International Year of Forests

It's the International Year of Forests, a United Nations initiative designed to raise awareness of the importance of the world’s forests, their management and conservation. In NSW, our International Year of Forests' celebrations acknowledge that NSW is blessed with an amazing diversity of protected forests.

The mysterious World Heritage Gondwana rainforests of the Northern NSW, rich eucalypt and cypress of the Warrumbungle and Pilliga, alpine snow gums cloaking parts of Kosciuszko National Park, the Blue Mountains wilderness and the newly-declared River Red Gum national parks along the Murray and Murrumbidgee rivers - so many wonderful places offering relaxation and recreation for everyone.

Springtime is a particularly good time to plan a forest visit, as winter loses its grip and nature springs into life... a time for wildflowers, new greenery and active bird and animal life.

Be part of the International Year of the Forests' celebrations in NSW by joining a springtime Discovery activity in your national park.

Our website, www.wildwildworld.com.au , offers lots of forest information and dozens of activities that highlight forests in springtime. You can discover the birds of the Blue Mountains, the flooded River Red Gums , or explore a fossilised forest near Newcastle.

World Parks Day

Saturday 17 September is World Parks Day, and it’s a great opportunity to celebrate the wonderful contribution national parks make to our health and well-being.

NPWS is organising World Parks Day events around the State - and our present to you is free entry into fee-charging parks for the day. So that’s one more reason to be part of this great community celebration.

Our Wild Wild World website features information on World Parks Day activities in NSW. With highlights including Yoga in the Rainforest held in three of our rainforest centres, hiking through the Valley of the Waterfalls in the Blue Mountains, investigating the smallest critters in Brisbane Waters National Park, exploring native bushland around Sydney Harbour and even becoming a Keeper for the Day at Taronga Zoo, up close and personal with the animals.

All these World Parks Day activities and more can be found by visiting www.wildwildworld.nsw.gov.au.

Win a fantastic photography workshop!

To celebrate International Year of the Forests and World Parks Day, we're giving away an incredible national parks photography package which includes a three-day-workshop, accomodation and meals.

You could win a spot on a photographic adventure through the spectacular Snowy Mountain landscapes, and access to well-hidden secrets of our vast high plains alongside two professional photographers as well as NSW Discovery rangers.

To find out more about how you can enter, as well as our other great prizes and full terms and conditions, visit our Wild Wild World facebook page.

Nielsen Park Centenary Celebrations

It’s an icon of Sydney, a piece of unspoilt harbourside heritage - and now, everyone is welcome to celebrate Nielsen Park’s centenary.

Nielsen Park, featuring Sydney’s beautiful Shark Beach, is turning 100. It was created when the NSW Government resumed 17 parcels of land, including the Greycliffe Estate, in August 1911. On 1 May 1912, the land was gazetted as a public park.

Today, as part of Sydney Harbour National Park, it’s a much loved beachside recreational park for Sydneysiders and visitors. Along with amazing harbour views, the park offers a netted swimming enclosure from October to April, the newly refurbished Nielsen Park Kiosk, shady picnic areas, natural bushland and historic buildings.

Special events over the next few months include a nocturnal digital photography workshop where you can learn to photograph by moonlight, and a chance to join in a community survey of creepy crawly bugs and spiders. There are plenty more activities heading into 2012, including a breakfast with the birds, Mother's Day High Tea, Aboriginal heritage Discovery walk and various exhibitions.

Support for threatened species

September is Biodiversity Month, and the Foundation for National Parks and Wildlife is running its Threatened Species Appeal, which calls for donations and volunteers to support its programs.

Several programs are currently under the spotlight, including a Koala habitat research program which sees a population of healthy Koalas in Gunnedah being monitored, as scientists hope to determine the factors that contribute to the setup of healthy Koala populations.

Information gained so far, using radio-tracking collars, shows a surprising amount of travel between trees - this information can be used by famers, councils and planning groups to ensure plantings and restoration of the appropriate trees to support this much-loved yet vulnerable species.

Another program is the Little Penguin monitoring program at Manly, which sees the local Manly colony closely monitored over the current breeding season.

The Foundation supports volunteer Penguin Wardens that help protect individual penguins on private, national park and council land, and also helps with public education and support.

Other projects currently underway include fox controls, restoration of the Eastern Bristlebird’s habitat and a captive breeding program for Mountain Pygmy Possums. To help support the Foundation's work, donate now or call 9221 1949.

Visitor upgrades at Tomaree

Walking to the summit of Tomaree Head is one of our great national park experiences, offering panoramic views of Nelson Bay, the magnificent Port Stephens coastline and islands, and out to the Tasman Sea.

A $25,000 upgrade of visitor access and facilities at Tomaree’s Zenith Beach is improving visitor access to this popular area.

The work involved upgrading walking tracks between Tomaree Head and Big Rocky, and on to Fingal Bay. Pedestrian access to Zenith Beach has also been improved, along with new fencing for carparking and dune protection.

Port Stephen is an ideal location for a bush or beach holiday. In Tomaree National Park, you can enjoy exploring coastal bushland and forests, or walk out to the Port Stephens lighthouse and historic ruins on Fingal Island.

Swim, snorkel or surf, try your hand at fishing or have a lazy picnic - there are excellent facilities at Zenith Beach. For more information contact (02) 4984 8200.

Cultural tours and new biking facilities for Yellowmundee

Sustainable mountain biking is set to be a key attraction of Yellomundee Regional Park, with work being done along bike tracks to minimise erosion and to assess and protect culturally sensitive areas.

Car parking, picnic areas and shelters are being upgraded to allow mountain bike events to be held in the park for visitors.

Adding to these important sustainability initiatives, is a new approach to introduce the park's Aboriginal heritage to recreational mountain bikers.

This World Parks Day, a fascinating workshop will highlight the Aboriginal cultural heritage of the park - archaeologist Kelvin Knox will show how to identify the park’s significant sites. Chris Tobin, who is a Darug Traditional Custodian of this country, will give an Aboriginal perspective into Yellowmundee’s significance.

The ecology of the park will be examined from a mountain biking perspective, with experienced conservation and land management lecturer Jacob Philpott explaining how to identify native plants and tell them apart from weeds.

The Bikes, Plant ID, Ecology and Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Day will be held on Sunday 18 September from 9am to 2:30pm, and includes morning tea and lunch. It’s free, but please RSVP ahead of time on 4588 2400.

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