On The Map with Bendigo’s La Trobe Uni
Posted on 30 May, 2015 by Connecting Country
Throughout 2015, La Trobe University in Bendigo is running a series of events that combine Art and the natural history of central Victoria, with the overarching theme of considering the role climate plays in shaping the physical landscape. There are three field trips which are ‘paired’ with three print-making workshops. The connection between the fieldtrips and the workshops is a flexible one. For example, you can do only one workshop or one fieldtrip; or one of each, or all workshops and field trips. At the end of the series there is to be a major curated exhibition/publication followed by a symposium on climate change. This to be held in 2016.
The first workshop, on Aboriginal History and the Interpretation of Landscape, was held earlier in the year.
The second workshop is coming up soon (Geological Time Travel in Central Victoria – Saturday 6th June 2015), and we understand that there are some places still available.
Come with geologist Neville Rosengren and you can see:
- what central Victoria looked like from the time before the arrival of humankind;
- what it looked like before the emergence of plants and animals;
- how the power of Ice-Age glaciers shaped this landscape;
- how ancient rivers to cut their way through hard rock laid down by volcanos;
- how winds dried out and reshaped the land, drying vast lakes and creating great dunes.
The third field trip on Saturday 25 July 2015 will involve two identities that are very well known locally for their entertaining and informative talks and blogs about birding, photography and general ecological understanding – Chris Tzaros and Geoff Park. There may also be some places available for this event.
Further details are available in the attached flyer (CLICK HERE). RSVP Bookings and further info by contacting Melissa Scott of Latrobe Art Institute (Melissa.scott@latrobe.edu.au or call 03 5444 7917).
Visitors From The North East
Posted on 29 May, 2015 by Connecting Country
Brendon Kennedy is the state-wide Aboriginal Landcare Facilitator for Victoria, based with the North East Catchment Management Authority in Wodonga. He will be coming to Castlemaine on the 19th June 2015 to talk at the Mount Alexander Landcare Forum.
Brendon will be joined by local ecologist Paul Foreman to talk about a project that they have both been part of, which is trialing the use of traditional fire knowledge to manage native pastures in north east Victoria.
An article about the project appeared in the Autumn edition of the Victorian Landcare Magazine and is reproduced below.
There are still places available at the forum so please register your place with Max (max@connectingcountry.org.au) if you would like to learn about this innovative project, and others, at the Forum in June.
New approaches to sharing ancient fire knowledge
Written by Belinda Pearce.
‘Landcare groups in parts of north east Victoria are partnering with Traditional Owners to revive the use of traditional fire knowledge. The partners are using fire as a land management tool to reduce fuel loads and are conducting field trials to rejuvenate native grasses, train young Indigenous men and regenerate healthy ecosystems.
News of this innovative work is spreading through trial burns, public forums and the production of films that capture and share experiences. As a result farmers, natural resource management agencies and the Country Fire Authority (CFA) are now involved.
Responding to the 2006 fires
Cape York Traditional Owners (left to right) Peta-Marie Standly, Dorothy Pootchemunka, Dawn Koondumbin and in the foreground Joel Ngallametta, inspect native grass species at Bonegilla as part of a traditional fire knowledge exchange program.
Traditional Owners became involved in the revival of traditional fire knowledge in the north east following devastating fires in the region in 2006. Traditional Owners from Cape York in far north Queensland were saddened by the tragic events and offered to share their knowledge with countrymen in the south.
Traditional Fire Revival coordinator Peta-Marie Standley said “It hurt our hearts up here (Cape York) when you guys had those horrible fires because it doesn’t need to happen.”
Over the next four years Cape York Traditional Owners visited the north east, talking at Landcare events, participating in an Indigenous fire forum in 2013 and talking to the local Aboriginal community. As a further sign of support, the group invited local people to attend workshops in the Cape where traditional burning is an annual event.
Over this period, Landcare networks in the north east identified that local landholders were interested in learning how to better manage and preserve threatened Grassy Box Gum Woodlands ecosystems on their properties, particularly where fuel loads were increasing and creating a potential fire risk.
Previous attempts at fuel reduction burns were considered risky and a promoter of weeds. In 2013 the Kiewa Catchment Landcare Groups secured Caring for Our Country funding to start undertaking fire trials in the region.
Establishing trial sites
Native grass regrowth after fire compared to unburnt dry grass (at right).
The group selected three trial sites, two in Talgarno and one in Baranduda, and a project ecologist [Paul Foreman] was appointed to set up the trial design. The aims of the trial were to measure the impact of fire on weed and exotic species, provide local guidelines on how traditional fire knowledge can be incorporated into land management practices and provide opportunities for Indigenous people to undertake cultural practices on country.
Two of the trial sites are located on grazing properties (beef and sheep), so a graze/no graze component was included at these sites. Overall, the four treatments were burn/no burn and grazed/ungrazed. The ungrazed plots were fenced out to prevent grazing.
Each treatment plot was 10 metres by 10 metres in size and treatments were replicated three times to add some robustness to our results. This meant a total of 30 plots were assessed in January 2014 for species diversity and abundance. There were 81 plant species across the sites – 40 native and 41 exotic species. The most common native species were weeping grass and slender wallaby grass and the most common exotic species were flat weed, sheep sorrel and soft brome.
The plan was to undertake burns once the autumn break had arrived. The break came very early in 2014, resulting in considerable soil moisture, damp litter and greening of vegetation.
Early break produces cool burn
In May 2014 the group attempted to burn but found that the conditions were too moist. Only one of the trial sites had enough dry matter for the burn to take hold.
Vegetation assessments undertaken in November 2014 showed that the burn plots had an increased number of native grass species and a reduction in the abundance of exotic cover compared to the no burn plots. It was felt that a more marked response could be obtained had the fire been hotter.
The Landcare groups are aiming to learn from the experience and are looking forward to undertaking burns at the three sites this autumn.
One of the real highlights has been the partnership between landholders, Landcare groups, Traditional Owners, CFA volunteers and the North East CMA. Each component partner has been vital to the success of the project.
To view a short film about native grasses and the fire trials go to www.youtube.com/northeastcma (CLICK HERE), or visit www.burraja.com/films/ (CLICK HERE) to view a film on traditional burning knowledge.
Belinda Pearce is the Landcare Facilitator with the Kiewa Catchment and Upper Ovens Valley Landcare Groups. For further information email Belinda Pearce at belinda.pearce@landcarevic.net.au
Thank you to Belinda and the Victorian Government for allowing us to reproduce the article.
Registrations for the 2015 Spring Workshop Series – Now Open!
Posted on 28 May, 2015 by Connecting Country
Connecting Country’s 2015 Spring workshop series aims to help participants gain skills and knowledge about the values present in the local landscape, approaches to their management, and how to apply this on their own properties for biodiversity and sustainability gains. Because the workshops are held on the properties of local landholders, participants are able to hear and see, on country, from local people about the challenges and successes they have had at that particular location. Complementary to this, expert presenters at the workshops will elaborate on different aspects of landscape restoration. There will also be interactive sessions at each workshop where participants can then put what they’ve learned into practice.
– Sunday August 2 – Living with Fire and Wildlife (Sandon)
– Sunday August 30 – Biodiversity in the Paddock (Maldon)
– Sunday September 13 – Conservation Fencing (Yandoit)
– Sunday October 25 – Back from the Brink (Newstead)
For more information about the topics to be covered, see our Spring Workshop series flyer (CLICK HERE).
You can also get a taste of what these Spring workshops will cover by looking at the resources pages from the workshops held through Autumn 2015 (CLICK HERE) and throughout 2014 (CLICK HERE).
Each one-day workshop runs from 10am until 3.30pm. Travel to the site and lunch is provided. To find out more contact our office on 5472 1594. To register for one or more workshops, download an application form (CLICK HERE) and return to PO Box 437 Castlemaine 3450 or email to info@conectingcountry.org.au
(NB: Everyone is welcome to apply. However, if the number of registrations exceeds the number of places available, preference will be given to landholders who are either managing more than 5 acres; and/or are Landcare members; and/or are members of Connecting Country.).
Participants at a recent Autumn workshop show off planting equipment options.
Learn How to Kill Wheel Cactus
Posted on 25 May, 2015 by Connecting Country
Ian Grenda demonstrating injection technique to some workshop attendees.
As discussed in a recent Connecting Country blog post, Wheel Cactus is an expanding problem in the Mount Alexander region with new populations appearing in places like Sandon, Muckleford, Castlemaine and Newstead.
If you’d like to learn how to most effectively kill Wheel Cactus plants, you can go along to the Tarrangower Cactus Control Group’s next Wheel Cactus Field Day on Sunday 31st May 2015, at a property overlooking Cairn Curran Reservoir.
To get there, follow the main road to Baringhup, turn off to the reservoir and as you approach the Yacht Club, turn left again along the road around the water’s edge. The route will be well signposted from the turnoff to Baringhup.
The morning’s activities begin at 10:30am and end with an enjoyable free BBQ lunch and friendly chat. Click here to see the flyer.
If you have any queries please contact Ian on 0412 015 807 or contact the committee via their website www.cactuswarriors.org.
24 May 2015 – You’re invited to a bushwalk at Burns Hill
Posted on 21 May, 2015 by Connecting Country
The Golden Point Landcare group extend an invitation to the community to join them for a walk and weed-pull in through the historic goldfields bush on Sunday 24 May 2015. Its starts from 10am at the Monster Meeting site, and then heads up to the historic ruins at Burns Hill. A great opportunity to learn about both weed management and the early European history of this interesting locality.
Further details are provided in the attached flyer (CLICK HERE).
But, for those with young children, be warned. There are a number of uncapped mine shafts near the walking track.
Gold rush remnants at Burns Hill. Photos by John Ellis
The Night-breathing Cactus Must Never Fruit
Posted on 14 May, 2015 by Connecting Country
The Tarrangower Cactus Control Group know a thing or two about Wheel Cactus.
They know that it breathes at night so as not to expose any of its precious water molecules to the sun, and they know that it can be left in the pitch-black boot of a car for three years without killing it – without killing it!
They also know that Wheel Cactus is spreading like a Triffid in Central Victoria. Once upon a time it was confined to a hill near Maldon, then it started to appear on hills nearby, and then on the roadsides and farmers paddocks and in the forest. Now it’s starting to appear in Muckleford, Yandoit and Castlemaine, as well as towns to the north.
The group is so concerned about its rapid spread that they recently held a workshop to tell land management professionals from around the district about their experience killing cactus, and particularly about their newest weapon – Daconate.
Daconate is a ‘Group Z’ herbicide which can only be used under permit by an accredited person. The group will not be using it at their community field days but they have recently done experiments that demonstrate it can kill a Wheel Cactus faster and with much less effort than anything they’ve used before. For weed control professionals and accredited landholders, it could be an important new weapon in the fight against wheel cactus.
The Group’s president Ian Grenda has not changed his take home message however.
“Just don’t let them fruit”
“The plants take four years to mature and set their first fruits, so they’re basically harmless four the first four years”, says Ian.
“But as soon as they set fruit you’re in trouble. The crows eat the fruit and carry the seeds far and wide; foxes do the same. The seed can remain viable for 20 years.”
If you would like information on how to identify or control Wheel Cactus, go to the Tarrangower Cactus Control Group’s website – http://www.cactuswarriors.org or contact info@cactuswarriors.org.
Nature’s Stocktake – Set your goal, then ask your questions
Posted on 13 May, 2015 by Connecting Country
On 8 May 2015, Alex Pannelli kindly offered his bush block in Taradale to host the fourth and final workshop in our 2015 Autumn series -‘Nature’s Stocktake’. Participants visited four sites on his property, which is protected into perpetuity by a Conservation Covenant, to learn about how to measure the biodiversity changes that their restoration work would bring about.
Following Alex’s compelling introduction to the site, where participants learned about his family history on the property and stories of ‘the big tree’, they walked to a nest box where Connecting Country’s Tanya Loos gave an insight into our long-term monitoring programs across the shire for birds and arboreal marsupials. The approaches used in these monitoring programs were outlined as possible methods for participants to implement on their own properties.
Next, Paul Foreman of Blue Devil Consultancy provided participants with a nuanced view of what we know as landscape health, and also useful tips and tools for conducting a desktop study. Following a warming lunch, Terri Williams from Bendigo TAFE then took participants though the percentage cover method of vegetation surveys at two sites so that people could ‘get their eye in’ and experience the process of scientific rigour.
Thanks to Alex, Tanya, Paul and Terri for their contribution to an informative and practical workshop. Thanks also to Jules Walsh for her great help on the day and Alex and Ned from the Connecting Country works crew for their help with the marquee.
For further references and reading on various monitoring techniques are available on our webpage (click here).
A new monitoring topic has been established on the Discussion Forum so that the conversation and questions can continue. If you are not already a registered Forum user, you follow this step by step guide to join (click here). Or you can simply view the forum (click here).
This concludes our Autumn Biodiversity Workshop series for 2015. Preliminary information about our Spring Workshop series can be found here . More detailed information about the Spring series – including registration forms – will be available soon.
Alex explains his family connection to the site
Terri introduces the Braun Blanquet method
Paul talks geophysical
Thanks to Bronwyn Silver
Posted on 8 May, 2015 by Connecting Country
Connecting Country wishes Bronwyn Silver all the best as she has decided to step down from her role here to pursue other interests and opportunities. Bronwyn was prominent in the early development of Connecting Country and, as an employee over the past 4 years or so, has played a major role in coordinating the promotion of the organisation, managing our website, taking photos and developing most of the blogs that are sent out so regularly. She’s also been very generous with her time and assistance in helping out on a number of other CC events and activities.
Staff and a number of committee members and volunteers recently attended a thank-you lunch for her at one of our favourite local establishments.
All at Connecting Country thank her tremendously for the contributions that went well above and beyond expectations.
We’ll look forward to seeing her around though, as she is still very much involved with the Friends of the Box Ironbark Forests activities and other local projects. She’ll also have more time now to devote to expanding her artistic repertoire, some of which are on display at her current exhibition in Castlemaine (click here).
Thanks Bron.
Other events during May 2015
Posted on 8 May, 2015 by Connecting Country
The North Central CMA have made us aware of three events being held in the broader region during the second half of May 2015, which may be of interest to Connecting Country members and supporters. The details of these are provided below.
Bats: fascinating creatures of the night
What: Information session with Lindy Lumsden, Research Scientist, Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning. Lindy will discussing how many species of insectivorous bats are found in the Paddy’s Ranges and how these bats can help with insect management on your property.
When: Friday 22 May 2015
Time: 7.00 pm to 9.00 pm
Where: Community Hub, Burns Street, Maryborough
RSVP: Belinda Pritchard, DEDJTR on 03 5461 1107, 0408 342 593 or email belinda.pritchard@ecodev.vic.gov.au. Alternatively, contact Chris Pollock, Upper Loddon and Avoca Landcare Network, on 03 5463 2563 or 0421 372 545.
Further info: follow this link (click here)
Farm Business Boot Camp
What: Workshop to improve business success for beef and sheep farmers under 35 years. Social networking dinner with guest speakers.
When: Wednesday 27 May 2015
Time: Workshop: 8.30 am to 5.00 pm, Dinner: 7.00 pm to 10.00 pm
Where: Foundary Hotel Complex, 366 High Street, Bendigo, VIC 3850
RSVP: Online by clicking the link below or calling Jon Graftdyk, DEDJTR on 03 5772 0225
Further info: follow this link (click here)
Saltwatch Week
What: This is a program that raises awareness about salinity issues in our region. Participants will actively take part in assessing the condition of waterways from across Victoria. You will have the opportunity to:
- Learn about the effects of salinity on water quality in your local catchment
- Collect and sample salinity from a waterway near you
- Contribute significant information on salinity to a state-wide database
The North Central Catchment Management Authority, in partnership with the Victorian Waterwatch Program, is encouraging community groups, landholders and volunteers to take part in this year’s snapshot monitoring event. The event is a great opportunity to contribute salinity information from our waterways to a statewide database.
When: 18 to 24th May 2015
RSVP: Register your interest with Cass Davis, the Regional Waterwatch Coordinator at the NCCMA by 14 May. Contact details on the attached flyer (click here).
Other
For further details about upcoming events across the region, including grant writing workshops and chemical users courses, check out the Victorian Landcare Gateway website (click here).
15 May 2015 – Help Tanya pull a swiftie!
Posted on 6 May, 2015 by Tanya Loos
It’s that time of year again – when bird enthusiasts across south-eastern Australia are seen staring intently into Yellow Gums searching for swifties and regents.
Swifties or Swift Parrots are very special visitors to the box ironbark forests from about April to September each year, flying across Bass Strait from their breeding grounds in Tasmania. The Mount Alexander Shire is one of the best-known swiftie hot-spots in Victoria. Visit Geoff Park’s blog Natural Newstead for an update on recent observations (click here). The last Regent Honeyeater stronghold is in NSW, but there is a glimmer of a chance they will visit this area again one day.
The Castlemaine Field Naturalists Club have participated in the annual Swift Parrot and Regent Honeyeater surveys for over twenty years, and will be taking part over the official survey weekend on May 16 and 17. However, surveys can be done up to a week either side of this weekend. These surveys provide critical long-term data on the movements, habitat use and population sizes of these two threatened species.
If you would like to join in a search for swifties, and visit a really special spot at the same time, why not join Connecting Country’s resident birdo Tanya on her survey outing on Friday 15 May 2015. She will be visiting Columbine Creek in the Fryers Range State Forest, south of Fryerstown. The survey will begin at 9am, and finish midday at the latest.
Please email or telephone Tanya for the details (03 5472 1594 or tanya@connectingcountry.org.au). Everyone from beginner to expert is very welcome to join in.
If you would like to do a Swiftie survey on another day, copies of the datasheet are available for downloading (WB-Swift_Parrot-Regent_Honeyeater_survey_sheet-May_2014 ). Even if you don’t see the target species during your searches, it is still worthwhile to send the information about your unsuccessful search into Birdlife Australia. It helps them to know where birds are not being found, as well as where they are present.
In 2014, Doug Ralph showed us the beauty and richness of the Columbine Creek bushland.
For more information on the Swift Parrot and Regent Honeyeater BirdLife survey results from 2014: Swift Parrot & Regent Honeyeater August update for 2015_FINAL
Mount Alexander Shire – draft Environment Strategy comments due 14 May
Posted on 5 May, 2015 by Connecting Country
Last week, Connecting Country staff and committee members attended two of the four community workshops/information sessions about the Mount Alexander Shire Council’s 10-year Environment Strategy. The strategy has been released as a draft, and is now open for comment (click here). The three main components of the ‘Environment’ that it covers are the Natural Environment, Sustainability and Waste Management. The last day to provide feedback is Thursday 14 May 2015.
This proposed new strategy follows on from the council’s 2011-2014 Environment Strategy, which is still available for viewing on their website, along with an accompanying State of the Environment Report (click here). By comparing the previous and proposed Environment Strategy documents for the shire, you will quickly see that a very different approach is being taken this time around. As stated in the Introduction chapter, the scope of the 2015-2025 strategy “is limited to the role of Council as a local government organisation.”.
You can make a submission by adding your feedback directly into the draft document, and then posting it to them (see details on council’s website – click here). Or, as Connecting Country is doing, you can provide your feedback to them within a separate letter.
How can the council best support community groups and individuals to undertake landscape restoration?
We encourage local residents and groups to seriously consider this draft strategy. Through its legislative powers, the local council has an important role in managing human impacts on the environment of the Mount Alexander region. With support and encouragement from the community, it can also be a driver of positive change leading to a healthier landscape for both people and biodiversity. Environment Strategies can significantly influence where councils and their staff direct their energies and efforts over many years, and can even establish a locality as a showcase of environmental management.
It can be difficult to know where to start when reviewing and providing feedback on a draft document such as this. In this instance, we have found it useful to think about an important local issue (e.g. the spread of Wheel Cactus; vegetation removal on private land), and then to test this issue against the draft Environment Strategy to see where and how it would be addressed. For other suggestions, the Friends of the Box Ironbark Forest has recently posted some information on their website (click here).
Our submission will commend the council for committing to develop a new Environment Strategy to replace the previous one that finished in 2014. It will also identify that the draft that has been proposed is a good start, but that we’d like to see some more clarity and specific commitments around how the council will protect and restore the shire’s valuable ecosystems.
8 May 2015 – Talk in Castlemaine by Shorebird Expert
Posted on 4 May, 2015 by Connecting Country
Pied Oystercatcher with eggs ©Brett Lane
We recently promoted a BirdLife Australia fundraising program for scientists wanting to learn more about a poorly known shorebird, the Grey Plover (click here). As a nice little accompaniment to this story, the guest speaker for the Castlemaine Field Naturalists Club this month is giving a presentation about shorebirds.
The presenter is Brett Lane, who is the author of the book ‘Shorebirds in Australia’ and has worked for many years on the distribution, abundance and migration of shorebirds in Australia and Asia. Since then he has continued to work on shorebirds as a consultant to government and private clients, advising on the effects of development on these birds and their habitats and on practical mitigation and offset strategies. He established one of Victoria’s leading ecological consultancies, Brett Lane & Associates Pty Ltd in 2001 and is currently working on a number of shorebird impact assessment and offset planning projects in South Australia and Victoria.
Greenshank ©Brett Lane
Brett writes “[My] talk will be about a fascinating group of birds: the shorebirds. Over 60 species occur in Australia and they include some of the most accomplished long-distance migrants in the world. Millions of shorebirds migrate each spring and autumn from Siberia and Alaska to Australia and New Zealand. [I] will introduce this group of birds and discuss their distribution and abundance in Australia, as well as their habitats and feeding choices. [I] will also provide an overview of the current significant threats to shorebirds throughout the East Asia – Australasian Flyway and discuss the future for these now quite threatened birds.”
Ruddy Turnstone foraging ©Brett Lane
Details: Friday 8th May 2015. Arrive from 7pm for a coffee and chat, with the meeting commencing from 7.30pm.
Held in the Fellowship Room behind the Uniting Church, Lyttleton St, Castlemaine (next door to the Castlemaine Art Gallery and Museum)
No RSVP required. Members and Visitors welcome. Free.
Sharp-tailed Sandpiper foraging ©Brett Lane
North Central ‘chat’ newsletter – April 2015 edition
Posted on 4 May, 2015 by Connecting Country
The latest edition of the North Central CMA’s publication ‘chat’ is now available on the Victorian Landcare Gateway website (click here).
This month’s contents include:
- Continued funding for local Landcare Facilitators
- Community champions needed for rabbit leadership program
- Saltwatch Week is approaching
In other news, the North Central CMA has also noted that their Regional Landcare Coordinator Amelia Morris is leaving in early May 2015.