Welcome Back

Welcome back to the new semester! Hopefully you managed to catch your breath after the first semester exams and have settled in and have a good plan for dealing with all the demands that are now popping up. My impression is that the past few weeks have been busy for everyone, so you are not alone.


Idalia Initiative – The iROOS are up and Bounding

Some interesting developments are helping to enhance the quality of the Environmental Science Program experience at UQ. As you know from a few previous messages I sent, several students have been developing a volunteer program to contribute to the running of Idalia National Park.

Idalia has long hosted our Outback Ecology Field Course BIOL3016
(see report below) and is special in being home to two of Australia’s prettiest macropods. Both the yellow-footed rock wallaby and bridled nailtail wallaby are extremely localised in distribution and have strongholds in Idalia. Other elements of the fauna, flora and landscape are also very worthwhile.

During the last BIOL3016 field trip, the environmental science students attending (mainly Rachel Kirchner, Lyn van Gorp and Tim Nash) and I discussed briefly the idea of returning, as Environmental Science students, to the national park to help with some of the research that the ranger, Rosie Kerr, had explained was necessary.

Several other students responded to the enthusiastic discussion that took place on campus on our return, and a couple replied to my email asking for volunteers. This group now has a name, logo and mission statement. The iROOS (Idalia Recovery Organisation of Students) have held several meetings that have tracked such exotic venues as the Red Room and the Goddard Roof, and have planned how to tackle what has turned out into a fairly complex exercise. On the plus side, the meetings have been a lot of fun, everyone has learned a lot, and the participants have added a few good looking lines to their CV’s. But the iROOS are still not yet quite off the ground.

Our first trip is at the end of Semester. Although that has been underwritten by a benefactor, we still have a lot of fundraising to do. Several of us will travel to Idalia to learn the system that has been set up to monitor various macropod species around waterholes (functional, fenced off to control the larger macropods, and closed up entirely) and to design forthcoming projects. The goal, I should add, is to develop a set of interesting and useful ongoing projects that will have input from iROOS volunteers at least twice a year. We will build data sets that are relevant to conservation issues at Idalia and aim ultimately to publish the results.

We envisage that the initiative will be expanded to provide good experience to students to learn about organisms in the field and about the environmental influences and impacts that affect them. A strong conservation theme will run through the activities.

Your Chance to Become an iROOS Participant and Visit Idalia
During the midsemester break (about September 23rd to 28th) there is a very limited number of places on our first visit. Preference will be given to first and second level students who are interested in being active members of the iROOS running committee. Please contact me as soon as you can. If your interest is geology or water or whatever, there is a place for you.

If you cannot make the field trip this September but would still like to be active in the iROOS, please let me know.



Idalia Trip July 2007 (BIOL3016 – Outback Ecology Field Studies)

Lyn van Gorp and Rachel Kirchner

Over the mid-semester break, more than sixty bright-eyed and bushy-tailed eager ecology students descended on Idalia National Park as part of BIOL3016 Outback Ecology. The first sight of Australia’s unique wildlife for many of the international students came in the form of squished Skippy on the front of the bus at 2am en route! But upon arrival live wildlife was abundant with echidnas, big reds, greys, wallaroos, and even Bridled Nailtail Wallabies coming out to play. To Gimme’s delight (oh and that of the students of course) mulga parrots, ring-necks, peaceful doves and bower birds popped out from amongst the poplar boxes. But unfortunately the emu remained ever elusive!

Idalia provided an example of a site that had been previously degraded by intensive grazing pressures. However, out of this came an opportunity to learn how such an area can be rehabilitated and returned to a viable ecosystem, even allowing successful translocation of an endangered wallaby species.

By the end of the week, students had become gurus in transects, quadrats, plant identification, BOM calorimetry, animal energetics, roo spotlighting, kangaroo dissection, and stomata counting.

The week was wrapped up with a concert on the final night exhibiting the talent, or lack thereof, of students and tutors alike. In the morning the bleary-eyed group of students, somewhat plumped up by Viv’s awesome cooking, greeted the excited second week group of students. They were as yet blissfully unaware of what the action-packed week would bring them. If we can offer any advice for those of you planning to do this course in the future…pick week one as the stench of the bio-toilets will still be relatively fresh!
 

 
 
 
Moon over Idalia campsite – July 2007. Photo Kris Murray
Spotted bowerbird, mistletoe bird, mulga parrot, halls babbler? Photographer Kris Murray, who is teaching himself about the importance of the relative position of the sun.
Idalia National Park Ranger, Rosie Kerr, explains management issues. Photo Kris Murray



Transect riders happily counting macropods.
Photo by Kris Murray
 


Finally...

That is all for now, but remember:
  • look out for the careers evening for environmental management and science students
  • QUESA is in the final stages of organising the ECOBALL for later in the year
  • keep a look out on the Environment@UQ web site for advise and opportunities
  • see me if you are after advise about anything to do with your study plan or the Environmental Science program

Gimme Walter
Coordinator Environmental Science Program


Seminar from QUESA

The effects of war or conflict are devastating for people living within a region, but environmental issues are usually not considered. The Queensland University Environmental Students Association (QUESA) presents a very interesting seminar by Owen Powell from The School of Geography, Planning and Architecture, UQ.

“The Transformation of Palestine and Consideration of the Environment”

Thursday 20 September
6pm - 7pm, followed by BBQ and Drinks
Room E302 – Forgan Smith Building (Building #1) UQ St Lucia Campus
$5 Entry includes membership to QUESA and BBQ (QUESA Members Free)

Please RSVP for catering purposes to peter.wulf@uq.edu.au


Hope to see you there -Virginia Barrios