New “Securing Woodland Birds’ project and exciting employment opportunity

Posted on 11 March, 2014 by Bonnie Humphreys

In 2012-13 Connecting Country undertook a preliminary Woodland Birds program.  The success of this program and its high level of community support led us to invest in the development of a large, scientifically-rigorous program to restore woodland bird habitat across the Mount Alexander Shire and immediate surrounds.

This new program was described by Geoff Park at Connecting Country’s AGM in September 2013, and involves undertaking woodland restoration activities in 11 priority zones that are considered to be critical habitat for 5 ground-foraging bird species (Diamond Firetail, Hooded Robin, Brown Treecreeper, Painted Button-quail, Jacky Winter).  A range of training events, bird monitoring activities and other bird-related activities are also to be undertaken as part of this program, which anyone and everyone can become involved in.

A couple of weeks ago, Connecting Country was informed that it had successfully secured funding to implement the first stage of this large project through the Victorian Government’s Communities for Nature initiative. More information on the “Securing Threatened Woodland Birds in the Mount Alexander Shire – Stage 1” project is available here.

Connecting Country is now seeking an experienced and enthusiastic Woodland Birds Project Officer to coordinate the implementation of this funded project.  This person would also have a leading role in implementing Connecting Country’s existing biodiversity monitoring activities.

For a copy of the full position description and key selection criteria, click here.  The part or full time (0.8-1 FTE) role is a 2-year fixed term position, commencing in April 2014.

Applications including a CV and addressing the key selection criteria to be submitted by 9am Thursday 27 March 2014 to chris@connectingcountry.org.au or mailed to Connecting Country, PO Box 437, Castlemaine, VIC, 3450.

For more information regarding the project and the position, contact Chris on (03) 5472-1594 or email chris@connectingcountry.org.au.

Latest edition of ‘chat’

Posted on 5 March, 2014 by Connecting Country

The February 2014 edition of the North Central CMA publication, ‘chat’, is now available. (Click here to download.) This edition includes articles on Serrated Tussock and a report on the  economic benefits of native shelter belts, as well as information on funding opportunities, courses and resources.

A day in the life of the Connecting Landscapes work crew

Posted on 27 February, 2014 by Connecting Country

Dianna attacking a gorse plant.

The Connecting Landscapes work crew is funded to undertake environmental works on properties in priority zones within the Mount Alexander shire. The crew is ably led by Alex Schipperen.  The current crew was recruited earlier this year and is made up of locals Dianna Manser, Kim Peric, Matt Stahl and Matthew Sundblom.

This article describes a  typical February day’s work by the crew.  They began the day by cutting and painting regrowth Gorse on a property in Harcourt. The Gorse had been sprayed months ago, but Gorse is a tough plant to kill and a small number of plants had survived the initial spraying.

They then travelled to Taradale to fumigate rabbit warrens and set up rabbit bait stations on a farming property.

Kim and Matthew with one of the rabbit bait stations

Matthew showing a scat.

At the next destination, Sutton Grange, they collected scats. Why, you may ask? Because once all the scats have been removed from a sheep and kangaroo exclusion plot  it is possible to determine whether or not the plot is actually sheep or kangaroo proofed. Kim laughingly says “this is not one of the more glamorous tasks we get to do, but one I found surprisingly satisfying, and not really dirty!”

This is part of a grazing trial designed to examine the effects of kangaroo and sheep grazing on native pastures. As Jarrod, the program coordinator, explains ‘we want to understand what happens when sheep are removed from native pasture. Is there an improvement in biodiversity values or do the weeds take over instead? Do kangaroos simply eat the grass that the sheep were previously eating? ‘

Other common jobs the work crew undertakes are the building of stock exclusion fences, the removal of woody weed trees and shrubs such as Pines, Willows and Hawthorn, and supplementary plantings of locally indigenous flora.

If you are potentially interested in including parts of your property as part of the Connecting Landscapes program, contact Jarrod Coote or Bonnie Humphreys at Connecting Country on 5472 1594 or email: jarrod@connectingcountry.org.au. They will be able to arrange a visit your property if it meets the criteria and occurs in right zone. And to find out more about the program, click here.

18 Feb 2014 – Aboriginal People on the Goldfields

Posted on 17 February, 2014 by Connecting Country

Dr Fred Cahir is giving a talk on Aborigines on the Goldfields of Victoria at the Castlemaine Market Building on 18 February. The talk begins at 7.30pm and entry is free.

Fred is a Senior Lecturer and Aboriginal Studies Program Coordinator in the School of Education and Arts at Federation University, Australia. He has written extensively on local Victorian Aboriginal history. In 2013 he published a Black Gold: Aboriginal People on the Goldfields of Victoria, 1850-1870. The book  offers new insights into how Aboriginal people often figured significantly, both in the search for gold and in other goldfield related enterprises; he also reveals the devastating social impact of gold mining on Aboriginal communities. 

Regional Sustainable Agriculture Steering Committee

Posted on 7 February, 2014 by Connecting Country

Ashley Bevan, Regional Landcare Facilitator with the North Central CMA, is seeking expressions of interest from Landcare members involved in the agricultural industry to join the North Central CMA’s Regional Sustainable Agriculture Steering Committee.

This new committee will assist Ashley and the other project staff in setting the direction of the North Central CMA’s Regional Landcare Facilitator project and the Regional Sustainable Agriculture project.  Steering committee members will provide advice on strategic aspects of the projects and a community/industry perspective on the appropriateness of the project activities. Continue Reading »

Helping our Blue Devils

Posted on 6 February, 2014 by Connecting Country

The Connecting Country Work Crew recently came across a few patches of Blue Devil  (Eryngium ovinum) during their field assessments. This hardy herb grows mostly in grassland and grassy woodland communities and can be found in most Australian states and territories.

Blue Devil (Eryngium ovinum) photographed at Barkers Creek

The prickly plant is a rosette-forming perennial which grows from late winter, flowering in summer and then dies down around autumn, after seeding . It has a fleshy tap-root that stores energy while dormant. These plants belong to the same plant family as Carrots and Fennel, but please don’t eat them!

Three members of the works crew with a Blue Devil.

Blue Devils are now uncommon in our region. The crew has only found them in a small number of grassy woodlands and de-stocked paddocks. Jarrod and the rest of the team would love to know about Blue Devil populations or other rare or unusual animal and plant species on your property.  Through the Connecting Landscapes project, we may be able to improve their habitats by building protective fences or undertaking pest and weed control.

You can find out more about the Connecting Landscapes project here.

Mount Alexander Region Landcare E-news – January 2014

Posted on 6 February, 2014 by Connecting Country

The January 2014 edition of the Mount Alexander Landcare E-news is available. Click on the banner below to download the newsletter.

The Landcare E-news is short monthly update on  Landcare-related news, information and events for the Mount Alexander Shire and surrounds.  Previous editions of E-news are available from the Landcare page of the Connecting Country website (click here).

Latest edition of ‘chat’

Posted on 5 February, 2014 by Connecting Country

The January 2014 edition of the North Central CMA publication, ‘chat’, is now available. (Click here to download.) This edition includes a list of successful recipients of 2013 Communties for Nature grants in North Central Victoria, information on ‘Rabbit Buster Month’ as well as information on funding opportunities, courses and resources.

New Autumn Workshops by Alison Pouliot

Posted on 5 February, 2014 by Connecting Country

World-renowned fungi expert and photographer, Alison Pouliot, is once again running a variety of seminars, workshops, forays and feasts in April and May 2014 on ‘the curiosities and delights of the fungi kingdom’. Alison is an impressive and popular presenter. In her workshops she clearly enjoys sharing her enthusiasm and knowledge of this amazing kingdom of organisms. Alison was a presenter at a Connecting Country Educational event in 2011.

Information about the workshops  as well as examples of her photography and other projects can be found on her website. Bookings are managed by the venues so you need to contact them directly to reserve your place. For further information contact Alison at alison@alisonpouliot.com.

Alison is also running an environmental photography workshop, ‘Eyes on Nature‘, in Woodend on Saturday 5 April 2014. You can download a flyer on this here.

Four of Alison Pouliot’s superb fungi photos.

16 Feb 2014 – Sweet Bursaria Seed Collection & Propagation Workshop

Posted on 31 January, 2014 by Connecting Country

Come and learn how to grow plants for an endangered butterfly!

The Eltham Copper Butterfly is an endangered species in Victoria – and Castlemaine is one of the few places they’re known to live. Join the McKenzies Hill Action & Landcare Group for a free workshop on collecting and propagating seeds of Sweet Bursaria – the butterfly’s only known food plant.

The workshop will take place near the Castlemaine Botanic Gardens between 9:30am to 11am on Sunday 16th February. Click here to download the flyer.

Eltham Copper Butterfly perched on flowering Sweet Bursaria – it’s only know food plant. Photo: Elaine Bayes

Eltham Copper Butterfly’s have an amazing relationship with Sweet Bursaria (Bursaria spinosa) and a genus of ants called Notoncus. Adult butterflies lay their eggs on the roots Continue Reading »

Free events to celebrate World Wetlands Day 2014

Posted on 28 January, 2014 by Connecting Country

The North Central CMA has organised four free events to celebrate World Wetlands Day (2 February) and to explore innovative agricultural practices.

1. Breakfast with the Birds (2 February 2014 at Hird Swamp, near Macorna North)

2. CANCELLED DUE TO EXTREME WEATHER – Bus tour exploring how to integrate wetland conservation with agriculture (2 February 2014 from Koondrook, Vic) – CANCELLED

3. 2014 Future Farming Expo  (6 March 2014 in Maryborough, Vic)

4. On-Farm Composting Field Day (13 March  2014 in Yarrawalla, Vic)

2 March 2014 – Ian Lunt Talk in Newstead . . . Naturally

Posted on 24 January, 2014 by Connecting Country

If you’re already familiar with the work of popular ecologist and author Ian Lunt then you probably don’t need any further encouragement to attend this free talk at the Newstead Community Centre on Sunday 2^nd March.

For those who haven’t come across him before, Ian is an Associate Professor in the School of Environmental Sciences at Charles Sturt University, Albury, and the author of popular online blog Vegetation Ecology for Southern Australia (http://ianluntecology.com). He has been described as “one of the best ecological storytellers going around” and has made appearances on ABC TV’s Catalyst and Landline programs to talk about his research. He’s also co-authored the book ‘Plains Wandering: Exploring the Grassy Plains of South-Eastern Australia’.

Ian will be presenting a talk titled “Natural regeneration in central Victoria: the biggest positive change for conservation in south-east Australia”. Regenerating bush on old farmland is a common sight around Newstead and other parts of the Mount Alexander Shire. Ian’s talk should give us an insight into why it’s happening and what the impact of it on the environment might be.

The talk will begin at 4:00pm and be followed by a BBQ dinner to celebrate the start of Connecting Country’s Improve Biodiversity on Your Property Education Program 2014, supported through funding from the Australian Government’s Clean Energy Future Biodiversity Fund.

This promises to be a really great event and we would love to have as many Connecting Country members and friends there as possible to enjoy it!

RSVPs are not essential, but are greatly preferred for catering purposes – max@connectingcountry.org.au, or phone 5472 1594

Cactus Warriors on YouTube

Posted on 10 January, 2014 by Connecting Country

The Tarrangower Cactus Control Committee (TCCC) have recently uploaded three new videos to their website (http://www.cactuswarriors.org). The videos are presented by TCCC president Ian Grenda and include information on how to identify Wheel Cactus plants, how to kill them, and the story of the TCCC project.

The videos and the website are part of the groups effort to make information on Wheel Cactus control centralised and easily accessible so that groups who want to control cactus in other parts of Australia (and the rest of the world) can learn from the experience of the TCCC.

Check out the videos at the Cactus Warrior website here, or on YouTube.

Ian talks about killing Cactus next to a list of videos showing how to grow them!

Need help with Weed Removal?

Posted on 8 January, 2014 by Connecting Country

Chiliean Needle-grass seed showing distinctive collar between seed and tail (awn).

An important part of the work of the Connecting Landscapes crew during 2013 was removing weeds from properties in the Mount Alexander region. An example has been the removal of patches of Serrated Tussock Grass and Chilean Needle-Grass found by the crew in  the Sutton Grange area.

Whilst there are similar species of native spear grass, these two exotic grasses crowd out native plants and damage stock by burrowing their way into hides and even into the meat!

Connecting Landscapes has just employed a new work crew and is seeking expressions of interest from private landowners and Landcare groups who would like help with weed removal. Assistance is also available for tubestock planting and direct seeding of indigenous flora, the implementation of pest animal control and environmental fencing. Assistance can be in the form of labour from the works crew on properties and/or materials, for example posts and fencing wire.

Connecting Landscapes Work Crew: From left, Alex Schipperen, Kim Peric, Dianna Manser, Matt Stahl, and missing Matthew Sundblom.

This is all part of the Connecting Landscape project which is a ten year program designed to work with private landholders and Landcare Groups to create and enhance wildlife habitat connections between the large blocks of crown land forest that occur through the Mount Alexander Shire and immediate surrounds. There are 8 target zones:  around parts of Sutton Grange, Harcourt, Muckleford, Guildford, Franklinford, Sandon, Elphinstone and Taradale. You can find out more about Connecting Landscapes here.

If this opportunity sounds like it might suit you, or to find out more, please contact Jarrod Coote or Bonnie Humphreys at Connecting Country on 5472 1594 or email: jarrod@connectingcountry.org.au

Latest edition of ‘chat’

Posted on 2 January, 2014 by Connecting Country

The December 2013 edition of the North Central CMA publication, ‘chat’, is now available. (Click here to download.) This edition includes articles on an update to the ‘Native Plant Guide App’  as well as information on funding opportunities, courses and resources.

Position Available – Community Engagement

Posted on 31 December, 2013 by Connecting Country

Connecting Country has a part-time 12-month position available for a suitable, enthusiastic and experienced person.  The role primarily involves coordinating Connecting Country’s Community Engagement program for 2014.  Many of you will have previously attended talks or field days from this program run by Connecting Country over the past 4 years.

Further details about the role, including the position description, key selection criteria and hours of work are available by clicking here.

Applications must be submitted by 1pm on Monday 20th January 2014.

Please pass this on to anyone who you think might be interested.

Mount Alexander Region Landcare E-news – December Edition

Posted on 20 December, 2013 by Connecting Country

The December edition of the Mount Alexander Landcare E-news is available. Click on the banner below to download the newsletter.

Weekly Summaries Now Available

Posted on 18 December, 2013 by Connecting Country

Hello Connecting Country blog subscribers,

Following the suggestions of some of our subscribers, there is now an option to receive a weekly summary email of the Connecting Country posts rather than receive them individually on the day that they are posted.  The weekly summary will be sent out on Saturday morning at about 8am.  The daily emails are now sent at 7am (rather than midnight, as was done previously).

For those that struggle to keep up with their email inbox, the weekly summary of Connecting Country’s posts may help make it more manageable. The downside to receiving the weekly update is that you may miss out on hearing about events or other opportunities until it’s too late to attend or register.

New blog subscribers, will receive an option to receive daily posts or weekly summaries when they are signing up.

For existing blog subscribers, you can change your subscription in the following manner:

• Click on ‘update subscription preferences’ at the bottom of a post email from Connecting Country (either an old or new email will work)
• Click the box which says that you’d like to receive weekly emails only.

New Newsletter on the Mosaic Burning Project

Posted on 17 December, 2013 by Connecting Country

The Box-Ironbark Experimental Mosaic Burning Project has published its 6th newsletter (click here). This issue includes information on their research methodology and the plant composition of their study plots. Future issues will contain detailed results of pre- and post-fire comparisons.

New edition of ‘chat’

Posted on 16 December, 2013 by Connecting Country

The November 2013 edition of the North Central CMA publication, ‘chat’, is now available. (Click here to download.) This month’s edition includes information on the South African Weed Orchid which is prevalent in our Shire this year, some terrific ‘snaps of the month’, and news about upcoming events, courses and resources.