USC students have jumped at opportunities to either celebrate or enhance the University's status as a wildlife reserve.

More than 45 people – most of them USC students – submitted a total of 237 entries in the University’s inaugural wildlife photographic contest, the winners of which will be announced tomorrow morning (Wednesday 22 April).

Competition organiser and USC Lecturer in Digital Design Dr Debra Livingston said she was impressed by the standard of entries.

“Overall they were really lovely photos and documented the wildlife that we have on campus from little spiders to ants, lots of kangaroos, all sorts of different birds and even some snakes,” she said.

The competition was sponsored by the Office of the Vice-Chancellor, Ted’s Cameras at Maroochydore and USC’s School of Communication and Creative Industries, with prizes including a camera kit with professional lighting equipment, coffee mugs in the shape of camera lenses, camera sensor cleaning services and Ted’s Cameras vouchers.

Meanwhile, dozens of students and staff gathered today for a special tree planting exercise organised by USC’s Wildlife Management Committee and funded by the Office of the Vice-Chancellor.

Lecturer in Wildlife Ecology Dr Scott Burnett and Master of Science student Beth Brunton helped the volunteers plant 350 trees in an area close to the lakes on the southern side of the Sippy Downs campus.

“We’re aiming to recreate a eucalypt forest and habitat for forest animals like gliders, possums, bearded dragons and marsupial mice,” Dr Burnett said. “The area doesn’t conflict with any other land uses and hopefully we’ll create a wildlife corridor through campus and into the national park.wild

“The students involved were all asking when the next tree planting day will be, so there’s a lot of enthusiasm to keep it going. We might aim to hold another one in spring.”

— Terry Walsh