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Futuremakers Creating a sustainable way of life (Issue 16, August 2007)

Hi [firstname,fallback=there].
This is the latest edition of Futuremakers, WWF's regular email bulletin. In it you'll find links to the latest news from around the world, features about the state of the planet and, most importantly, ways that you can take action.
Southwest Ecoregion © Darren Jen
Feature Story Southwest Australian Ecoregion: Australia's biodiversity hotspot

Australia is one of Earth's five most biologically diverse countries and the Southwest Australia Ecoregion is globally recognised as one of the planet's biodiversity hotspots. A biodiversity hotspot is an area containing at least 1,500 endemic plant species - found nowhere else in the world - and having lost at least 70 percent of its original vegetation cover.

The Southwest Australia Ecoregion covers 48.9 million hectares and is home to at least 351 animals and plants that are at risk of becoming extinct. Yet only 12 percent of this area is protected.

» Read 'Southwest Australian Ecoregion: Australia's biodiversity hotspot '

Western Swamp Tortoise Feature Story Population boost for Australia's most endangered reptile

Australia's most endangered reptile - the western swamp tortoise - had a population boost when 25 captive-bred tortoises were released by Friends of the Western Swamp Tortoise outside Perth on Saturday 11th August.

Jan Bant, Chairman of the Friends of the Western Swamp Tortoise said wild western swamp tortoise populations have struggled against a number of threats to their survival since European settlement, including habitat loss, introduced predators and climate change.

"Such threats have put them in critical danger. At one point in the late 1980s, the species dwindled to less than 50 wild tortoises, however after a successful captive breeding program at Perth Zoo, their numbers have increased significantly to over 300," Mr Bant said.

» Read 'Population boost for Australia's most endangered reptile '
Take Action!
National Threatened Species Day Action.

National Threatened Species Day 2007 calls upon Australians to contribute to the recovery of the nation's threatened animal and plant species by getting involved in local conservation activities.

Volunteer your time to on-ground, office or coordination work to help revegetate and safe guard your local area. Contact the Australian Trust for Conservation Volunteers to get involved in tree planting, seed collation, weed control and habitat building.

Take Action Surfs upWin free tickets!

Be one of the first to adopt an animal from our online retail shop from September 1 and you will win a free family pass (two adults, two children) to see Surf's Up. Passes are valued at $50 each and are courtesy of Sony Pictures Releasing. We have 40 passes to give away. Surf's Up is only at the movies from September 13, (September 6 in Tasmania).

» Win free tickets!
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News Brief

News from WWF-Australia and around the world.
  • Northern Australia not immune from climate change: WWFNorthern Australia not immune from climate change: WWF (ABC)
    A new report commissioned by WWF warns that vast areas of Australia's northern tropics are now at high to medium risk from climate change, contrary to beliefs that impacts of global warming are limited to Australia's southern States.»
  • Reef or rubble?Reef or rubble? (SMH)
    A University of North Carolina study released earlier this month confirmed world-wide large-scale degradation of coral reefs around the world, including the Great Barrier Reef. The study surveyed 6,000 sites over four decades, and found coral reefs are vanishing at five times the rate of the world's rainforests. The release of the study coincided with WWF-Australia's calls for a $300 million investment to clean up Australia's iconic Great Barrier Reef - to save it from a build-up of toxic pollution and to ensure resilience against climate change.»
  • Arctic oil rush sparks battles over sea floorArctic oil rush sparks battles over sea floor(National Geographic)
    Countries bordering the arctic have fallen over themselves in a bid to claim a stake in the Arctic sea floor, after a US Geological Survey estimated that the Arctic Ocean's seabed may hold billions of gallons of oil and natural gas-up to 25 percent of the world's undiscovered reserves.»
  • Whales win over sonar (The Age)
    An american environmental group has filed and won a lawsuit against the US navy for the detrimental impact of navy sonar on local whale communities.»
  • Brad Pitt brings celebrity sparkle to environmentally friendly living(Yahoo!News)
    Hollywood movie star Brad Pitt attracted international attention to the importance of environmentally-friendly living this week by visiting the site of a sustainable home being built in an impoverished New Orleans neighbourhood. »
  • APEC juggernaut decends on Sydney (The Age)
    More than 5000 delegates and leaders from the group of 21 APEC countries will descend upon Sydney from September 2 to 9 for the most significant gathering of world leaders ever held in Australia - to discuss economic development, trade, regional security, job creation and climate change. An emissions reduction target will be the focus of the week-long event.»

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