Field Day on Plant Community Diversity and Restoration Practices in Natural Areas
WALGA hosted a field day in Perth's eastern suburbs in October 2022.  The field day covered vegetation communities ranging from saltmarshes along the Swan River to a wetland and Banksia woodland on Bassendean dunes. Restoration projects in reclaimed river foreshores, seasonal wetlands and an old farmland site were also visited.  

Resources from the day can be found here:
Consultation on Draft Native Vegetation Policy for Western Australia
On 7 September 2021, WALGA hosted a joint webinar with the Department of Water and Environmental Regulation on the recently released Draft Native Vegetation Policy for Western Australia. The webinar included an overview of the draft policy, highlighting sections of most relevance to Local Government, an overview of  WALGA's strategic context, followed by a Q&A session and a short workshop to discuss the policy implication for Local Government. The Draft Native Vegetation Policy is open for public consultation until 25 October 2021. 

Presentations can be found below:   Field Day on Plant Recognition and Restoration in Natural Areas
WALGA hosted a field day in Perth's south eastern suburbs in August 2021.  The training focused on providing the practical, on-ground knowledge need for the conservation of natural areas. 
The field day covered eight different vegetation communities on the Swan Coastal Plain, moving from the Bassendean Dunes through to the Pinjarra Plain and the Foothills.   Sites included a large-scale banksia woodlands restoration project, Banksia woodland Threatened Ecological Communities, and a conservation category wetland. 

At each site, attendees learnt about the key characteristics of each vegetation community, the use of Bush Forever Reference Sites, and the restoration projects underway.  

Resources from the day can be found here:
Field Training on Plant Recognition and Restoration in Natural Areas
WALGA hosted a field training day in Trigg Bushland Reserve in October 2020.  The training focused on providing the practical, on-ground knowledge need for the conservation of natural areas.  Attendees visited a variety of vegetation communities, starting from the coastal heathlands at Trigg Beach, through to the open woodland communities of tuart, banksia and jarrah.  At each site, attendees learnt about the key characteristics of each vegetation community, and the restoration projects underway.  Also discussed were management considerations for Threatened Ecological Communities, and using Bush Forever Reference Sites to identify representative plant communities and inform restoration projects.

Resources from the day can be found here: Strengthening Climate Resilience in Local Government
WALGA hosted a webinar on Strengthening Climate Resilience in Local Government in June 2020. Presenters discussed the results of a review of the extent of climate change planning and action in the Western Australian Local Government sector.  A draft guide on a framework to address climate change in Local Government was presented, with steps that Local Governments can take to develop locally relevant responses to climate change.  

A mentimeter interactive session was held to gather feedback on the proposed expert session, training, guidance material and peer-to-peer learning opportunities that WALGA will lead to build Local Government capacity over the next 12 months.   

The presentations can be found below:
Improvements to the Native Vegetation Clearing Process for Local Government
WALGA hosted a webinar on Improvements to the Native Vegetation Clearing Process for Local Government in July 2020.  The Department of Water and Environmental Regulation discussed new processes to streamline the clearing permit application and assessment process, and the establishment of a dedicated Local Government assessment team within the Native Vegetation Branch.  WALGA demonstrated how LGmap can be used to support the preparation of native vegetation clearing applications, and provided an update on the activities of the Local Government Roadside Clearing Regulation Working Group.

The presentations can be found below: Field Training on Plant (Native and Weed) Recognition in natural areas
WALGA provided field training on Plant (Native and Weed) Recognition in Natural Areas in September 2019, in the southern Perth metropolitan region. The training focused on the key diagnostic characteristics of three vegetation complexes, ranging from the Swan Coastal Plain (coastal heath and banksia woodlands) through to the Darling Scarp (jarrah forest). Identification of common weed species in the four main weed groups (grasses, broadleaf, bulb and woody weeds) in wetland and dryland environments was covered, as was the distinguishing features of native and weed species with a similar growth form (e.g. grasses).

Resources from the day can be found below:
The New Normal: Emergency Management in a Changing Climate
WALGA held a sell-out event about the ‘new normal’ of catastrophic weather risks and the implications this has for Local Governments and others engaged in emergency management and planning. Presentations covered a wide variety of topics including climate science, past disasters and approaches to embedding climate change considerations into emergency management and building community resilience.

The presentations can be found below: Renewable Technologies
The WALGA Renewable Technologies event was held in November 2018. The focus of the event was larger renewable technology projects, and emerging renewable technologies, and the opportunities these technologies provide for Local Governments to reduce energy bills and carbon emissions, increase amenity and improve service reliability. One recurring theme identified on the day was the need for WA electricity market reform to enable an accelerated energy transition, and to enable larger renewable energy projects in WA.

The presentations can be found below: Embedding Sustainability and Enabling Behaviour Change
At the WALGA Event on Embedding Sustainability and Enabling Behaviour Change in November 2018, presentations focused on mechanisms that can be used to embed sustainability within and across Local Government, as well as information on the underlying psychological principles of behaviour change.

The presentations can be found below: Sustainable Transport and Emerging Technologies
WALGA hosted an event on Sustainable Transport and Emerging Technologies in August 2018. The event provided information on integrated transport planning and how to deliver improved pedestrian and cycling environments for local communities. In the afternoon session, insights into electric vehicles, autonomous vehicles and hydrogen fuel cell technology were provided.

The presentations can be found below: Tree Health and Resilience
WALGA hosted an event on Tree Health and Resilience in May 2018. Improving tree health and resilience is an essential component of retaining and increasing green space to provide for liveable communities, public health and local biodiversity. The event provided information on the latest research and management practices to ensure that urban forests are resilient to current and emerging threats, including a changing climate, pests and disease.

The presentations can be found below: Land Use Planning for Improved Environmental Outcomes
WALGA hosted an event on Land Use Planning for Improved Environmental Outcomes in February 2018. The event provided information on how Local Government can utilise the power of the Western Australian planning system to improve environmental outcomes during the land development process. 

The presentations can be found below: Improving the Water Quality of Waterways and Wetlands
The Shire of Collie hosted an event on Improving the Water Quality of Waterways and Wetlands in November 2017. The event provided information on initiatives that aim to improve the water quality of riverine, estuarine and wetland environments at the local and catchment scale.

The presentations can be found below: Climate Change Collaborators Events
WALGA formerly hosted Climate Change Collaborators (C3), a stakeholder group for Local Government officers with climate change issues within their responsibilites. As there were many synergies between C3 and the Sustainable Officers Network Group (SONG) membership and meeting topics, the C3 meetings are now discontinued.

Click here to see presentations from past C3 meetings.

Citizen Science
WALGA hosted the Citizen Science event in September 2017, with former WA Chief Scientist and keynote speaker Professor Lyn Beazley being among the preseners. The event provided an overview of a range of citizen science programs, and demonstrated how scientists and local communities can work together to ensure ecological research informs policy development and increases environmental awareness.

The presentations can be found below: Aboriginal Culture and Heritage Preservation
At the Aboriginal Culture and Heritage Preservation event in August 2017, WA's Aboriginal Land and Sea Councils, the Department of Lands, Planning and Heritage, the Western Australian Ingidenous Tourism Operators Council, and the Local Governments of Perth, Swan and York presented information to assist Local Goverments engage with Aboriginal groups when planning and undertaking projects within their municipalities.

The presentations can be found below: Feral Animal Management
At the Feral Animal Management event in June 2017, the Department of Parks and Wildlife, Department of Agriculture and Food WA, Murdoch University, WA Apiarists' Society, City of Stirling, WALGA and feral animal contractors presented information on research on current and emerging feral animal control issues and management techniques.

The presentations can be found below: Habitat Creation and Wildlife Corridors
At the Habitat Creation and Wildlife Corridors event in May 2017, the WA Biodiversity Science Institute, UWA, Perth NRM, the Water Corporation and the City of Perth presented on creating green spaces in the urban environment and assisting wildlife move through the landscape.

The presentations can be found below:
Bushfire Planning and Biodiversity Management
The Planning and Environment Policy Units hosted a Bushfire Planning and Biodiversity Management event in Perth and in Busselton.

The presentations can be found below: