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NatureTrackers' first long-term project - Where? Where? Wedgie! - is to monitor Tasmania’s diurnal birds of prey. We focus on wedge-tailed eagles, but also cover white cockatoos and corellas.
Could there be fewer than 1000 Tasmanian wedge-tailed eagles in the world? Help find out.
Prior to NatureTrackers’ initiative in 2018, the Tasmanian wedge-tailed eagle population was not formally monitored. The last official estimate of its size – at fewer than 1000 birds, and likely to be declining – was based on information from many years ago. Since then, there have been lots of efforts to reduce the impact of human activities on these birds, but we don’t know if they’re working. Are numbers now increasing - or continuing the suspected decline?
Each autumn, we’re inviting as many people as possible across Tasmania to join us in finding out, by spending a day out with your eyes to the sky. On this website, we explain what you need to do to get involved, including how to book your survey. We provide resources for you to gain or build on your bird identification skills.
Hundreds took part in the first survey in May 2018, and their observations indicate that we have a good working method to get some answers. The information was patchily spread across the state, however - to get more reliable results, we're especially reaching out to people who can access remote and privately owned areas.
Where? Where? Wedgie! also involves a substantial schools component, through Expedition Class. Schools students learn about eagle and other birds of prey, and about monitoring threatened species.
Future projects will include Claws on the Line, on threatened burrowing crayfish.
You can get involved by signing up to NatureTrackers!
is the Bookend Trust's overall program of ‘citizen science’ projects, coordinating schools and the community to track the progress of our threatened species and better understand their needs. Citizen science projects may be defined as projects in which volunteers partner with specialist scientists to answer questions about the world and how it works.
Where? Where? Wedgie! is the first of a suite of NatureTrackers projects planned to monitor a wide range of threatened species annually. To design and establish the infrastructure needed to coordinate large scale citizen science survey, NatureTrackers brings together a multidisciplinary team with substantial expertise in field biology, statistics, education and social science.
Founded in 2007 by Andrew Hughes, Expedition Class was created to inspire and motivate students in science and environmental education through a unique model of adventure learning. With the Bookend Trust, Andrew’s recent expeditions have ranged from Treehouse Challenge - ‘climbing way up into really big trees’ to the Crusoe Project - a battle for survival on Delami Island off the southeast coast of Papua New Guinea. In 2019, Andrew travels with his Swag Family all across Australia. By collaborating with schools and external organisations, and conducting small footprint journeys, the goal is to provide free online learning resources, school visits, and professional learning for teachers in Australia and further afield.
The Bookend Trust is a not-for-profit founded in Tasmania in 2008, which inspires people of all ages and abilities to develop careers and interest in the environment, and to find positive solutions to environmental problems.’
Bookend is made up of a mix of paid and volunteer staff, with more in support roles beyond this. Projects include student opportunities ranging from the installation of alternative renewable power supplies for medical equipment in remote villages in Fiji, to Antarctic flights.
The Bookend Trust's projects have received multiple national awards recognising their lasting and positive community impact and outreach, while its ground-breaking documentary Sixteen Legs was given the BOFA Film Festival Award for Innovation. The Trust was named the 2012 Australian Geographic Society Conservationist of the Year, and their Education Officer, Andrew Hughes, was the 2013 Tasmanian of the Year and recipient of the 2012 Australian Power of One Award.
See Supporters to learn about other individuals and organisations involved with this project.