Greens Northern Beaches

𝗗𝗼 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗸𝗻𝗼𝘄 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗲𝗻𝘃𝗶𝗿𝗼𝗻𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗹 𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗮𝗰𝘁𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝘀𝘆𝗻𝘁𝗵𝗲𝘁𝗶𝗰 𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗳 𝗮𝗿𝗲?

If you missed our synthetic turf forum last week, watch this video of 𝗔𝗨𝗦𝗠𝗔𝗣 𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗰𝗵 𝗱𝗶𝗿𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗼𝗿 𝗗𝗿 𝗦𝗰𝗼𝘁𝘁 𝗪𝗶𝗹𝘀𝗼𝗻 discussing the problems with pollution he’s seen in local studies of synthetic playing fields.

These include 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗰𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗼𝗳 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗰 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗵𝗲𝗮𝘃𝘆 𝗺𝗲𝘁𝗮𝗹𝘀 𝘀𝘂𝗰𝗵 𝗮𝘀 𝘇𝗶𝗻𝗰, 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗱, 𝗰𝗼𝗽𝗽𝗲𝗿 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗰𝗮𝗱𝗺𝗶𝘂𝗺 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗼 𝘀𝘂𝗿𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘀𝗼𝗶𝗹 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘄𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘄𝗮𝘆𝘀. Since COVID, he says there’s been an increase in the amounts of these materials at Manly Cove.

The impact can be lessened with good construction, but as old fields are now reaching the end of their lives (on average about 9 years) and with heavy rain, the risk increases.

He’s calling for:

- NSW to follow EU restrictions on types of infill in synthetic fields.
- Targets for reduction in microplastics - eg 30 per cent by 2030.
- Restrictions on use of intentionally added microplastics to products.
- A reduction in unintentional microplastic releases.
- The use of existing legislation - such as the new NSW Product Lifecycle Act, making producers responsible for plastic waste they create.

Many thanks to all our speakers at the Northern Beaches Greens Synthetic Turf forum last week, all the community members who came along to hear them, and to John Illingsworth for filming it. This is the first of four speakers - we will feature John's videos of the others over the next week or so.

MYTH and REALITY: SYNTHETIC vs NATURAL TURF - Dr Scott Wilson Enjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on YouTube.

Northern Beaches Greens on the water today at Narrabeen Lake for a paddle, protest and picnic! 🛶🪧🧺

We celebrated the activism of our late great member Pru and highlighted our Greens Senate candidate Mehreen Faruqi.

This was one of our weekend of action events and we’d love to see you tomorrow at the Dee Why Secondhand Markets where we’ll be selling preloved goods to raise campaign funds! 9-1pm Walter Gors Park, Howard Avenue, Dee Why.

Sign this petition to save two magnificent 70-year-old gum trees on Ruskin Rowe in Avalon from being cut down by Northern Beaches Council -

https://chng.it/zM9kWGfBDb

The community has rallied together, successfully blockading the remaining trees after council contractors came on Wednesday and cut down two healthy mature gum trees - and sent them to the timber-mill.

These trees provide habitat for local wildlife and are a significant part of our ever-dwindling urban forest canopy, community heritage and natural beauty.

The objectives of the blockade are clear:

First and foremost, we would like to see the trees retained; and for Northern Beaches Council to have a concrete plan for managing these trees (and endemic succession plantings) into the future.

Failing this, we will blockade their removal until the following demands are met by Council:

- Explain Council’s failure to take feedback from two local expert arborists who have assessed the remaining trees as manageable and, at worst, of moderate risk rating.

- Explain why no community consultation has occurred as to the future of all four trees.
Preserve the largest tree - in the cul-de-sac - by not fully cutting it down and maintaining its stag as habitat.

- Appoint a project ecologist to assess what native species are present in the trees' hollows and branches and how to safely relocate them.

- Detail plans for replacement with endemic trees and artificial habitat if removal is absolutely necessary.

This campaign needs you now Ruskin Row: Stop Council's plan to Cut Down two more Healthy Trees

Local threatened species of the week: Australian Little Penguin (Eudyptula novaehollandiae)

Sometimes known as a Fairy Penguin, this awesome animal is the smallest of all penguins, weighing only 1-2kg and standing at around one foot tall. They live on a diet largely comprised of small fish, and can dive as far as 60m below the water surface for a feed!

They're also the only penguin to live on the Australian mainland. Indeed, the Northern Beaches are home to the only remaining mainland breeding population in NSW - only 1km away from Manly Wharf.

Despite showing incredible resilience to human impacts the Little Penguin population at Manly faces many serious threats, meaning this group has been listed as an 'Endangered Population' in NSW. However, this population is not just noteworthy for its location and resilience, but also higher rates of chick fledgling and 'double brooding', where two lots of eggs are produced in the same year.

Eudyptula novaehollandiae are threatened by ongoing human development and encroachments, poor bush regeneration targeting, being hit or spooked off by boats, pollution from stormwater and predation by foxes, domestic dogs and cats.

Photo copyright: Jayden Walsh

More info here: https://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/threatenedspeciesapp/profile.aspx?id=10321

Local threatened species of the week: Large Bent-winged Bat (Miniopterus orianae oceanensis)

Weighing a maximum of 20 grams, these tiny 'micro-bats' are nocturnal and elusive, although distributed widely across much of Eastern Australia. The bats can occasionally be heard fluttering around at night, but with a length of only 6cm, they're very difficult to see!

Large Bent-winged Bats face a diverse range of threats and are listed as vulnerable to extinction in NSW. However, they remain one of the most common micro-bats found in the Northern Beaches with hundreds of records in the last 10 years. Living primarily in caves, they can also inhabit stormwater tunnels, road culverts, old buildings and other artificial structures.

Mininiopterus orianae oceanensis are threatened by loss of high productivity (insect) foraging habitat, human disturbance of caves, poorly-times hazard reduction burns, pesticides, exotic pathogens and a general decline in insects to feed on.

These mini mammals live on a diet consisting of moths and other flying insects, which is a good reason to consider alternatives to pesticides when managing insects in the house and/or garden!

Photo copyright: Jayden Walsh

More info here: https://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/threatenedspeciesapp/profile.aspx?id=10534

'Many times since the black summer fires came, and finally passed, I have thought about the enormity of what happened on vast areas of country, killing 3 billion animals and trillions of invertebrates. I thought, what can one human being say to this unimaginable loss, when I know in my heart that the human world did not do enough to prevent this disaster?'

The black summer bushfires killed 3 billion animals. They are our relatives; they deserve to be mourned | Alexis Wright Three years after Australia’s firestorm tragedy, Alexis Wright offers a eulogy for the living creatures lost – and a plea for the humans left behind

A big shout out to all our fabulous NSW State Election volunteers.

Thank you for helping our grassroots movement! 💪

The Greens are entirely people-powered and we will continue to push the new NSW Labor government to end coal and gas by 2030, make rents affordable, save our forests and koalas, secure safe ratios for nurses and get the corrupting influence of the fossil fuel, developer and gambling industries out of our democracy.

Authorised by D. Hayden for The Greens NSW. 19a/1 Hordern Place Camperdown NSW 2050