We're aiming to be in this for the long haul: bringing everyone together to participate in rigorous science, to look out for our birds of prey, burrowing crayfish and – increasingly – other threatened and potentially threatened species. We want to be sure that conservation efforts are working. It takes time to detect a sustained population decline; and as these efforts and threats change, we need to check how the population is responding.
Without NatureTrackers, these species could be gradually disappearing without us noticing, until far too late in the day.
Can you help NatureTrackers to continue?
The fund-raising priority is to secure the program as long-term sustainable, ultimately costing little to coordinate as we apply the same tools each year for outreach, education, monitoring, data analyses and public reporting on any changes. Some of these tools are now well established, and even automated, but others are still being completed. Funding needs include:
EQUIPMENT
- More high-quality acoustic recorders are needed, to cover Tasmania for the CallTrackers project – monitoring for bats, bitterns and ultimately many more of our elusive-but-noisy species.
OUTREACH & EDUCATION
...to foster interest and understanding to protect Tasmania's species, through science, art & more — and to attract more survey participants. The more data collected each year, the more sensitive the survey — meaning that population changes for more species can be detected more swiftly.
- Upgrade and maintain the school-curriculum-aligned education resources, and the Expedition Class website that hosts them
- Transport experts to share their knowledge in less well-surveyed areas, to inspire potential NatureTrackers and help them get started
- Create & maintain fun stuff to engage & prepare everyone — videos, quizzes, flyers & more
COORDINATION
The aim is to automate most coordination tasks, and share the remaining effort with interested individuals and organisations across Tasmania. Nonetheless, in this changing world, software needs maintenance work each year. And in the mean time, the work needed to coordinate NatureTrackers is still quite demanding, and run primarily by volunteers. A small bank of salary funds would ensure that the monitoring won't fall over when those particular people aren't available.
- Improve and maintain software
- Support humans to make it all happen!
Your participation in the annual monitoring projects is the greatest way to make a difference. But if you're able to assist in other ways as well - donations can help secure NatureTrackers for the future.
The Bookend Trust is a not-for-profit, financially housed within the Pennicott Foundation which is an endorsed Deductible Gift Recipient. Donations over $2 are tax-deductible in Australia. Donors will automatically receive a standard receipt after donating, and a tax-deductible receipt within a month.
Photo: Persia Brown
(taken near Melaleuca during Where? Where? Wedgie! 2020)