Claire Reports on the Landcare Forum
Posted on 14 July, 2015 by Connecting Country
Claire
Claire Collie attended the Mount Alexander Landcare Forum on 19th June 2015 and has very kindly written this short summary of topics covered. Claire lives in Yandoit Hills and is a researcher with the Landscape & Environmental Sociology Group at the University of Melbourne . She is currently coordinating the Moolort Mapping Project with the Moolort Landcare group.
“The Mount Alexander Landcare Forum provided a great opportunity to hear the projects and stories of a range of different people involved in conservation and beyond. Heralded as a ‘new ideas’ forum, the evening provided the space for conversations to start around ‘next practice’; as most of us are already doing our best.
Brett Clarke sings one of his own songs at the forum.
The evening began with Gunditjmara man Brett Clarke on guitar, singing a traditional lullaby to help us get in the mood. Four presentations followed with well-earned intermissions of hearty food cooked by the Castlemaine Abundance Kitchen Enterprise (CAKE). First up was Ben Boxshall discussing the role that farm forestry can play in Landcare. He began his talk with a contentious statement which I’m sure got a lot of us thinking: “our chosen production systems under-exploit our natural resources”. We were presented the benefits of farm forestry for various products (honey, fence posts, shitake mushrooms, firewood), as well as the potential conservation outcomes.
After that we had Paul Foreman present an illuminating case study on Indigenous fire management in north-east Victoria. The thought of pulling the community together for ‘burning field days’ has definitely got me thinking. Maps of the extent of Victoria’s precious grasslands were presented; with Paul’s searching through historical maps and local histories extending their range from their commonly known EVC distribution. He offered a worthy addition to Ben’s farm forestry enthusiasm: try and avoid planting trees in grasslands.
After this, we had Clare Claydon and her 500 gram bag of painstakingly collected Silver Banksia seeds which was passed around in awe. She discussed the Baynton Sidonia Landcare project to save the Silver Banksia which started ten years ago. We learnt all the techniques of proper planting to assist their survival, and saw photos of their precarious cliff-face habitat as well as a paddock of natural regeneration and dozens of photos of their hard work planting them out.
Lastly, we listened to Una Allender and Brett Clarke speak about the Lake Bolac Eel festival and the associated Healing Walk. I think most of us put the date in our diary for next year in the hope of seeing the giant brolga puppets at the twilight celebration. We ended the night as we had started it; with a lullaby. But this time we all sang together, as Brett had generously shared the lyrics. It was a wonderful evening which most certainly has started conversations around these new ideas and novel practices.”
A remnant Silver Banksia discovered growing on the steep slope of a creek on private property. Trees like this provide an important source of seed for the Baynton Sidonia Landcare group’s Banksia project.
A very exciting day and food for thought.
Sounds like a marvellous evening!
Ahh, the future seems brighter with the prospect of more Silver Banksia, more dancing Brolgas, plus more sung lullabies!