Dear Wildlife Supporters,

It is World Habitat Day on 6th October 2025 and many excellent related initiatives are taking place during October. The International Standardisation Organisation (ISO) is launching its new standard ISO 17298 Biodiversity in strategy and operations https://www.iso.org/standard/17298

Other national bodies such as British Standards Institute (BSI) are also introducing similar documents such as ISO/NP17298.https://standardsdevelopment.bsigroup.com/projects/9022-06983

Also being launched shortly is the National Truth Map which is related to Australia’s Net Zero roll out and its negative effects on biodiversity. It is estimated that an area of bush and forests equal to twice the area of Tasmania will be destroyed.

WildThings NSW has organised a free Forum, Biodiversity: Community Protecting and Improving Fauna and Flora at the Ku-ring-gai Council Gordon Library, 799 Pacific Highway, on Sunday, 26th October 2025. The venue is opposite the Ku-ring-gai Council Offices and close to Gordon Railway Station and parking. https://www.trybooking.com/DGEEG  (Click link, then Book Now and then select number of tickets and then Next).

Biodiversity is continually being threatened across Australia and needs protecting and improving including by all our communities. Presenters from Ku-ring-gai Council, Australian Conservation Foundation, Sydney Wildlife Rescue, Rainforest Reserves Australia and WildThings NSW will present both challenges and potential solutions to protect and improve our wonderful fauna and flora for the benefit of all.

The brochure https://www.bandforte.com.au/docstore/sys23/23-0-0-4e851f6f841c8a7a-WILDTHINGS%20NSW%20Forum%2026th%20October%202025.pdf gives full details of the programme and presenters as well as registration. Attendance is limited to 60 attendees. If for some reason you register and then know before the day of the Forum that you cannot attend,please let us know.

Christine Kay, Ku-ring-gai Council Mayor, will welcome attendees at 14:00. Enrolment and some light refreshments will be available from 13:00.

13:00 – 14:00	Enrolment and Tea/Coffee
14:00 – 14:05	Welcome by Christine Kay, Ku-ring-gai Council Mayor
14:05 – 14:35	Broadscale Biodiversity Initiatives – setting the stage for local success	Sophia FindlayKu-ring-gai Council
14:35 – 15:05	The Nature Laws-What can we do about them?	Janine Kitson FOKE
15:05 – 15:35	Beyond ‘Business as Usual’ – from grey to green infrastructure	Fleur ReesKu-ring-gai Council
15:35 – 15:45	Break
15:45 – 16:15	Challenges and Solutions for the Protection of Local Wildlife	Cate Turner Sydney Wildlife Rescue
16:15 – 16:35	The National Truth Plan: Net Zero Roll Out: Negative Effects on Biodiversity	Steven NowakowskiRainforest Reserves Australia
16:35 – 16:50	Why an International Standard ISO 17298 on Biodiversity has been Launched.	Chris Smallbone WildThings NSW
16:50 – 17:00	Final Discussions and Future Actions
17:00	Close of Forum

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me. We would like to thank Ku-ring-gai Council for providing the venue and all the speakers for giving up their time on a voluntary basis to present to you.

We look forward to a rewarding afternoon.

Best wishes

Chris Smallbone

President WildThings NSW

0409 607 104