Month: January 2025

Frog offsets: too good to be true

Green and golden bell frog, Ranoidea aurea NSW status, Endangered. Commonwealth status, Vulnerable.

Eats insects, worms and small vertebrates. Sunbakes to aid digestion.

Tadpoles take 3-11 months to mature.

Classification

A ground dwelling frog in the tree frog family, one of Australia’s largest frogs the adults are between 4.5-11cm in size.

Very similar to other frogs in the Ranoidea genus, the green and golden bell frog is able to hybridise and is often found together with the closely related growling grass frog (R. castanea) and yellow spotted bell frog (R. raniformis).

“The species is now classified within the Ranoidea aurea complex, a closely related group of frogs in the genus Ranoidea.[4] This complex is scattered throughout Australia: three species occur in south-east Australia, one in northern Australia, and two in Southwest Australia.”

“Ranoidea aurea is equally and most closely related to R. castanea and R. raniformis. A microcomplement fixation technique using serum albumins has indicated the species closest to R. aurea is R. ranifomis. Albumin immunological distance data suggest no differentiation between the two, and the green and golden bell frog evolutionally separated from the other two species about 1.1 million years ago.”

From the Wikipedia entry on the green and golden bell frog (GGBF)

Offsets

The GGBF faces steep population declines in the remaining habitat, and is listed as endangered in NSW, where threats to biodiversity are largely managed with an “offset” mechanism. The Biodiversity Offset Market puts a monetary value onto threatened species and their habitat, this can be used to draw up compensation deals. These values are known as “species credits” and given that the market has been established by government to facilitate development in environmentally sensitive areas, outcomes favour developers. The cost of offsets is never a deterrent to a major development because the rules will be altered in such cases. There’s been no recorded improvement in environmental outcomes using an offset scheme, for frogs or any other species, anywhere, ever.

The market price on endangered frogs fluctuates depending on supply and demand for sites to be destroyed versus sites that might potentially be saved. We could speculate that the price should also reflect frog population health and numbers, but it’s unlikely that populations are monitored sufficiently to establish if offsets are effective. When it rains do the prices go down as more frogs reproduce? When it’s dry do prices go up as frogs perish? As frogs head to extinction does the price reflect the intrinsic value of another lost species. Does any of this economic activity increase the extent of frog habitat? Probably not, but it provides job opportunities for biologists who might otherwise raise concerns about development threats.

According to wikipedia, only 40 sites remain where GGBFs can be found. However species credit market prices dealing in habitat loss continue to fluctuate. How is it that the habitat market offset price can rise and fall while habitat loss continues in one direction?

On the 11th Nov 2022 species credit price for the green and golden bell frog was $22,348. The most recent sale of GGBF species credits on 28th Oct 2024 was $1,651, a 93% fall in value, yet the underlying conservation concerns are as dire as ever, chytrid fungus and habitat destruction remain as major threats.

No one can properly explain the species market, but green and golden bell frogs remain endangered and have vanished entirely from 90% of its previous recorded range. Meanwhile several government enquires at state and federal level have established that the biodiversity offset market is a failed concept.

Wetlands

The key to conservation is protecting habitat. Wetlands provide habitat for frogs but are just as crucial for birds, and frogs provide protein for birds. It’s entirely possible for an endangered bird to eat an endangered frog, such are the complications of conservation and over reliance on a diminishing area of suitable habitat.

Kooragang Island is one of three East Australian Islands where GGBF are found, and also major industrial hub. In 1983 a Kooragang wetlands rehabilitation and nature reserve were formed. 1984 it was declared a Ramsar site of 2926 hectares.

“The Hunter Estuary Wetlands Ramsar site is extremely important as both a feeding and roosting site for a large seasonal population of shorebirds and as a waylay site for transient migrants. Over 250 species of birds have been recorded within the Ramsar site, including 45 species listed under international migratory conservation agreements. In addition, the Ramsar site provides habitat for the nationally threatened Green and Golden Bell Frog, Estuary Stingray and Australasian Bittern.” Aust Gov DCCEEW 2019

Sources

https://www.dcceew.gov.au/environment/biodiversity/threatened/publications/factsheet-frogs-australia#:~:text=Australia’s%20frogs%20vary%20in%20size,is%20only%2014%20millimetres%20long.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Green_and_golden_bell_frog

https://australian.museum/learn/animals/frogs/green-and-golden-bell-frog/

https://www.environment.gov.au/cgi-bin/wetlands/ramsardetails.pl?refcode=24

Prints in Australia Institute tearoom. Richard Dennis and Polly Hemming pointing

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Australian Kelpies

Best friends. Loyal and trustworthy. Optimistic. Friendly, intelligent and reliable.

Hard working sheep dogs with a way of worming their way into your heart, the Aussie Kelpie was long believed (but now questioned) to be related to or bred from Australian native dogs – dingoes.

“For much of the 20th century and early 21st century it was claimed that kelpies were partly descended from dingoes.[6] In 2019, it was widely reported[7][8][9] that a genomic study conducted by researchers from the University of Sydney indicated that the kelpie had no dingo ancestry[10] although this is still uncertain. Claire Wade, co-author of the study’s paper, said that she has never suggested there was “no dingo blood in the Kelpie breed” as the media reported.[11] Wade explained:

The genes studied in our analysis were specifically chosen because it is those aspects of Kelpies (the ears and the ginger/cream colours) that lead most everyday people to presume the relationship between Kelpie and dingo. The evidence of our study proves conclusively that, at least for those characteristics, there is no evidence for relationship to be found.[11]“

exerpt from Australian Kelpie Wikipedia

Learning to understand the many needs of an animal from a young age is beneficial for teaching empathy to children.

This print of his pet dogs Duke and Lou was designed by Frank Errington age 8.

Australian Kelpie cards 3 pack

Hand carved, hand printed onto hand made gampi and washi paper, mounted onto gift cards 100% recycled Australian made card. Colours vary. 19 x 12.5cm Designed by Frank Errington

A$45.00

Border collie gift cards 3 pack

Hand carved, hand printed onto hand made gampi and washi paper, mounted onto gift cards. 12 x 12cm Designed and carved by Jo Bradley

A$30.00

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Bush stone-curlew

Burhinus grallarius

Bush stone curlews are largely nocturnal with large eyes to assist a life in low light. They favour open areas to forage and nest. Eggs laid directly on the ground are vulnerable to being eaten by predators. Nesting parents can adopt a range of strategies to protect eggs, the bush stone curlew relies on camouflage, as the name suggests. It’s able to strike a pose like a statue, sometimes lying flat on the ground, neck extended, looking like a stone. The eyes are partially closed when the curlew is intent on blending in, but flutter wide open if detected, with eye contact maintained while the bird attempts to distract attention from the nest.

The eggs are also speckled to blend in with the leaf litter and go unnoticed.

If a person should come too close to nesting curlews they will attempt to lead them away from the nest by hissing, strutting and flapping around with raised wings. Naturally time off the nest is not good for the eggs and stressful, stone-curlews would prefer to remain on the eggs. Stone-curlews in repeated contact with people have been observed to allow closer intrusion towards the nest.

Bush stone-curlew numbers are under threat in NSW where they are declared endangered. Feral foxes make an easy meal of ground dwelling birds.

Tom Kristensen 2024 ǂ

Bush stone curlew mini print and 5 card pack

One hand made Japanese woodblock mini print on hand made washi paper. Plus 5 facsimile cards with message to politicians. 19 x 12.5cm

A$45.00

Bandicoots mini print and 5 card pack

One hand made Japanese woodblock mini print on hand made washi paper. Plus 5 facsimile cards with message to politicians. 19 x 12.5cm

A$45.00

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To my dear friend and climate change denier…

I watched that instagram post about CO2 that you sent to me. My thoughts are that I reckon you should read up on the nature of different gases. They’re interesting. CO2 works in a similar way to how the colour black absorbs more heat than white. CO2 absorbs infrared radiation.
So like we need a certain amount of nutrients to maintain homeostasis, the ecosystems on the planet needs a certain amount of CO2 to maintain equilibrium. Human activity has shifted the equilibrium and ecosystems are changing because of that. There is some fascinating history in geological records that show different phases of the planet in relation to CO2 levels.
Venus is lethal because the gases in its atmosphere cause extreme heat.
I loved chemistry (I even went back to do some at uni after we met when we studied music together – what a nerd!) and I have no trouble accepting that releasing large amounts of CO2 changes the current equilibrium of earth.
Ecosystems especially oceans are changing – to what, who knows? Maybe Antartica will have forests again?
Try wikipedia on CO2

Yes, there’s definitely a lot of problems in this world with greed and cruelty. Rich and powerful people want to maintain that balance of power. Power comes from literally power – energy/ electricity etc.
So yes there’ll be corruption associated anywhere there’s money and energy.
But there’s no scientific conspiracy to lie about climate change to reduce CO2 just to take power away from fossil fuel companies.

I hope we can always keep talking…

Beautiful Woronora River January 2025

Temperature change in NSW by Tom Kristensen

Hand carved woodblocks and printed onto hand made Japanese washi paper. Oban size 38 x 25cm

A$250.00

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Horseshoe Crabs and Red Knot

Horseshoe Crabs and Red Knot
Endangered horseshoe crabs provide eggs for endangered shorebirds.
Evolutionary storylines reaching back hundreds of millions of years are now in danger of ending with habitat destruction and ocean harvesting.
The red knot is a medium sized migratory shore bird, it flies vast distances from breeding grounds in the north to winter feeding grounds in the south. The feeding areas are restricted to highly productive wetlands and sand flats on intertidal zones, places that are increasingly taken into human use, for agriculture and coastal property development.
In the middle of the major migratory path from the Arctic tundra to the tip of South America the red knots make a vital stopover to feed on eggs of the horseshoe crabs. The extinction of horseshoe crabs through over-harvesting would likely cut off the migration path of the red knots. Other migration paths exist but all are under similar pressures.

20 x 20 cm, 1 Shina block, Water-washable oils (COBRA) on Nishinouchi washi with sumi sizing, edition 24 for Baren Exchange.
Part of the Double Dagger series where two printmakers illustrate environmental themes

Tom Kristensen 2024 ǂ

Red knot and Horseshoe crabs lino print

Hand carved and printed by Tom Kristensen in the style of Ono Tadashige onto black hand made Japanese washi paper. 20 x 20cm

A$100.00

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Regent Honeyeater

Regent Honeyeater

Anthochaera phrygia

Endemic to southeastern Australia.

Critically Endangered.

Migrates in flocks following nectar flow in ironbark woodland.

Major threat – land clearing.

Warragamba Dam Raising Project Offset* prices exceeded capacity for government to pay. Solution; reclassify flooding of honeyeater habitat as a temporary impact

•Offsets are deals done to allow for Destruction of the environment

As of 10th July 2023 the species credit price for Regent Honeyeater is $4,308.00.

Hand carved & printed on Japanese washi

USA et

Forestry offsets described at http://www.fsc.org

Double Dagger †† Art

† The dagger is a typographical symbol denoting a secondary footnote or extinction of a species

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Christmas beetles

Queen Christmas Beetle
Anoplagnathus viriditarsus

With a range of brightly coloured species appearing during summer, the glittering Christmas beetles are most beloved of Australian insects.

The largest Christmas beetle species found in Sydney is the queen beetle which grows to 30 mm in length. Adults feed on eucalyptus leaves while the larval grubs feed on roots of grasses beneath. The beetles thrived in the open woodlands prior to clearing for expanding agriculture and housing. Loss of tree canopy means suburban areas no longer support the beetles that were enjoyed by children of past generations.

The decline of Christmas beetle numbers has prompted entomologists at the Australian Museum to open a citizen science project. An app provides taxonomic tips to help identify beetles. Sightings can be recorded to help establish the range of beetle populations.

The Queen Christmas Beetle is named for the green reflections glinting off the dark feet.

Woodblock print
Hand carved and hand printed
on handmade Japanese washi
Tom Kristensen 2024 ǂ

For sale at Saru gallery €95

Blue Christmas beetle deluxe folder card mini print

Hand carved and printed beetle and eucalyptus leaves folder. The beetle is mounted on gold paper with notes on a golden slip behind the beetle. An absolute favourite print, easy to display. 14 x 20cm (with folder closed)

A$150.00

Green Christmas beetle deluxe folder card mini print

Hand carved and printed beetle and eucalyptus leaves folder. The beetle is mounted on gold paper with notes on a golden slip behind the beetle. An absolute favourite print, easy to display. 14 x 20cm (with folder closed)

A$150.00

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Green Island Ono Tadashige tribute

Ume – Sea by Ono Tadashige 1959

36 Views of Green Island No. 29 RED Green Island

Tadashige Ono was born in 1909 near the end of the Meiji era; four decades of industrialisation and military expansion under the imperial eye of the emperor. Japanese military victory over China on the Korean Peninsula led to the Chinese revolution of 1911, overturning 2000 years of monarchy with the establishment of the People’s Republic of China. Other revolutions in Russia and Germany saw the rise of more REDS.

Communist posters and pamphlets were illustrated with proletarian art, seemingly carved from wood with a pen knife. Woodblock art, historically dismissed as plebeian, was now authentically primitive. The young Ono entering art school was energetically criticising industrial development and capitalism, while leading fellow artists to mount group exhibitions and publish magazines. His early black and white work was crowded with figures; at work, on strike, partying. He produced a 50-page graphic novel illustrating “the death of three generations”, a pregnant mother is seen pushing a coal cart, then dying while giving birth in the mine. As his work became more colourful Ono depicted landscapes and village life; cats and birds predominate as silent witnesses while the people go about their daily lives. Scenic views of Japan and abroad combine with comments on pollution, wreckage and warfare. Ono was a respected scholar of prints and a bold innovator. He developed a technique enabling multicoloured prints to be made from a single block.

Champion of the Japanese print tradition, which had always produced affordable art for the masses, he worked in universities teaching the history of prints and passing on printmaking skills. Always producing prints at incredible speed, Qno encouraged others to join his print revolution. He mentored many important artists, including Kiyoshi Saito. Although a museum opened after his death in 1990, that museum has now sadly been deaccessioned, perhaps an indication of a lack of respect for a RED rabble rouser.

These 36 views are presented in the Sosaku Hanga tradition: self-carved and hand printed. This print was made from a Linoleum floor tile, Japanese gampi washi, and Royal Talens water-washable oils, and backed with Thai kozo chiri. The seal indicates the Double Dagger project; prints from collaborating artists on environmental themes: Australia is an island continent producing rivers of RED iron ore and black coal.

This print in answer to Ono’s Ume (fT:) – Sea 1959

Tom Kristensen

2024

IMG_2401

Red Green Island by Tom Kristensen

Made in the style of Ono Tadashige on a single lino block. 25.5 x 20cm Number 29 in Tom’s Green Island series, this print is about how increasing global temperature is changing to once very stable climates and locations.

A$150.00

Print by Tom Kristensen
Backing
Verso of Red Green Island

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Joey koala

Koala: Phascolarctos cinereus. Status: Endemic to Eastern Australia. Endangered in NSW, QLD & ACT.

Koalas are shy marsupials living in eucalyptus forests. They are fussy eaters with favourite trees and particular leaves they prefer to eat. Koalas are at home in the treetops, able to leap from tree to tree, they are safest when hidden in the canopy. Koalas need to keep moving to find suitable trees, water, and a mate. During fire koalas may flee or perish while climbing out of deadly heat and smoke. 

Koalas were once widespread across eastern Australia, but half their forest has been cleared since settlement. Numbers have dropped alarmingly in recent decades with continuing deforestation and increasing habitat fragmentation. Climate change represents a significant ongoing threat. Broad-scale drought and fire  kill large numbers of koalas and lack of habitat connectivity prevents repopulation by surviving koalas. The Australian Government declared koalas endangered across most of their range in 2023. The NSW Government advised that koalas are likely  be extinct by 2050 without urgent  action taken to protect them. 

Governments hope to avoid the extinction of endangered biodiversity by developing an offset market, where developers pay dispensation for destroying natural areas. Fees known as “credits”, are assessed by the developer following formulas based on vegetation types. The monetary value of credits can be paid to the government Biodiversity Conservation Trust. Funds are used to employ ecologists who attempt to compensate for destroyed natural areas by adding benefit in other areas. It is also possible to buy species credits from another landholder who promises to protect biodiversity. Government has set up a market to buy and sell credits, the species credit price varies according to supply and demand. All offset schemes begin with habitat destruction but claim to deliver positive outcomes. 

This pair of prints is stamped with the Double Dagger seal; artists working in collaboration illustrating environmental themes. 

Joanna Bradley carved the joey print using 2 lino blocks, Sakura black on Shioji kozo washi. The gum leaf wrapper by Tom Kristensen from a single Shina block, Holbein gouache on vintage Yamato chiri.

  • 25.5 x 19cm $100


For sale at Saru Gallery €150

IMG_4680

Endangered by fire Joey koala lino and woodblock print

Hand carved and printed with baren Joey koala lino print 25.5 x 20cm With beautiful woodblock print eucalyptus leaves wrapper 80 x 22cm (approx). Both prints are hand printed onto Japanese/Thai washi paper.

A$150.00

IMG_2375

Joey koala lino and woodblock print

Hand carved and printed with baren Joey koala lino print 25.5 x 19cm With beautiful woodblock print eucalyptus leaves wrapper 80 x 22cm (approx). Both prints are hand printed onto Japanese/Thai washi paper.

A$150.00

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Horseshoe Crab blood harvest

Horseshoe crab: Family: Limulidae Phylum: Arthropoda Class: Merostomata (legs attached to mouth) Species: Limulus polyphemus. Status: Four very similar species endemic to Eastern Americas and the Indo-pacific. Two species vulnerable to extinction in 2016.

450 million years ago horseshoe crabs were almost identical to horseshoe crabs living today. They pre-date the emergence of the woody plants that formed coal beds. Their closest modern relatives are spiders and scorpions. They have 10 legs, blue copper-based blood and 10 sets of eyes – including 2 photoreceptors in their tail.

Harvested for fertiliser, fishing bait, and for biomedical bleeding.

For years, HC were unprotected, shovelled up by the dump-truck load, crushed, and spread to fertilise fields in Delaware US. They are now protected in New Jersey, so after 10-year maturation in the Atlantic off Delaware Bay horseshoe crabs return to the beaches to mate.

Their only defence is their strong shell. The stingless tail is used for navigation and balance, their eggs and hatchlings are essential food for migrating Red knots, another endangered species.

Horseshoe crab blood contains proteins that react to the presence of bacteria forming a protective gel. Most people will have benefited from horseshoe crabs because their blood is used by the biomedical industry to detect positive gram bacterial contamination in vaccines and IV drugs. One litre of blue blood was worth about $16000 USD in 2020, “one of the most expensive resources in the world”

A synthetic alternative has been available for many years but it is even more expensive than the crab blood because of the high profits available and a patent protecting intellectual property.

This Double Dagger lino and woodblock print was made by Joanna Bradley in collaboration with Tom Kristensen who carved the coloured background wood blocks and helped research.

This print is about how human greed and disregard can drive the most resilient and biologically perfect creatures to the brink.

Horseshoe crab blood harvest

By Tom Kristensen and Jo Bradley 4 shina woodblocks hand carved and 1 lino block hand carved. Hand printed on Japanese washi paper using a baren

A$100.00

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Powerful Owl

Powerful Owl

Ninox strenua 

Largest Australian owl, and one of top ten largest in the world, the powerful owl with a wingspan of 2m, lives in old forests with tall trees and hollows along the Australian eastern coast from South Queensland, through Victoria and up to 200km inland.

Powerful owls prey on tree-dwelling marsupials like possums, Joey koalas, and gliders. 

Their range can include urban areas beside bushland. Soft repetitive 2 long note calls at night. 

Australian owls do not have feathered ear tufts or horns on their heads and with smaller head size relative to body, powerful owls and their much smaller cousins, southern boobooks, are described as hawk-owls.

Powerful owls are threatened by habitat destruction and poison baits. They are classified as vulnerable to extinction.

Jo Bradley 2022

Powerful Owl Burnum Burnum Sanctuary Sutherland 2022 by Matilda Bradley

Powerful owl print

by Tom Kristensen and Jo Bradley 3 hand carved shina blocks and one hand carved lino block hand printed with baren. 25.5 x 20cm

A$100.00

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Greater Glider

Greater Gliders, like Koalas, eat a diet of eucalyptus leaves. They are nocturnal, they depend on old growth forest, and sleep about 21 hours per day.

To stay safe from predators, such as Powerful Owls and Eagles, Greater Gliders use up to 20 different tree hollows in their range for sleeping and hiding.

The Black summer of 2019 was devastating for Australian wildlife, severely impacting Greater Glider numbers. This species has now been declared endangered and is headed towards extinction.

Catastrophic fire cannot be prevented, however another major threat to Greater Gliders is logging. Some Eastern states in Australia have committed to ending old growth forest logging, however government employed, and tax payer subsidised loggers continue to tear down Greater Glider habitat – Just to make wood chips and pulp.

Lino block carving

Endangered greater glider lino and woodblock print

By Tom Kristensen and Joanna Bradley 25.5 x 20cm hand carved lino and cherry. Printed by hand with a baren onto Japanese/Thai washi paper (also hand made)

A$100.00

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