10.06.2022 | Celebrating World Oceans Day

Jun 10, 2022 1:01 am

We protect what we love

image


FRIDAY . 10 . 06. 22 .


Hey, hi, hello and happy Friday


Anyone else struggling to keep warm during this 'arctic blast'? I feel like within the space of a week I went from being way too hot at night to not having enough layers.


Lots has been happening at FWP HQ. Hilary has safely made it to the beautiful Northern Rivers, Paige is eagerly awaiting her visa, Liz the FWP representative at the Rapid Ascent Trail Running Series last Saturday, and Freddie is having some epic adventures in NZ.


In this week's newsletter we demonstrate how the Trail Running Series is a great intro to trail running, we celebrate World Oceans Day and take a closer look at the remarkable recovery of nature following fires.


Happy reading folks.


❄️ ⛄ ❄️


RAPID ASCENT: TRAIL RUNNING SERIES


image

A race for the finish line.


The Rapid Ascent Trail Running Series kicked off on Sunday 5th June. With 5km,11km and 15km events, there was something for everyone in Melbourne's Studley Park, Yarra Bend. The 'arctic blast' didn't put anyone off, and the rain even stayed away for most of the day!


For anyone interested in getting into trail running or wondering what a 'runner's high' might be, The Trail Running Series is a great intro. The courses are achievable, well signed and occur in beautiful yet accessible places.


The next one is at Smiths Gully on July 10 - we hope to see you there!



👟 👟 👟


WORLD OCEANS DAY

Uniting worldwide ocean activism & conservation on 8 June


The aim of World Oceans Day is to raise awareness of the significance of our oceans, recognise the impact of human actions on the ocean and biodiversity and celebrate our oceans and take actionable steps to protect them. The theme this year is Revitalisation: Collective Action for the Ocean.


At nearly four billion years old, oceans have long been regarded as an important natural resource. They provide half the oxygen we breathe, play a significant role in moderating our climate, provide us with medicine and food, and are essentially fundamental to all life on earth. Covering two-thirds (71%) of our planet, their vastness, self-healing and self-regulation properties have made them appear to be a limitless natural resource.


image

Exploring the headland at Gerroa (and the incredible biodiversity in it), Tharawal country. This is a cushion starfish with 8 arms. Despite it's name, it's quite firm to touch and move around on tiny tentacle feet that are hidden underneath.


The ocean is resilient. Whilst, it has the natural ability to recover from environmental damage, it is increasingly under pressure. The growing impacts of climate change, coastal developments, seismic testing, overfishing, ocean acidification, oil and gas drilling and marine debris are impacting its ability to repair itself.


image

Coastal erosion along Delicate Beach, Crescent Head, NSW: Dainggatti/Dunghutti country


It's up to us to celebrate the ocean, educate others about its significance and demand action from our political leaders. As friend of FWP and Seabin Project Ambassador Tom Batrouney stated:


"I'm so thankful but more importantly I'm so excited to promote the ocean and what we can do to regenerate it".


🐋 🐬 🐟 🦈


WILD MAGAZINE SUBSCRIPTION

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


image


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 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.




image

Week 4: Summiting Didthul Pigeon House Mountain, Yuin country.


The 2019–20 bushfire season, now referred to as 'Black Summer', was the worst ever recorded in NSW. Many homes were lost, hectares burnt, lives lost, and the impact on communities, farmers, businesses, wildlife and bushland were unprecedented. I was staying at a family holiday house in Gerroa, near Berry, when I received an evacuation warning. Although the little township that I was in was safe from immediate destruction, the mood of people was sombre, there was a 'dooms-day' eeriness in the wind and the sky, filled with smoke, was tinged red.


Despite spending my childhood at Gerroa, I only ventured south in search of a different break (I loved surfing and bodyboarding). With a newfound love of trail running and a continuing love for the outdoors, I was in search of a new adventure - not just a run, but I wanted to learn more about how nature recovers from bushfires.


image

This picture is a perfect example of the resilience of Australia's flora following devastating bush fires.


How does Australia's flora naturally recover from fire?

Despite the devastation caused by the bushfires, Australian forests started showing encouraging signs of recovery just 6 months after disaster.


Many plants from fire-prone ecosystems have evolved to embrace bushfires, and have adapted to create strategies to survive with fire. Some reshoot after fire, with green shoots bursting from blackened stems. Many trees produce epicormic buds; these are a cluster of leaves that lie beneath the bark that were protected from the fire and stimulate the tree to re-sprout and regenerate branches.


image

View from the top of Didthul Pigeon House Mountain.


For other species, fire stimulates flowering and the germination of seeds. Seeds can be found in hard capsules which re only opened by immense heat, which then release the seeds into the soil.


As these forests began to regenerate, wildlife were then able to forage for food and seek shelter, without the dependency on the intervention of locals.


The recovery of Australia’s forests and wildlife following the bushfires is still ongoing and would be impossible without the incredible support of locals, volunteers and coordinated efforts.


🌼 🌼 🌼


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.


CHECK US OUT ON INSTAGRAM

image


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.


image


Comments