there is enough space to establish themselves further inland.
The results show there could be global coastal wetland gains of up to 60 per cent if more than a third of the areas had space to move inland. The use of more localised data provides more accurate global results than previous estimates which warned of catastrophic losses of up to 90 per cent -- but scientists say action must be taken now to save coastal wetlands from ever increasing sea levels.
The findings of the study have important implications for the future development of public policies, with the authors calling for an upscale in current efforts for coastal wetland restoration.
Coastal wetlands have a direct impact on global warming levels by helping to remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. They are also an important form of coastal protection, reducing the energy of waves and the intensity of storm surges, thereby reducing coastal erosion and coastal flooding.
The research was led by Dr Mark Schuerch from the University of Lincoln's School of Geography in collaboration with the universities of Cambridge and Southampton in the UK; University of Antwerp in Belgium; Christian-Albrechts University of Kiel and Humboldt-University in Germany; Monash University in Australia; Virginia Institute of Marine Science in the USA; the UN Environment World Conservation Monitoring Centre; and the Global Climate Forum.
Dr Schuerch said: "Rather than being an inevitable consequence of global rising sea levels, our findings indicate that large-scale coastal wetland loss might be avoidable if sufficient additional space can be created by increasing the number of innovative 'nature-based adaptation' solutions to coastal management. These enable coastal wetlands to migrate inland through displacement of coastal flood defences and the designation of nature reserve buffers in upland areas surrounding coastal wetlands. If these are strategically scaled up they could help coastal wetlands adapt to rising sea levels and protect rapidly increasing global coastal populations."
Further research is now needed to improve understanding of the adaption mechanisms of coastal wetlands to see level rise, particularly their ability to migrate inland.
Mark Schuerch, Tom Spencer, Stijn Temmerman, Matthew L. Kirwan, Claudia Wolff, Daniel Lincke, Chris J. McOwen, Mark D. Pickering, Ruth Reef, Athanasios T. Vafeidis, Jochen Hinkel, Robert J. Nicholls, Sally Brown. Future response of global coastal wetlands to sea-level rise. Nature, 2018; 561 (7722): 231 DOI: 10.1038/s41586-018-0476-5
A narrow strip of coastal salt marsh on the UK east coast (near Orford, Suffolk) where inland migration is inhibited by the presence of a sea dike. Global sea level rise will further squeeze this salt marsh and eventually drown it, unless additional accommodation space is created for the marsh to migrate inland. Credit: University of Lincoln
September 12, 2018: University of Lincoln
Up to 30 per cent of coastal wetlands could be lost globally by the year 2100 with a dramatic effect on global warming and coastal flooding, if action is not taken to protect them, new research warns.
The global study, led by researchers at the University of Lincoln, UK, suggests that the future of global coastal wetlands, including tidal marshes and mangroves, could be secured if they were able to migrate further inland.
Geographers examined localised data from around the globe on coastal elevation, tides, sediment availability, coastal population and estimates of sea level rise to assess whether coastal wetlands are likely to have enough sediment to increase their elevation at the rate sea levels will rise, or whether there is enough space to establish themselves further inland.
The results show there could be global coastal wetland gains of up to 60 per cent if more than a third of the areas had space to move inland. The use of more localised data provides more accurate global results than previous estimates which warned of catastrophic losses of up to 90 per cent -- but scientists say action must be taken now to save coastal wetlands from ever increasing sea levels.
The findings of the study have important implications for the future development of public policies, with the authors calling for an upscale in current efforts for coastal wetland restoration.
Coastal wetlands have a direct impact on global warming levels by helping to remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. They are also an important form of coastal protection, reducing the energy of waves and the intensity of storm surges, thereby reducing coastal erosion and coastal flooding.
The research was led by Dr Mark Schuerch from the University of Lincoln's School of Geography in collaboration with the universities of Cambridge and Southampton in the UK; University of Antwerp in Belgium; Christian-Albrechts University of Kiel and Humboldt-University in Germany; Monash University in Australia; Virginia Institute of Marine Science in the USA; the UN Environment World Conservation Monitoring Centre; and the Global Climate Forum.
Dr Schuerch said: "Rather than being an inevitable consequence of global rising sea levels, our findings indicate that large-scale coastal wetland loss might be avoidable if sufficient additional space can be created by increasing the number of innovative 'nature-based adaptation' solutions to coastal management. These enable coastal wetlands to migrate inland through displacement of coastal flood defences and the designation of nature reserve buffers in upland areas surrounding coastal wetlands. If these are strategically scaled up they could help coastal wetlands adapt to rising sea levels and protect rapidly increasing global coastal populations."
Further research is now needed to improve understanding of the adaption mechanisms of coastal wetlands to see level rise, particularly their ability to migrate inland.
Mark Schuerch, Tom Spencer, Stijn Temmerman, Matthew L. Kirwan, Claudia Wolff, Daniel Lincke, Chris J. McOwen, Mark D. Pickering, Ruth Reef, Athanasios T. Vafeidis, Jochen Hinkel, Robert J. Nicholls, Sally Brown. Future response of global coastal wetlands to sea-level rise. Nature, 2018; 561 (7722): 231 DOI: 10.1038/s41586-018-0476-5
A narrow strip of coastal salt marsh on the UK east coast (near Orford, Suffolk) where inland migration is inhibited by the presence of a sea dike. Global sea level rise will further squeeze this salt marsh and eventually drown it, unless additional accommodation space is created for the marsh to migrate inland. Credit: University of Lincoln
Breakthrough In Schizophrenia Identifies Importance Of Immune Cells
September 13, 2018: NEURA/UNSW
Researchers from NeuRA and UNSW have made a major discovery in schizophrenia research that could open doors to new treatments, research and therapies.
In one of the biggest breakthroughs in schizophrenia research in recent times, Professor Cynthia Shannon Weickert from Neuroscience Research Australia (NeuRA) and UNSW Sydney has identified immune cells in greater amounts in the brains of some people with schizophrenia.
The study, published in Molecular Psychiatry, has the potential to transform global schizophrenia research and open new avenues for developing targeted immune cell therapies.
One in every 100 Australians lives with schizophrenia. No single cause of schizophrenia has been identified, and this has prevented the development of a cure. The current treatments for schizophrenia are designed to suppress symptoms rather than target underlying causes of the disorder. These drugs only partially relieve symptoms and can produce unwanted side effects.
Most scientists have had a long held belief that immune cells were independent from the brain pathology in psychotic illnesses, said Professor Shannon Weickert, who is the chair of NSW Chair of Schizophrenia Research based at NeuRA and the School of Psychiatry, UNSW.
“In our study, we challenged this assumption that immune cells were independent of the brain in psychiatric illness and made an exciting discovery. We identified immune cells as a new player in the brain pathology of schizophrenia,” said Professor Shannon Weickert.
Current schizophrenia research has focused on the status of three brain cells: the neurons; the glial cells, which support the neurons; and the endothelial cells, which coat the blood vessels. Employing new molecular techniques allowed Professor Shannon Weickert and her team to identify the presence of a fourth cell, the macrophage, a type of immune cell in the brain tissue of people with schizophrenia who show high levels of inflammation.
“Immune cells have previously been ignored as they had long been viewed simply as travelers just thought to be passing by, undertaking surveillance work. They have never been a suspect until now,” said Professor Shannon Weickert.
“To find immune cells along the blood brain barrier in increased amounts in people with schizophrenia is an exciting discovery. It suggests immune cells themselves may be producing these inflammatory signals in the brains of people living with schizophrenia.”
“We have observed in people with schizophrenia, the glial cells, one of the local residents, become inflamed and produce distress signals which change the status of the endothelial cells.
“We think this may cause the endothelial cells to extend sticky tentacles, so when the immune cells travel by some are captured. These cells may transmigrate across the blood brain barrier entering the brain in greater amounts in some people with schizophrenia compared to people without the disorder,” said Professor Shannon Weickert.
This discovery shows that specific immune cells are in the brains of some people with schizophrenia in close enough proximity to the neurons to do damage.
Professor Peter Schofield, CEO of NeuRA, said this innovative new research has the ability to possibly alter the diagnosis and treatment schizophrenia.
"This breakthrough demonstrates the value of the NSW Government's support for Professor Shannon Weickert as NSW Chair of Schizophrenia Research, which has delivered new insights that the community seeks," said Professor Schofield.
Professor Shannon Weickert is encouraging a cross-collaborative approach between neuroscientists and immunologists globally, to work together to develop treatments targeting this abnormal immune pathology of schizophrenia.
"This opens whole new avenues for therapy, because it suggests that the pathology of schizophrenia could be within the immune cells and the immune cells could be contributing to the symptoms of schizophrenia,” said Professor Shannon Weickert.
NeuRA and UNSW Professor Cynthia Shannon Weickert and NeuRA PhD student Helen Cai. Photo: NeuRA
Tiny Camera Lens May Help Link Quantum Computers To Network
September 13, 2018: Australian National University
An international team of researchers led by The Australian National University (ANU) has invented a tiny camera lens, which may lead to a device that links quantum computers to an optical fibre network.
Quantum computers promise a new era in ultra-secure networks, artificial intelligence and therapeutic drugs, and will be able to solve certain problems much faster than today's computers.
The unconventional lens, which is 100 times thinner than a human hair, could enable a fast and reliable transfer of quantum information from the new-age computers to a network, once these technologies are fully realised.
The device is made of a silicon film with millions of nano-structures forming a metasurface, which can control light with functionalities outperforming traditional systems.
Associate Professor Andrey Sukhorukov said the metasurface camera lens was highly transparent, thereby enabling efficient transmission and detection of information encoded in quantum light.
"It is the first of its kind to image several quantum particles of light at once, enabling the observation of their spooky behaviour with ultra-sensitive cameras," said Associate Professor Sukhorukov, who led the research with a team of scientists at the Nonlinear Physics Centre of the ANU Research School of Physics and Engineering.
Kai Wang, a PhD scholar at the Nonlinear Physics Centre who worked on all aspects of the project, said one challenge was making portable quantum technologies.
"Our device offers a compact, integrated and stable solution for manipulating quantum light. It is fabricated with a similar kind of manufacturing technique used by Intel and NVIDIA for computer chips." he said.
The research was conducted at the Nonlinear Physics Centre laboratories, where staff and postgraduate scholars developed and trialled the metasurface camera lens in collaboration with researchers at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory in the United States and the National Central University in Taiwan.
Kai Wang holding a sample that has multiple metasurface camera lenses. Credit: Lannon Harley, ANU
Kai Wang, James G. Titchener, Sergey S. Kruk, Lei Xu, Hung-Pin Chung, Matthew Parry, Ivan I. Kravchenko, Yen-Hung Chen, Alexander S. Solntsev, Yuri S. Kivshar, Dragomir N. Neshev, Andrey A. Sukhorukov. Quantum metasurface for multiphoton interference and state reconstruction. Science, 2018; 361 (6407): 1104-1108 DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1126/science.aat8196
Figures Show NSW Public Hospitals Overloaded
Wednesday September 12th
from NSW Nurses and Midwives’ Association
Emergency Department presentations and patient acuity is on the rise across NSW public hospitals, according to the latest Bureau of Health Information (BHI) quarterly report.
Results released today indicate an increase in emergency presentations across 11 of the 15 local health districts across the state during April to June this year. The figures highlight the ongoing strain on our public hospitals and the need for a new nurse-to-patient ratios system to manage consistent demand.
Some of the busiest hospitals include Queanbeyan Hospital, which experienced a 13.4% increase in Emergency Department (ED) presentations compared to the same time last year and Blacktown Hospital, which recorded a 7.3% increase in its ED figures and 20% rise in hospital admissions from the emergency department.
NSW Nurses and Midwives’ Association (NSWNMA) General Secretary, Brett Holmes said the year-on-year pressure on our public hospitals was taking a toll on nurses and midwives.
“We know presentations are rising, yet nurses and midwives are taking on that increased workload. It’s unsustainable to rely on a staffing model that we now know is being manipulated to save costs.”
During a data capturing exercise, the NSWNMA uncovered 38,033 hours of missed clinical nursing care in 2017 due to non-compliance with the current Nursing Hours per Patient Day (NHPPD) system.
“The current system is not working. There are no minimum standards for nurse to patient ratios in Emergency Departments and children’s wards and the number of nurses can be averaged over the week with no mandated ratio for every shift. We need a new reliable shift-by-shift ratios system to provide a clear understanding of how many patients nurses have to care for,” Mr Holmes said.
City hospitals experiencing considerable increases in ED presentations include Prince of Wales (5.4%); Campbelltown Hospital (6.7%); Liverpool Hospital (6.9%); Wollongong Hospital (7.2%) and Royal Prince Alfred Hospital (4.6%) combined with a 10.2% increase in admissions to the hospital from its ED.
In the regions Cooma (7.6%); Goulburn (8.5%) and Wagga Wagga (6.5%) reported significant increases in ED treatments.
“Our regional hospitals are experiencing a higher volume of patients, yet they receive less nursing hours per patient than city hospitals. It’s not right that a patient’s postcode can determine their level of care,” Mr Holmes said.
The NSWNMA is campaigning for mandated nurse-to-patient ratios in every ward, on every shift across all major and district NSW hospitals.
Koala Habitat Destruction Triples After NSW Protection Axed: 14ha Of Koala Habitat Bulldozed Each Day
Newport Community Garden: Working Bee Second Sunday Of The Month
Newport Community Gardens Inc. is a not for profit incorporated association. The garden is in Woolcott Reserve.
ObjectivesLocal Northern Beaches residents creating sustainable gardens in public spacesStrengthening the local community, improving health and reconnecting with natureTo establish ecologically sustainable gardens for the production of vegetables, herbs, fruit and companion plants within Pittwater area To enjoy and forge friendships through shared gardening.Membership is open to all Community members willing to participate in establishing gardens and growing sustainable food.Subscription based paid membership.We meet at the garden between 9am – 12 noonNew members welcome
For enquiries contact newportcommunitygardenau@gmail.comFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/pg/newportcg Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/newportcgnsw
Newport Community Gardens Inc. is a not for profit incorporated association. The garden is in Woolcott Reserve.Objectives
Local Northern Beaches residents creating sustainable gardens in public spaces
Strengthening the local community, improving health and reconnecting with nature
To establish ecologically sustainable gardens for the production of vegetables, herbs, fruit and companion plants within Pittwater area
To enjoy and forge friendships through shared gardening.
Membership is open to all Community members willing to participate in establishing gardens and growing sustainable food.
Subscription based paid membership.
We meet at the garden between 9am – 12 noon
New members welcome
For enquiries contact newportcommunitygardenau@gmail.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pg/newportcg
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/newportcgnsw
Hendra Virus Confirmed Near Tweed Heads
Lock The Gate Questions Legality Of Billions Of Litres Of Rainfall Captured By NSW Coal Mines
September 10, 2018: Media release - Lock the Gate
Revelations on ABC News last night that the Maules Creek coal mine in the state’s North West captured over a billion litres of rainfall it was not licenced to take and use has raised questions about the legality of water capture by the Hunter Valley mining industry.
Lock the Gate referred its investigation into Maules Creek coal mine’s unlicensed take of surface water to the Natural Resources Access Regulator and says it suspects the unlawful take of water is widespread across the coal industry.
According to aggregate figures released by the NSW Minerals Council, the mining industry in the Hunter region extracted 5.7GL from the Hunter River system in 2016, but the industry captured 40GL of rainfall runoff which would otherwise be part of the surface water flow, equivalent to 5.75% of the mean annual flow of the Hunter River at Singleton.
Lock the Gate Alliance spokesperson Georgina Woods said, “The mining industry doesn’t have to pump a lot of water from the river, because it captures rainfall run-off across its huge landholding and uses that water to run the mines.
“The industry’s own figures indicate this captured run-off makes up 55% of the water used by the industry.
“Under NSW water law, landholders are not allowed to catch all the water on their properties for free beyond a basic minimal right. The volume of water being taken in this manner by the coal mines in the Hunter goes for beyond that minimal right and requires licencing because that water is part of the water sharing plans that apply to all water users in the Hunter.
“If the unlawful take of water at Maules Creek is being repeated across the state by the coal mining industry, if the entire coal mining industry is engaging in a blatant legal dodge to take water out of our river systems, then the State Government must act swiftly and decisively.
“In a time of drought, we can’t afford to let the coal mines steal water scot-free. There must be consequences.”
Lock the Gate Alliance will present analysis of the massive capture of rainwater by the coal mining industry at a special hearing this afternoon of the Senate Inquiry into Water Use by the Extractive Industries.
Fresh New Look For Sydney’s Martin Place
September 12, 2018: NSW Government
Better access to public transport, upgraded public spaces and new commercial buildings will be part of the Martin Place station redevelopment.
Macquarie Group will deliver the $378.6 million integrated station development. The Sydney Metro will open in Martin Place in 2024.
Martin Place station and the integrated station development will be built at the same time to reduce any impact to the community. Lendlease will design, construct and deliver the new development.
It will meet the same high standards as all the new city metro stations and will be owned by the NSW Government.
Once completed, customers will walk past a range of stores on their way to the train station. The modern design has been informed by New York’s World Trade Centre station and Hong Kong’s International Finance Centre.
Minister for Transport and Infrastructure Andrew Constance said the integrated development coupled with the Sydney Metro in the CBD will breathe new life into the heart of the city.
“As part of our plan to improve public transport, new metro rail will help give people more choice on how they get around Sydney,” Mr Constance said.
“With the new Martin Place Station, customers in the heart of Sydney’s CBD will have access to an unprecedented level of public transport and will be more connected than ever before.”
Western Sydney Aerotropolis Will Be Home To Major New University
September 13, 2018: The Hon. Gladys Berejiklian, Premier of NSW
Four of NSW’s leading universities are joining forces to create a world-class, higher education institution in the heart of the new Western Sydney Aerotropolis.
The project – an Australian first – will have a clear focus on science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education, ensuring that young people in Western Sydney are ready for the jobs of tomorrow.
Vice Chancellors from the University of Newcastle, University of NSW and University of Wollongong (the NUW Alliance), and Western Sydney University, have signed a Statement of Intent with the NSW Government to deliver the new higher education institution.
“The NSW Government is working hard to create more jobs in every part of NSW and the Western Sydney Aerotropolis will create thousands of employment opportunities for young people,” Premier Gladys Berejiklian said.
“The jobs of tomorrow will rely heavily on science, technology, engineering and mathematics, so I applaud this great initiative. It will ensure students in Western Sydney have even greater access to world-class higher education.”
Minister for Western Sydney Stuart Ayres added, “Quality jobs are built on a foundation of quality education. This education alliance is exactly what the Western Sydney Aerotropolis needs to be a jobs powerhouse of the future.”
The project builds on the significant momentum already made on the Western Sydney Aerotropolis.
In May, Ms Berejiklian hosted the Aerotropolis Investor Forum in Western Sydney, with more than 250 local and international business leaders seeking to secure their place at the 10,000-hectare greenfield site around Western Sydney Airport.
With a 24-hour international airport at its core, the Western Sydney Aerotropolis will be a thriving hub for education and leading industries including advanced manufacturing, aerospace, defence and agribusiness, generating a huge high-skill jobs boost for the area.
Located in the new Aerotropolis precinct, the four universities will create one campus. Students at the new institution will have unparalleled access to industry research, development and employment opportunities.
“The university project we have announced today is the first of its kind in Australia and the first new university built in Sydney in 50 years,” Ms Berejklian said.
“This will transform Western Sydney for generations to come.”
“It will be a world-class institution bringing together the best and brightest educators to develop our state’s future scientists, engineers, and mathematicians.”
“Stage One of the new university will be open by 2026, the same time the new $5.3 billion Commonwealth funded airport is expected to be operational.”
An artist's impression of part of the Aerotropolis development. Image: www.planning.nsw.gov.au
In an Australian first, the NUW Alliance (the University of Newcastle, UNSW Sydney and the University of Wollongong) and Western Sydney University will join forces to deliver a world-class higher education and research presence in Western Sydney.
The Multiversity will specialise in STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) and be part of the Aerotropolis precinct at Badgerys Creek. By leveraging the expertise of the four institutions, students, employees and the wider community will have unparalleled access to innovative teaching and research.
Acting Vice-Chancellor Professor Kevin Hall (UoN); President and Vice-Chancellor Professor Ian Jacobs (UNSW); Acting Vice-Chancellor Professor Judy Raper (UOW); and Vice-Chancellor and President Barney Glover (WSU), have signed a Statement of Intent with the NSW government to deliver the new higher education institution.
In a statement, the Vice-Chancellors collectively highlighted the strengths of the multiversity proposition:
“Higher education has traditionally been an intensely competitive sector. With the new Multiversity, our universities are demonstrating how collaborative university partnerships can transform the region and produce the graduates, research and industry links needed to make the Aerotropolis a success.”
The four universities will create one campus with strong links to local industry, tailored vocational education and training, and STEM-focused schooling. This will provide the foundation for the realisation of the government’s knowledge job creation commitments.
“This is an unrivalled opportunity to place our world-class universities at the heart of what is surely the biggest and boldest project Australia has seen, or will see, for a very long time. Our universities bring a connected network of 180,000 students, researchers and academics to the Aerotropolis, with an established presence across every major Western Sydney centre,” the Vice-Chancellors’ statement said.
With a 24-hour international airport at its core, the Western Sydney Aerotropolis will be a thriving hub for education and leading industries including advanced manufacturing, aerospace, defence and agribusiness, generating a jobs boost for the area.