Oolong Sanctuary Newsletters Number 2

Oolong Sanctuary banner created by J. K. Phillips

Newsletter 2

Newsletters: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11

WELCOME TO THE OOLONG SANCTUARY NEWS!

January-May 2002

Dear Friends,

I have to apologise at the delay in releasing this newsletter. I have been entangled in a bureaucratic web. I have to dilute my passionate and somewhat aggressive approach and accept that we are far ahead of our time with our program. All people promoting or involved already in conservation programs, including ministers and other members of Parliament, share and support our vision. We have a long list of testimonial recognising the importance of our work, our future education program with schools and also congratulating us on the presentation of results on the Web.

I wish to quote what a coordinator of a major network for NSW and the ACT wrote to me recently:

"I appreciate your vision and efforts for our environmental future. Unfortunately, we do work in an area where we must struggle to move forward, and each step is a huge victory. However, you must rememeber just that. Each step IS a huge victory, as each time you move one step closer to obtaining that dream and introducing others to it as well. Try not do dispair, but rather rejoice in the small successes. Each and every one eventually adds to a huge change. Thank you for your efforts."

Regardless of all our efforts so far we have not yet been able to secure a major sponsorship but we have great news. Dr David Suzuki, who recognises the importance of our program, is joining us and has accepted to be the patron of our association. We hope that such illustrious patronage will encourage donations, sponsorships and above all support from the local community and landholders.

Dr Suzuki has been working non-stop on many projects the past few years and has a very busy schedule till then end of June. However he has taken time to make his first statement for us. He has also promised to me that he will make further statements "next fall" in support of our program. We will try to give as much publicity we can to these statements.

A major reconstruction of our WebPages is taking place with the technican and design assistance of Mrs Jennifer K. Phillips and the statement by Dr Suzuki is already on our front page. We hope you like the new look. I am also regularly updating the content of the pages and it is worth for you to browse them to see where we are up to with progress, especially in so far as the identification of threatened flora and fauna species, also the list of birds is very impressive.

Our projects, because of their scientific component do not appear to fall within government guidelines for funding, including those allocated to landcare type of activities.

We have 28 projects listed so far. Of these, seventeen are on-ground and on-going, three to be carried out by study groups, each on their on set seasonal time and one under consideration by the local government, five waiting sponsorship, one proposed and two postponed. This is a monumental task by any standard and we receive comments such as: "obviously yours is a very energetic organisation".

We are in a very delicate negotiating stage seeking the support and the possible participation of nearby landholders to include in our conservation program some vital components of our model of habitat/remnants linked by corridors.

We are negotiating with Ms Susan Hansen-Smith, Assistant, Environmental Services Section, Gunning Shire Council, two projects concerning the Bush's Lane. The public and personal liability has been raised and it has been resolved only as far as paid workers. We were negotiating the relevant policies with AON Insurance to cover also volunteers but the premiums are outside our reach.

With our limited resources and with members in the ACT, SE NSW and as far as Crookwell, Moss Vale and Yass, it is logistically very difficult and very costly to have meetings to inform directly our members. We have to relay on online meetings for our committee and to personal calls for any urgent matter, while general information on progress to be available on our WebPages.

To imform members on the dates of the AGM and other meetings, we will relay on: The Contact/Notices of The Chronicle and the Fridge Door of The Canberra Times, the 100.3 FM Yass Community Radio station and the local Lion club notice.

Membership renewal is now due. It is only $2 but we would appreciate a small donation.

We will have to set the date for our AGM at Oolong to elect the officer bearers of the association. All positions will be vacated and nominations called. A ballot would be required only if more than one member apply for any position. All members of the inaugural committee will stand, including myself.

The election will be followed by a BBQ to celebrate the occasion and the success we had in our first year of activities. I will write to all members this time to inform of the details.

A member asked me recently: "I am puzzled about what my membership actually means".

The answer is very simple. There are supporters, active members and volunteers. The supporters are our strength in their number (The number which will allow us to become an environmental organisation and be registered as such). Some of the executive members of the committee are the hard workers elected amongst the supporters to manage the associations. They, together with full-time and casual workers, make things happen. It is up to each individual member to decide his/her degree of involvement.

Mr Lewis Merriman is one of our members who has accepted the position of full time manager of the sanctuary. Other active members are Ms Fredericks, our secretary, Mrs Jennifer Phillips, Messrs Steve Telford, Andrew Micolacjzek and Andrew Wynberg.

From time to time several supporting non-member individuals, study groups and government agencies officers are also involved in our program and we depend on them.

The value of our contribution to conservation is already considerable. Lewis Merriman and myself devote two-person years equivalent to over $54,000 of in-kind contribution to the program.

I have to attend also to the promotion, administation of the sanctuary and the updating of the WebPages with assistance by Mrs Phillips. These activities are almost equivalent to another full-time person year. I can reassure you that I have few hours left to sleep and we could do with active contribution from more members.

I will see you all at the AGM.

Gianni William D'Addario
President, Friends of Oolong Inc.