17 May 2012 – Reminder about three events on this Thursday
Posted on 16 May, 2012 by Connecting Country
There are three local events on Thursday 17 May. The details of the first two have already been included on the Connecting Country site (follow the links below):
Consultation on the North Central CMA draft Regional Catchment Strategy to be held in the Campbells Creek Community Hall.
Elphinstone AGM where Ern Perkins, local flora expert, will speak on native and non-native grasses.
The third event is is through the Newstead Landcare Group. It is a presentation by Hedley Thomson of Ballarat Environment Network and Goldfields Weed Management on the topic of ‘Sensitive Area Weed Management’. Hedley will talk about the best ways to manage weeds in sensitive areas and how the use of herbicides can be minimised. He will also help us to understand what natural systems can be enlisted in controlling weeds to get the safest results. This promises to be not only a very interesting but also very useful evening. Hedley is well known as a passionate and engaging presenter. The talk starts at 8 pm at Newstead Community Centre. All are welcome to attend and gold coin donations would be appreciated. A brief (and optional) business meeting will follow. Contact Patrick Kavanagh of Newstead Landcare 5476 2755 for more details.
25 May – Native Pasture Field Day
Posted on 15 May, 2012 by Connecting Country
There will be a field day on the benefits of native grasses in farming systems on Friday 25 May at the Yandoit Community Hall. This free event runs from 12pm to 4pm, with lunch provided, and is hosted by Connecting Country and the North Central CMA.
Graeme Hand, CEO of Stipa Native Grasses Association Incorporated, will give a presentation which will be followed by a bus trip to a local property. This visit will provide a backdrop for discussion about the production potential of native pastures, plant species selection for native pastures and establishing or regenerating grass communities for native pastures.
To download a flyer with all the details click here. For more information and to RSVP please contact bryan@connectingcountry.org.au or call the Connecting Country office on 5472 1594.
20 May 2012 – Cultural Awareness Day
Posted on 14 May, 2012 by Connecting Country
A Campaspe Cultural Awareness Day is being held on 20 May. This is a joint initiative of the North Central CMA, the Campaspe Grassy Woodlands Project and the Dja Dja Wurrung Clans Aboriginal Corporation (DDWCAC). Participants will be able to meet member of the DDWAC and learn about Traditional Ecological Knowledge, cultural heritage management and links to Landcare.
Places are limited and people interested must reserve their place by Wednesday 16 May. Click here to download a flyer with all the details.
Report on panel discussion on “Can I get paid to farm nature?”
Posted on 13 May, 2012 by Connecting Country
The evening of Wednesday 18 April saw about 40 landholders from Mount Alexander Shire and more far flung districts gather to learn more on the topic “Can I get paid to farm nature?”
After a fine meal, attendees settled in to listen to a panel of speakers. First up was Chris Timewell from Connecting Country. Chris outlined Connecting Country’s Yellow Box Woodland project and the sorts of on-ground works and management actions funded through the program. Peter Johnson from DSE talked about the longstanding and successful Land for Wildlife program, which while voluntary in nature, often forms a stepping stone to covenanting or other actions. Continue Reading »
17 May 2012 – ELMA AGM
Posted on 9 May, 2012 by Connecting Country
The Elphinstone Land Management Association (ELMA) is holding it’s AGM on 17 May. Local flora expert, Ern Perkins, will give the keynote talk on native and non-native grasses and everyone attending will receive a free copy of his newly released CD on identifying grasses in the Mount Alexander Shire. This is the first talk Ern has given in the region on his new CD. Click here for more details.
Consultations on the North Central CMA draft Regional Catchment Strategy
Posted on 8 May, 2012 by Connecting Country
The North Central Catchment Management Authority (CMA) is seeking input and feedback from the community on the draft 2012-2018 Regional Catchment Strategy. There will be ten community meetings in May and June to provide input and feedback on environmental priorities. In our region, the community feedback meeting will be held at Campbells Creek Community Centre on at 7 pm on Thursday 17 May. See this flyer for more details.
This is a wonderful opportunity to have input into the Regional Catchment Strategy – it is reviewed every 6 years or so and many things can change in that time. One of the most important assets in our area (after our rivers and creeks) is the natural environment and this is what we can highlight and promote with the North Central CMA. By including this in the bigger picture of the region’s assets it will encourage support for programs to protect, enhance and connect native fauna and flora – this could be through direct funding or through other resourcing.
What is needed now is detailed and accurate mapping of our natural biodiversity to ensure that everyone (local community, agencies, and levels of government) has an understanding of the value and importance of what we have here. There is also the continual need for community education and awareness raising especially as new people are choosing to settle here because of the natural environment and its attraction.
For a copy of the draft Regional Catchment Strategy or to have your say on-line, visit the North Central CMA website.
Our Tuan Work with Deakin Uni and a Call for Volunteers
Posted on 7 May, 2012 by Connecting Country
Dr Gregory Holland from Deakin University’s School of Life and Environmental Sciences was recently in the field with Connecting Country testing out some of his latest habitat monitoring and vegetation structure methodologies. Greg became involved with the Connecting Country nest box program in early 2011 after an introduction from Professor Andrew Bennett. Since then Greg has been working with Connecting Country on its monitoring program, in particular the measurement of habitat variables located at Tuan nest box sites. (Tuans are also known as Brush-tailed Phascogales)
Amy Monagle, a student at the School of Life and Environmental Sciences, has also recently commenced her honours project looking at various aspects of the nest box program. She is undertaking field research with Bryan McMullan of Connecting Country across the Mount Alexander Region as part of the autumn 2012 nest box program. We are seeking volunteers to help Bryan and Amy with the Tuan nest-box surveys and habitat assessments over the next 4-5 weeks (see below for more details).
Greg and Amy in the field
It is fantastic to have Greg and Amy onboard in Connecting Country’s Yellow-box Woodland monitoring project and we welcome them to our community. The partnership between Deakin University and Connecting Country is long-lived and their participation brings longevity to our data sets.
To find out more about Connecting Country’s monitoring program, click here.
Volunteers Needed
Over the coming month Connecting Country is performing habitat and vegetation structure assessments at over 100 nest box sites and would like to invite skilled people to volunteer for assistance with these tasks.
Please contact the Connecting Country office to register your interest 03 5472 1594 or bryan@connectingcountry.org.au
Farm Tree and Landcare Association Newsletter
Posted on 7 May, 2012 by Connecting Country
The latest Farm-Tree and Landcare Association newsletter includes items on a Landcare and Primary Producers Survey and Carbon Farming Initiative Methodologies and Initiative Events. There are also the regular sections on Awards and Opportunities, Events, and News and Resources.
Click here to see the newsletter.
10 May 2012 – Talk by Paul Foreman on Southern Shepherd’s Purse
Posted on 4 May, 2012 by Connecting Country
Southern Shepherd's Purse (Ballantinia antipoda) by Norm Stimson (Enviro Images).
On 10 May there will be a presentation by Paul Forman on Southern Shepherd’s Purse Ballantinia antipoda at 7.30 at the ANA Hall in Harcourt. The Harcourt Valley Landcare Group who have organised this event are actively involved in the recovery of this endangered herb. Information on the National Recovery Plan for Ballantinia antipoda can be found here.
For further information, contact Robyn Miller on 0467 670 271.
Listen to Denis Saunder’s talk
Posted on 2 May, 2012 by Connecting Country
Denis Saunders
At the Connecting Country evening event on 20th March Dr Denis Saunders gave an interesting and informative talk about biodiversity and why it is important. Dr Saunders is a Research Fellow CSIRO Ecosystem Sciences and member of the Wentworth Group of Concerned Scientists. For a summary of the talk, click here.
For those who missed the talk or would like to hear it again, click here for a audio version.
8 May 2012 – Revegetating the Future
Posted on 2 May, 2012 by Connecting Country
Professor Ary Hoffmann - Director of Centre for Environmental Stress and Adaptation Research, Department of Genetics and Zoology
The final evening talk in the Connecting Country Education Program for 2012 will be held at Sutton Grange Community Hall on Tuesday 8 May from 6.30pm. In the face of environmental degradation, Professor Ary Hoffman from the University of Melbourne Bio21 Institute, will discuss the concept of building evolutionary resilience in vegetation and how it can be included in conservation and landscape planning strategies.
This event will be useful to the industry practitioner and the active Landcare group member alike, as well as all other community members. It will get you thinking in more depth about aspects of revegetation such as tube stock provenance, parent tree selection, seed collection and species selection. Considerable time will be available for the audience to discuss these concepts with Professor Hoffmann, Connecting Country staff and members of the Sutton Grange Landcare group. Additional information for further reading will also be available on the night to take home.
The free evening event commences at 6.30pm with a pre-talk supper. The event is fully catered by CAKE (Castlemaine Abundance Kitchen Enterprise) with food sourced from locally grown ingredients – the food and drinks are free, but gold coin donations to the Sutton Grange Landcare group are encouraged.
For more information and to RSVP please contact bryan@connectingcountry.org.au or call the Connecting Country office on 5472 1594. RSVPs are not essential but are preferred for catering purposes. Full details of the program and a registration form can be found at the Connecting Country website: www.connectingcountry.org.au/2012-education-program.
3 May 2012 – New Opportunities in Carbon Farming
Posted on 30 April, 2012 by Connecting Country
Are you interested in getting paid to farm carbon? Considering alternative incomes on your property?
Ben Keogh, Managing Director of Australian Carbon Traders, will discuss the practicalities and realities of carbon farming at a free evening forum in Castlemaine on 3 May. This flyer has more information about the event that is being hosted by the North Central Catchment Management Authority.
April Issue of Groundcover
Posted on 30 April, 2012 by Connecting Country
The latest issue of the North Central CMA publication Groundcover is now available and can be downloaded here. This issue includes information on North Central CMA licenses for works on waterways, the Blueprint for Australian Agriculture and a May forum in Yandoit on native grases in farming systems. Although not specified in the article, the Yandoit field day is also being co-hosted by Connecting Country – and is the final event in our 2012 education program (click here for details).
Committee Positions Available
Posted on 29 April, 2012 by Connecting Country
Connecting Country currently has two vacant committee positions. Expressions of interest are being sought from members of the community who may wish to join one or both of these committees.
Connecting Country Committee of Management
This committee provides direction and oversight for the organisation as a whole. It meets formally once per month (4th Tuesday from 7pm to 9pm in Castlemaine). Any expressions of interest should be registered by Tuesday 15th May to President, Marie Jones, on 5472 2892 or goldenpoint@aanet.com.au.
Landcare Facilitator Steering Committee
The Landcare Facilitator Steering Committee provides support and direction to the Mount Alexander Region Landcare Facilitator. The committee meets monthly, on a Monday, from 9am to 10:30am in Castlemaine. Any expressions of interest should be registered by Monday 18th May to Assistant Project Coordinator, Krista Patterson-Majoor, on 5472 1594 or krista@connectingcountry.org.au.
Cactus Killing Season Begins
Posted on 24 April, 2012 by Connecting Country
The Tarrangower Cactus Control Committee and Parks Victoria will hold their first Community Field Day on Sunday 29 April starting at 10.30 am. Local State MP, Maree Edwards, has agreed to launch our season and get us off to a flying start.
The venue for next Sunday is a property on Watersons Road between Treloars Road and Tarrengower School Road. See the attached notice for a map. As usual the day will finish with a sausage sizzle and a cuppa.
For more details phone Cheryl and Tony Kane on (03) 5475 2073.
Farm Chemical and 1080 Pest Control Training
Posted on 24 April, 2012 by Connecting Country
BRIT TAFE is offering Farm Chemical and 1080 Pest Control training this month. There may be some positions available and people interested should contact Tony Misson, Coordinator, Primary Industries, Bendigo TAFE, on 03 5434 1759, or email tmisson@bendigotafe.edu.au
Farm Chemical Users Course (23, 24 and 25 April)
Course cost $375.00
Participants will receive training in the basic skills and knowledge to select, purchase, transport, store, record and use agricultural and veterinary chemicals responsibly. Completion of this course is required before participants can be issued with an Agricultural Chemical Users Permit (ACUP) from the Department of Primary Industries (DPI)
1080 Pest Control Course (27 April)
Course cost $200.00
This course aims to provide 1080 pest animal bait users with the knowledge, skills and competency to use 1080 pest animal bait products in a manner which is both safe for themselves and the environment. The course also aims to ensure bait end users understand that the use of 1080 pest animal bait products is only one element of an integrated pest animal management strategy. The course is designed for individuals and for persons operating within an integrated pest management plan eg. landcare groups.
Upon successful completion of this course (and prior completion of the Farm Chemical User Course), you will be eligible to obtain a 1080 endorsement to your ACUP issued under the Agricultural and Veterinary Chemicals (Control of Use Act) 1992. This will qualify you as an “authorised person” and permit you to purchase and use 1080 pest animal bait products in Victoria from 1 January 2008.
29 April 2012 – Golden Point Landcare Planting Day
Posted on 18 April, 2012 by Connecting Country
As part of the North Central CMA/Golden Point Landcare Weeds on Private Land Project, project officer Fritz Hammersley will be conducting a community planting day on the Photography Studies College property, Golden Point at 10:30 am on Sunday April the 29th. This property occurs on on the corner of Commissioner’s Gully Rd and Golden Point Rd. All interested members of the public are invited to attend to plant and discuss how the planting and future plantings fit into the weed control strategy for the property. Fritz is very interested in hearing other people’s weed control problems and strategies.
Equipment will be provided save for gloves, so bring a good pair of gardening gloves in your kit. A BBQ lunch will be provided at the log cabin near the site. Parking is available near the site or on Golden Point Road. For catering purposes, please let Fritz (0411566987 fritzham@bigpond.com) or Jennifer (Golden Point Landcare scretary – j.pryce@bigpond.com) know if you are coming.
Participants at recent a planting day.
18 April 2012 – Can I get paid to farm nature?
Posted on 17 April, 2012 by Connecting Country
This Wednesday evening, April 18, Connecting Country will host a Panel discussion on the theme ‘Can I get paid to farm nature?’. Panellists will include Tim Read from Trust for Nature, Peter Johnson from Land for Wildlife, Nick Lewis from ES Link Services, Paul Dettmann from Greenhouse Balanced and Chris Timewell from Connecting Country. Each representative will have 15 minutes to promote their services and to discuss the support mechanisms they have to assist landholders with land management. The panel will then look at a number of farm-based scenarios and suggest ways in which the landholder can manage the land to gain environmentally, economically and socially. The Panel discussion will be held at the Campbells Creek Community Centre (Elizabeth St) and commence at 6:30pm. The event is free for all members of the public and is fully catered. Feel free to turn up on the night, although RSVPS are preferred for catering purposes (contact us on 5472 1594 or bryan@connectingcountry.org.au).
A follow-up excursion will be held on Sunday April 22 to a Sandon farm where we will hear the farmer (Malcolm Fyffe) and the conservationist (Geoff Park) discuss the realities of biodiversity management on economic landscapes. Buses and catering are supplied for this half day event and we will meet at the Ray Bradfield Room in Castlemaine for a 9am departure. This will be an interactive experience for participants and will be a great opportunity to flesh out ideas for personal land management situations. Due to limited bus spaces, RSVPs are preferred (phone 5472 1594 or email bryan@connectingcountry.org.au). There is a charge of $10 per participant for this event, which can be paid on the day.
For more information on these and future events click here. Also, please pass this reminder onto others who might be interested in coming along.
26 April 2012 – Landcare Workshop: Planning for Funding
Posted on 16 April, 2012 by Connecting Country
All community groups know that it’s hard to get much done without support from government grants and other sources of funding. Unfortunately, applying for grants is time-consuming, sometimes confusing and not guaranteed to be successful. Having a good plan is one way to make the process easier, and hopefully more robust.
This workshop will give you the chance to look at a diverse range of ‘plans’ that have been made by Landcare groups in the Mount Alexander area over recent years and see what has worked for them. They come in many shapes and sizes! The evening will include short presentations from three Landcare group members about their own plans. As well as those, there will be presentations by Beth Mellick (Norman Wettenhall Foundation) on the differences between the various funding sources and by Jodie Odgers (North Central CMA Landcare Coordinator) on applying for the upcoming 2012 Victorian Landcare Grants. The workshop will include time for informal discussion and browsing of example plans.
This will be a great opportunity to see how other groups in the Mount Alexander Region go about their work. If you think that your group is in need of some direction, or if you have been thinking about planning a project but haven’t got round to it, or if you are interested in applying for a 2012 Landcare Grant, then this workshop should be useful.
The workshop will be held between 6pm and 9pm on the 26th April at the Ray Bradfield room in Castlemaine. Dinner will be provided. Please RSVP to Max (max@connectingcountry.org.au) by the 20th April (for catering). For more information, please contact Max at the email address above or on 5472 1594.
Farm Tree and Landcare Association Newsletter
Posted on 14 April, 2012 by Connecting Country
The latest Farm-Tree and Landcare Association newsletter has plenty of interesting items including information on:
- Growers and Eaters Conference in Bendigo on Monday 23 April
- National Tree Day 2012
- A range of grants and scholarships
The newsletter can be viewed by clicking here.