Sunshine Coast Environment Council

Thanks to everyone who attended, supported, volunteered and promoted Plates in a Paddock. We had an unforgettable night. Our volunteer photographer Steve White took some amazing photo's of the night which you can check our here.

Plates in a Paddock once again highlighted the importance of running community events to our ability to connect with people from inside and outside the environment movement and promote our vision for a sustainable community.

SCEC is planning an ambitious program of events for the next 12 months to continue to build an even stronger environment movement on the coast. But we need your help to do this. Running events like Plates in a Paddock, or the Climate Change Relay, or World Environment Day Festival requires teams ofvolunteers.

If you want to get involved in preserving our region than check out the opportunities that are on offer and sign up for one of our volunteer teams that will put on more amazing events in month to come.

Volunteering for the environment is a great way to meet like minded people and gain new skills while you work for a cause you care about.

Our No High Rise at Yaroomba campaign is building up steam. As decision time approaches we need resources to continue to keep up the pressure on Council, the State and Sekisui. Please make a tax-deductible donation and help us make sure that the planning protections in our planning scheme remain in place to protect the places we love.

• Our free screenings of the award winning documentaryChasing Ice are continuing with screening in Eumundi (2 May), Kenilworth (16 May), Beerwah (30 May) and Bli Bli (20 June) coming up. The movie is introduce by Climate Reality Presenter and USC Lecturer Jacinta Bogard. RSVP for Chasing Ice
• Solar Citizens are organising a rally in support of the renewable energy target on Sunday 29th of April at Nambour State High School. Come along and show your support for solar and other renewable energy sources as the Sunshine Coast joins thousands around the country to Stand up for Solar. Not sure what the renewable energy target is or why it's important? Check out what The Project had to say about it this week.

• Hands off Halls Creek- Calls on Minister for Infrastructure and Planning to remove Halls Creek from SEQ Regional Plan      
• No High Rise at Yaroomba- Calls on Council not to amend the planning scheme to facilitate high rise development at Yaroomba

Sekisui HouseThe community information forum at Coolum on Saturday, 11 April voted unanimously to oppose any changes to the Sunshine Coast planning scheme that would allow for Sekisui’s proposal for intensive high rise development at Yaroomba Beach. Sekisui has also recently released its revised concept plan, showing 17 buildings ranging from 4-10 storeys (approximately 16-40m). The current permissible height is 8.5m across the 22ha site with a small portion at 16m resulting from an earlier approval. The Sunshine Coast Council is expected to consider planning scheme amendments at a Special Meeting currently scheduled for 9am on 27 April in Caloundra.

Halls Creek- Representatives from a number of community groups met with the Hon Peter Wellington MP to discuss Halls Creek and other local planning issues. Mr. Wellington shared our concern that Halls Creek remains in the SEQ Regional Plan as an Identified Growth Area and supported our suggestion that the Inter Urban break between the Sunshine Coast and Moreton Bay should be protected from development by law. Mr. Wellington has raised these issues with the Premier and is awaiting her response.

Climate Actioncampaign. A team of volunteers will be going out to markets and festivals to talk to the community about climate change and its impacts on our region. To back up their on ground efforts we are launching asocial media campaign and we'd love you to get involved. Take a selfie holding up a sign calling for action on climate change and post it to you favorite social media platform using the hashtag#scclimateaction and facebook tag@sunshinecoastenvironmentcouncil and ask all your social media friends to do the same.

For those looking for more direct involvement we are planning another round of training on communicating climate change which will likely to place in late may or early June. If you'd like to know more and want to get involved in the training or other aspects of our climate change campaign send us an email via[email protected]

Noosa and District Landcare's Short Workshop Series presents:

"Native Plants for your Garden" Saturdays 9 May, 6 June and 8 August

Ever wanted to use Native Plants creatively and for dramatic effort in your garden? Not sure where to start? Well come along to a Short Workshop Series with experienced presenters Shaun Walsh and Lyn Harm held in May, June and August. These workshops will cover Best Plants, Drama, Propagation.

Click here to nominate!

SCEC's Book of the Month:

"Water: The Epic Struggle for Wealth, Power and Civilization"

Steven Soloman

If you've ever been interested in the way that humans have used water to shape our history, this is the book for you. From international relations, agriculture and conservation journey throughout history as you discover water's role in creating the way in which we live now, have lived and will live in the future- how we have used it to our benefit, how we have had to cope with its natural place in the environment and adjust our civilization accordingly.

Sunshine Coast Environment Council

http://www.scec-action.org.au/