Design for Fire – Challenge Pitch
The 2009 Design Challenge, an initiative of RMIT’s Design Research Institute, brings together research and specialist teams across a broad range of diverse sectors to generate innovative design proposals in response to the issues raised by bushfires. The Design for Fire: Challenge Pitch is the first stage of assessment of the teams’ design proposals, from which a shortlist of finalists will be invited to further develop their ideas. One team will be selected to receive the RMIT Design Research Institute Challenge Award and funding to the value of $25,000 for the next stage of research and development in 2010. Design for Fire: Forum A free public forum dedicated to uncovering innovative design solutions that can help communities deal with extreme fire events. Design for Fire will present a range of perspectives, experiences and proposals in response to this urgent and topical issue. (sic)
As part of the forum our keynote international guest Michael Reynolds – the Garbage Warrior will present his perspectives on designing for extreme conditions, other presentations will draw from the Design Research Institute’s 2009 Design Challenge – an RMIT University-led design challenge that will bring together research leaders and industry specialists to explore how innovative design solutions can help communities deal with extreme fire events.
More from State of Design website
Friday 24 July Challenge Pitch: 9.30am-11.30am Forum: 12pm-2pm Location: BMW Edge, Federation Square, Melbourne Cost: Free: RSVP to designforfire@stateofdesign.com.au
Food drops for Victorian wildlife
Guidelines and how you can access food to help bushfire affected wildlife has been prepared by Wildlife Victoria.
Many of Victoria’s native wildlife have managed to survive the recent devastating bushfires, but their food source is no longer available. Many are now facing starvation.
With the tireless work of many volunteers conducting food drops in fire affected areas, many lives have been saved; however, there are still large numbers of wildlife which have not been reached and they need our help!!
Wildlife Victoria has been providing the appropriate food free of charge to all wildlife carers, community groups and members of the public interested in doing food drops.
General information about how to evaluate and assess the food drop process has also been developed to help make the decisions accordingly.
To access this information, please click here.
If you would like to help with food drops in your area, please contact
Adriana Simmonds Food Drop Coordinator Wildlife Victoria E: Adriana@wildlifevictoria.org.au
Animal Remembrance Day – Sunday April 26th.
Remembering the animals lost in the recent devastating Victorian bushfires.
RSPCA, in conjunction with Rochford Winery are holding an Animal Remembrance Day – Sunday 26 April 2009.
The Black Saturday bush fires devastated many areas of Victoria and many animals including pets and native wild life lost their homes, habitats and their lives.
The Animal Remembrance Day is an opportunity for the community to come together to remember the beloved pets that were lost or injured in the fires. It is also an opportunity to reflect on the devastating and unprecedented loss of over 1 million animals and native wildlife on Black Saturday.
Organised by the RSPCA, the Animal Remembrance Day will be held at Rochford Winery on the outskirts of the Yarra Valley. This free outdoor event will bring together Victoria’s fire affected communities, emergency services, animal aid organisations and the general public for a morning of reflection and contemplation.
Through music, readings and visual presentations, the Animal Remembrance Day will be an opportunity for the community to acknowledge the animals affected by the bush fires. This event will acknowledge the emergency services, animal aid organisations, volunteers and the public who rescued and cared for countless animals affected by the fires.
When: Sunday April 26, 2009 Where: Rochford Winery Cnr Maroondah Hwy & Hill Road, Coldstream, Victoria, Australia
Click here to secure your FREE tickets to this special event
If you are from bushfire affected regions please call 03 9224 2222 to secure your FREE ticket and to arrange transport if needed.
Pets are welcome! Dogs on leads and other animals in pet carriers please.
Important information regarding food drops for wildlife in Victoria
Some animals have survived the recent devastating bush fires but their food source is no longer there. We can help those animals to stay alive and healthy under very specific guidelines. Wildlife Victoria is supporting carers by providing food and advice. …If we really care about our wildlife, we need to care just as much about the environment that supports it… – Only feed on private land with the land owner’s consent. Leaving food for wildlife in public land is prohibited by DSE due to the environmental and health risks involved. – Using food with seeds and grains in it could spread environmental weeds into the forest, unbalancing the fragile ecosystem and therefore, affecting wildlife in the long term. – We recommend kangaroo and wallaby pellets in combination with pasture replacement pellets, since processed food does not pose a risk of weeds spreading. – Some animals will take a while to recognise this type of food, but eventually they will start eating it. – For birds, use small seeds such as cockatiel mixed with fresh green and/or orange vegetables. Do not use sunflower seeds. – Clean up feeding stations regularly to avoid health hazards. – Feed away from roads and dangerous places for the wildlife. – When natural food is available, start reducing supplementary food to avoid dependency. – When using hay, be aware that Meadow and grass hay have seeds in them. Lucerne hay does not have seeds, but it may predispose macropods to lumpy jaw. For further information please contact Adriana Simmonds. mb: 0423242037
Email:adriana@wildlifevictoria.org.au Website: http://www.wildlifevictoria.org.au