This is the old BIRD, which will remain here at swifft.net.au/bird for a year or so. You almost certainly want the new BIRD at bird.net.au

About SWIFFT

From BIRD: linking the biodiversity community

Categories: SWIFFT

SWIFFT is a network. It is a joint initiative of the Department of Sustainability and Environment, the Department of Primary Industry, landcare groups, Trust for Nature, the Threatened Species Network, CMAs, and the Ballarat Environment Network.

Aims

SWIFFT has a number of aims, but is essentially about maintaining and developing knowledge and skills within South West Victorian communities for the protection and management of threatened species and communities.

SWIFFT area

As implied in the name SWIFFT (South West Integrated Flora & Fauna Team) the South West area of Victoria is the main focus and generally includes the area from Geelong - Portland - Ballarat - Horsham, however because SWIFFT is a concept there are no fixed boundaries as such.

SWIFFT agenda

SWIFFT has an open and inclusive agenda which includes:

Be open to people involved or interested in protecting threatened species or communities.
Be inclusive and supportive of current and proposed initiatives for protecting threatened species and communities.
Promote and foster mutual benefit.
Encourage the documentation of existing knowledge.
Be a learning network.
The members of the SWIFFT own SWIFFT.
Remain free of obligation and cost.…….

Who’s in on it

Rather, who is not in on it? SWIFFT is open to anyone or any organisation that has an interest in threatened species & communities, in fact the more people involved the more SWIFFT will achieve. You can be a part of SWIFFT by simply reading and contributing to pages in the SWIFFT wiki web site hosted by BIRD. Once you have created an account you can log in, that way you can see what is happening around the region and contribute to the SWIFFT. You may also like to attend a SWIFFT meeting which are held four times a year. Already there have been over 6 video link meetings. Participants gather at a video link location, which have been at a DSE office eg. Ballarat, Geelong, Warrnambool, Hamilton or Horsham. It is also possible to arrange telphone (audio) links to these conferences on a limited basis. Participants have included local government conservation officers, interested persons from environmental groups and DSE staff involved with managing threatened species. As the SWIFFT becomes more widely known and used it will provide greater opportunity for involvement, expand networking and information sharing across all land and water managers and the broader community.

How did SWIFFT begin?

SWIFFT had its origins in 2003 when meetings were held with representatives of the Leigh Catchment Group , the Ballarat Environment Network, the Corangamite CMA, Local Government representatives, the Department of Primary Industry and the Department of Sustainability and Environment to talk about revegetation issues in the Leigh Catchment. Coming out of these meetings there was recognition that there was a need to share information about threatened species in the SW Region. On 1 December 2003 a meeting was held in Ballarat attended by TFN/LCG/DSE/DPI/BEN and CCMA the main focus of which was to " Develop a joint integrated project including Threatened Species protection with community links". Early in the following year a "Concept Paper" was developed and a meeting was held on 17 March 2004 to discuss the idea of a network for Threatened species covering the whole of SW Victoria. Support for the idea ensured that there was a follow up meeting at Lake Bolac on 27 May 2004 to discuss a name for the network, development of a communication strategy and a calender of events and potential participation in a new web initiative hosted by BEN - the "Wiki " - later to be referred to as the BIRD wiki. The network "SWIFFT" was "born" and held its first quarterly video conference hook up on Thursday 14 October 2004.