Gracia and Louise invite environmental and science communication specialist, Tanya Ha to host a conversation with Janine Duffy, President of the Koala Clancy Foundation and Lawrence Pope, President of Friends of Bats and Bushcare Inc to discuss the key issues relating to the care and preservation of wildlife in our communities, sharing their experiences, expertise and insights with audiences gathered in Community Hall.

Moderator

Tanya Ha is an environmental and science communication specialist. She is currently Director of Engagement at the communication agency Science in Public, a member of the executive committee and board of Science & Technology Australia, and Associate of the Melbourne Sustainable Society Institute at the University of Melbourne. Her work includes reporting for ABC TV’s respected science show Catalyst, writing for magazines and conducting media interviews on environmental issues. In 2010 she won the United Nations Association of Australia Media Award for Environmental Reporting.

Speakers

Janine Duffy is the President of the Koala Clancy Foundation, a not-for-profit organisation that advocates for better protection of wild koalas of the Western Plains of Victoria, and works with volunteers to protect, re-establish and maintain the natural habitats of native wildlife. Duffy discovered a method of identifying individual koalas by their natural nose markings which is used by koala citizen scientists and conservation groups and was a part of a long-running citizen science research project monitoring the wild koalas in the Brisbane Ranges and YouYangs regions, west of Melbourne. Duffy is also co-founder of Wild Koala Day celebrated on May 3 each year.

Lawrence Pope is a wildlife carer who for the past seventeen years has helped coordinate the soft-release program for injured and orphaned Grey-headed flying fox pups near the Birrarung colony at Yarra Bend Park in Fairfield and Kew. In coordination with Wildlife Shelters, Parks Victoria, Zoos Victoria and the Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action (DEECA) Pope ensures in his role as President of Friends of Bats & Bushcare Inc that the soft-release program delivers life-saving outcomes for our wonderful forest-building flying fox youngsters.