DRB Presents: Lauren Hawkins – Listening to the Forest: ecoacoustics and ecosystem health

Note: no RSVP required.

COVID19: Even though restrictions have eased, we will still encourage members and visitors to take precautions and please do not attend if unwell.

Speaker:

Lauren Hawkins is a research scientist with DBCA’s Ecosystem Science program. Lauren uses ecoacoustics to study the acoustic communities of ecosystems in the south-west of Western Australia. Her research aims to improve scientific understanding of the ecological functions, health, habitat quality, and acoustic biodiversity of these ecosystems for application in ecosystem monitoring and management

Topic:

Join us for an engaging presentation on ecoacoustics – the innovative science of listening to nature to assess ecosystem health. Discover how researchers use soundscapes, from bird songs to soil vibrations, to monitor the distribution and behaviour of specific forest species, track biodiversity, and detect environmental changes in forests. Learn about real-world applications, from local projects tracking the health of south-west forests of Western Australia to global initiatives using ecoacoustics to create inventories of biodiversity. Attendees will have the opportunity to step into the shoes of an ecoacoustician, getting to test their knowledge of a diversity of sounds as we play a game or two of “What’s Making That Sound?” This session will then finish with an exploration of how citizen scientists can contribute to conservation efforts through acoustic monitoring. Don’t miss this opportunity to explore the symphony of the forest and its role in ecological research.

Plus:

• Kids’ talk – one of your younger members will be giving a 5 minutes kids’ talk.
• Boffins talk – A member will give an 8 minutes Boffins’ talk. Tony Start (DRB Member) will give a talk on “Dragonflies and Damselflies”. 
• “Nature road show”. Members and visitors are encouraged to bring items to place on the display table or to send photographs to the MC in advance, e.g. a sample flower, an insect, and so on – anything of natural history interest that has legally been obtained. If we have time, one of our experts will identify them or briefly talk about them, or the person bringing them can talk about where they saw it, etc. Photographs are particularly welcome, as everyone can see them. If you wish to show a photograph please email it, no later than the Wednesday before the meeting, to our MC for this night, and she/he will include it on her PowerPoint slides. We have a dedicated email for this purpose” natclub@webco.com.au
• Thing of the month / Things coming up next month: These two presentations are about things in nature happening this month and things coming up, so if you have any photos or information, send them to: natclub@webco.com.au
• Door prizes: You could also be the lucky winner of a door prize. We make sure there are prizes for both members and visitors.
• Raffle: We will have a great raffle  – please raid your piggy bank for a bit more cash, $5 for 3 tickets.

Time: Please come at 7.15pm or earlier if you wish, for a 7.30pm start as we start promptly. We are open from 6.45pm. We finish formal proceedings no later than 9.30pm.

Donation: All this for only a donation of $3 per person for adult members ($0 for child members), and $5 per adult visitor and $1 per visiting child to help with the costs of running the club, venue hire, insurance and so on.  Please bring the right CASH to help us avoid long queues. Thanks. We do not have EFTPOS facilities yet.

Entrance: It is a condition of entry that everyone signs in on arrival, thank you.

Parking: Free parking right outside.

Wheelchair access: Everything is on one level.

Toilets: Are inside.

Bookings: No bookings required.

See you there for fabulous night.