2002 Presenters

Presenter: Peter Slavich, Neil Treverrow, Lukas Van Zwieten, Richard Swinton

Event: Sustainable Agriculture Workshops

Times: Wednesday 8.30am-1.00pm

Venue: Wollongbah Agricultural Institute

Workshops including environmental impacts of pest and disease management, improving soil health, water management for agriculture and a healthy environment, plus speakers from the cane dairy and macadamia industries.

Presenter: Robin Francis

Event: Sustainable Human Settlement and Eco Village

Development

Times: Wednesday 10.30am-12.00pm

Venue: Envite 56 Carrington St

Robin is an internationally leading permaculture designer and teacher since 1983. She operates Djanbung Permaculture Gardens and is a founding director of Permaculture International and founder of the ERDA institute.

Presenter: Ruth Rosenhek

Event: Water is Life

Time: Wednesday 1-2pm

Venue: Envite 56 Carrington St

Ruth Rosenhek is an international environmental activist, educator

and co-director of the Rainforest Information Centre in Lismore. Ruth tours the US, Canada and abroad teaching on deep ecology, eco-psychology and compassionate living. See http://www.rainforestinfo.org.au

Presenter: Chris Harris

Event: Strategies for building community programs through

collective fund raising, training and organising

Time: Wednesday 2-3pm

Venue: Envite 56 Carrington St

Chris Harris has worked for environmental and Aboriginal organisations for more than twenty years, starting on the Franklin campaign in 1981 and including, Kakadu, East Gippsland and various river and mining campaigns. Since 1994 he has been involved in establishing a range of new community organisations and programs including the Conservation Alliance, the Earth Share Foundation and the Mineral Policy Institute as well as developing a variety of training and fund raising programs. He currently coordinates Earth Share Australia and the Conservation Alliance.

Presenter: Amanda Kenyon, Planning NSW

Event: Planning for Sustainable Rural Communities

Time: Wednesday 3.30-4.30pm

Venue: Envite 56 Carrington St

The Lismore Living Centres team of PlanningNSW are undertaking a Strategic Plan for Rural Lands in the Northern Rivers. The primary objective of this plan is the protection and enhancement of rural lands for economic, social and ecological benefits. A key focus will be to provide for appropriate development that can generate sustainable employment opportunities and wealth creation initiatives.

The Plan will bring together the raft of policies and regulations that affect the use of rural lands in the Northern Rivers region, and it will identify opportunities for enhanced land use management and employment generation. The implementation of this Plan will help us to achieve sustainable rural communities across our region.

We need your help and feedback. The workshop will be a chance for commenting on the strategic plan and providing input on the important issues facing you and your community.

Presenter: Dave Howard

Event: Energy efficiency in the home

Time: Thursday 10-11am

Venue: Lismore Workers Club

Dave Howard is an electrical engineer with 6 years experience assessing energy efficiency using NatHERS computer software.

Presenter: Erwin and Adrianne Weber

Event: Sustainable Housing

Time: Thursday 11-12pm

Venue: Lismore Workers Club

Erwin has over 20 years experience in Energy-efficient, subtropical solar design, servicing northern NSW and Southeast Qld. Mudbrick, pole, stone, timber, non-toxic materials. Specialist service for owner builders.

Presenter: Genevieve Curruthers

Event: Environmental Management Systems

Time: Thursday 12.20-1.20pm

Venue: Lismore Workers Club

This workshop will discuss environmental management systems - what they are, how they might work on a farm and potential benefits and costs. We will also discuss the work some industries are currently doing in the application of EMS to farms in Australia and overseas. Genevieve Carruthers is the Environmental Systems Specialist with NSW Agriculture. She has worked in sustainable agricultural research for over 15 year, and for the Federal Environmental Protection Agency in Canberra. She is an entomologist by training and has experience with integrated pest management, environmental auditing and teaching".

Presenter: Ross Garsden

Event: Improving environmental outcomes in agriculture

Time: Thursday 1.30-2.15pm

Venue: Lismore Workers Club

Ross is a Forestry and Farm Planning Consultant currently working for Main Camp Tea Tree Oil Group.

Presenter: Dr Geoffrey Lamberton

Event: Sustainability performance measurement

Time: Thursday 2.30-3.30pm

Venue: Lismore Workers Club

Dr Geoffrey Lamberton is an academic in the School of Commerce & Management at Southern Cross University teaching accounting, finance and environmental issues to business students. His research focuses on the application of the sustainability concept to business organisations, through sustainability performance measurement systems.

Presenter: Robert Kooyman

Event: Sustainable Forestry Forum

Time: Thursday 4-5.30pm

Venue: Lismore Workers Club

Rob Kooyman is a leading rainforest researcher who has worked for NSW State Forests and is now a private ecological consultant. He is widely known for his innovative ideas and creative approach to sustainable forestry. He is an inspiring educator and expert on rainforest ecology.

Presenter: Prof. Jerry Vanclay

Event: Sustainable Forestry Forum

Time: Thursday 4-5.30pm

Venue: Lismore Workers Club

Jerry Vanclay is professor of forestry at Southern Cross University's School of Environment and Resource Management.

Presenter: Rob Heathcote

Event: Sustainable Forestry Forum

Time: Thursday 4-5.30pm

Venue: Lismore Workers Club

Rob is hardwood Plantation Officer for NSW State Forests

Presenter: Martin Novak

Event: Sustainable Forestry Forum

Time: Thursday 4-5.30pm

Venue: Lismore Workers Club

Martin is the founding President of the Subtropical Farm Forestry Association and has been actively involved in conservation and production forestry for over 25 years.

Presenter: John McGregor Skinner

Event: Sustainable Forestry Forum

Time: Thursday 4-5.30pm

Venue: Lismore Workers Club

John Macgregor-Skinner is Executive Officer for Northern Rivers Private Forestry (RPC)

Presenter: Geoff Lawton, Permaculture Research Institute

Events: Eco-Industry waste synergy using permaculture design;

Identify bioregional identity to create sustainable local industry;

Global aid/trade impact

Times: Friday 9am-12.30pm; Saturday 11.15am-12.30pm

Venue: Envite, 56 Carrington St

The Permaculture Research Institute (PRI), headed by Geoff & Sindhu Lawton, is a non-profit organisation involved in global networking and practical training of environmental activists. It offers solutions to local and global ecological problems, and has an innovative farm design in progress. The Institute is also involved in design and consultancy work, and actively supports several aid projects around the world.

Presenter: Peter Hardwick

Event: Regenerating the Landscape with Bushfoods

Time: Friday 12.45-1.45pm

Venue: Envite, 56 Carrington St

Peter Hardwick is a pioneer researcher in the bush foods industry and is a bushfoods consultant/educator.

Presenter: Lesley Trott

Event: Waste and Recycling Forum

Time: Friday 2-3.30pm

Venue: Fountain Room, City Hall

Lesley has worked for LCC for two years as waste minimisation officer. She has worked in the UK and Queensland on waste issues.

Presenter: Murray Cullen

Event: Waste and Recycling Forum

Time: Friday 2-3.30pm

Venue: Fountain Room, City Hall

Murray is a research scientist at Southern Cross University. His current research activity is now concentrated on the area of waste management for small (under 50,000 population) cities, especially recycling, public education, surveys of knowledge and behaviour, composting, management of green waste, and collection of CBD organics.

Presenter: Heather Cook

Event: Waste and Recycling Forum

Time: Friday 2-3.30pm

Venue: Fountain Room, City Hall

Heather has 10 years experience in the waste industry, working in private industry, Local, State and Federal (New Zealand) government. She is Co-ordinator of the North East Waste Forum.

Presenter: John Barnes

Event: Waste and Recycling Forum

Time: Friday 2-3.30pm

Venue: Fountain Room, City Hall

John Barnes is general manager of Richmond Waste, a local waste and recycling company.

Presenter: Dr Keith Bolton

Events: Mop Crop Project-Sewage Farms for Resource Recovery;

Water Forum

Time: Saturday 3-3.30pm; Friday 4-5.30pm

Venue: Fountain Room, City Hall

Keith Bolton is a researcher and practitioner of sustainable wastewater reuse. Keith currently holds a Postdoctoral position at Southern Cross University, and has a doctorate from the School of Environmental Engineering at Griffith University. Current projects include: "Wetland regeneration for effluent reuse, acid sulfate soil management, and carbon credits", "The North Coast mop-crop project: sewage farms for resource recovery" and "Effluent and sludge reuse for the nursery industry".

Presenter: Peter Cuming, Sustainable Futures

Event: Water Forum

Time: Friday 4-5.30pm

Venue: Fountain Room, City Hall

Principal Consultant with Sustainable Futures, a group of multi-skilled consultants providing expertise in environmental planning, design and education.

Presenter: Rob Learmonth

Event: Water Forum

Time: Friday 4-5.30pm

Venue: Fountain Room, City Hall

Rob is executive officer of the northern rivers water management committee.

Presenter: John Hannaford, Permo Drive

Event: Display and Presentation

Times: Saturday 10am-4pm

Venue: City Hall

Permo-Drive is a local company that has developed a regenerative braking system for heavy vehicles. This technology has the potential to revolutionise the transport industry by improving efficiency, and reducing pollution. Permo Drive has designed a Regenerative Energy Management System that provides efficient secondary braking and propulsion. It has the unique capacity to store the normally wasted braking energy and re-use it for propulsion assistance through gear changes, up hills and during acceleration.

Presenter: Peter Hallam

Event: Introduction to Biodiesel

Time: Saturday 9.30-11am

Venue: Fountain Room, City Hall

Peter is the Coffs Harbour branch co-ordinator of Alternative Technology Association. He has been involved with biodiesel manufacturing for over a year. ATA is a community based, non profit organisation and produces the national periodical called Renew magazine.The home office is based in Melbourne.

Presenter: Katrina Luckie, Northern Rivers Regional Strategy

Event: A Vision for a Sustainable Northern Rivers: Planning

for our Future

Time: Saturday 12.30-1.20pm

Venue: Fountain Room, City Hall

The Northern Rivers Regional Strategy is process using best practice planning and information technology to integrate land use and projected socio-cultural changes in this unique part of Australia. The Strategy is underpinned by ecologically sustainable development so future growth and development maintains the natural advantages and lifestyle of the region. This plan is being developed through a unique partnership between local and State Government, the private sector in association with the region's communities and this presentation will be delivered by the Project Co-ordinator, Ms Katrina Luckie.

Presenter: Mark Croucher

Event: Introduction to Environmental Law

Time: Saturday 1.30-2pm

Venue: Fountain Room, City Hall

Mark Croucher is a senior associate in the legal firm Michel Sillar, specialising in environmental law.

Presenter: Dr Leigh Davison

Event: Managing water and nutrient cycles for a sustainable and beautiful

North Coast

Venue: Fountain Room, City Hall

Time: Saturday 2.30-3pm

Leigh is a lecturer in water and waste management in the School of Environmental Science and Management at Southern Cross University. Recent projects have included evaluation of composting toilet performance, the use of reed beds for the treatment of greywater, blackwater and nursery runoff, evaluation of the effectiveness of absorption trenches and sub-surface irrigation fields.

 

Presenter: Prof. David McConchie

Event: Practical ways to use modified red mud (a waste product from alumina

refineries) to create a cleaner and more sustainable environment.

Time: Saturday 3.30-4pm

Venue: Fountain Room, City Hall

Practical ways to use modified red mud (a waste product from alumina refineries) to create a cleaner and more sustainable environment. The talk will describe how to carry out treatment of contaminated water and soil and the ecological and chemical results of using the techniques to help rehabilitate an old mine site.Professor McConchie is internationally acclaimed as one of Australia's leading scientists in the new discipline of Engineering Geochemistry. He is Chief Scientific Consultant at Virotec Global Solutions, developing the Bauxsol ™ technology over an eight-year period of extensive research.