The critically endangered Swift Parrot has been crowned Australian Bird of the Year in the Guardian / BirdLife Australia’s biennial 2023 poll, a public voting contest that aims to raise awareness of conservation issues.
After a successful online campaign by conservationists, concerned about dwindling numbers with only 750 of the Swift Parrots remaining in the wild, BirdLife describes this year’s outcome as “a huge win for threatened species everywhere.”
Samantha Vine, BirdLife Australia’s Head of Conservation and Science, says, “We are watching extinction in real time for the Swift Parrot.”
Alex Croft of BirdLife Australia says the Swift Parrot won with a grand total of 11,171 votes and the first time for ‘swifties’ to have taken out the title.
The Tawny Frogmouth was runner-up with 10,729 votes and third place was another endangered species, the Gang-gang Cockatoo with 7,190 votes.
The Swift Parrot is one of only three species of migratory parrots in the world. Croft says, “Twice a year, these remarkable birds brave crossing one of the world’s most dangerous bodies of water – Bass Strait – as they migrate from their Tasmanian breeding grounds to the mainland to feed on flowering gums and lerp in south-eastern Australia.”
The Guardian reports on exemptions to environmental laws said to be contributing to habitat losses.
July 2023 was recently reported as the hottest month on Earth. With summer heat waves blasting through previous records, landscape architecture, planning and urban design firm SWA writes about how designers can help society adapt to our increasingly warming world.
SWA reports on the heat inequity now seen in nearly every major city in the US, interviewing designers about solutions and tools to mitigate extreme heat.
They write, “We’ve been tackling design solutions for extreme heat at all scales, studying how urban foresters can adapt to a warming climate; working with the City of Houston to develop a master plan for community “resilience hubs” providing residents life-saving access to cooling centers; and incorporating shade structures, tree cover, and other cooling infrastructure across our work, from pocket parks to regional networks.”
For example, Director of Research with SWA’s XL Lab Chicago, Anya Domlesky, recommends designers study cities that currently have similar climates in line with their city’s projections. She says, “Look to cities the next rung up on the climate ladder. If you’re an urban planner in Paris, a city with warm summers, look to those with hotter summers in the same precipitation regime like Taipei, Brisbane, or Atlanta. How have they coped with heat and humidity in the past?
“If you’re looking at a longer-term horizon, you might look to Casablanca, Sacramento, or Perth – by 2100, Paris is projected to have a similar temperature and precipitation to those areas today.”
Street Furniture Australia and US partner Spruce & Gander in March hosted landscape architects from California and Texas on a visit to Sydney to experience a factory tour, site visits and a new product launch. The American landscape architects represented MJS Landscape Architecture, RHAA Landscape Architecture + Planning, TBG Partners, Avid Trails and Ten Eyck Landscape Architects. Over a week-long trip the guests were treated to famous sights of Sydney including the iconic Bondi Beach, a harbour cruise and dining at top restaurants in urban Surry Hills and the new Barangaroo precinct. Travelling to Regents Park in Western Sydney, they toured the Street Furniture Australia factory to see first-hand how products are designed, made and shipped all over the world. This included meeting the production team, industrial designers and engineers. …
Melissa Gerke, our Communications and Education Specialist, is bringing a fun, interactive and informative presentation about our carbon neutral journey and latest products to customers in cities around Australia and in the US. In 30 minutes (plus Q&A) we will explore materials and finishes, touch and feel samples, and bond with your colleagues over delicious treats. There will also be a mystery prize for a lucky winner (optional). 2024 cities and dates include: Select from three catering options (optional): To book, contact Melissa Gerke mgerke@streetfurniture.com
Successful products are often followed by copycats. Over the past year we have become aware of an increase in reproductions of the Linea range attempting to create a similar aesthetic at a lower price. This can compromise the overall durability and environmental credentials of projects being delivered, affect ongoing maintenance requirements, and in some instances pose a risk of injury to the public. The design of Linea is deceptively simple while delivering exceptional attention to detail. Details matter not only for beauty, but also for providing durability, and safety, that will last decades. Linea strictly uses the highest quality and sustainable materials, has passed rigorous strength tests, and is designed for longevity, with easily replaceable parts. The product range is the result of hundreds of hours of research and development …
Three landscape architects share their thoughts on the Voice History is calling as Australians head to the polls for a referendum on October 14, 2023, to vote on enshrining an Indigenous Voice to Parliament in the Constitution. The Australian Institute of Landscape Architects (AILA) said it encourages all members to “engage deeply with the available information, contemplate its implications, and arrive at an informed stance that aligns with your values and beliefs. “As landscape architects, we often find ourselves at the intersection of nature, culture, politics and history, aiming to craft spaces that resonate with the stories and experiences of those who inhabit them. This unique position imparts a special responsibility upon us to be both informed and sensitive to the cultural dimensions of our work.” AILA has compiled referendum …
New research: planting trees in cities could save lives New research from the Barcelona Institute for Global Health suggests planting more trees could lead to fewer deaths from increasingly high summer temperatures in cities. The researchers say increasing urban tree coverage to 30% could reduce temperatures by approximately 0.4%, which could reduce heat-related deaths by 39.5% according to the study’s modelling. Lead author, Tamara Iungman, says, “We already know that high temperatures in urban environments are associated with negative health outcomes, such as cardiorespiratory failure, hospital admission, and premature death.” Her team wants to influence policymakers to make cities greener, “more sustainable, resilient and healthy.” Co-author Mark Nieuwenhuijsen says, “Planting more trees in cities should be prioritised because it brings a huge range of health benefits beyond reducing heat-related deaths, …
Designing Streets for Kids A study on designing streets for children of all ages and their changing needs, Designing Streets for Kids, has been published by the US-based Global Designing Cities Initiative and National Association of City Transportation Officials. The guide outlines “best practices, programs, strategies and policies” for creating safe, enjoyable and inspiring street spaces for children and their carers. It looks at streets that are “safe and healthy, comfortable and convenient, inspirational and educational – streets that better serve everyone.” Global Designing Cities Initiative permanent chair, Janette Sadik-Khan, writes, “This guide integrates the best of what works in different countries and cultural contexts to create universal principles for streets based on their most vulnerable users.” She says, “If you design a street that works for kids, you design …
