EnviroMatters-Spring-Summer-2020_

What’s in this issue

4 Rethink your waste Garage Sale Trail

5 Level up your recycling game Hazardous waste drop-off day

6 Conserving nature and connecting people

7 Spotting Ipswich species

8 Flooding: our past and our future

9 What is a flood? Be flood ready

10 How to start a veggie garden for less than $100

11 Fantastic flying fox facts

A new Habitat Gardens is growing

12 What’s On

14 Kids Corner – School sustainability tips Did you know

Keeping it cool Fire is a natural function of our environment – but the type of fire can make a big difference.

15 Kids Corner – Biodiversity Quiz Make a bee bath

16 At your library

A controlled, low-intensity fire safely reduces the amount of fuel in an area and stimulates native plant regeneration, important for Ipswich ecosystems and biodiversity. Ipswich City Council owns and manages about 6,700 hectares of bushland. A program of controlled and ‘cool’ hazard reduction burns aims to reduce the potential impact of wildfires and maintain the health of these vital natural areas. Council recently completed burns at White Rock – Spring Mountain Conservation Estate, and already the area is regenerating. controlled fire only burns patches of an area, providing wildlife means to escape or take shelter fire can create nesting hollows reshooting vegetation provides ‘green pick’ for animals such as wallabies fire can promote increased flowering and seeding in native plants.

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