Tasmania

A website claimed to be the first of its type in the world aims to engage the community in mapping the effect of climate change on Tasmanian waters.

The Coastal Climate Change Range Extension Database and Mapping Project has been created by the Tasmanian Aquaculture and Fisheries Institute. The project – known as REDMAP – is an interactive website which lets the public report sightings of marine species which might be shifting further south because of warming waters along the state’s coastline.

It provides a link between the Tasmanian community and world class science being undertaken in the state.

The project aims to use the knowledge and experience of local fishers and divers to create a network of observers to help track how Tasmanian waters are changing.

Director of TAFI, Colin Buxton, says recent research and anecdotal evidence has indicated several dozen marine species are shifting their ranges further south along the Tasmanian coast.

Professor Buxton says temperature monitoring over the past 50 years has shown waters off the east coast of Tasmania are warming at over three times the global average. He says while there may be many reasons for habitat shifts of species, it is suspected the effects of climate change – in particular rising seas temperatures – are creating the greatest impact.

To view the REDMAP website, go to www.redmap.org.au

Tasmania has added another 16 reserves to its system of marine protected areas.

The reserves extend over about 12,000 hectares and cover the range of marine ecosystems found in south east Tasmania, including rocky reefs, inter-tidal sand flats, seagrass beds, kelp communities, mudflats and offshore reefs and islands.

Marine protected areas are an important tool in maintaining ecological balance and the ecosystems support much of south east Tasmania’s unique marine life, including several threatened species.

The new reserve areas are the result of the 2008 Resource Planning and Development Commission’s Inquiry into the establishment of marine protected areas within the Bruny Bio-Region. The inquiry was undertaken in accordance with the Tasmanian Marine Protected Areas Strategy, which aims to achieve a comprehensive and representative system of marine protected areas around the state.

A tree planting project being developed by Forestry Tasmania will benefit farmers and help offset global warming.

The project is part of an integrated farm management strategy called the Trees on Farms project which is targeted at giving farmers the opportunity to reclaim weed-infested land, secure a new revenue stream, provide shelter for stock and crops, and increase the capital value of land.

Trees will be established at no cost to farmers who, in return, will protect them from stock and browsing animals. The trees will be harvested in 15 to 30 years with the profits to be shared between Forestry Tasmania and the landowner.

Forestry Tasmania is currently assessing land suitable for inclusion in the Trees on Farms project, which is about to be officially launched.

The Tarkine – Australia’s largest tract of cool temperate rain forest – has won emergency inclusion on the National Heritage List.

Federal Environment and Heritage Minister, Peter Garrett, has used emergency provisions under national environment law to include the Tarkine on the list. His decision follows a nomination for emergency listing in November by the Tarkine National Coalition.

The coalition submitted the nomination because the region may have National Heritage values and because of the potential impacts on those values by the proposed Tarkine Road.

The region is not officially listed on the National Heritage List, but is the subject of an ongoing assessment by the Australian Heritage Council which is due to be completed in 2010.

Mr Garrett says including the Tarkine in the National Heritage List does not prevent the Tarkine Road being built and does not amount to a decision on the road. He says it means potential impacts of the road on the National Heritage values of the area must now be formally considered along with other environmental impacts when he decides whether the road proposal requires assessment and approval under national environmental law.

Mr Garrett says he has listed the boundary nominated by the Tarkine National Coalition. He says while the region contains several areas where forestry operations are continuing, the decision has no impact on existing use, including forestry operations.