The Biosphere Bandicoot aims to bring you news and perspectives on conservation and sustainable development from the Western Port Biosphere Reserve in Victoria, Australia.
What’s a biosphere reserve?
UNESCO biosphere reserves aim to foster conservation and sustainable development. The United Nations proclaimed the Western Port region a biosphere reserve in 2002 because it has outstanding natural values, including a Ramsar wetland of international importance, on the fringe of the expanding city of Melbourne.
About the Biosphere Foundation
The non-profit Biosphere Foundation (Mornington Peninsula and Western Port Biosphere Reserve Foundation Ltd) works with the community to create a better future for the Western Port Biosphere Reserve – environmentally, socially and economically. We do this through research, education, community engagement, partnerships and on-ground conservation efforts.
About this blog
The Biosphere Bandicoot is intended to be a showcase for community efforts to live and conduct business more sustainably within the biosphere reserve. We hope that it will help people to tap into the rich array of resources available, as well as sparking new partnerships.
It will bring you updates from the Biosphere Foundation and other organisations that contribute to the health of the biosphere reserve, news on conservation and sustainability from around the world, and tips on how you can make a difference.
What’s in a name?
The Biosphere Bandicoot takes its name from the Southern Brown Bandicoot (Isoodon obesulus obesulus), an endangered ground-dwelling marsupial that was once common across southeastern Australia. The major threats to this species are introduced predators, such as foxes, and loss and fragmentation of habitat. The Western Port Biosphere Reserve and its partners are working to help bandicoot populations to survive in the region.
Comments?
If you’d like to comment on the content of this blog, please contact us. We welcome your views, but we cannot undertake to publish comments at this stage.
