September campaign to highlight local biodiversity
Mick Callan
Orange City Council and Central Tablelands Local Land Services will team up with local organisations in September to host a series of events celebrating the unique threatened species and biodiversity found in the Orange region.
Orange Biodiversity Month will celebrate biodiversity wherever it occurs, in backyards, local parks or on farms - in the daytime and at night.
There’s something for everyone, from the annual citizen science initiative ‘Great Southern Bioblitz’ undertaken across the southern hemisphere to promoting biodiversity in backyards and wildlife spotlighting at night.
Land Services Officer at Central Tablelands Local Land Services, Tim Nalder, said across Australia September is known as Biodiversity Month, a time to celebrate connecting and caring for nature and all its diversity.
“The Orange region contains diverse landscapes and habitat types that support unique biodiversity, including 60 listed threatened species. We hope that through our hosted events we can help Orange locals learn more about the landscape around them.”
Kicking off the month of events on 1 September is ‘Biodiversity in Backyards’ where people can join experts from the Environmentally Concerned Citizens of Orange (ECCO), Orange Field Naturalist and Conservation Society and Orange City Council at the Orange Botanic Gardens.
Participants will learn how to promote biodiversity in their backyard by creating habitat for native birds, bees and reptiles and can take home some free garden-friendly native plants to start their own habitat haven.
The following weekend, 7-8 September, residents can view temporary 3D chalk art created by local school students on the steps of the Orange Cultural Precinct. This coincides with the new Animal Kin exhibition at Orange Regional Museum.
Orange City Council’s Environment Sustainability Committee Chair, Cr David Mallard wants to see many locals make the most of the month-long campaign to experience the unique Orange environment firsthand.
“We’re really excited to be working with local schools and encourage the wider community to check out the artwork on the steps of the Orange Cultural Precinct and inside the museum,” Cr Mallard said.
“Many of our native animals are only out at night, so the spotlighting events at Hinton Reserve, Gosling Creek and the Botanic Gardens are not to be missed.”
For landholders there is a Natural Capital Field Day near Borenore on 24 September to hear about the opportunities biodiversity presents to local farming enterprises, hosted by the NSW Biodiversity Conservation Trust (BCT), Central Tablelands Landcare and Local Land Services.
Orange Biodiversity Month is brought together by a collaboration of community, industry and government partners including the NSW Biodiversity Conservation Trust, Central Tablelands Landcare, Orange Field Naturalist and Conservation Society and ECCO.
All events are listed on the Central Tablelands Local Land Services website