About this event
An eight-session program on the identification and conservation of birds living in the coastal wetlands of Melbourne’s west including internationally significant shorebird habitat.
Discover the fascinating world of birds around Port Phillip Bay and the Altona region with skilled ornithologist Kevin Wood. This in-person and in-depth masterclass will be a unique opportunity to learn about this site of international significance and how to identify and protect the region’s threatened birds.
This masterclass was run in early 2024, so if you attended that course there is no need to repeat.
Presenter:
Kevin Wood is one of Australia’s foremost authorities on avifauna conservation in Port Phillip Bay. He has been Deputy Chair of the Wetlands Centre and has a long professional career in coastal, wetland and waterway management. He has provided many years of voluntary service working with community groups monitoring bird populations in Port Phillip’s coastal wetlands. As a coastal planner Kevin produced the first comprehensive review of bird habitats in and around Port Phillip Bay, a site of international significance for birds. Over the next 20 years he led planning projects to conserve bird habitats undergoing change , including the Williamstown Rifle Range, the Altona coast , the Laverton Saltworks, and Melbourne Water’s Western Treatment Plant. In 1989 he developed the Victorian Government’s strategy for the conservation and sustainable use of Port Phillip Bay.
Ongoing Bird Monitoring Program:
The Hobsons Bay Wetlands Centre was proudly appointed the Guardian of the Cheetham & Altona KBA in 2020 by Birdlife Australia and continues to maintain the bird monitoring program of this special area established by Kevin Wood in 1988.
This special area needs dedicated and trained volunteers to identify and monitor bird activity for ongoing conservation programs. By taking part in this invaluable bird identification training, you can be part of an important scientific bird monitoring program. This will provide a credible body of data to inform management authorities and enhance their ability to make sound decisions on habitat management and future planning initiatives.
