March 2017 edition North Central Chat
Posted on 8 March, 2017 by Connecting Country
CLICK HERE to view the March 2017 edition of the North Central Chat. This month’s edition features Waterwatch news and the details for the upcoming 2017 Future Farming Expo. It also has details about the Camp Out on the Mount event that Connecting Country are running on 1-2 April 2017, see if you can find it!
May 12th 2017 – linking landscapes symposium
Posted on 8 March, 2017 by Connecting Country
The Central Victorian Biolinks Alliance, of which Connecting Country is a part, is holding a symposium on the science and practice of re-establishing ecological connectivity in the landscape. The symposium “From islands to networks: Linking landscapes for conservation at a time of climate change” will be held on Friday May 12th at the Capital Theatre in Bendigo. It will be a chance for leading experts, including Professor Andrew Bennett (La Trobe University & Arthur Rylah Institute), Dr Gary Howling (Great Eastern Ranges), Ary Hoffman (Melbourne University) and conservation practitioners to share the latest knowledge and practical experiences around this important topic.
The day will explore the concept and practicalities of biolinks, addressing topics such as
- why we need to reconnect the landscape,
- how to design and structure biolinks and
- how to set up and deliver them.
Connecting Country will keep you posted on booking details and the full program which are to follow shortly.
Nature News March 2017 – Summertime Boom in Forest Creek
Posted on 7 March, 2017 by Connecting Country
For this month’s Nature News, on page 36 of the Midland Express (7th March 2017), Forest Creek resident and Connecting Country’s Works Crew team leader, Fritz Hammersley describes nature’s response to a wet spring through the dry of summer in the Forest Creek catchment.
Last spring, we had to abandon the car late one evening on one side of a rapidly rising Forest Creek. We threw some things to the opposite side, tied others to our shoulders and crossed the knee-deep torrent.
This stunning Yellow Box Eucalyptus melliodora blossom is built for attracting pollinators including bees. Photo: Bronwyn Silver
Our valley is pocked with dredge, sluice and gravel pits from the gold rush. They quickly filled when the creek burst its banks. As the flood receded, the pits became isolated blackwater lagoons saturated with decaying litter, hostile to gilled creatures but no barrier to air-breathing larvae like mosquito. Lizards arrived for the bounty. Five Sacred Kingfishers, Todirampus sanctus, flitted around one low-hanging branch for a couple of months, feasted and moved on.
An unusual patch of Bracken Fern, Pteridium esculentum, commonly seen in wetter climates, sprang to life. Like Coffee Bush, Cassinia arcuata, it will recruit after good rainfall or become denser after fire. Both will eventually out-punch pasture grasses until acacias and eucalypts overshadow and calm them. In the forest these plants know their place, but on cleared land the sky’s the limit.
A Mud-dauber Wasp, Sphecidae sp., built a house in my bookshelf with a dried mud paste. She placed a paralysed Orb Spider, Araneus sp., in each cell and laid an egg on it. The hatchling feeds on the body juices of the spider, leaving only its exoskeleton amongst the shards of its dusty tomb.
Suddenly in the bush this summer we get a faceful of spider’s orbs every time we walk in the bush! Some are preposterous with ridiculous anchoring spans of five metres plus, others opportunistic, like the spider that positioned its orb outside our beehive and couldn’t keep up with the harvest.
Now in this dry summer Yellow Box, Eucalyptus melliodora, found slightly upslope from the creek flats, creates a park-like atmosphere above the dry grass with verdant new growth. Within it the profusely flowering Box Mistletoe, Amyema miquelii, is abuzz with bees. Lilies and orchids may respond to the spring floods of 2016 with a greater floral display next season, there will be fewer mosquitoes around, and eventually this marvellous boom will peter out.
The Big Twitch on a smaller scale
Posted on 2 March, 2017 by Connecting Country
A Weebill – one of the smaller woodland birds on David’s “to get” list on his web page. Photographed by Geoff Park.
Those who attended Connecting Country’s 2015 AGM will recall Sean Dooley’s amusing recollections on his attempts to break the record for the most bird species seen in Australia within a calendar year. He also wrote a self-deprecating book recounting this crazy adventure that he undertook in 2002 – The Big Twitch – which was popular among both birders and non-birders. Tongue-in-cheek, the back cover of the book described Dooley’s efforts as possibly ‘the most pathetic great achievement in Australian history’!
Dooley’s book has inspired many other ‘twitchers’ to either attempt to break his Australian record, or to set new records for the most birds seen within state boundaries. (For example, Tim Dolby saw a then-record 345 species in Victoria during 2009 – click here to read of Tim’s journey).
However, as far as we are aware, no one has yet claimed the record for the most bird species seen within the boundaries of the Mount Alexander Shire in a calendar year. However, that is all set to change, with local birdwatcher David Wilson deciding to undertake a big year in a small area. After recently moving with his family to the Castlemaine area, David has taken on the challenge in 2017 as a fun way to get to know the forests, wetlands, waterways and other habitats of the shire. As at the 22 February 2017, he had seen 104 different bird species. Over the past four decades, the Castlemaine Field Naturalist Club members have recorded more than 230 species from the shire and surrounds – although many of these were very rare visitor or accidental vagrants, and not all within the shire boundaries. At least one species has gone extinct from the local area in this time – the last known Grey-crowned Babblers from the shire sadly disappeared in the early 2000s. David is not sure how many species he will get within the year – but an impressive 200 species seems within the realms of possibility.
If you would like to see how David is tracking, the rules he has set himself, which species he has seen so far and where, and what he has left to go – you can visit his website (click here – scroll down on each webpage to see the details). David has also asked us to pass on the following message – “‘As the end of the year gets closer, I’ll be looking for any hints on where to find those missing species. So keep your eyes open – you may know where a key species is that I still need to see”.
Good luck David!
10 March 2017 -Talk on indigenous fish traps – ‘Combining ecology and archaeology’
Posted on 2 March, 2017 by Connecting Country
The guest speaker for the March 2017 general meeting of the Castlemaine Field Naturalist Club (CFNC) is Damian Kelly. His talk is titled – Combining Ecology and Archaeology – researching Indigenous fish traps to learn more about river changes over time. Damian is a well-known local wildlife observer and photographer, and is an active member of both Connecting Country and CFNC (as well as many others).
Fish traps at Brewarrina, NSW
Of his upcoming presentation, Damian says “I will outline my research on fish traps along the Murray-Darling Basin to build a clearer picture of change over time and the implications for the health of our rivers looking not only at fish and eels, but also the birds of the rivers.”
The presentation is being held on Friday 10th March from 7.30pm in the Fellowship Room, located behind the Uniting Church on Lyttleton St, Castlemaine (next door to the Art Gallery and Museum). Members and visitors of all ages are welcome, and there is no cost for entry. The CFNC invites you also to stick around afterwards for a cuppa, a snack and a chat.
Great Egret cruising the river at Nyngan, NSW
An opportunity to be a part of a global conservation initiative: locally!
Posted on 1 March, 2017 by Tanya Loos
BirdLife Australia is looking for people in each of the Key Biodiversity Areas to complete an “Easter health check” for their local area. Connecting Country has invited Euan Moore from BirdLife Victoria to come up to Clydesdale on Saturday the 18th of March to take us through the process for our part of the Bendigo Box Ironbark area.
The KBA boundaries are outlined in blue, and include Muckleford Forest, Rise and Shine Bushland reserve and the Sandon State forest. And a lot of private land too!
As you may know, Connecting Country is an affiliate organisation of BirdLife Australia. And BirdLife Australia is aligned with one of the biggest conservation networks in the world – BirdLife International. BirdLife International has designated hundreds of areas of conservation importance around the world known as Key Biodiversity Areas (KBA). And we have one here on our very own doorstep – we are part of the Bendigo Box Ironbark area. Our part of the KBA has been designated especially for the Diamond Firetail and Swift Parrot, and covers both public and private land. Your property could be of international importance! For more information on the KBA and the Easter Health check process click here.
This annual check is about assessing habitat and its threats so anyone with a interest in landscape restoration would be most welcome. In fact, the KBA’s used to be known as IBA’s: Important Bird areas – but they changed the Important Bird to Key Biodiversity to reflect the importance of the areas for the whole ecosystem, not just birds! We encourage you to attend this workshop whether you live in the areas highlighted in the map or would simply like to visit the beautiful bushlands.
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A Swift Parrot surveys its woodland home, photo by Chris Tzaros.
When: Saturday, 18 March, 2017
- Time: 10-2pm with lunch provided
- Where: Clydesdale Hall, Locarno Rd
- RSVP is essential for catering purposes to Tanya on tanya@connectingcountry.org.au or 5472 1594
- Please wear outdoor appropriate footwear and clothing as we will be going to the nearby Rise and Shine Bushland Reserve for some of the workshop. Click here for a workshop flyer.
Funding for this workshop has been generously provided by the Helen Macpherson Smith Trust, as part of the Stewards for Woodland birds project.
2017 Camp Out on the Mount – Celebrate nature!
Posted on 27 February, 2017 by Connecting Country
Connecting Country is thrilled to be coordinating the fourth Camp Out on the Mount on the weekend of 1st –2nd April 2017 at the Leanganook Camping Ground on Mount Alexander. In the past, this event has attracted a large crowd of volunteers to share in the joys of eradicating weed pine trees. This year the free event will have an exciting array of activities for the whole family.
On the morning of Saturday 1st April 2017 you are invited to set up your camp site ahead of a Welcome to Country by a local Dja Dja Wurrung elder. There will be children’s environmental and Aboriginal cultural educational activities and a live animal display for the kids, while a small group of ‘pine assassins’ do further weed pine tree control on the Mount.
In the afternoon, campers can listen to a talk about indigenous culture from local Aboriginal people and enjoy some time exploring the Mount. Ahead of dinner, George Milford from Harcourt Landcare will talk about the history of the Mount. Dinner is BYO or by gold coin donation for the Harcourt Lion’s Club BBQ. Parks Victoria will lead a night walk ahead of zipping up tents and watching the stars twinkle as campers settle in for the night. On Sunday morning, Connecting Country’s Tanya Loos will take us on a family bird and nature walk.
“I’m really looking forward to kicking off the school holidays with loads of happy campers and having a fun and informative time together on beautiful Mount Alexander.” our local Landcare facilitator Asha Bannon said recently.
You are welcome to join in for part or all of the Camp Out. Participants need to bring their own camping gear and food (including snacks, breakfast, lunch and dinner). Click here for more information including the program, a list of things to bring, and map.
Numbers are limited so booking is essential. Please click here to book!
For more information see our website or to be involved in the pine assasins mission contact Asha on 5472 1594 or by email: asha@connectingcountry.org.au
Lots of happy campers at the 2014 Camp Out on the Mount. Photo Bronwyn Silver
Camp Out on the Mount is proudly supported by Connecting Country, Parks Victoria, Harcourt Valley Landcare Group and Friends of the Box Ironbark Forests. This project has been supported by Connecting Country through funding from the Australian Government.
Saturday 4 March 2017 – Monster meeting land purchase celebration
Posted on 27 February, 2017 by Connecting Country
Connecting Country would like to share an invitation from DEWLP to join Maree Edwards MP, Member for Bendigo West, to celebrate the purchase of land on which the first Monster Meeting occurred in 1851. The site is on traditional Dja Dja Wurrung land and return of this land to the public land estate is culturally significant.
The Monster Meeting of miners, held on 15 December 1851 in Chewton, is believed to be the first mass protest against a government in Australia, predating the Red Ribbon Rebellion and Eureka Stockade. The Monster Meeting was called to protest against an increase in licence fees and following the meeting the proposal was abandoned. The site is nationally significant for its links to the development of Victoria through the discovery of gold and its association with the beginnings of democracy in Victoria.
When: Saturday 4 March 2017 at 11am-1pm
Where: Golden Point Road, Chewton
Please RSVP by the 1st March 2017
seamus.haugh@delwp.vic.gov.au or 5430 4685
Feedback requested by DELWP on biodiversity laws
Posted on 27 February, 2017 by Connecting Country
The Victorian Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning (DELWP) has two major reviews open for public comment at the moment. Both are highly relevant to the future of Victoria’s natural values.
Review of the Victorian Flora and Fauna Guarantee (FFG) Act 1988
When it was released, the FFG Act was considered an impressive step forward in biodiversity conservation. However, it is generally accepted that the Act has not lived up to its early promise, and even the government recognizes that it has not achieved what it was intended to do – “The Act has been in place for nearly thirty years, but this has coincided with a decline in Victoria’s biodiversity“. A consultation paper has been prepared by DELWP to seek the community views on the Act and how it could be improved by incorporating improvements in our knowledge of native flora and fauna. The consultation paper and information on making a submission is available at their website (click here). Consultation closes on 13 March 2017.
Proposed changes to the Victorian Native Vegetation Clearing Regulations
DELWP are seeking community feedback about any potential implementation issues before the changes to the relevant clauses of the Victoria Planning Provisions (VPP) and all Victorian planning schemes are adopted. They are especially seeking comment from ‘people who may be affected by, or who are responsible for, implementing the proposed system changes to the native vegetation clearance regulations’. “Due to a high level of stakeholder interest, the period that the proposed changes to the native vegetation clearing regulations are available for comment has been extended, and will now close on 8 March 2017.” However, anybody with an interest in the conservation, management and protection of Victoria’s native vegetation is encouraged to consider the proposed changes.
Details of the proposed changes, and DELWP’s preferred process for public submissions, are on their website (https://engage.vic.gov.au/native-vegetation-review). You can also get further information by contacting the DELWP Native Vegetation review team by email: nativevegetation.review@delwp.vic.gov.au.
Victorian Landcare and Catchment Management magazine – Summer edition
Posted on 27 February, 2017 by Connecting Country
Connecting Country would like to share Issue 68 of the Victorian Landcare and Catchment Management Magazine, which features way of connecting nature and community. There are useful articles on crowdfunding, blogging for nature, and holding farm and nature walks.
To read this issue of the magazine go to the Victorian Landcare Gateway:
https://www.landcarevic.org.au/landcare-magazine/
CC behind the scenes and grant success!
Posted on 23 February, 2017 by Connecting Country
Connecting Country has recently been successful with three grants enabling us to continue our education program into 2018, review our Woodland Bird Action plan, and provide increased support and botany training to local Landcare groups. These opportunities are thanks to wonderful support from the Norman Wettenhall Foundation and the North Central Catchment Management Authority (NCCMA). In addition, we have been working closely with the state government, NCCMA, Dja Dja Wurrung, and Parks Victoria to develop a woodland bird conservation project for the Box Ironbark East biodiversity hub. If successful, Connecting Country will be the lead organisation for this exciting project which will include activities to reduce threats on both public and private land. Our fingers are crossed!
Attendees at the 2014 Community Education Program learning about soils. With funding from the Norman Wettenhall Foundation we can continue to educate and engage our local community.
Funding from the Norman Wettenhall Foundation’s Small Environmental Grants Scheme will allow Connecting Country to continue to provide our popular community engagement program that includes:
- educational events about biodiversity conservation in an agricultural landscape,
- monthly Nature News articles in the Midland Express,
- provision of on-line educational resources and blog posts, and
- partnerships with other organisations and agencies to implement additional educational events.
A huge thank-you to the Norman Wettenhall Foundation for their on-going support. We are so pleased to continue delivering useful information and events to our local community.
Last week, Connecting Country staff and some of our treasured volunteers attended a session facilitated by Geoff Park and Anna Roberts from Natural Decisions. This workshop gave us the opportunity to incorporate local information and knowledge into an update of our Woodland Bird INFFER assessment and Action Plan. This project enables us to utilise expert advice, our monitoring data and experience from completed on-ground projects in this planning process. Funding for the update was provided through the North Central Catchment Management Authority Contingency Fund and means Connecting Country and project partners will be ‘project ready’ for potential future funding.
Asha will be helping groups to increase their knowledge and capabilities with funding from the NCCMA.
Finally, Asha Bannon, our Landcare Facilitator, is getting ready to roll out the “Landcare Adapting to Change” project which is funded through the NCCMA’s Landcare Network Grant. Asha and Bonnie Humphreys, Connecting Country’s botanist, will be working closely together to build the capacity, knowledge and skills of our local groups. The project has two main objectives:
- To assist groups with plant identification skills, establishing local weed priorities, future project development, mapping, and determining appropriate species lists for planting.
- To increase the knowledge and capability of groups to address landscape management issues associated with cultural heritage, climate change, land use changes, and the increasing threats of weeds and pest animal species.
Thanks to the North Central Catchment Management Authority for their ongoing support for Connecting Country for these two projects. We are looking forward to continuing to work with the local community to improve the natural environment in the Mount Alexander Region.
Monitor rabbits ahead of new measures for control
Posted on 23 February, 2017 by Connecting Country
How many rabbits are currently out there? That is the question.
Ahead of the release of a new calicivirus strain by the government in March 2017, we would like to share a link to the PestSmart website’s Healthier landscapes: RHDV1 K5 national release page which has a lot of useful information and ways to be involved in monitoring rabbit populations.
For more information about pest species in our local area you could also visit our Take Action resources page on our website.
Skink Shenanigans – news from our reptile and frog monitoring program
Posted on 16 February, 2017 by Asha
In 2016, Connecting Country set up a new reptile and frog monitoring program across the Mount Alexander region. With the help of 42 landholders and over 20 volunteers, we have recently finished checking the 480 monitoring tiles. These tiles make up 48 sites across the region, distributed between sites of intact woodland, revegetated woodland, and grasslands/paddocks.
We had some interesting finds under the tiles, and we’ll be sharing these results soon. Frogs, juvenile snakes, several species of skinks and many invertebrates all seemed to love living under the tiles. It was often quite a challenge to tell the species apart, especially when they move at lightning speed! Here is a video of two skinks that we’ve seen underneath the tiles. Can you guess what they are?
CLICK HERE to find out more about Connecting Country’s Reptile and Frog Monitoring program including links to some useful resources to help you identify some of your own discoveries. Contact Asha for more information at asha@connectingcountry.org.au or (03) 5472 1594.
Connecting Country’s Reptile and Frog Monitoring Program is being undertaken with the support of the Ian Potter Foundation.
Friday 24 February 2017 – Bring Back the Banksias workshop
Posted on 16 February, 2017 by Connecting Country
Flowering three year old Banksia
The ‘Bring Back the Banksia’ program is a relatively recent collaboration between many organisations, universities and agencies to conserve and restore the Silver Banksia (Banksia marginata) across Victoria and south-western NSW. It is a topic of much interest to local ecologists and Landcarers, as there is much evidence to suggest that this was an abundant species in the region prior to European colonisation, but now there is only a few naturally-established plants remaining. However, many local Landcare groups are now including Silver Banksia in their plantings. At Connecting Country’s Landcare Forum in 2015, Clare Claydon spoke about the efforts that have been made to restore this species in the Baynton Sidonia area (CLICK HERE to see a video of her talk).
The ‘Bringing Back the Banksias’ team have asked us to spread the word that their next workshop is being held on Friday 24th February in Lake Bolac. The workshop will showcase what has been happening with regards to Silver Banksia research, mapping, genetics and seed orchards over the past few months.
Location: Bush Nursing Centre, 115 Montgomery St, LAKE BOLAC, Victoria
Time: 9am – 3pm
To Book: Martin Driver on 0400 170 957 or Projects@anpc.asn.au
More information on the Bring Back the Banksias program is available here http://anpc.asn.au/banksias
Local Landcare on the Radio
Posted on 16 February, 2017 by Asha
Over the next couple of months some of our valiant local Friends and Landcarers will be guests on 94.9 MainFM’s Hear Say radio program (see schedule below). Tune in between 9:30am and 11:00am on Tuesday mornings to hear their stories. You can also CLICK HERE to visit the MainFM website where you can listen live.
| Date | Name | Group |
| Tue 28th February | Karl Just | Castlemaine Landcare |
| Tue 14th March | Bev Phillips | Maldon Urban Landcare Group (MULGA) |
| Tue 28th March | Lee Mead | Tarrengower Cactus Control Group |
| Tue 11th April | Daryl Colless | Barkers Creek Landcare & Wildlife Group |
| Tue 26th April | Greg Waddell | Castlemaine Landcare |
Nature News February 2017 – Revitalising country mindfully with fire
Posted on 8 February, 2017 by Connecting Country
For this month’s Nature News, on page 28 of this week’s Midland Express (7 February 2017), local resident and member of the Muckleford Forest Friends group, Chris Johnston shares her understandings gained at the Talking Fire event last year.
Talking Fire presenters – Trent Nelson (DDWCAC), Paul Bates and Peter Skilbeck (DELWP) and Mick Bourke (DDWCAC), at the Mt Tarrengower fire tower. Photo taken by: Julie Millowick
In the dryness of summer, the risk of fire can feel imminent. But ecologically, our remarkable Box-Ironbark landscape isn’t driven by fire. At Talking Fire, a community event held in Newstead in November last year, local ecologist Dr David Cheal revealed that our Box-Ironbark forests don’t actually need fire to regenerate. In fact, fires more often than every 30 years will reduce the range of plant species, impacting on the insects, birds and animals that live in these forests, and ultimately the chance to enjoy the diversity that Box-Ironbark country has to offer.
The species we can see today across Box-Ironbark country reflects their evolutionary past, and thus the influence of fire events. And so they reflect a low prevalence of natural fires, and probably the small-scale, highly targeted use of fire by Aboriginal people. The prevalence of fires increased dramatically when colonial settlers arrived; fire was a useful way to clear the land. Planned burns on public land, careless actions in the rural landscape, and the occasional arson and lightning strike have continued that pattern of more frequent burning.
So how do we sustainably manage, or in fact restore the ecological complexity of these forest remnants, and what might the role of fire be in this process?
In the past, Jaara people would have used fire as part of revitalising Country and encouraging certain species, so using fire as a carefully applied management tool has its attractions. At Talking Fire, Dja Dja Wurrung traditional owners Trent Nelson and Mick Bourke spoke about their desire to explore this possibility, working with the state government, the Shire and the wider community to share knowledge and explore ways that fire can be used to undo past damage and helping regenerate Box-Ironbark country.
A NSW project – Firesticks – is leading by example. It is designed to bring together scientists, Aboriginal people, government, and the Rural Fire Service to apply contemporary and Aboriginal fire practices to enhance biodiversity, connectivity and landscape resilience, and ultimately find new ways to care for the environment and keep the people and the places we love safe.
To read about Talking Fire and Dr Cheal’s comprehensive report on the fire sensitivity of Victoria’s native vegetation communities, visit www.talkingfire.org. Dr Cheal will also be the guest speaker on the role of fire in local landscapes at the monthly general meeting of the Castlemaine Field Naturalists Club on 10th February, please see our earlier post for details. To find out more about the Firesticks Project visit www.firesticks.org.au.
Stinkwort: Act now or be forever stinky!
Posted on 2 February, 2017 by Connecting Country
Treat Stinkweed now and reap the rewards in the future!
Bonnie came in from the field this week with something for us all to get our noses around. After a quick wiff, we thought we’d share what we learnt. Stinkwort or Dittrichia graveolens is an annual herb which grows to around 50cm high and is listed as a restricted weed in the North Central Catchment. It is easy to distinguish from other plants due to its stinky odour when touched. Most importantly, now is the perfect time to act if you have Stinkwort on your property.
This plant is a coloniser or pioneer which means that it grows quickly in areas with little competition such as around dams or along roadsides. It can sometimes be seen after a road has been graded or in areas where disturbance has occurred. Apart from the distinctive smell it also has a sticky almost greasy feel which makes it a last resort for browsing animals. This species is from the daisy family and produces large amounts of wind dispersed seed.
Stinkweed is often found in roadsides and recently disturbed areas
If you have found this plant now is the perfect time for controlling it as the plants are healthy and actively growing but most haven’t started producing flowers yet. The best ways to control Stinkwort include manual removal where individual plants occur, or with an appropriate registered herbicide. It is also possible to chip out plants in larger infestations and, as there are no flowers, leave them in situ rather than having to remove the whole plant.
While it is not known exactly how long the seeds of this species last it is guessed that they are short lived (up to 3 years) so it is possible to eradicate it and lessen the stink in your part of the world!
10 and 11 February 2017 – Castlemaine Field Naturalists AGM with guest speaker and excursion
Posted on 2 February, 2017 by Connecting Country
It’s a new year, and Connecting Country would like to share that the Castlemaine Field Naturalists Club (CFNC) are raring to go! The first event for the year is on the evening of Friday 10th February 2017 with both the Annual General Meeting (AGM) and a special guest speaker – David Cheal. The title of David’s talk is The role of fire in Box-Ironbark forests.
David Cheal will be presenting at the Castlemaine Field Naturalists 2017 AGM
David Cheal is a botanist with expertise in ecological restoration, landscape ecology and survey methodologies He has worked at the Arthur Rylah Research Institute on aspects of the ecological impacts of fire in forests, and currently holds the position of Associate Adjunct Professor at Federation University, Ballarat.
David will make a short presentation on aspects of fire impacts in Box-Ironbark forests, and recovery of flora and fauna. He will then open the meeting to questions and comments from the audience, to extend the discussion in areas of interest to members. David Cheal has said that there are no “right” or “wrong” answers in this complex area – rather, there are wiser, more thoughtful answers and other answers that may be simple and attractive, but counter productive.
The evening will commence at 7.30pm at the Fellowship Room, which is located behind the Uniting Church on Lyttleton St (next door to the Castlemaine Art Gallery and Museum). After the brief AGM formalities, David will give his presentation. Members and visitors are encouraged to attend – and to stay afterwards for a chat during supper.
The excursion on the following day (Saturday 11th February 2017) will be related to the talk – a visit to the forests around the Red, White and Blue Mine in the Muckleford. CFNC members have been undertaking flora surveys in burnt and unburnt sites at this locality for many years, and this excursion will explore some of these areas and consider their differences. The excursion will depart at 1.30pm sharp from the U3A Octopus building on Duke St (opposite the Castle Motel) – weather permitting. Again, members and visitors welcomed and encouraged to attend. Car-pooling is likely to be available, and don’t forget to bring your afternoon tea.
If you would like to do more reading about fire ecology and management please see Connecting Country’s resources page on Biodiversity and Fire and the Talking Fire website.
Community Volunteer Action Grants survey closes this Sunday 5th February
Posted on 2 February, 2017 by Connecting Country
As part of the Threatened Species Protection Initiative, over $2 million dollars has been provided by DEWLP in Community Volunteer Action Grants (CVA). The program was designed to recognise the value of grassroots community action in making change happen quickly, and enable groups to deliver small-scale threatened species conservation projects on public and private land that strengthen community connections to the local environment.
Golden Sun Moths occur in our region and are critically endangered
Funds were directed towards supporting voluntary efforts to protect and restore threatened species habitat (such as planting of native vegetation) as well as engagement activities that increase the understanding and management of threatened species habitats (such as participation and training of volunteers in bird counts).
- CVA Round 1 funded 83 community delivered threatened species projects.
- CVA Round 2 is currently underway and will see 98 community threatened species projects delivered across the State. In CVA Round 2, eligibility to apply for grants was expanded and also included ‘not for profit’ organisations.
DEWLP are keen to hear your views and feedback on the Community Volunteer Action Grants program to help them design the next program.
A reminder that the survey will close this Sunday 5th February 2017.
It takes approximately 10 to 15 minutes to complete and questions center around what the program should focus on, who might apply for funding, how long a project should be able to run for and what activities should /should not be funded.
DEWLP have sent the survey to a range of groups but please feel free to share with your volunteer community environmental networks.
They are looking forward to hearing how they can best deliver their community grants, making it easier to achieve their common goal of ensuring the survival and prosperity of Victoria’s most threatened plants and animals and protecting our biodiversity.
To complete the survey use the link below:
http://www.surveygizmo.com/s3/3237824/Survey-CVA-Grants
February 2017 edition North Central Chat
Posted on 2 February, 2017 by Connecting Country
The first 2017 edition of the North Central Chat is out; featuring upcoming events, Landcare related news for community groups and information on several Shire grant rounds that are about to open, CLICK HERE (9 Mb download)