New Connecting Country Project – Woodland Birds
Posted on 2 July, 2012 by Connecting Country
Connecting Country is pleased to announce that it has been successful in obtaining funding from the Victorian Government’s Communities for Nature program to implement the first year of its four-year project “Enabling Woodland Birds to Thrive in the Mount Alexander Region”. Scientific research has shown that this bird community is in decline and under threat from habitat reduction. The project will increase the extent and condition of bird habitat through through the Mount Alexander Shire and immediate surrounds using an approach combining on-ground works on private land with community engagement, education, monitoring and other related activities (click here for more information on this new project).
This project will commence soon, and we are currently advertising for a Project Coordinator to manage its implementation (click here). There will also be many oppportunities for the community to be involved in various aspects of the project. More details to follow over coming weeks and months.
CC submission to draft Regional Catchment Strategy
Posted on 29 June, 2012 by Connecting Country
Connecting Country has made a submission to the North Central CMA draft 2012-2018 Regional Catchment Strategy. Click here to view the submission.
Assistance with Grant Writing
Posted on 21 June, 2012 by Connecting Country
The Mount Alexander Volunteer Network is holding free grant-writing sessions for community groups. The sessions which will take place in Maldon, Castlemaine and Newtead and are to assist groups with applications for $5000 Federal Government volunteer grants. Click here to view a brochure with the details.
1–8 July 2012 – NAIDOC Week at Epsom
Posted on 21 June, 2012 by Connecting Country
NAIDOC week will take place in the first week for July. Activities at Epsom (on the north side of Bendigo) include a Flag Raising Ceremony on Monday 2 July with didgeridoo playing and the presentation of Indigenous Student Scholarships. There will also be a BBQ lunch and performance by Kutcha Edwards on Friday 6 July.
Click here to find the full details.
24 June 2012 – Warriors Needed for Cactus Field Day
Posted on 21 June, 2012 by Connecting Country
The Tarrangower Cactus Control Committee is holding its next field day next Sunday 24th June, starting at 10:30 am.
The location is Gough’s Range Road. The easiest way to get there is to go from Maldon along the Newstead Road and then turn right into Gough’s Range Road. See the attached notice for a map.
Everyone is welcome and the Committee suggests people bring as many new recruits as they can muster.
28 June 2012 – Barkers Creek Cleanup
Posted on 15 June, 2012 by Connecting Country
Barkers Creek Project Officer, Michael Luke, is developing a ‘Local Action Plan’ for the creek. The Plan is being developed on behalf of the Barkers Creek Landcare and Wildlife Group, Harcourt Valley Landcare and North Harcourt/Sedgwick Landcare groups.
Michael says “The Local Action Plan is a big part of the Barkers Creek Cleanup Project. It is being written in conjunction with the Barkers Creek Landcare Network and local landholders who live along the length of the creek. If you live in Barkers Creek, Harcourt or North Harcourt we especially would like to hear from you. We would like to get your ideas about what your vision is for the future of Barkers Creek.”
The Landcare network is hosting a community workshop on the evening of Thursday 28th June at the Harcourt ANA Hall. The evening commences at 6.00pm with a light supper, followed by a short presentation about the creek. Participants will then have the opportunity to contribute their ideas about the future management of this significant local waterway.
This important community feedback session shall form the basis of the Local Action Plan which will help to guide the three local Landcare groups’ activities into the future.
For catering purposes, please indicate your attendance and any special dietary requirements by emailing michael@connectingcountry.org.au or call 5472 1594 by the 25th of June.
Funding for the Barkers Creek Cleanup Project has been provided by the Victorian Government’s 2011-12 Landcare grants, the North Central Catchment Management Authority and the Victorian Blackberry and Gorse Taskforces.
A Blackberry-infested portion of Barkers Creek. The project aims to reduce the extent and spread of woody weeks along the creek.
Victorian Landcare Program – Draft Strategic Plan
Posted on 12 June, 2012 by Connecting Country
The Victorian Government is in the process of deciding how best it will support Landcare in the future. As such they’ve developed a draft strategic plan for the Victorian Landcare Project and would like community feedback on the plan. The excerpt below is from the Victorian Landcare Gateway website:
The Victorian Landcare Program (VLP) is the title of the program of support provided to Landcare by the Victorian Government and managed by the Department of Sustainability and Environment (DSE). Given the current action plan for Landcare is due to finish this year, it’s a good time to develop a new direction for the Government’s program of support for Landcare into the future. Once finalised, the VLP will be refreshed to align with the new Strategic Plan.
If you would like view the draft plan and/or contribute your thoughts, click here. Submissions will be accepted until 30 June 2012.
Friends of the Box-Ironbark photo show at Tog’s Cafe
Posted on 12 June, 2012 by Connecting Country
The latest FOBIF Mamunya exhibition opened at Tog’s Cafe in Lyttleton Street, Castlemaine on Friday 8 June. It runs till the 13 July. The exhibition continues a tradition the Friends started in 1999 with their first Mamunya festival. This word comes from a Dja Dja Wurrung chant, ‘pata, mamunya, jirarunga,’ meaning, ‘wait a while, don’t touch it, growing up.’
This time twelve photographers have contributed their photos. The images highlight the often overlooked beauty and intriguing characteristics of our local flora and fauna. Five of the 26 exhibition photos can be viewed in a slideshow on the FOBIF site.
FOBIF/Connecting Country poster available again
The poster, pictured at left, was produced by FOBIF and Connecting Country late last year. It contains 63 photos highlighting the beauty of our local bushlands. The first edition sold out but there are now more copies available from The Hub 14/233b Barker St (entry through glass door on Templeton Street). The cost is $15 dollars for FOBIF and/or Connecting Country members. The poster is also available from Legion Office Works, Stoneman’s Bookroom and the Castlemaine Tourist Information Centre in the Market Building. Click here to see a larger version of the poster.
Barkers Creek Cleanup: funding now available!
Posted on 10 June, 2012 by Connecting Country
A partnership between Barkers Creek Landcare Network, North Central Catchment Management Authority (CMA) and Connecting Country will see some landholders along Barkers Creek receive funding support for controlling woody weeds on their properties.
Barkers Creek Project Officer, Michael Luke, has been visiting local landholders along the creek to help them develop management plans to control gorse and blackberries on their properties. He is also working closely with the three groups comprising the Barkers Creek Landcare Network – North Harcourt/Sedgwick Landcare Group, Harcourt Valley Landcare Group and the Barkers Creek Landcare and Wildlife Group – in the development of a ‘Local Action Plan’ for the creek.
Michael says “We have been very pleased with the number of landholders who have contacted us recently and it is great to see locals becoming more involved with the health of the creek. Thanks to the North Central CMA, there are funds available to provide dollar for dollar support for landholders against the cost of targeted weed control for these two noxious species. However, funding is limited, so we suggest that anyone who lives next to Barkers Creek to contact us as soon as possible.”
Nicole Bullen, from North Central CMA, says “As part of the Australian Government’s Caring for our Country (CfoC) initiative, the North Central CMA is continuing to support the community to undertake environmental flood recovery projects through the Natural Disaster Environmental Recovery project with a major focus on the control of Weeds of National Significance.”
To get involved or to find out more call Michael now on 5472 1594 or email michael@connectingcountry.org.au.
Barkers Creek Cleanup Project Officer, Michael Luke, showing community members a weed-infested area in the Barkers Creek locality.
Weed Watch – Gazania
Posted on 8 June, 2012 by Connecting Country
The following information was originally published by Geraldine Harris in the Castlemaine Naturalist newsletter, and has been kindly re-written by her for the Connecting Country website.
Some plants become environmental weeds when they escape from our gardens into the surrounding countryside and start competing with local native indigenous species. I want to look at how some of these infestations can be controlled and which native plants can be used in their place.
Our native plants cannot be expected to perform as vigorously as pest plants that have been selectively bred for survival over hundreds of years. However, getting rid of pest plants and replacing them with native species will help preserve the integrity of our local habitats, attracting and providing resources for more native birds and other animals.
Gazania linearis
Gazanias are the large daisy-type yellow flowers that are escaping from private gardens and appearing more and more abundantly along our local roadsides and in bushland throughout Victoria, South Australia, Western Australia and New South Wales.
These very showy plants originated in South Africa and are being promoted in many plant nurseries as a tough drought resistant species. Many hybrids have been developed in cultivation between Gazania linearis and a closely related environmental weed species Gazania rigens. These plants produce abundant wind-blown seeds that can be dispersed many kilometres from the source, producing ever-increasing patches of gazania that compete with locally indigenous species. Gazanias also have the ability to re-grow from their bare roots, which enables them to spread into our bushland by the dumping of garden waste containing the tuberous root systems of these plants. Native animals tend not to eat them as they are low in nutritional value. Continue Reading »
Yandoit Native Pastures Field Day Report
Posted on 7 June, 2012 by Connecting Country
Graeme Hand’s thought-provoking presentation on regenerating native pastures was attended by approximately 40 people at a field day on 25 May that was co-hosted by Connecting Country and the North Central CMA. Graeme is from the STIPA Native Grasses Association. The day’s program took place in the Yandoit Community Hall and at local landholder Paul Righetti’s farm.
- Graeme Hand at Yandoit Community Hall
In Graeme’s view, most advice on native pasture regeneration misses the key point which is the soil surface: “we need to compost the landscape using animals”. His talk presented the idea that although unmanaged grazing is the cause of the degradation of native pastures, appropriate sheep, cows and goat grazing regimes can paradoxically assist in the restorative process in some circumstances.
Further information on Graeme’s approach to native pastures is available from the STIPA website (click here).
Graeme’s presentation was followed by a delicious lunch once again prepared by Growing Abundance. Participants then travelled by bus to Paul Righetti’s farm. In a paddock of dense wallaby grass, Paul explained how he was working to promote maximum pasture growth on his farm which included an important role for native grasses. Paul is a member of Connecting Country’s Expert Advisory Group.
Paul Righetti addressing participants on his farming methods.
This field day was the final event in this part of Connecting Country 2012 educational program. A review of this year’s program, and planning for the next program, has already begun.
8 June 2012 – Is Large Scale Revegetation Possible?
Posted on 5 June, 2012 by Connecting Country
Once upon a time revegetation was considered a simple process – it just meant planting tree seedlings. But then ideas progressed – first the trees needed to be native, then locally indigenous and then local provenance. Recently Prof Hoffman suggested in a Connecting Country presentation what might be the next genetic ‘rule’ in revegetation. And it became about more than just the trees, but also about restoring an ecological community including the planting of appropriate shrubs, grasses, herbs and other habitat features.
There are many hundreds of examples where hand planting of tube-stock has been successful in creating or improving fauna habitat on a smaller scale. However, there are fewer examples where this approach has worked on a larger scale in a quick and cost-effective manner (at least not without ready access to lots of volunteers). In recent years, a new approach has been gaining momentum and advocates – direct seeding.
The interesting patterns of a direct-seeded landscape (aerial photo).
David Millsom is a specialist in large-scale revegetation using direct seeding. David farmed near Pyramid Hill for 30 years and converted 1,000 acres of his farm to native vegetation. He is a board member of Seeding Victoria, responsible for technical issues, and has worked for Greening Australia for almost ten years as a project facilitator and technical development officer.
David is the guest speaker this Friday evening (June 8th) in the hall at the back of the Uniting Church in Castlemaine (on Lyttleton St). The evening talk, which commences at 7.30pm, is being hosted by the Castlemaine Field Naturalists Club. Both club members and general members of the public are encouraged to come along to this free event to learn more about this revegetation process and its successes in creating new habitat for indigenous flora and fauna. Contact the Castlemaine Field Naturalists Club for further details (castlemainefnc@hotmail.com).
3 June 2012 – World Environment Day in Castlemaine
Posted on 30 May, 2012 by Connecting Country
To celebrate World Environment Day in our Shire, a community fair will take place in the Castlemaine Market Building on Mostyn St from 9am to 1pm on Sunday 3rd June. For people who are interested protecting our diverse plants and animals, or sustainability initiatives and green technology opportunities, the fair will be a great source of information on what is happening locally.
Among the attractions of the day is the opportunity to see a specimen of the rare and endangered Southern Shepherds Purse – a plant growing in the Mount Alexander Regional Park and nowhere else in the world! There will also be copies of some botanical publications produced specifically for our area, which will be available for a gold coin donation.
The ‘mini expo’ format will give visitors an opportunity to talk to representatives from local environmental organisations, community groups and government agencies including: Connecting Country, Friends of the Box-Ironbark Forests, Landcare, Mount Alexander Sustainability Group, Trust for Nature, Parks Victoria, Mount Alexander Shire Council and Castlemaine Community House – Growing Abundance.
The Castlemaine Farmers Market (in the adjoining Victory Park) and Castlemaine Market Building Art Showcase 2012 will be on at the same time.
Kirsten from Trust for Nautre with Swifty the Parrot at last year's World Environment Day
New issue of Groundcover
Posted on 30 May, 2012 by Connecting Country
The latest issue of North Central CMA publication formerly known as Groundcover can be downloaded here. The name, Groundcover, is being changed and there is a competition for a new title.
This issue contains a report on the recent successful frog forum in Newstead, the new State laws which make Councils responsible for controlling roadside weeds and pests such as rabbits, and information on the Blueprint for Australian Agriculture.
Nominations now open for Regional Awards
Posted on 30 May, 2012 by Connecting Country
Regional Achievement and Community Awards highlight, acknowledge and reward the contribution that businesses, individuals and community groups, organisations and clubs make in and for their local community. They are offered by a range of government and non-government organisations. Click here for more details.
Nominations are open for the following categories:
- Regional Development Victoria Business Achievement Award
- Parks Victoria Environment and Sustainability Award
- Regional Development Victoria Trade and Career Achievement Award
- Parks Victoria Regional Achiever Award
- BlueScope Distribution Leadership and Innovation Award
- Medibank Healthy Participation Award
- Prime Super Community Group of the Year Award
- Department of Sustainability and Environment Water Efficiency Improvements Award
Land restoration: is ‘local provenance’ enough?
Posted on 27 May, 2012 by Connecting Country
About 60 people turned up to Sutton Grange on Tuesday night to hear Melbourne University’s Ari Hoffman deliver a stimulating talk about how landcare groups might approach revegetation projects to cope with a rapidly changing climate. His talk was the third in the 2012 Connecting Country education program evening series.
Professor Hoffman’s absorbing talk was built on a number of propositions: the climate is changing rapidly—more rapidly than it ever has; the ability of plant communities to cope with change is directly related to genetic diversity; and that, therefore, we can enhance the ability of our vegetation communities to survive rapid change by increasing their genetic diversity.
Loddon River near Guildford, September 2010: Professor Hoffman used the example of River Red Gum to suggest that restoration works should use a proportion of plants sourced some distance from the work site, in order to enhance genetic diversity.
Professor Hoffman acknowledged that his argument potentially ran counter to the accepted thinking of Landcare groups and other land restoration practitioners: these currently operate on the belief that revegetation projects should be done with plants sourced from seeds collected locally: that plants having ‘local provenance’ will be best suited to local conditions. Ari Hoffman agreed that this is generally the case, but argued that in times of change, and in situations where plant and animal communities had been fragmented by land clearing and development, isolated populations can lack the degree of genetic diversity which could increase their resilience in the face of change. He suggested that future revegetation projects should use a provenance system roughly divided as follows: about sixty per cent ‘local’; thirty per cent sourced from a ‘medium’ distance away; and ten per cent from a significant distance away. A variety of approaches could be used, depending, for example, on whether a species used wind or birds to disperse seeds.
Professor Hoffman acknowledged that there were risks in this procedure, but noted that some natural hybridisation was common, and that experimental evidence had shown that isolated populations were strengthened by the introduction of new genetic material.
Discussion of this idea was lively, probing and constructive, and the audience stayed for a long time after the talk—encouraged by the presentation of outstanding supper desserts by Growing Abundance.
The above article was written by Bernard Slattery for the Friends of the Box-Ironbark website.
To listen to an audio version of Professor Hoffman’s presentation, click here.
Improving Weed Identification Skills
Posted on 24 May, 2012 by Connecting Country
The North Central CMA has free community Weed Identification Workshops planned for Avoca and Hepburn Springs during June 2012. Topics covered include: understanding weeds, key weed characteristics, weed growth stages, integrated weed management and chemical and non-chemical control options. These interactive workshops will include both presentations and hands on activities.
1. Avoca – Weed Identification Workshop
When: Wednesday 13 June 2012, 9 am to 4 pm (Lunch provided)
Where: Avoca Information Centre, 122 High St, Avoca VIC 3467
RSVP: By Friday 8 June 2012 on (03) 5448 7124 or email info@nccma.vic.gov.au.
2. Hepburn Springs – Weed Identification Workshop
When: Wednesday 27 June 2012, 9 am to 4 pm (Lunch provided)
Where: Peppers Mineral Springs Retreat, 124 Main Rd, Hepburn Springs
RSVP: By Friday 22 June 2012 (as above).
For further information and to view the flyers for each of these events please visit the Victorian Landcare Gateway Website
27 May – Cactus Killing Continues
Posted on 24 May, 2012 by Connecting Country
The first cactus control community field day for the year was held on Sunday 29 April. The day was launched by Maree Edwards, MP for Bendigo West. There was a big turnout and the event had a front page write up in the Tarrangower Times.
The next Field Day will be on 27 May starting at 10.30. It will be held at the same venue – off Waterson’s Road near Tarrengower School Road intersection and will be well signposted. Because of the Trial Bike World Championship competitions being held all weekend off Mount Back Road, the traffic along Waterson’s Road might be very busy. It may therefore be easier to access the site by going the long way around and entering Waterson’s Road from the Baringhup end.
See the attached notice for a map. Everyone is welcome.
Farm Tree and Landcare Association Newsletter
Posted on 22 May, 2012 by Connecting Country
The latest Farm-Tree and Landcare Association newsletter includes items on the National Landcare Conference in September and the impact of the State and Federal budgets on environmental funding. There are also the regular sections on Awards and Opportunities, Events, and News and Resources.
Click here to see the newsletter.
Who should pay for good private land management, and how?
Posted on 18 May, 2012 by Connecting Country
Connecting Country’s most recent field day (22 April) was held at Malcolm Fyffe’s grazing property at Sandon. Introducing the trip, Deirdre Slattery, CC Education Advisor, suggested that an historical perspective on private land use showed many changes have taken place in government and community attitudes to land, from wholesale clearing to protection. Malcolm Fyffe and the North Central CMA’s Geoff Park, illustrated the current difficulties and dilemmas involved in farming for a productive and healthy landscape: many of the issues they raised look rather different when seen from a farming or a nature conservation point of view.
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. Continue Reading »