Science week happenings

The CRC will be showcasing our fish work at the Science Week expo to be held at the National Convention Centre, Canberra from Wednesday 20 August to Saturday 23 August.  Dean Gilligan of NSW DPI, who is based at Bateman's Bay, will be bringing an incredible traveling display tank set up, which will enable members of the public and school students to get a close look at live carp, goldfish, redfin and gambusia (and maybe a few others).  Tony, Kerryn, Di, and Tom will man the display with posters showing our fish projects ('hotspots', daughterless, carp push traps, radio-tracking, pheromone attractants etc.) and examples of 'risky' aquarium fish - those most likely to establish if released - from Mary Bomford's modeling work.   Come along if you are in the area.

Tony will also be taking part in the 'speed dating' a scientist activity - where he will be mobbed with questions from eager students wanting to know why they should look at science as a career!

Also over the period 16 to 23rd August as part of the festival:

Queensland - Great Big Science Gig - 20 August 7.30pm Kedron Wavell Services club, Chermside. More info: http://www.myspace.com/greatbigsciencegig

Big Physics Show - UQ Thursday 21 August, 6.00-7.00pm. Steele Bldg lecture theatre, St Lucia.
More details: http://www.demotroupe.org

Review of CRC Program

Senator Kim Carr welcomed the release of the review on 5 August [read the media release].

Shadow Minister Eric Abetz said the CRC review is welcome, albeit five days after its scheduled release.
http://www.liberal.org.au/news.php?Id=1352

FASTS welcomed the CRC review.
http://www.fasts.org/images/news2008/mr-crc.pdf

ATN welcomed the report, suggesting that CRC flexibility will encourage
more of Australia’s best university researchers
http://www.atn.edu.au/newsroom/media.htm

The Go8 has welcomed the CRC Review. [Full text]

The Australian has published a couple of articles regarding the report:
http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,,24134099-12149,00.html
http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,,24131595-12149,00.html

New Communications templates/documents

A number of new documents have been developed and loaded to the website.  Look under About Us/Corporate Strategies and Policies/Internal policies and procedures for:

• an IA CRC Corporate Style Guide - use this when preparing any media such as letters, faces, emails, brochures, posters etc. for information on the standard colours, fonts, styles etc. that should be used to maintain an integrated profile and corporate identity for the CRC.  
• a style sheet - an abbreviated fact sheet on IA CRC formatting
  
• a Media Policy - for use when preparing for or approached by media for interviews or appearances
• a Media Release preparation guide
• the Approval to Publish form
  
• an Application for Delegation: media interview (the previous approval to publish form is more tailored more towards printed media).  Our policy is for only designated personnel to grant media interviews - CEO, COO, Program Leaders.  Please complete the clearance process if you wish to take part in an interview.

These documents have also been loaded into CENTRIC under templates/communications templates.   Also in CENTRIC are several new (and much more exciting) slides for PowerPoint presentations.  These include a number of different formats (Banner text on top, on bottom etc.) to allow users to arrange elements more effectively.  There are also a couple of different colour schemes - but all combinations use IA CRC corporate colours (found in the new Style Guide).

Please take the time to look at these documents and familiarise yourself with the way information representing the CRC should be presented.

Any comments/queries should be directed to Kerryn (contact@invasiveanimals.com).

Import risk analysis workshop

The Farm Animal and Veterinary Public Health group of the Faculty of Veterinary Science, The University of Sydney is pleased to present a 3-day introductory course on import risk analysis for animals and animal products. [read more]

Commercial use of wildlife - eat more roo meat

As reported in The Land 8/8/08 by James Woodford:

A scientific paper in the international journal Conservation Letters reports that expanding the kangaroo industry would significantly decrease greenhouse gases.

The paper's lead author, George Wilson, says kangaroos could help cut greenhouse gas emissions.  Dr Wilson is involved with the University of NSW's Future of Australian Terrestrial Ecosystems project and also runs the consultancy company Australian Wildlife Services.

He and his co-author, Melanie Edwards, say a proposal to reduce sheep and cattle numbers on the rangelands by 30pc should be considered. 

AMRRIC conference

A reminder that AMRRIC will hold a one day conference, as the lead in to the 3-day Conference for the Australian Institute of Animal Management.

Where:  The Esplanade, Darwin

When: 14 October 2008

Registration through OnQ Conferences.

Other events for your diary

20-26 September, 2008 – 2008 Wildlife Disease Association Australasian Conference – Kioloa, Australia – Contact: http://www.invasivespeciesinfo.gov/news/calendar.php.[read more]

23-26 September, 2008 – NEOBIOTA: Towards a Synthesis; 5th European Conference on Biological Invasions – Prague, Czech Republic – Contact: www.ibot.cas.cz/neobiota

12-14 November, 2008 – Fifty Years of Invasion Ecology: The Legacy of Charles Elton – Stellenbosch, South Africa – Contact: http://www.invasivespeciesinfo.gov/news/calendar.php

1-4 December, 2008 – International Invasive Bird Conference – Perth, Australia – Contact:  http://www.abcon.biz/iibc.htm

19-23 April, 2009 – 16th International Conference on Aquatic Invasive Species – Montreal, Canada – Contact: http://www.invasivespeciesinfo.gov/news/calendar.php

23-27 August, 2009 – 19th Conference of the Society for Ecological Restoration International “Making Change in a Changing World” – Perth, Australia – Contact: http://www.invasivespeciesinfo.gov/news/calendar.php

International Day for Biological Diversity 2009

The Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity has announced that the theme for the 2009 International Day for Biological Diversity will be 22 May - and the theme will be "Biodiversity and Invasive Alien Species".

They are looking for activities/ideas from organisations such as ours that will help draw attention to one of the most critical issues facing our planet today.  If anyone has a great idea that the CRC can contribute, please contact Kerryn contact@invasiveanimals.com.