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Welcome to the HABITAT NETWORK website
Last updated September 2010 - see our new "Creating a Habitat Haven" diagram. It is available for
printing, both A4 and A3 poster sized, on our Creating Habitat page. Also with this is a new planning checklist.
Feel free to download them to use for your school,
bush regeneration or home project. Thank you to Sydney Metropolitan Catchment Management Authority
for funding development of our educational materials.
WHAT IS THE HABITAT NETWORK?
The Habitat Network is a network of people creating habitat areas for our native
plants and animals – enriching our environment and our community.
Our aim is to reconnect isolated populations of small native birds, pollinators and other native animals,
which through loss of habitat are rapidly disappearing from our urban environment.
By including small pockets of native plants in our gardens, we can assist in expanding wildlife habitat.
We can also work with our local Councils to conserve our bushland and habitat areas
and extend our bushland edges to enhance native corridors.
The Habitat Network is a Restoring Natural Capital project being run by International Environmental
Weed Foundation. Visit our websites to find out more:
www.iewf.org
www.rncallliance.org
To find out more about the habitat network, download our brochure:
Habitat Network - Creating Habitat in your Garden (1 MB)
.
To find out how the Habitat Network started and read about some of our activities
see our article
"Networking, Habitat Restoration,
and Restoration Education in Sydney, Australia" (813 KB)
published in the Ecological Restoration magazine - June 2010 - special education issue. Visit
Ecological Restoration on the web to see more from this publication.
CREATING HABITAT IN YOUR GARDEN
Click here
to:
* find out why we want to re-create lost habitat,
* learn how we can create habitat,
* see our habitat plant photos to discover what you may like to grow, and
* read our Habitat Network member's stories and see their photos.
We have a number of resources to assist:
• Download our information sheet:
An introduction to creating small bird habitat (pdf 340 kb).
This contains a detailed introduction to creating small bird habitat in your garden, bushland,
parkland and wasteland.
• sustainable gardening
- Find out how you can create a native habitat garden which is
attractive, healthy and productive. Native plants, vegetables, pollinators, birds and
biodiversity all contribute to a healthy garden.
• Follow this link to download a list of
native habitat plants for the Sydney region (16.1 KB)
and this link for some that are
edible. (14.6 KB)
• Messy or weedy areas can provide good protection. It is important to protect existing habitat,
which is being used for nesting or as the main living location by native birds or animals, even if weedy.
If the habitat is weedy replacement native habitat needs to be either regenerated or planted in another
location AND only after it is in use by the target species should the weedy habitat be considered for removal.
Please download our brochure:
Weed removal & habitat - Before you start...look, listen & consider. (858 KB)
• Lookup
native habitat plant photos.
• Lookup
bird photos.
OUR PARTNERS
Visit our
about us page to find out more about us and our project partners.
THE SCIENCE AND MONITORING
We are being assisted by Macquarie University Undergraduates Kurtis Lindsay and Mark Cachia and
Lecturer Andrew Allen to survey and map local bird populations. Surveys and monitoring of bird
populations are being undertaken in and around Bedlam Bay, Riverglade Reserve and Field of Mars Reserve.
Small bird populations in Ryde and Hunter's Hill are being located, validated, mapped and monitored.
Kurtis has also lead bird walking tours known as "Twilight Twitters" through the Field of Mars Reserve.
He has generously shared his vast knowledge of birds. Other students have also been helping this project
and all assistance is appreciated.
The indicator species for this project are fairywrens and red-browed finches.
With the assistance of local councils we are experimenting with ways to re-create native
small bird habitat near existing populations of small birds and monitoring the use by the birds.
We would like to hear from others who have carried out similar activities.
The Habitat Network is working towards connecting bushland areas via private and public lands
to create habitat corridors across the municipalities of Ryde and Hunter's Hill.
Matthew Eylander, who is undertaking a Masters of Environmental Management with Charles Sturt University,
Wagga Wagga, NSW, is doing a study of feasible habitat corridors and connections across Ryde,
and assessing ways that these corridors may be achieved.
Our thanks to Eremaea for hosting our bird survey information. Please visit
www.eremaea.com
and select Australia, NSW and look for our study reserves: Bedlam Bay, Riverglade Reserve and
Field of Mars Reserve. We also thank Birds Australia for their assistance and support.
Thank you also to bird experts Sue Stevens, Steve Anyon-Smith and Kurtis Lindsay and our habitat corridor
researcher for their on-going support and assistance. View profiles:
Sue Stevens
Kurtis Lindsay and
Matthew Eylander.
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RYDE COMMUNITY NATIVE PLANT NURSERY
and HUNTER'S HILL COMMUNITY SUSTAINABLE GARDEN
We are currently working with City of Ryde to commence a community native plant growing area within Santa
Rosa Park near Quarry Road in Ryde. It is hoped that Council will have a policy in place and give approval
in July 2010. If you would like to be involved in this project once it has started do let us know by emailing:
info@iewf.org
To read more about our proposed nusery
click here.
We are also working with Hunter's Hill Council to start a Community sustainable garden
which will include native habitat plants, herbs, vegetables and fruit. If you would
like to help us in the garden please email:
info@iewf.org
LINKS TO OTHER HABITAT NETWORKS
Follow this link to find out about
other native corridor and habitat projects.
Please let us know what you are doing so that we can network with your project too.
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USEFUL INFORMATION
There is alot of other
useful information and other interesting websites.
BECOME A MEMBER
Become a member of the Habitat Network. There are no fees. The only obligation is to
plant a pocket of local native habitat plants in your garden. Our members are also helping
plant habitat pockets and corridors on public lands.
Anyone interested in the conservation of natural areas, ecological restoration, corridors
connecting natural areas, planting of habitat corridors, habitat in backyards, native plants,
native animals, soil health
and sustainable gardening is welcome to become part of the Habitat Network.
If you would like to hear more about the Habitat Network, join, share your experiences or
start a similar project in your local area please send an email to Bev at
info@iewf.org.
Individuals, councils, families, schools, businesses, church and community groups are
all welcome to take part in this project.
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