Dear Naturescapes readers

Easter is upon us and what a perfect time of year to get the family and friends together for a day, or a week, in our great outdoors.

In our last issue of Naturescapes, we highlighted 2010 as the International Year of Biodiversity (IYB2010) – a global celebration of the variety of life on Earth. Just in time for the Easter school holidays, and in support of IYB2010, we’re very pleased to bring you Wild, Wild World – a new website championing the amazing natural diversity right here in NSW’s national parks.

The Wild, Wild World website is your window to the wonderful world of animals, plants and cultural heritage that you can explore in our national parks through exciting interactive park tours, guided walks and expert talks with our Discovery rangers and commercial tour operators.

You’ll find a huge range of activities for all ages in national parks around the state, like searching for Easter bandicoots in Lane Cove National Park, visiting waterfalls by moonlight in Blue Mountains National Park, and a kids’ bush puppet show in the Warrumbungles. Bush tucker and medicine await at Bongil Bongil National Park, there are snorkelling adventures at Merimbula, a family biodiversity day at Fitzroy Falls in Morton National Park, and a whole lot more.

You can become a fan of Wild, Wild World on Facebook, or submit your favourite NSW national parks images to the Wild, Wild World gallery via Flickr.

IYB2010 is a world-wide call to action to help safeguard our planet’s natural diversity. Right here in NSW, there are many plant and animal species, like the Brush-tailed Rock Wallaby, that face extinction without the help of the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service and other conservation organisations and volunteers. As well as getting up close and personal with our wonderful wild things through park tours, you can also help save our threatened and vulnerable species by donating to conservation efforts via the Wild, Wild World website and the Foundation for National Parks and Wildlife.

I’d like to take the opportunity to wish you and your loved ones a happy and safe Easter holiday and invite you to visit our new Wild, Wild World website and plan your next NSW national park adventure – www.wildwildworld.com.au

Stay tuned for our next edition of Naturescapes, a bumper new-look issue packed with great things to see and do in NSW’s national parks.

Happy Easter!

Sally Barnes
Head of NSW National Parks and Wildlife