We protect what we love

FRIDAY . 17 . 06. 22 .

Good morning and happy Friday!

How good is a three day weekend? That's rhetorical, because we know it's fabulous. Especially when the weather is amazing and we get to explore the great outdoors. Here's what some of the FWP team got up to...

Alby has been taking Hilary on some walks up in Arakwal country.

This is Alby. If you've been following Hilary's stories on IG, it's not very clear who's taking who for a walk.

Will, FWP's project manager, has had an action packed long weekend, including watching game 4 of the NBA finals which, to quote, is "some of the best basketball I've ever seen."

Will has also been hitting up some beach trails in Port Kembla, Dharawal country, with his furry friends.

Paige did a long run down the coast on Saturday and has been soaking up the sun and the ocean with Axel in Dharawal country. It's been an exciting week for Paige, who finally received her visa and has safely landed in the US to commence studies at the University of Nevada in Reno. We're excited to follow Paige's adventures on the track and trails, and keep us up to date with upcoming trail events, including Broken Arrow and WSER.

Regardless of whether you're a walker, runner, biker or picnicker, we hope you managed to enjoy some good ol' vitamin D this week.

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GLOBAL WIND DAY

Celebrating the power and possibilities of wind as a form of clean energy.

Global Wind Day is a worldwide event that occurs annually on 15 June. It is a day for discovering the power and possibilities of wind, and it's potential to reshape our energy systems, decarbonise our planet and boost the economy.

Murra Warra Wind Farm, Barengi Gadjin country. Soon to be one of the biggest wind farms in Australia. Credit: Hilary McAllister.

What is wind?

Wind is generated by complex interplay of mechanisms - the rotation of the Earth, the heat capacity of the Sun, the cooling effect of the oceans and polar ice caps, temperature differences between land and sea, and the physical effects of mountains and other obstacles.

What is wind energy?

Wind energy is generated by converting wind currents into other forms of energy from the naturally occurring power of the wind. Wind turbines capture wind energy within the area swept by their blades, which drive an electrical generator that produces electricity for export to the grid.

Hallett Wind Farm, rural South Australia. Credit: amophoto_au.

Some facts about wind energy in Australia:

• Wind power is currently the cheapest source of large-scale renewable energy in Australia
• Wind was the leading source of clean energy in 2020, supplying 35.9 per cent of the country's clean energy and 9.9 per cent of Australia's overall electricity - whoa!
• Australia's wind energy resources are mainly located in the southern parts of the continent, which lie in the path of the westerly wind flow known as the 'Roaring Forties'
• Four of Australia's top five largest wind farms, by generating capacity, are located in the Roaring Forties (Victoria and SA). The largest wind farm, the Coopers Gap Wind Farm is located in QLD.

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WILD MAGAZINE SUBSCRIPTION

Wild Magazine are donating 10% of the subscription amount to For Wild Places

FWP Founding Members would have received their free copy of Wild magazine by now - we hope you enjoyed it! If you did, now's the time to subscribe! Wild Magazine are donating 10% of the subscription amount to FWP to help us do what we do (you also get a free Thermos). Yet another act of awesomeness from the team at Wild!

Use this link to subscribe and encourage your friends to sign up as well - it's open to all FWP friends, supporters and outdoor allies.

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Week 5: Little Lane Cove Loop, Ku-Ring Gai country.

I've been struggling with tendonitis in my left foot for the past six weeks, so decided to ease off the distance this 'long run Sunday' (which was actually shorter than Friday's run). I visited my old stomping ground - Lane Cove. This little trail gem is tucked away in Sydney suburbia and offers a lot of variety despite it's short distance, including some steep hills, technical single trail, rock scrambling (it's part of The Great North Walk), undulating riverside track, and water views throughout.

A bush turkey in Lane Cove, Ku-Ring Gai country.

There's also an abundance of bush turkey's in the area. Characterised by their excessively large mounds, making an awful mess of things as they dig up leaf litter, twigs and dirt and lurking in scrubs and gardens, the bush turkey get's a pretty bad wrap. Since they're a protected species in Australia, and their populations have significantly increased, I thought I'd get to know these underrated birds a little more.

Some facts about the bush turkey

• Ever wondered why bush turkeys build such large mounds? The decomposition of the organic material that makes these mounds produces sufficient heat for the incubation of their young. They're one of only 22 bird species worldwide to use external heat sources for incubation. In addition, the sex ratio of their young is affected by the incubation temperature of the mound. They're the only bird known for this!

Bush turkey mound + my running route (hugging the Lane Cove River, Ku-Ring Gai country). This mound has been here for as long as I've been running here, which is at least 2 years.

• Newborn chicks have it rough. They receive no parental care and live independently from the moment they hatch. They also spend the first two days of their life scrambling up through the mound to reach the surface
• They play an important role in maintaining a healthy ecosystem by dispersing seeds, airing the soil and controlling insect populations
• Having been actively hunted for over a century, pushed out of their natural habitat due to urbanisation and now forced to live alongside humans, the bush turkey is an incredibly adaptable and resilient bird.
• At night, they roost high up in trees (all this time I thought they slept at the top of their mound, but nope - that's to incubate their young)

Bush turkey chick. Source.

They're seen as a pest to some people - during the breeding season, bush turkeys can cause considerable damage to suburban gardens while building their mounds. However, please remember that bush turkeys are protected by NSW law. It's illegal to attempt to harm the birds or trap them without an appropriate permit. This includes damaging or destroying the eggs in the mound, or preventing chicks from leaving the mound.

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Take some time to get outside, find inner peace on the trails and we'll catch you next week.

And, as always, thank you for taking the time to support wild places!

Elanor & the For Wild Places team.

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We acknowledge the the First Nations people who have been custodians of land, waters and culture for tens of thousands of years. We pay respects to First Nations Elders past, present and emerging.

This email was compiled on Gadigal lands of the Eora nation. To these people, we pay our respects.

Always was, always will be.