UniServe Science Earth and Environmental Science Table of Contents

8.3 The Local Environment


Rocks Soils Human impact and habitat destruction
Government Regulation and Planning Biodiversity Virtual field trips as models for local environment investigations

Satellite Maps for Field Trips
Download Google Earth from http://earth.google.com/earth.html or use WorldWind from http://worldwind.arc.nasa.gov/ and print satellite maps of your area. Add your own details and photographs for students to view. Coordinates may be obtained from an atlas or GPS.

Excursions: Environmental Education Centres - list prepared by UniServe Science
http://science.uniserve.edu.au/school/excursions/excurseec.html

Managing Sydney Harbour wetlands: ecosystem management & critical data needs - a poster presentation from Macquarie University
http://www.gse.mq.edu.au/post_grad/rcooper/sld001.htm

Virtual Field Trip - Kiama, NSW - prepared by UniServe Science as an example of a local area study
http://science.uniserve.edu.au/school/virtexps/vftkiama/

Outlines of field trips for the Northern Rivers region - from Southern Cross University
http://www.scu.edu.au/schools/rsm/ecsa37erf2004conference/fieldtrips.html

Wingecarribee - The Collapse of Wingecarribee Wetlands: An Australian Environmental Tragedy - from the University of Wollongong and Robertson Environment Protection Society
http://www.uow.edu.au/arts/sts/sbeder/wingecarribee/

Australian Alps Education Kit - was produced by the Australian Alps Liaison Committee as part of its program to increase awareness of the Alps. Topics include Geology and Geomorphology, Soils, Vegetation and Fauna of the Australian Alps
http://www.australianalps.deh.gov.au/publications/edukit/

Rocks are formed from different materials

Geological History - of Olympic Park, from Sydney Olympic Park
http://www.sydneyolympicpark.com.au/education_and_learning/history/geological

Regional Geology of NSW Sedimentary basins - from Department of Primary Industries
http://www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/minerals/geological/overview/regional/sedimentary-basins

Regional Geology of NSW orogens- from NSW Geological Survey
http://www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/minerals/geological/overview/regional/Orogens

1:100 000 Geological Maps - from NSW Geological Survey
http://www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/minerals/geological/geological-maps/1-100-000

Bioregions of NSW - from National Parks Service includes some geological information in the Overviews, and maps of the areas available as .pdf documents.
http://www.nationalparks.nsw.gov.au/npws.nsf/Content/bioregions

Petrology Basics - from University of British Columbia
http://www.eos.ubc.ca/courses/eosc221/petrology/petrobasics.html

Atlas of Igneous and Metamorphic Rocks, Minerals and Textures - from Virtual Geology at the University of North Carolina
http://www.geolab.unc.edu/Petunia/IgMetAtlas/mainmenu.html

Introduction to Igneous Petrology - from University of Edinburgh
http://www.geologyrocks.co.uk/tut.php?id=2

Ask GeoMan... - from University of Oregon
http://jersey.uoregon.edu/~mstrick/AskGeoMan/AskGeoManIndex.html

Classification of igneous rocks - from Geoscience: The Earth, Australian Museum
http://www.amonline.net.au/geoscience/earth/igneousclass.htm

Sedimentary processes and rocks - from Geoscience: The Earth, Australian Museum
http://www.amonline.net.au/geoscience/earth/sedimentary.htm

Volcanism and volcanic rocks - from Geoscience: The Earth, Australian Museum
http://www.amonline.net.au/geoscience/earth/volcanism.htm

Metamorphism and metamorphic rocks - from Geoscience: The Earth, Australian Museum
http://www.amonline.net.au/geoscience/earth/metamorphism.htm

Intrusive Rocks - from Geological Survey of Newfoundland and Labrador
http://www.gov.nl.ca/mines&en/geosurvey/education/features/intrusive/

Igneous Rocks - from James Madison University
http://csmres.jmu.edu/geollab/Fichter/IgnRx/Ighome.html

Igneous Rocks - concept map - from University of Indiana
http://igs.indiana.edu/geology/rocks/rockcycleactivities/index.cfm

UBC Earth and Ocean Sciences Image Gallery - search for images of volcanoes, basalt, andesite, granite etc.
http://www.eos.ubc.ca/public/resources/slidesets/cag/cag.html


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Soils

Australian Soil Poster - from Australian Collaborative Land Evaluation Program and CSIRO, download an A4 pdf or order from CSIRO Publishing
http://www.clw.csiro.au/aclep/asc/asc.htm#poster

Special Article - Soil Conservation - from Australian Government.
Special Article

Salinity - advice and topics in salinity management from NSW Department of Primary Industries: Agriculture
http://www.agric.nsw.gov.au/reader/salinity

Soil Health and Fertility - from NSW Department of Primary Industries: Agriculture
http://www.agric.nsw.gov.au/reader/soil-health-fertility

The Soil Profile Attribute Data Environment (SPADE): NSW soil information online
http://www.regional.org.au/au/gia/22/729mildford.htm

Soil Profile Attribute Data Environment - from Department of Natural Resources
http://spade.dnr.nsw.gov.au/jsp/spade.jsp

Soil Management Guides - from NSW Agriculture, covers regional and crop specific soil management
http://www.agric.nsw.gov.au/reader/soil-management-guides

Sodicity - a dirty word in Australia - from Nova, Australian Academy of Science
http://www.science.org.au/nova/035/035key.htm

Monitoring the white death - soil salinity - from Nova, Australian Academy of Science
http://www.science.org.au/nova/032/032key.htm

The Australian Soil Classification - from the Australian Collaborative Land Evaluation Program (ACLEP) at CSIRO, including online classification
http://www.clw.csiro.au/aclep/asc/asc.htm

Managing soil and land - from NSW Department Natural Resources
http://www.naturalresources.nsw.gov.au/soils/index.shtml

Salinity: Australia's Silent Flood - a documentary from the ABC, with transcripts and educational activities
http://www.abc.net.au/learn/silentflood/

National Dryland Salinity Program - with publications, posters, etc.
http://www.ndsp.gov.au/publications.asp?section=15

The World of Soil
http://soil.hostweb.org.uk/

Reducing soil erosion - from the NSW Department of Conservation and the Environment
http://www.recycledorganics.com/infosheets/lca/facts/FS3_soilerosion.pdf

The Pedosphere and its Dynamics - Chapter 1 What is Soil? available online
http://www.pedosphere.com/textbook.html

Salinity resource Centre - Teachers resources, Saltwatch. from Shepparton Science Centre, Victoria
http://www.sheppstc.org.au/community/srco/saltwatch.htm


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Human Impact and habitat destruction

Remnants
Remnants is an exercise designed to teach you about the kinds of land use and environmental variables that impact on birds in Australia's temperate woodlands.
http://www.birdsaustralia.com.au/remnants/

Theme 3: Human Impacts on Catchments - from Water - Learning and Living, see Water Flows, Vegetation Clearance,
http://www.watercare.net/wll/himp-development.html

Theme 2: Biodiversity and Ecosystems - from Water - Learning and Living
http://www.watercare.net/wll/bio-entry.html


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Government Regulation and Planning

Land and Water Australia - from Australian Government
http://www.lwa.gov.au/

National Action Plan for Environmental Education - from the Department of the Environment and Heritage
http://www.deh.gov.au/education/nap/index.html#what

Australia's Rangelands: Fact Sheet - from the Department of the Environment and Heritage
http://www.deh.gov.au/land/publications/rangelands/

Australian Rangeland Society - Western Australia
http://www.austrangesoc.com.au/

What is the NRSP? - (National Reserve System Program) from the Department of the Environment and Heritage
http://www.environment.gov.au/parks/nrs/index.html

Australian Water Association
http://www.awa.asn.au/

Water - from NSW EPA
http://www.epa.nsw.gov.au/water/index.htm

Water Quality - from Sydney Water
http://www.sydneywater.com.au/WaterQuality/

Sydney Catchment Authority
http://www.sca.nsw.gov.au/

Natural Resources and Climate - from NSW Department of Primary Industries: Agriculture
http://www.agric.nsw.gov.au/natres.au/

Integral Energy - a large energy provider in NSW
http://www.integral.com.au/

The Department of Energy, Utilities and Sustainability NSW
http://www.deus.nsw.gov.au/

NSW Maritime
http://www.waterways.nsw.gov.au/

Waste Avoidance and Resource Recovery Act 2001 - from NSW Department of Environment and Conservation
http://www.epa.nsw.gov.au/waste/warra.htm

Fact Sheets - from Environmental Defender's Office New South Wales (Ltd)
http://www.edo.org.au/edonsw/site/factsh/factsheets.php

Fact Sheet: Pollution
http://www.edo.org.au/edonsw/site/factsh/fs03_1.php

Living Greener Links - from Clean Up Australia
http://www.cleanup.com.au/au/LivingGreener/links.html

Forest NSW - from Department of Primary Industries: Forests
http://www.forest.nsw.gov.au/

National Parks and Wildlife NSW
http://www.nationalparks.nsw.gov.au/npws.nsf/Content/About+the+NPWS

Mining and the Environment- from NSW Department of Primary Industries: Minerals
http://www.minerals.nsw.gov.au/environment/Overview

Compliance and enforcement - from the Department of the Environment and Heritage
http://www.deh.gov.au/epbc/compliance/index.html

Biodiversity - from the Department of the Environment and Heritage
http://www.deh.gov.au/biodiversity/index.html

Land management - from the Department of the Environment and Heritage
http://www.deh.gov.au/land/index.html

Ecological Sustainable Development - a concept map for sustainable development
http://www.libraries.psu.edu/instruction/infolit/andyou/mod1/idea2.htm

Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority
http://www.gbrmpa.gov.au/


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Biodiversity

Environment Australia Online - select Biodiversity from the menu
http://www.environment.gov.au/

About the Biodiversity Series - from Department of Environment and Water Resources
http://www.environment.gov.au/biodiversity/publications/series/

Biodiversity Publications - from Department of the Environment and Water Resources
http://www.environment.gov.au/biodiversity/publications/index.html

including

Biodiversity and its value - from Department of the Environment and Water Resources
http://www.environment.gov.au/biodiversity/publications/series/paper1/

Refugia for Biological Diversity in Arid and Semi-arid Australia - from Department of the Environment and Water Resources
http://www.environment.gov.au/biodiversity/publications/series/paper4/

Student and Teacher Page - from Department of the Environment and Water Resources
http://www.environment.gov.au/education/students-teachers/index.html

Teaching for a sustainable world: international edition This WWW version has been published to provide a wide range of people access to the material. Additionally, the ability to download the workshop modules onto a disk will enable workshop facilitators to make changes to or adapt the modules to suit the needs and interests of their workshop participants.
http://www.environment.gov.au/education/publications/tsw/modules/index.html

REIMBURSING THE FUTURE: An evaluation of motivational, voluntary, price-based, property-right, and regulatory incentives for the conservation of biodiversity - from Department of Environment and Heritage
http://www.deh.gov.au/biodiversity/publications/series/paper9/

Australia's biodiversity an overview of selected significant components - from Department of Environment and Heritage
http://www.deh.gov.au/biodiversity/index.html

Eco'tude - from Powerhouse Museum. Measure your school's ecological footprint.
http://www.powerhousemuseum.com/ecotude/index.asp

Biodiversity Conservation - from the Waite Conservation Reserve, The University of Adelaide
http://www.waite.adelaide.edu.au/reserve/

Biodiversity Strategy, Victoria - from Natural Resources & Environment
http://www.nre.vic.gov.au/plntanml/biodiversity/strategy.htm

FIRE AND BIODIVERSITY: The Effects and Effectiveness of Fire Management - from Department of Environment and Heritage
http://www.deh.gov.au/biodiversity/publications/series/paper8/

Flora for Fauna - from Gould League
http://www.floraforfauna.com.au/schools/

Biodiversity Page - from Nature Conservation Council
http://www.nccnsw.org.au/index.php?option=com_content&task=blogsection&id=30&Itemid=809

Biodiversity Fact Sheets - from Australian Museum
http://www.amonline.net.au/biodiversity/factsheets.htm

Endangered Species

Threatened Species and Ecological Communities - from Department of the Environment and Heritage
http://www.deh.gov.au/biodiversity/threatened/

Back from the Brink: Refining the Threatened Species Recovery Process - from Department of the Environment and Water Resources
http://www.environment.gov.au/biodiversity/threatened/publications/bftb/index.html

Threatened Species Network - from World Wildlife Fund Australia
http://www.wwf.org.au/About_WWF_Australia/How_we_work/In_the_field/TSN/index.php

Threatened Species: species, populations and ecological communities of NSW - from Department of the Environment and Conservation
http://www.threatenedspecies.environment.nsw.gov.au/tsprofile/index.aspx

EPBC Act List of Threatened Fauna - from Department of the Environment and Water Resources
http://www.environment.gov.au/cgi-bin/sprat/public/publicthreatenedlist.pl?wanted=fauna

NSW Endangered Species

Southern Brown Bandicoot - from - Department of the Environment and Water Resources
http://www.environment.gov.au/cgi-bin/sprat/public/publicspecies.pl?taxon_id=68050

Green and Golden Bell Frog - profile - from - Department of the Environment and Conservation
http://www.threatenedspecies.environment.nsw.gov.au/tsprofile/profile.aspx?id=10483

Cumberland Land Snail - profile - from - Department of the Environment and Conservation
http://www.threatenedspecies.environment.nsw.gov.au/tsprofile/profile.aspx?id=10526

The Green and Gold Bell Frog - Fact File from Wildlife of Sydney, Australian Museum
http://faunanet.gov.au/wos/factfile.cfm?Fact_ID=272

Australia's threatened species - from NOVA, Australian Academy of Science
http://www.science.org.au/nova/010/010key.htm


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Virtual field trips as models for local environment investigations

Commissioner of the Environment - Australian Capital Territory - State of the Environment Annual Reports 1997 - 2004
http://www.envcomm.act.gov.au/annualreports

The Sydney Basin - from Australian Museum
http://www.amonline.net.au/geoscience/earth/sydbasin.htm

Towra Point Mangrove Excursion - from The University of Sydney
http://bugs.bio.usyd.edu.au/Mangroves/frameintro.html

Ecosystem at Risk Virtual Fieldtrip - Minnamurra Rainforest, from HSC online
http://hsc.csu.edu.au/geography/ecosystems/case_studies/mmfweb/

Destination: galapagos islands - analyze local water samples for salinity, dissolved oxygen and pH and local soil samples for nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium content; pH and temperature and compare your results to samples from the Galapagos Islands
http://www.pbs.org/safarchive/galapagos.html

Vegetation of Mt Field National Park and the South-West Tasmania Wilderness Area - from University of Tasmania
http://www.utas.edu.au/docs/plant_science/field_botany/

Virtual Fieldwork - Gibberagong Environmental Education Centre - from NSW Department of Education
http://www.gibberagon-e.schools.nsw.edu.au/

Mangroves - from Gibberagong EEC
http://www.gibberagon-e.schools.nsw.edu.au/page15.html


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For further information contact
Kaye Placing

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