Exploring local plants and animals can now be done with ease with Council producing four new videos to assist residents becoming one with nature.

The ‘Connect with Nature’ video series focuses on local biodiversity with easy tips, tricks and fun activities for residents to enjoy in their backyard, local reserve or park.

The four episodes include:

• Backyard Safari – shows different techniques to discover the creatures living in your backyard;
• Nature Safari – presents bushwalking techniques and tricks to help you spot animals from the ground to the trees;
• Habitat Garden Part 1 – guides you how to create a frog jacuzzi and lizard lounge; and
• Habitat Garden Part 2 – outlines which native plant species are suitable to create a habitat garden in your backyard.

Mayor of Camden, Cr Theresa Fedeli said the videos were a great introduction to exploring the natural environment in the Camden area.

“Biodiversity plays an important role in our daily lives and this is a great chance for our residents to learn all about how they can both have fun and strengthen our local biodiversity,” Cr Fedeli said.

“This is particularly a fantastic educational tool for young families with the videos to pass on valuable information about what you can find in your local park or even your own backyard.

“I encourage the community to watch the videos and then get out and about safely and explore what our beautiful natural environment has to offer.”

To celebrate the release of ‘Connect with Nature’ video series, Council is also hosting a photo competition, asking residents to submit a photo of them either undertaking a nature/backyard safari or creating a habitat garden. Entries will go into a draw to win one of three nature safari kits including materials needed to go on a safari, including a sweep net and binoculars. The competition will start on 4 January and end on 5 February.

Connect with Nature is in partnership between Camden and Penrith Councils and produced by Hooked on Nature.

To view the series, go to camden.nsw.gov.au/environment/biodiversity/connect-with-nature/