Christmas Greeting
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Issue 23 December 2004 Christmas greeting TO ALL OUR MEMBERS, HAVE A HAPPY AND To the numerous staff members of our partner safe Christmas and a secure, peaceful and organisations that have worked with our productive New Year, with friends, family and members during the year, its been great and lets fellow WILDCARErs by your side. keep doing it. We extend the same heartfelt To those who have been able to make the space Christmas wishes to you and you families. to get involved as volunteers during the past year, We are looking forward to an even more thank you very much for your efforts. interesting, productive and caring year in 2005. To the volunteers spending their Christmas time Regards and warm wishes. In this issue volunteering in the Parks, on the tracks, on the islands and in the visitor centres, we hope that By: Richard Hammond & Andrew Smith, Co- everything lives up to expectations, and that the Chairs, WILDCARE Inc. – Job Safety Analysis experiences you have reward you appropriately, – Gambusia Project Launch PS If you haven’t renewed your WILDCARE membership for and in comparable terms to the level of your 2005, make sure that you do so before December 31. A – President Reports immense commitment. membership renewal from is included in this newsletter! – Summer in the Southwest _ Obsevations of bumblebees in native vegetation – Weed control — getting smarter WILDCARE members assist in – Getting busy at Mt Field whale strandings – Cradle Mountain News TWO WHALE RESCUE OPERATIONS WERE children whom happened to be camping on the Newsletter of undertaken within a day of each other in island were utilised in the rescue effort. WILDCARE Inc Tasmanian waters. North of Naracoopa on King Experienced whale rescue team members were Island, over 150 pilot whales and dolphins were also diverted from the King Island to this Tasmania’s largest incorporated discovered stranded on or near the shore at Sea stranding. The beach was cordoned off to volunteer organisation, caring for wild places, wildlife and cultural Elephant Rocks on November 28. A rescue effort facilitate the rescue attempt. heritage. was mounted immediately, although well over The Darlington rescue effort was the most half of the animals were reported to have died successful in recent times and proved that the C/o GPO Box 44 Hobart before anything could be done. whale rescuer training undertaken by Nature TAS 7001 Australia. A short time later another mass stranding took Conservation Branch in-conjunction with Parks place, this time on Maria Island, where 53 long- and Wildlife Service staff and WILDCARE Ph: 03 6233 2836. fin pilot whales were discovered on the beach at volunteers works. Fax: 03 6224 0884. Darlington Bay by a ranger on the morning of The advances in marine mammal rescue November 29. Thirty four whales were rescued techniques as a result of regular training E-mail general: and sent back to sea and nineteen perished on <[email protected]>. exercises, combined with what has been learned the beach. from other rescue efforts paid off at Darlington, E-mail newsletter articles: <[email protected]>. Significant resources and personnel from Parks & however the late discovery of the whales at Wildlife and the Nature Conservation Branch, as Naracoopa meant that most of the animals were Web: <www.wildcaretas.org.au>. well as trained WILDCARE volunteers and school dead before help arrived. 2– WILDTIMES – December 2004 Environment Minister Judy Jackson and Parks Minister Ken Bacon said that both Job Safety Analysis — incidents were responded to quickly with a coordinated community and A load of cobblers?? multi-agency effort and passed on their heartfelt thanks to everyone involved. MANY INDIVIDUAL VOLUNTEERS AND They also acknowledged the high level volunteer groups will realise by now that of community spirit and willingness to the Parks and Wildlife Service have help. recently taken a more direct role in Thank you to all WILDCARE members managing occupational health and who assisted in the rescue efforts. Other safety issues (including volunteer people can register to help with any insurance) for WILDCARE volunteers. future strandings by completing the This change has resulted in many relevant box on their membership volunteers coming ‘face to face’ for the renewal form. first time with the dreaded Job Safety Remember prompt action can save Analysis (JSA). animals — the Whale and Dolphin What is a JSA? Why do we need one? Sightings Hotline is 0427 942 537 or Who’s responsible for doing them? 0427WHALES. What are we going to do with the damn thing when we’ve got one? By: Chris Leitch, Statewide Volunteer Who’s responsible for Engagement Facilitator , Community These are some of the more polite doing a JSA? Partnerships Section , Department of questions I’ve heard from our volunteer Primary Industries, Water & community over the last few months, The JSA is normally done by the task Environment. and not only from volunteers. The need supervisor, in conjunction with others for more formal handling of OH&S they may be working with and perhaps Gordon Gateway issues is still relatively new to PWS staff other colleagues who may have special as well and some of us are handling it experience in the area. It may need to be better than others! Here’s a very brief approved by higher authority, introduction to what they are all about. depending on the highest level of risk identified. What is a JSA? In our WILDCARE context a JSA may be an informal examination of the issues A Job Safety Analysis is nothing more completed by the group convenor or than a systematic examination of a task task supervisor, passed to their PWS to determine what control measures are liaison who might knock it into shape to required to ensure we can safely carry fit the official form, approved by a senior out that task. ranger and finally passed back to the A JSA usually borrows from more task supervisor. 10% discount on door prices for general risk assessment procedures in accommodation to WILDCARE Then what do we do with members that we list what could possibly go wrong (ie the risks) and then reduce the the JSA? risks to some acceptable level through a hierarchy of elimination, substitution, At the worksite we implement the isolation, engineering, administration control measures specified on the JSA, and PPE (personal protective equipment) that is, we work safely and we all go measures. home safely! There are forms available to help us keep So next time your friendly ranger or our thoughts in order but these are not volunteer facilitator mentions the need essential to the process. for a JSA please don’t roll your eyes or run for the hills — have pity on the poor Why do we need a JSA? dear and truly amaze him/her by pulling out your already completed version from the back pocket! I often hear that the answer to this one is The Esplanade, Regatta Point, “to protect the bosses a - - e”. Well, that is Strahan, Tasmania, 7468, Australia. More Info: Anyone wishing to learn more about the Ph: 1300 134 425 Ph: 03 6471 7165 unfortunate, and usually means the whole Parks and Wildlife Service Occupational Health and Fax: 03 6471 7588 process is a load of cobblers. I would rather safety Policy should speak to your nearest friendly ranger or contact Southern District Volunteer Email: [email protected] think that the JSA exists to ensure that we Web: www.gordongateway.com.au Facilitator Craig Saunders on 03 6264 8463 or email can all go home safely at night. <[email protected]>. December 2004 – WILDTIMES – 3 mosquito fish in the belief that it will Gambusia Project launch help control mosquito larva in waterways. Research indicates that this is not the case, in fact most native fish MR KERRY FINCH MLC INDEPENDENT funding received will be used to raise species are better at controlling Member for Rosevears launched public awareness of the introduced pest mosquitos than gambusia. WILDCARE’s Natural Heritage Trust fish, Gambusia holbrooki, determine the Members of the community can help by Project ‘Investigate Distribution and extent of its distribution and to not spreading Gambusia around, in fact Control of Gambusia holbrooki’ at Tamar investigate possible control methods. you should never move any fish, native or Island Wetland Centre on November 11th The Project Officer will be working with introduced from one area to another. 2004. A total of 48 people attended the the community, local and state launch with ABC Radio, Win Television governments, NRM Facilitators and By: Rodney Milner, Gambusia Project and the Examiner and Mercury private landholders. Officer. newspapers covering the event. Gambusia holbrooki is an introduced More Info: Gambusia Project Officer, Rodney The Tamar Island CARes Group and North American pest fish that threatens Milner, Phone: 03 6336 5410, Email: WILDCARE Inc have received funds Tasmania’s freshwater biodiversity <[email protected]>, Web: <http:// from the Federal Government’s Natural including the green and gold frog www.wildcaretas.org.au>. Inland Fisheries Service, Dave Jarvis, Phone: 03 6233 2458, Email: Heritage Trust Fund, with the support of (Litoria raniformis). It has become a pest <[email protected]>. Fishcare Volunteer NRM North, to employ a Project Officer around the world, including Australia. It Coordinator, Quenton Higgs, Phone: 03 6336 to undertake the Gambusia Project. The is often mistakenly referred to as a 5319, Email: <[email protected]>. What’s happening on the Overland Track? THE OVERLAND TRACK TRAVERSES vision was developed by a steering from Cradle Mountain to Lake St Clair, committee and the document is very through the heart of the Cradle strategic.