As November comes to an end, we're starting to catch our breath after a very busy few months! We all know that conservation issues don't disappear at this time of year, and that our environment needs us to be engaged all year round. As such, the second half of this Paperbark edition is filled with ideas and opportunities to contribute and engage, from wherever you might be!

Some good news from this month...

• Sunshine Coast Council officially declared a climate emergency. Congratulations to the wonderful people involved in this campaign!
• Townsville City Council is one step closer to grandfathering cats off of Yunbenun Magnetic Island, thanks to proposed changes to their animal management laws. Well done to MINCA for raising awareness and encouraging submissions!
• The State Government announced $125,000 over two years to support the recovery of the Mt Etna Ghost bat colony. This comes after 50 years of campaigning from conservationists in the region.

In this edition:

• NQCC Updates:
  
  • Trivia Night and Mega Raffle
  • Environment Minister Roundtable
  • QCC's Evening with the Minister
  • Townsville Waterways Forum
  • Green Drinks
• Online Actions:
  • Tell Steven Miles to stop the Waratah coal station
  • Have your say on the future of Qld's Renewable Energy Zones
  • Provide feedback on Qld's Draft Resources Industry Development Plan
  • Join the #StopAdani end-of-year celebration
  • Get involved with "Soils for Science" - a citizen science project
  • Complete a survey about the use of drones in conservation work (or share with someone who can help)

NQCC UPDATES

Trivia Night 2021!

Thank you to everyone who supported Trivia 2021! It was a great night that helped us to connect, have fun and raise some cash!

Mega Raffle Drawn!

Congratulations to Manuela, Ines and Kinga on winning some incredible prizes from our Mega Raffle, drawn on Trivia Night! We raised $1565 thanks to the generosity of many wonderful local businesses and the support of everyone who purchased tickets.

Environment Minister Roundtable

Early in November, Crystal travelled to Brisbane for the second Ministerial Roundtable of the year. Here, she joined representatives from conservation groups throughout Queensland to bring regional issues to the attention of State Environment Minister, Meaghan Scanlon.

Evening with the Minister

Following the Ministerial Roundtable was an opportunity for everyone to hear directly from Minister Scanlon in QCC's "Evening with the Minister". This was held online last week and was attended by about 300 people.

Thank you to everyone who submitted questions or attended on the night! It helped to demonstrate how engaged with environmental issues North Queenslanders are.

You can see some of the commitments made on the night within the Commitments Score Card above. One exciting announcement from the night was the commitment of $125,000 to develop a recovery plan to protect the endangered ghost bats at Mount Etna! 

 Townsville Waterways Forum

NQCC representatives attended this wonderful forum by the Dry Tropics Partnership for Healthy Waters this month. Guest speakers were informative and inspiring. Congratulations to all involved, and to St Benedict's on their successful project pitch!

You can support the work of this fantastic partnership by completing a 10-15 minute survey about your perceptions of regional waterways...

Green Drinks

As the wet season is upon us, we won't be organising another Green Drinks event until 2022. Thank you to everyone who has joined us at any time throughout the year - it's been fun.

Please join our vibrant little Facebook group to keep in touch, share environmental notices and keep conversations going until we have the chance to meet again!

ONLINE ACTIONS

Waratah Coal Station

Tell Minister Miles to stop the Waratah Coal Station! The link will take you to an email template which you can personalise or send as is.

Renewable Energy Zones

Have your say on the future of Queensland's Renewable Energy Zones.

Resources Industry Development Plan

Provide feedback on Queensland's Draft Resources Industry Development Plan. You can complete their survey or make a submission.

#StopAdani Celebration

Join the #StopAdani movement's end-of-year celebration! It will be held online from 6-7pm AEST on Thursday 9 December.

Soils for Science

Soils for Science is an Australian-first citizen science program dedicated to finding new antibiotics needed in the fight against the scourge of drug-resistant infections, better known as superbugs.

Simply request a soil kit, download the app, then collect, register and submit soil samples!

Drone Research

Do you use drones for the purpose of conservation or environmental management, or do you know someone who does?

Sophie Walker is a PhD student at JCU and is studying barriers to drone use in conservation. She is currently looking for people to complete a 15-minute survey about their experiences to assist with her research.

Thank you for your support and for everything you do - on the ground or online!

Yours naturally,

Crystal and Tiff
North Queensland Conservation Council