Sem 1 Exam - Land Cover Management S3 Flashcards
Local Strategy - Beerliar Wetlands
What? Who Runs? Purpose?
- An example of a local strategy is the Beerliar Wetlands, which is a range of wetlands in the swales of the ancient dunes of the Swan Coastal Plain in SW WA
- The Cockburn Wetlands Centre established in 1993, is a non-profit community based organisation with its purpose to restore and conserve the Beerliar Wetlands
Beeliar Impacts
What they are?
- The Beeliar Wetlands have become seriously degraded through urban and agricultural practices and was previously used as a landfill site and dairy farm.
- Through their education program and replanting efforts, the centre plans to address the following LCC issues: Soil erosion and degradation/loss pf biodiversity
How does Beeliar address the impacts
Soil Erosion and Degradation:
- The wetlands centre addresses soil erosion and degradation through replacing activity in previously cleared areas. There is a number of revegetation sites around Bibra Lakes such as the Horse Paddock Swamp.
- These sites are used for community planting events where 8000 to 10,000 plants are planted every year to help make up for previously degraded land
- This addresses LCC as land that was previously affected is being rehabilitated back to original or stronger condition than before it was affected through these events
Loss of Biodiversity:
- Addresses loss of biodiversity through replanting local native flora species which are endemic to the area, thus increasing the likelihood of species survival. These replanted areas have become new homes to various fauna such as: Black Cockatoos, Brown Bandicoots, Microbats etc.
- This reinstates biodiversity into these wetland areas as habitats being newly built provides new ecosystems to flourish as Fauna arrives
Regional Strategy - Alcoa
What? Who? Key Objective?
- Alcoa Mining group is a global industry leader in the production of Bauxite, Alumina and Aluminium.
- Alcoa has built a legacy of innovations and practices that have led to efficient, safe, sustainable and stronger communities.
- Alcoa’s key environmental objective is to restore 100% of the species richness in the native forest one year after rehabilitation, to make sure the land is optimally preserved.
Alcoa impacts
Alcoa addresses:
- loss of habitat/biodiversity
- water pollution
How does Alcoa address impacts
Loss of habitat:
- Pre-Mining surveys - Before mining can begin surveys are conducted to find out exactly what species are growing where and which areas are affected by dieback. This allows areas home to endangered species like: Black Cockatoos to be conserved
Water pollution:
- Protecting drinking water supply - This includes minimising activities adjacent to water storage areas through mapping water ways etc. This blah blah
Sustainability
Meeting the needs of current and future generations through environmental, social and economic adaptation
In order to properly evaluate Alcoa’s sustainability program these three factors must be taken into account
Economic sustainability
Refers to practices that support long term economic growth for current and future generations
Land cover management
Managing the use and development of land resources
3 ways human activity has adapted to Global CC
Desalination
Prescribed Burns
Genetically modified crops
Desalination
Any proccess that removes the excess salt and other minerals from saline water in order to obtain water suitable for animal and human consumption
Climate change has resulted in more rainfall in the north of WA, while the southwest is becoming drier
In areas where rainwater supply is reducing, more water infrastructure is needed to support rivers, lakes etc.
Adaption: Replenished groundwater from Jandakot supplies 2 million people in the Perth Metro area with water
E.g. Seawater desalination plants use a procces called reverse osmosis, where seawater is pumped from the ocean yhtough a series of filter which disallow the passing of salt, bacteria and viruses
Prescribed Burns
An adaption strategy that reduces the impact of out-of-control fires
Used to manage the changed climatic conditions by: reducing fuel loads, which reduces severity of bushfires
In WA, the DBCA conducts prescribed burning programs to protect lives, property and infrastructure
To reduce severity of bushfires, DBCA aims to bave 45% of the forest area they manage in the southwest with a fuel load of six years or less
Genetically Modified Species
Have been created to specifically cope with changing climate, now cover 12% of the worlds cropland
Helps farmers in avoiding crop loss: insect damage, herbicide tolerance
E.g. Canola, Soy Bean, Cotton
Example —> Scuba Rice
Rice is a key food stable makes up 20% of calories consumed globally
Ten countries grow 85% of the worlds rice including: Bangaladesh, China, India
These places experiencing frequent flooding from increased cliamtic changes destroying crops
Scuba Rice can withstand extended periods of time soaking in flood water
Two ways human activity mitigate Global CC
Renewable Energy
Dietary Changes
Renewable Energy
Refers to energy that is derived from sources that are inexhaustible: meaning they can be used indefinitly as they are replenished by natural proccesses
Renewable energy sources: Wind power, solar power, hydropower
These sources create electricity without producing any greenhouse gase emissions
Australia is currently on track for 50% of its electrcity to be derived from “RR” by 2050, due to surge in installation of things like rooftop panels
