The Community Environment Network’s (CEN) Stepping Stones Project in partnership with Wyong Council and Bateau Bay Bushcare invites the local community to participate in National Tree Day 2010. Participants will contribute to planting 1000 trees, shrubs and groundcovers to thicken the riparian vegetation along Saltwater Creek to improve the quality of vegetation in the corridor for native animals.

Interested volunteers are to meet at the Tennis Courts at EDSACC Oval, The Entrance Rd, Bateau Bay at 9am on Sunday 1st August.

Wildplant Community Nursery Recruiting Volunteers

The Wildplant Community Nursery is looking for people with a passion for our local native bushland to become volunteers at the nursery and also for our Wildplant Rescues. The next intake of volunteers will be held in July with volunteer induction being held on Saturday, 7 August, 2010

The Wildplant Community Nursery and Central Coast Wildplant Rescue Service would like to hear from community members interested in joining a team that is enthusiastic about preserving our local native flora.  

The nursery will be opening to the public on the third Saturday of each month. The Nursery aims to encourage people to include local provenance natives in their gardens to continue the local floral ecology on the coast and provide food for our local bird and wildlife population.

For more information contact CEN – Ph; 4349 4756 or email: This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it
Time: 10am -2pm
Venue: Wildplant Community Nursery, Pioneer Dairy, South Tacoma

Precious water flowing through the Dooralong and Yarramalong Valleys (a proclaimed water catchment district) is one of the two largest sources of water for the entire Central Coast. It accounts for approximately 50% of the Central Coast’s drinking water catchment and was proclaimed and gazetted as a Water Catchment District in 1951 to ensure the protection of the Central Coast's water supply.

The Labor Government intend to build a coal mine under the Wyong water catchment valleys. The proponent is the South Korean Government-owned mining giant KORES.  

If you wish to voice your comments and concerns you must get your submissions in before 2nd June 2010

For more details go to the Australian Coal Alliance website.

The NSW Environment Minister Frank Sartor is considering introducing the National Park Development Bill. The National Parks Association NSW believe this bill will destroy the principle that national parks can only be used for a purpose which promotes the use of the land as a public park. The bill will remove the legal protection of national parks from uses that damage their ecology and landscapes.

This loss of protection is completely contrary to previous assurances given by both Minister Sartor and NPWS boss, Sally Barnes. Existing laws have effectively limited the construction of new accommodation in NSW National Parks, which currently remain relatively unspoiled.

(NPA E-Newsletter Issue 9, May 2010: Write to Kill Tourism Bill)

To learn more and find out how you can help

We have added a new "Category" ,called Climate Change, to our "Information" section . The first article in this new category is
"The Answers to Global Warming Scepticism" by Heather Hughes.

It is a A non-technical summary based on: The Scientific Basis for Scepticism about Global Warming by Dr Frederick C. Bell.
Fred Bell had a multidisciplinary background with about 50 years professional experience in government agencies, universities (Australia, USA and UK), and as a consultant in the private sector. In his various academic appointments he lectured in hydrology, quantitative analysis, environmental science and climatology. His recent research and consulting included mathematical modelling of natural processes, environmental impact assessment, risk assessment, catchment management, global warming and sustainable development. He was the author or co-author of about 120 publications and major reports. Sadly, Fred Bell passed away suddenly on 22nd July, 2009.

We have also added Climate Change to our Planning Category in the "Issues"  section. To learn more about planning for Climate Change in the Coastal Regions of NSW go to :http://www.cen.org.au/issues/planning/climatechange.html

The Central Coast ‘Land for Wildlife’ program is now offering free, and low-cost, bush regeneration services in specific corridors of rural land in Gosford and Wyong Council areas. See maps below.

  The offer is part of a project funded by the NSW Environmental Trust named ‘Regeneration of Wildlife Corridors through Land for Wildlife’. The project hopes to persuade landholders in the corridors to join Land for Wildlife and receive one free day of bush regeneration and up to three further days at low cost. Land for Wildlife (LfW) is an Australia-wide program supporting landholders who provide habitat for native wildlife on their land. The Community Environment Network (CEN) is the NSW state coordinator of LfW, as well as running the Central Coast regional program. Gosford and Wyong Councils are currently funding the local LfW program. 

This months "Environmental Group of the month"  is:
Food Integrity Group (FIG)
Environmental Group of the Month is a new CEN initiative to help promote community based environmental groups.

If your group would like a feature story on the front page of the CEN website please
send suggested copy, your logo and images to : This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it
All text should be in MSWord format and all images in .jpg (or similar) format.