Deirdre Slattery provides an introduction to the excursion by explaining issues surrounding historical and present day land use patterns.

The group visited a range of sites: erosion gullies, one active, another planted and fenced out and stable; grazing pastures of both improved and native species; a fenced out remnant of rather degraded bushland and a planned wildlife corridor. Finally Malcolm showed us a large block of land that he leases and runs under light stocking conditions. This site has been partially cleared, but also has partially recovering shrubby native vegetation on its steep slopes and rocky fragile soils.

At each site, Malcolm and Geoff invited the group to think about some of the choices and values that have gone into them. They led the group in exploring and debating the best ways of supporting both the public and private costs and benefits of  healthy and productive farm land.  Both presenters are very familiar with these matters as part of their very different working experiences in land management.

As a farmer, Malcolm wants to use his land and labour efficiently to produce healthy stock in a productive landscape. He makes choices for his own financial well being, but is also aware of his capacity to influence the landscape for wider benefits for birds, insects, plants and water. But he also thinks that the whole community should financially support these efforts, as everyone gains from the benefits of biodiversity and healthy catchments.

As a land management public servant, Geoff wants to encourage farmers to protect, restore and enhance soils, waterways and remnant vegetation as part of a whole landscape and catchment. He is interested in the off-site effects of erosion or loss of rare and declining plant and animal communities. He is aware of how limited public dollars are for the task of maintaining or restoring ecological value over a vast land area, and keen to get the best value for public money at a regional level.

Geoff Park discusses the visual aspects of land use change across the Mt Alexander region pointing out significant vegetation linkages/biodiversity corridors.

Both presenters were able to show us how Bush Tender and other land protection funding schemes had helped Malcolm to balance his own need to make a profit with Geoff’s interest in the public values of this farming landscape.

Consultation on the North Central CMA draft Regional Catchment Strategy to be held in the Campbells Creek Community Hall.

Elphinstone AGM where Ern Perkins, local flora expert, will speak on native and non-native grasses.

The third event is is through the Newstead Landcare Group.  It is a presentation by Hedley Thomson of Ballarat Environment Network and Goldfields Weed Management on the topic of ‘Sensitive Area Weed Management’. Hedley will talk about the best ways to manage weeds in sensitive areas and how the use of herbicides can be minimised. He will also help us to understand what natural systems can be enlisted in controlling weeds to get the safest results.  This promises to be not only a very interesting but also very useful evening. Hedley is well known as a passionate and engaging presenter. The talk starts at 8 pm at Newstead Community Centre. All are welcome to attend and gold coin donations would be appreciated.  A brief (and optional) business meeting will follow.  Contact Patrick Kavanagh of Newstead Landcare 5476 2755 for more details.

Graeme Hand, CEO of Stipa Native Grasses Association Incorporated, will give a presentation which will be followed by a bus trip to a local property. This visit will provide a backdrop for discussion about the production potential of native pastures, plant species selection for native pastures and establishing or regenerating grass communities for native pastures.

To download a flyer with all the details click here.  For more information and to RSVP please contact bryan@connectingcountry.org.au or call the Connecting Country office on 5472 1594.

The next Field Day will be on 27 May. It will be held at the same venue – near the corner of Watersons and Tarrangower School Roads, starting as usual at 10.30 am. See the attached notice for a map. Everyone is welcome.

Places are limited and people interested must reserve their place by Wednesday 16 May. Click here to download a flyer with all the details.

After a fine meal, attendees settled in to listen to a panel of speakers.  First up was Chris Timewell from Connecting Country. Chris outlined Connecting Country’s Yellow Box Woodland project and the sorts of on-ground works and management actions funded through the program.  Peter Johnson from DSE talked about the longstanding and successful Land for Wildlife program, which while voluntary in nature, often forms a stepping stone to covenanting or other actions.

Tim Read from Trust for Nature talked about the Trust’s conservation covenants and the assistance available to landholders contemplating covenanting their land.  The secure and permanent legal protection of natural values that a covenant provides can be an end in itself but is also an increasingly important component of other “market based” opportunities that involve landholders being paid to provide a range conservation actions.  Examples of these marked based approaches include the Bushtender scheme of auctions for conservation contracts developed by DSE.

Members of the audience also heard from Nick Lewis of ES Link Services, a locally based consultancy which specialises in linking landholders with vegetation they want to protect and maintain with parties needing to secure an “offset” as a condition of an application to clear native vegetation.  Nick outlined how the system works and the sorts of considerations landholders need to be aware of in determining whether such opportunities are right for them.

Finally Paul Dettman from Greenhouse Balanced provided an overview of the operation of the Carbon Farming Initiative (the CFI), an important component of the Commonwealth governments “Clean Energy Future Package”.  As Paul explained, the CFI involves landholders being paid to undertake activities which are accredited as being suitable for avoiding emissions or for sequestering carbon in soils of vegetation.  Demand for the “credits” produced will come from industries needing to buy carbon permits or from the government purchasing credits.    This is a complex scheme that has not yet become fully operational, but Paul’s presentation made it clear that it holds some significant potential as a source of income for those interested in protecting existing vegetation or establishing replantings.  Certainly something to watch and maybe a topic for Connecting Country to revisit once the opportunities under the scheme for those of us in Central Victoria become a little clearer.

Nick Lewis from ES Link Services, Paul Dettmann from Greenhouse Balanced and Tim Read from Trust for Nature prepare for an evening of community discussion on ‘Can I get paid to farm nature?’

Denis Saunder’s talk
We have posted an audio version of Denis Saunder’s talk,  Biodiversity and agriculture, on our website. The talk took place at a Connecting Country evening event on 20 March. Click here to access the link.

This is a wonderful opportunity to have input into the Regional Catchment Strategy – it is reviewed every 6 years or so and  many things can change in that time. One of the most important assets in our area (after our rivers and creeks) is the natural environment and this is what we can highlight and promote with the North Central CMA.  By including this in the bigger picture of the region’s assets  it will encourage support for programs to protect, enhance and connect native fauna and flora – this could be through direct funding or through other resourcing.

What is needed now is detailed and accurate mapping of our natural biodiversity to ensure that everyone (local community, agencies, and levels of government) has an understanding of the value and importance of what we have here.  There is also the continual need for community education and awareness raising especially as new people are choosing to settle here because of the natural environment and its attraction.

For a copy of the draft Regional Catchment Strategy or to have your say on-line, visit the North Central CMA website.

Amy Monagle, a student at the School of Life and Environmental Sciences, has also recently commenced her honours project looking at various aspects of the nest box program.  She is undertaking field research with Bryan McMullan of Connecting Country across the Mount Alexander Region as part of the autumn 2012 nest box program.  We are seeking volunteers to help Bryan and Amy with the Tuan nest-box surveys and habitat assessments over the next 4-5 weeks (see below for more details).

Greg and Amy in the field

It is fantastic to have Greg and Amy onboard in Connecting Country’s Yellow-box Woodland monitoring project and we welcome them to our community. The partnership between Deakin University and Connecting Country is long-lived and their participation brings longevity to our data sets.

To find out more about Connecting Country’s monitoring program, click here.

Volunteers Needed

Over the coming month Connecting Country is performing habitat and vegetation structure assessments at over 100 nest box sites and would like to invite skilled people to volunteer for assistance with these tasks.

Please contact the Connecting Country office to register your interest 03 5472 1594 or  bryan@connectingcountry.org.au

Click here to see the newsletter.