January 2012 Issue   What were the big conservation stories of 2011? 2011 came to a close, wrapping up a big year for WWF-Australia. We've taken a look back at the biggest successes and challenges of the past year. From the World Heritage listing for Australia's Ningaloo Reef – at last – and the introduction of carbon price legislation, to the turtle crisis in the Great Barrier Reef, ground-breaking partnerships, good progress on sustainable seafood, and a disappointing outcome for the protection of snubfin dolphins, it was a big year! Take a look at some of the important successes achieved and the challenges that remain in creating a future in which people and nature thrive. With your support, we are excited about tackling the big conservation challenges ahead for 2012! Thank you for helping marine turtles get the help they desperately need! Enter the WWF Earth Hour Awards WWF-Australia supports the Year of the Farmer Gouldian finch population discovered on the Dampier Peninsula Harmful concentrations of pesticides threatening the Great Barrier Reef Filmmakers could win up to $2,500 in The Green Screen: Climate Fix Flicks Help WWF-Australia in a unique civil society research project. Email A Friend: Know someone who may be interested in this? Forward it to them. Adopt An Animal | Calculate Your Footprint | Using & Sharing Site Content | Privacy | Site Map | Contact Thank you for helping marine turtles get the help they desperately need! Thanks to you, our supporters, Australia's marine turtles are getting the help they desperately need. WWF-Australia's supporters generously gave over $290,000 to the turtle crisis appeal, funds that have been immediately put to work on the front-line where marine turtles are suffering from the horrific fibropapilloma virus. The killer disease in North Queensland has come as seagrass feeding grounds have been decimated, further threatening these placid creatures. Your generous support has gone straight to increasing the capacity of the three turtle hospitals in North Queensland, enabling them to purchase urgently needed equipment from tanks and plumbing to syringes. The funds are also supporting vital research into turtle habitats, immune systems and feeding habits, helping us move closer to finding a cure for this devastating disease. Enter the WWF Earth Hour Awards Earth Hour is not just about one hour of darkness, it's about a lifetime of sustainability. Introduced by WWF-Australia in 2011, the WWF Earth Hour Awards celebrate the outstanding actions of individuals, schools, communities and businesses across Australia going beyond the hour for a more sustainable planet. This year's awards will recognise positive community action that reduces our impact on the environment with the following categories: Education award, Young Panda award, Sustainable Small Business award, Eco Blogger award, Creative Arts award, Futuremakers award, and the People's Choice award. Know someone? Or want to enter yourself? The call for applications and nominations is still open. WWF-Australia supports the Year of the Farmer WWF-Australia has long worked to build lasting relationships with farmers and graziers, recognising the critical role the agricultural community plays in conserving Australia's remaining natural heritage. In a recent piece for ABC's The Drum, our CEO, Dermot O'Gorman has written about "a shared vision for a healthy, sustainable farming sector that thrives for generations, not just the odd good season: one that strives for resilience along with the ecosystems that sustain them, amidst the boom and bust of a land characterised by its environmental extremes." For more information about how good stewardship of the land ensures the long-term future of farming, see the article here Gouldian finch population discovered on the Dampier Peninsula In a huge find for conservation in the Kimberley, a breeding population of the stunning and rare Gouldian finch was recently discovered by Indigenous rangers. The iconic species, which is one of Australia's most endangered birds, was found on the Dampier Peninsula, highlighting the importance of continuing conservation efforts in this rich, diverse region. WWF-Australia's partnership with the Kimberley Land Council and Environs Kimberley in the region will utilise local knowledge and cultural heritage to monitor and manage this striking endangered species. Harmful concentrations of pesticides threatening the Great Barrier Reef Harmful concentrations of pesticides are being detected up to 60 kilometres inside the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area, with nearly one-third of the reef now exposed to pesticides. We believe Australian farm workers and wildlife deserve the same level of protection as those in Europe and the United States. Unlike other countries, dangerous chemicals remain available for use in Australia, in perpetuity, until our regulator proves they are unsafe. WWF wants Australia's pesticide regulator to take a safer approach and give the benefit of the doubt to human health and the environment, not to the pesticides industry. To find out more about why WWF wants a stronger approach taken on these dangerous chemicals, watch this video or sign a petition to stop selling dangerous pesticides in Austraia here. Filmmakers could win up to $2,500 in The Green Screen: Climate Fix Flicks The Green Screen: Climate Fix Flicks competition, developed by Climate Scientists from Macquarie, Melbourne, and Monash Universities, aims to raise awareness of the opportunities and positive effects of moving the world towards a low carbon future. This film festival will promote positive change and discuss the best options for fixing Australia's climate future. Submissions are being taken for short films (up to five minutes) about positive changes to our climate future. Entries close on February 10. To get involved, visit their website. Help WWF-Australia in a unique civil society research project. WWF-Australia has joined a global team of researchers along with Greenpeace and Médecins Sans Frontières in a unique project aimed at understanding the type of individual that supports civil society organisations. The study, run by the University of Technology Sydney (UTS), compares supporters of civil society organisations to the population at large. This important research will not succeed without help from people like you. If you are willing to help by giving up less than an hour of your time, please visit the project's website. Email Friend: Know someone who may be interested in this? Forward it to them. Photos and graphics © WWF or used with permission. Text available under Creative Commons License. You're receiving this newsletter you have signed up for Futuremakers. Having trouble reading this email? View the webpage. Not interested anymore? Unsubscribe