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For further information on designing biodiversity surveys and establishing off-set mechanisms contact Dr Geraldine McGuire on gmm@sustainabesolutionsglobal.com
Due to popular demand the Women’s Sustainability Network continues in 2009. This informal networking evening gives women the opportunity to find out about some of the initiatives being undertaken by local people and organisations to enhance the sustainability of the North Queensland region. The first meeting was held in March with guest speaker Councillor Rhonda Sorensen sharing her perspective on ‘Women in Government’. Rhonda spoke about the difficulties encountered by women throughout political history, from seeking the right to vote to advancing into high level leadership positions. She shared her own experiences of professional development and her knowledge of the current status of women in government and management positions in Australia. There will be three more gatherings in 2009 for the Women’s Sustainability Network;
For more information on the 2009 programme please view the following; (
In October 2008 Sustainable Solutions participated in a four day Trade Mission to New Caledonia organised by Austrade and the Australia Pacific Islands Business Council (www.apibc.org.au). The Queensland Government is currently engaged in the promotion of the State as a centre of Tropical Expertise. The Q-Tropics Strategy can be found at - www.industry.qld.gov.au/dsdweb/v4/apps/web/content.cfm?id=10691 New Caledonia is a unique group of islands – despite its small overall size (18, 575 km2) it has nearly a quarter of the world’s known reserves of nickel, and the nickel-rich soil and its comparative isolation from other land masses have contributed to the development of an extremely rich biodiversity, including at least 3000 endemic plant species. After a long history of Melanesian occupation, New Caledonia was colonised by the French in the 1850’s and remains a French Territory to this day. T At two hours flight from Brisbane, New Caledonia is ideally positioned to benefit from Queensland experience in managing tropical environment and livelihoods. During the Trade Mission, Sustainable Solutions met with a wide cross-section of people from the government, industry and community. The economy is heavily reliant on the nickel mining industry and the future of New Caledonia depends on their ability to manage mining so that there can be sustainable benefits for the economy, the community and the environment.
To enhance the sustainability of the Atherton Tablelands region, Sustainable Solutions provides an informal ‘women’s sustainability network’ evening four times a year. At each meeting a key speaker is invited to share their experiences and knowledge in their field of expertise, leading to discussion, networking opportunities and initiatives within the group. Penny Scott, a consultant to Terrain Natural Resource Management, gave a lively talk to the March meeting participants, about the journey that led to her interest in Climate Change. She went on to discuss local and regional proposals and strategies designed to address climate change issues. These well attended meetings show that there are a lot of women on the Tablelands motivated to learn and network about sustainability. Throughout history women have interacted at a grassroots level to facilitate change in issues they feel are important and to share knowledge that has had a positive impact in their lives. The ‘Women’s Sustainability Network’ gives Tableland women an opportunity to enjoy a social evening and exchange information on how they can improve their environment. If you are in the local area and interested in joining in our next meeting, please contact Sustainable Solutions for details
Planning for the sustainable closure of a project from the very beginning is now the expected standard in the mining industry. This can be a challenging experience at sites with difficult technical issues such as geotechnical instability and acid rock drainage. These difficulties are further enhanced at operations located in remote areas surrounded by developing communities which have become dependent on the mine income. Geraldine McGuire had to take all these issues into consideration while leading the Mine Closure Steering Committee, established to agree the closure options for Kelian Equatorial Mining (KEM) gold mine in Indonesia. This knowledge was then incorporated into a project undertaken in 2006 for International Council of Mining For further information on planning and developing options for mine closure, contact Geraldine McGuire on gmm@sustainablesolutionsglobal.com
The ability to effectively engage and consult with communities to understand and respond to their concerns about a project is critical to the long term success of an operation. Often termed the “social licence to operate” this reflects the tolerance of the local population to the impacts (positive and negative) experienced from the project. In many developed countries the negative impacts relate to noise and air pollution or loss of visual amenity associated with the operational activities. However in some developing countries the land and water For further information on community engagement and participatory planning techniques contact Dr Geraldine McGuire on gmm@sustainabesolutionsglobal.com.
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Corporation. The courses involved working with students undertaking Certificate 2, Certificate 3 and Diploma level studies. One of the subjects involved a project in the Western Bartle Frere and Topaz area. Students were assisted to collect natural and cultural resource information; and to develop a resource management plan. During this project the students climbed Mt Bartle Frere, the highest mountain in Queensland and interviewed traditional owners, local landholders and the historical society. Details of the course content can be found on 
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Donna Rowlands from ‘Temple Earth Salon’ led the next meeting in June, sharing her personal experiences with harmful chemicals and the subsequent research which led to a change in lifestyle and her decision to use (and promote) only toxin free products in her business. In September, Kylie Freebody, a Botanist and Revegetation expert, talked about her many years experience in natural resource management. She gave an interesting account of the history of the local region, her experiences with local governments and the sustainable development opportunities currently available. 
resources required for the project are directly linked to the sustainable livelihoods of the adjacent communities. These situations are often coupled with an inability of the population to participate in the employment opportunities of the project due to poor health and/or inadequate educational achievements. In such circumstances, creative livelihood programs and business development initiatives may be required to overcome the loss of resources that will be taken by the project. It is usually wise to work with local government and experienced non-government agencies to ensure the sustainability of these ventures beyond the life of the mine. Furthermore, unless there is wide support and acceptance by communities many “good ideas” are doomed to failure. Using a range of techniques broadly termed participatory planning, communities can be actively engaged to develop and prioritise programs. Information on these topics can be found in the Community Engagement and Development Leading Practice Booklet